Customer Reviews (3)

A great history of 20th century Space and Astronomy

When I picked up this book and started to read it I immediately thought: "This would make a great high school textbook for a course about space science". Sometime later I turned the book over and found that was the idea!

A very readable book that hits the highlights of the space and astronomy advances during the last century. Not only is the book very readable it has a extensive list of additional reading materials to provide more depth.

I am a retired aerospace worker and took part in the Apollo and Shuttle programs and the book provided a good review of the many events which occurred. In the day to day activitiesof the workplace it is easy to lose sight of the big picture and the book provided a good review. The astronomical side was mostly new material to me and was very informative. If you want a good history of this period I highly recommend this book.

A brilliant invitation to explore space from your armchair
Dyson's background as a NASA flight controller and winner of the AIP Science Writing Award and the Golden Kite award guarantees that her science and her writing are accurate as well as clear. But I was still delighted and surprised by both the depth and sparkle of this book.Just picking it up, I was captivated by her use of graphics: ultra clear and engaging.Read from beginning to end, this bookis an education in itself.

I'd love to see this book widely adopted for high school and beginning college science courses.It's also first rate as a history of science text.It gives accurate facts and presents them in a way that the most uninitiated can understand and yet the more sophisticated reader can appreciate and profit from.The clarity of the textual material and graphics just pulls the reader into the history of the space program and the recent history of astronomy.Topics include how stars evolve, the exploration of the moon and Mars, the significance of the Hubble telescope, the search for extrasolar planets and extraterrestrial life, the International Space Station, and much much more.

I think it would also make a great gift for a child with an interest in science.Dyson has a genius for explaining complex space discoveries without complex math. Another potential audience is anybody who likes science fiction or wants to learn to write science fiction. Follow the facts in this book and you won't make stupid mistakes about space travel.

Its usefulness would not be limited to children.As an adult, I find this book a source of wonder and fascination with our world in the context of space.

When I was eight, my forward-thinking grandmother bought me the twelve volume The Book of Knowledge.Although the information in that book is now very much outdated, it changed my life.I became interested in the aurora borealis, the planets, the stars, and science in general, an interest that has enriched my life to this day.This single volume will do the same for a child or a curious adult today.

Insightful history of space
This book is a very readable, insightful history of the development of astronomy and space through the course of the twentieth century, a century in which our knowledge of the universe changed rapidly, and our ability to explore space moved from the Wright Brothers' hops to the voyages to the moon.Dyson, a former spaceflight controller at the NASA Johnson Space Center, chronicles this development, showing how we got where we are and who did it, in an interesting format, with diagrams and pictures to illustrate the key points.She profiles a "scientist of the decade" for each decade between 1900 and the millennium, and puts everything together into a coherent story of the great adventure of the twentieth century: the human search outward into the universe, and its growing understanding of our home planet and our place in the solar system and in the universe. ... Read more

Product Description

The field of ultraviolet astronomy offers unequalled scientific promise yet has not been blessed with a multitude of space missions (as has been the case for other spectral domains). This book contains a distillation of the community’s views on the topic and the desires for future observational facilities. As such, it provides the most up-to-date information on the topic of ultraviolet astronomy from a very broad point of view, presenting a compilation of lectures given at a specialist meeting and combining theoretical arguments with observational reports and detailed instrumental information.

Product Description
This book brings together the lectures given at the Les Houches summer school "Infrared space astronomy, today and tomorrow". It gives a wide overview of infrared astronomy, a wavelength domain crucial for studies of the solar system, stars at the beginning and end of their lives, interstellar matter and galaxies at all distances. Recent developments in observational techniques have been tremendous. The first contributions give an introduction to the basic physical processes and methods of detection and data processing. They are followed by a series of lectures dealing with the wide variety of astronomical objects that can be seen in the infrared. ... Read more

Product Description
The universe beyond our own has been an object of scientific inquiry and a preoccupation of avid stargazers from antiquity up to the present day, and this preoccupation has evolved into a complex field in which mysteries are unlocked and discoveries are made on a constant basis.The Astronomy Encyclopedia covers the full width and breadth of the discipline and includes the latest and most important advances. In more than 3,000 alphabetically organized articles accompanied by 500 stunning color and black and white photographs, star maps, and diagrams, The Astronomy Encyclopedia covers everything both the researcher and general enthusiast wants to knowfrom adaptive optics and cold dark matter to Islamic astronomy and the principle of equivalence.It includes a host of major articles on the cornerstones of astronomical investigation, such as the Milky Way, the sun and planets, optical and radio telescopes, stars , black holes, astrophysics, observatories, astronomical photography, space programs, the constellations and famous astronomers.Also featured are tables which display relevant data such as the brightest stars in the major constellations, annual meteor showers, major variable stars, dwarf stars, and energy production processes in the sun. More than 100 astronomers from leading universities and observatories, each an expert in a specialized area of the field, wrote and reviewed the entries to ensure their authority.Patrick Moore, distinguished astronomer and longtime host of the popular BBC television program The Sky at Night, serves as the general editor for this most up-to-date and reliable reference work. A glimpse into humanitys last great frontier, the Astronomy Encyclopedia is both accessible and comprehensive enough for both the serious stargazer and the professional astronomer. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Very Comprehensive Book
A great reference book for anyone's home library. Beautifully illustrated and well indexed subject matter. Found only a few less than obvious errors and understandably a little out-of-date but given its broadly covered topical nature and huge page content it is a magnificent collaborative production. A very handy reference for teachers or anyone with an interest in astronomy.

Beautiful book, but full of errors
Oxford University Press has published a visually spectacular and comprehensive astronomy encyclopedia for the lay-person.They have made liberal use of recent Hubble Space Telescope images to produce a truly beautiful book.However, the number of errors ranging from mistaken numbers, to misattributed photographs, to confused sentences is surprising.Perhaps a second edition will clean up these problems.

This book has everything you would want to know.
This book is state of the art in information.It can answer any possible question you can ask about astronomy. It is a thick heavy hard covered book.I spent two hours just reading the captions of over 500 pictures and learned things I never thought about. Get it. ... Read more

Product Description
Expertly written and lavishly illustrated, The Cambridge Illustrated History of Astronomy offers a unique account of astronomical theory and practice from antiquity to the present day. How did Moslems of the Middle Ages use astronomy to calculate the direction of Mecca from far-flung corners of the Islamic world? Who was the only ancient Greek to suspect that the earth might revolve around the sun? How did Christopher Columbus abuse his knowledge of a lunar eclipse predicted by an astronomical almanac? Packed with anecdotes and intriguing detail, this book describes how we observed the sky and interpreted what we saw at different periods of history; how this influenced our beliefs and mythology; and how great astronomers contributed to what we now know. The result is a lively and highly visual history of astronomy - a compelling read for specialists and non-specialists alike. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

History of Astronomy
I enjoyed this book immensely, because it combines two of my favorite topics, history and science, and shows how one makes the other.The book is lavishly illustrated with photographs of stone tablets, astronomical instruments, original sketches, and drawings to underpin its narrative of history of astronomy.The book takes the reader from antiquity thru Copernicus to Hobble in a narrative that is gripping as the quest for knowledge and understanding of the universe unfolds.

As a scientist in microelectronics, I appreciated how people of different ages developed a concept of the universe based on their sometimes incomprehensible observational data; how that concept changed due to the ever increasing accuracy of observation; and how the need for more accurate observation drove the need for improvements in instrumentation.

Unlike a typical astronomy (or engineering) textbook that lists facts that is perhaps a culmination of a thoughtprocess of many generations, this book tries to answer the even more important question, how did they figure that? - outlining breakthrough concepts and how and why they were arrived at but not dragging the reader down in detail.

The history of astronomy is the history of people (and not that of a single genius), and how scientists and astronomers built on the results of the previous generation, sometimes tearing concepts down, but ever improving our view.There have been some very smart people in the past in astronomy and in other sciences; and it is incredible what they accomplished with what little they had.The book pays respect to these individuals, as we all should, as we all stand on the shoulders of these giants.

Not a Finer History of Astronomy Available
Like other works in this series, the Cambridge 'Illustrated History of Astronomy' is both a useful reference work and a visually entertaining table-top book. Combined, those two elements make for an excellent history of the science of astronomy.

The scholarship is top-notch: Michael Hoskin is the editor and a contributor, and other contributors include J.A. Bennett, Owen Gingerich, Clive Ruggles, Christopher Cullen and David Dewhirst--superb scholars all. They cover the history of astronomy from prehistory, through the invention of the telescope and the scientific revolution, to the rise of astrophysics and beyond. Astronomy in non-western cultures (China, India, Islam) is also covered, and makes a welcome addition to the traditional Euro-centric story.

But the illustrations (many in color) really make the book: pictures, graphs, sidebars, frontispieces, manuscript pages, newspaper clippings, paintings, etc. enhance the written portion and make it that much more informative.

In sum, this may be the most useful and enjoyable book on the history of astronomy in print.

Masterpice!
When you see a "coffee table" book like this, you sometimes wonder about whether the writing is going to match the pictures, but with people like Michael Hoskin, Christopher Cullen and Owen Gingerich writing the text, you know that this one is going to be a winner even before you open it. Let me just say that the pictures and the desing in fantastic, and that the writing is at a level suitable for the general public without being "dumbed down". Trust me, you're going to enjoy this one!

Beautifully written and illustrated
This is the single best history of astronomy I've ever encountered. Not only is the narrative interesting, the pictures--from William Herschel's journal pages describing his discovery of Uranus to full-page illuminations of the Cartesian cosmology--enhance the experience even more than one mightexpect. At less than ( ), this book is a must for any astronomy buff.

Comprehensive coverage of the history of astronomy
An excellent survey with both breadth and depth, covering non-European astronomy (for example the Dresden Codex - a Mayan calendar), the difficulties of the Geo-centric model, the development of the telescope,modern astrophysics, up to the Hubble Space Telescope. Includes a greatmany sidebars with much peripheral information (I did not know thatHerschel was an organist by trade). ... Read more

Product Description

Your comprehensive guide to remarkable achievements in space

Do you long to explore the universe? This plain-English, fully illustrated guide explains the great discoveries and advancements in space exploration throughout history, from early astronomers to the International Space Station. You'll learn about the first satellites, rockets, and people in space; explore space programs around the world; and ponder the controversial question: Why continue to explore space?

• Take a quick tour of astronomy — get to know the solar system and our place in the galaxy, take a crash course in rocket science, and live a day in the life of an astronaut

• Run the Great Space Race — trace the growth of the Space Age from Sputnik to the Apollo moon landings and meet the robots that explored the cosmos

• Watch as space exploration matures — from the birth of the Space Shuttle to the creation of the Mir Space Station to successes and failures in Mars exploration, see how space programs reached new levels

• Journey among the planets — check out the discoveries made during historic voyages to the inner and outer reaches of the solar system

• Understand current exploration — review the telescopes in space, take a tour of the International Space Station, and see the latest sights on Mars

• Look into the future — learn about upcoming space missions and increased access to space travel

Open the book and find:

• Descriptions of space milestones and future missions

• An easy-to-follow chronological structure

• Color and black-and-white photos

• The nitty-gritty details of becoming an astronaut

• A grand tour of the solar system through space missions

• Explanations of tragedies and narrow escapes

• Facts on the creation of space stations by NASA and the USSR

• Ten places to look for life beyond Earth

Customer Reviews (1)

Calling all space cadets
"Space Exploration for Dummies" is the latest addition to the yellow-covered "Dummies" series. Researched and penned by Dr. Cynthia Phillips, planetary geologist at the SETI Institute, and her partner, Shana Priwer, professional writer, this book captures the essential facts and accomplishments of the real space cadets.

The book invites browsing. While organized into logical chapters, readers are urged to jump straight to the topic of greatest interest. In case you're a novice astronomer, there's a quick light-hearted primer on basic astronomy. Then, it's on to rocket science. Phillips and Priwer have a light touch, and write for the non-rocket scientist. This is rocketry that your grandparents could understand. Rockets carry up payloads, and often astronauts. So you want to be an astronaut? Turn to chapter 4 to learn about your ride. But, all you would-be astronauts, go on to read chapter 5 about space tragedies before consulting your life insurance agent. Like 15th century exploration of the Earth, space exploration is dangerous. People do die trying, and the history of the tragedies is both thoughtful and sobering. It honors the people who made the ultimate sacrifice in our journey to the stars.

Back to 1957: Sputnik was the first human-made satellite to orbit Earth. It was amazing to me, and still is. Over several chapters, "Space Exploration" breezes through the early days of the space race and on to Apollo, Soyuz, Mir and the Space Station. It's useful to have all of this brought together succinctly: many missions and many astronauts at my fingertips. I especially appreciated the inclusion of the 13 women who worked to become astronauts in 1960, but were excluded by NASA for lack of Air Force pilot training (something they, as women, could not obtain at the time, p. 99.) Sally Ride was the first US female astronaut in space 23 years later. Times do change.

Robots and remotely operated space telescopes are essential human tools for space exploration. The authors devote chapters to robotic exploration of the Moon, the first grand tours of the solar system in the 70's and 80's, and the newer explorers of our universe including space telescopes like Hubble. We're in the midst of this exciting journey, and Phillips and Priwer scan forward to the missions in planning and missions in dream stages. Finally for all the SETI fans, there a chapter on looking for life beyond Earth in our solar system and around distant stars. "Dummies" are known for humor, and this book closes with "tens," a nice homage to David Letterman: 10 places to look for life, 10 ways that space travel isn't like the movies, and 10 everyday things brought to you by NASA (not Tang!). So, space cadets, teachers, kids and interested people, you'll find "Space Exploration for Dummies" a fun read and handy reference.
... Read more

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Customer Reviews (6)

Good Space History
This is a very good book on space history filled with excellent pictures, the only thing I wish was different is that is was a hard cover and not a soft back book.

A visual display gathering over 300 images
Andrew Chaikin's Space: A History Of Space Exploration In Photographs is a visual display gathering over 300 images which pay tribute to and trace the history of space exploration. Its appearance in a new paperback edition makes affordable and accessible a visually dynamic, classic history which charts the range of space exploration efforts and discoveries.

A Beautifully Illustrated Book Verifies 1960's Moon Race
This book is loaded with photographs as well as a historical narrative. What I found especially interesting was a series of photographs of the unsuccessful Soviet effort to beat the US to the moon in the late 1960's. These include the large new Soviet booster rocket that kept exploding shortly after launch, as well as a scaled-down (one man) Soviet lunar module that was never used. This information exposes the falsehood, advanced against the US Apollo Program at the time by certain left-wing circles, that posited that there had been no moon race because the Soviets ostensibly never had intended to land men on the moon. They certainly did--and they failed.

Spectacular!!!!
Andrew Chaikin is best known for his classic book "A Man on the Moon" which describes the Apollo missions to the moon and was basis for the equally classic HBO series "From the Earth to the Moon."In his latest offering, Andrew Chaikin presents the history of space exploration from the early space pioneers, through the space race, to the latest space shuttle missions to the International Space Station (ISS) using numerous high quality, large format photographs and a very small amount of introductory text for each chapter.I feel that this book will be another one of his classic space exploration books.

The book opens with a small discussion of the early space pioneers such as Wernher von Braun, Sergei Korolev and Robert Goddard, and their efforts to develop workable rockets.The book then moves into the dawn of the space age and the race between Russia and the United States to achieve various "firsts."For example, the first satellite, the first probe to the moon or another planet and of course the first country to put a man into space.After this portion of the book, the Mercury, Gemini, Vostok, Voskhod and early Apollo programs are examined.The next section is devoted to NASA's exploration of the moon and contains many full page photographs.To further emphasis the grandeur of these missions of exploration, there are several two page foldouts.The next chapter of the book covers the early robotic exploration of the solar system, up to and including the Viking and Voyager missions.The next portion of the book examines the space shuttle era.It is here that I feel that the book should have included more.While the space shuttle has been flying for over twenty years, there is less than twenty pages of shuttle related photographs.The book concludes with the current robotic exploration of the solar system, some really excellent photographs from the Hubble Space Telescope and the construction of the International Space Station.

I only have two minor criticisms about the book.First, most of the photographs are devoted to the space race up to the Apollo moon landings, with very little dedicated to the Space Shuttle and International Space Station projects.Secondly, many of the photographs are ones that have been published before so there is very little new here.Nevertheless, these two very minor complaints, are overshadowed by the splendor of the numerous high quality photographs is this book.

unbelievable beautiful
it's hard to believe we haven't gone back to the Moon, after seeing these phot0graphs ... Read more

Product Description
Astronomy on the Personal Computer provides the reader with a thorough introduction to the computation of celestial mechanics, which is of particular significance for carrying out astronomical observations. Covering everything from astronomical and computational theory to the construction of rapid and accurate applications programs, this book supplies the necessary knowledge and software solutions for determining and predicting positions of the Sun, Moon, planets, minor planets and comets, solar eclipses, stellar occultations by the Moon, phases of the Moon and much more. This completely revised edition makes use of the widely implemented programming language C++, and individual applications may be efficiently realized through the use of a powerful module library. The accompanying CD-ROM contains, in addition to the complete, fully documented and commented source codes, the executable programs for Windows 95/98/NT and Linux operating systems. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Astronomy (Pascal Style)
I was a little disappointed with the book's programming code in Pascal.I was hoping at least it was in a more modern language such as C++ or Java, however, the algorithms work well on the generic Pascal compiler.There are too many programs for the average person just to type in, so I suggest getting the book with the media included.Mine came with a 3 1/2" floppy disk (can you tell this was from the 90's).Most machines don't even have floppy disks any more.I had to put this in my older laptop with my floppy to transfer the programs to my jump drive.

Overall, I like the book, and I suppose for a few more dollars I can get these programs in the "modern languages".Thank you for reading this review.

Good C++ book for astromical calc
This book does not use c-like/c++ but true c++.It begins with Vec3D class hiding private menbers.I learn many things of objective astronomical calc from this book.

Exceptional value for money
What I appreciate about this book is that details of many aspects of astronomical computations are clearly explained together with extensively documented full C++ source code and references for further information. As a bonus, extensive star catalogues are supplied, for use with, for example, astrometry.

C++ is *not* my language of choice, but the authors seem to have done a masterful job of using C++ features well, while avoiding obfuscation. Initially at least, I am translating things as I go into Mathematica, as a check that I am understanding what I am reading.

All in all, for getting under the hood, I think Montenbruck and Pfleger provide exceptional value for money.

Good book
I`m very intresting this book (disk ... Read more

Product Description
Astronomy is a fortunate science; it needs no embellishments, said the French savant Arago.So fascinating are its achievements that no special effort is needed to attract attention.Nonetheless, the science of the heavens is not only a collection of astonishing revelations and daring theories.Ordinary facts, things that happen, day by day, are its substance.Most laymen have, generally speaking, a rather hazy notion of this prosaic aspect of astronomy.They find it of little interest, for it is indeed hard to concentrate on what is always before the eye.

Everyday happenings in the sky are the contents of this book, free from professional terminology with easy reading.Its purpose is to initiate the reader into the basic facts of astronomy.Ordinary facts with which you may be acquainted are couched here in unexpected paradoxes, or slanted from an odd and unexpected angle solely to excite the imagination and quicken your interest.The daily aspect of the science of the skies, its beginnings, not later findings that mainly form the contents of Astronomy for Entertainment.The purpose of the book is to initiate the reader into the basic facts of astronomy.Ordinary facts with which you may be acquainted are couched here in unexpected paradoxes, or slanted from an odd and unexpected angle.The theme is, as far as possible, free from "terminology" and technical paraphernalia that so often make the reader shy of books on astronomy.

Books on popular science are often rebuked for not being sufficiently serious.In a way the rebuke is just, and support for it can be found (if one has in mind the exact natural sciences) in the tendency to avoid calculations in any shape or form.And yet the reader can really master his subject only by learing how to reckon, even though in a rudimentary fashion.Hence, both in Astronomy for Entertainment and in other books of this series, the aurhor has not attempted to avoid the simplest of calculations.True, he has taken care to present them in an easy form, well within the reach of all who have studied mathematics at school.It is his conviction that these exercises help not only retain the knowledge acquired; they are also a useful introduction to more serious reading.

This book contains chapters relating to the Earth, the Moon, planets, stars and gravitation.The author has concentated in the main on materials not usually discussed in works of this nature.Subjects omitted in the present book, will, he hopes, be treated in a second volume.The book, it should be said, makes no attempt to analyze in detail the rich content of modern astronomy.

Unfortunately Y. Perelman never wrote the continuation he had planned for this book, as untimely death in warbound Leningrad in 1942 interruped his labours. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great book and fast seller
Book has excellent and detailed readings. While reading, the author takes you in your imagination to different places. The relationship betweem imagination, reading and science, provide a delightful experience. ... Read more

Product Description
Report from the Astronomy and Astrophysics Survey Committee, Board on Physics and Astronomy, and Space Studies Board. Softcover. ... Read more

Product Description
Mike Reynolds' guide to meteors and meteorites is revised and updated to include the latest information about meteor study and sightings. The book covers the basics of observing, studying, and collecting meteors and meteorites, appealing to a range of readers, from the amateur astronomer to the aspiring meteorite collector. Included are helpful tables and references, such as a list of yearly meteor showers and a directory of meteorite dealers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

It's "OK"
This book, "Falling Stars" by Mike D. Reynolds, claims to be "A Guide to Meteors & Meteorites" ---- Well, yeah, I guess you could call it that, but he tries to pack a lot of information into 150 pages. The biggest problem that I have with it is that the whole book is in black & white, photos too. Most other books on the subject have color photos so you can see what the samples really look like. Still, it has a lot of useful basics on meteors and meteorites.

Falling Stars
Most of us have looked up at the night sky and seen what is commonly called a falling or shooting star. These momentary streaks occur when meteors, objects ranging from the size of dust particles to fist-size masses, enter the earth's atmosphere and are heated to incandescence. Few of these objects survive their encounter with our atmosphere.

What we see on earth is a streak of light that lasts about a half second on average -- generally speaking, the larger the material that enters the atmosphere, the brighter the meteor. Brighter meteors will occasionally leave a smoke trail in their path lasting a few seconds; trails produced by very bright meteors, referred to as fireballs, may last minutes. Fireballs that appear to break up, or produce sound, are called bolides.

One of the most prolific meteor showers known as the Perseids occurs in August. The Perseids are so called because the point they appear to come from lies in the constellation Perseus. Meteor showers occur when Earth moves through a meteor stream. The stream in this case is called the Perseid cloud and it stretches along the orbit of the Comet Swift-Tuttle. The shower is visible from mid-July each year, with the greatest activity between August 8 and 14, peaking about August 12. During the peak, the rate of meteors reaches 60 or more per hour. To experience the shower in its full, one should observe in the dark of a clear moonless night, from a point far outside any large cities, where stars are not dimmed by light pollution-such as Cherry Springs state park.

If you are looking for a good introduction to the wonderful world of meteors and meteorite collecting, check out Falling Stars, A Guide to Meteors & Meteorites by Mike D. Reynolds. There are a number of good books out there on this subject, but this one is a handy quick reference guide for novices and those interested in learning about the origins of these interesting pieces of rock from space. It gives a brief overview of meteors and comets, descriptions of major meteor showers, major impact craters, and famous meteorite falls, as well as a breakdown of the various types of meteorites.

Backyard astronomy can be easy and fun. I'm going to make myself a big bowl of popcorn, drag my Barcaloungerä into the backyard and catch a FREE midnight show.

Kevin Coolidge wishes for clear skies at www.frommyshelf.blogspot.com

Useful in some sense
This book is not thick enough to discourage meteorite-wannabes to finally finish it front to cover.Through its few pages, of course one cannot expect a detailed description for every topic in meteoritics, but in some sense contains very useful information not usually found in other books.A list of useful meteorite dealerspresented, a guide-list price for every popular meteorites per gram, this alone aided me in my decision making whether a meteoriteposted in the web is overpriced or not.Useful to start with, but could have been written more lengthly as I feel the author has this "feel" of what a new collector would be.

Excellent Book!
In addition to reading this great book, I have had the good fortune of meeting Dr. Reynolds in person.He is as engaging a speaker as he is an author, and has a way of bringing you into a subject like no one else.Falling Stars is an excellent introduction to meteor observing and meteorite collecting.This really is a branch of astronomy that anyone can get involved with.I highly recommend this book!

Good Short Introduction to Meteors, Meteorites, and Tektites
Falling Stars: A Guide to Meteors and Meteorites is just that, a short introduction to the wonderful world of meteors and meteorite collecting.There are a number of good books out there on this subject, but this one is a handy quick reference guide for novice collectors and those interested in learning a little about the origins of these fascinating pieces of rock and metal from space.It gives a brief overview of meteors and comets, descriptions of the major meteor showers,major impact craters, and famous meterorite falls, as well as a breakdown of the various types of meteorites and tektites.It doesn't go into great detail on, say, the difference between an octahedrite, hexahedrite, and ataxite nickel-iron meteorite for example, but it does provide some sound info for the beginner. ... Read more

Product Description
Edited by renowned author and broadcaster Ian Ridpath, with the help of over 20 expert contributors, the second edition of this highly popular dictionary contains over 4,200 up-to-date entries on all aspects of astronomy.Readers will find a galaxy of informative, vividly written entries on everything from space exploration and the equipment involved, to astrophysics, cosmology, and the concept of time. The dictionary also features biographical entries on eminent astronomers--ranging from Galileo to Edwin Hubble--as well as world-wide coverage of observatories and telescopes. Appendices include tables of Apollo lunar landing missions, and the constellations. Entries are supported by numerous tables and diagrams. The text has been fully revised and updated for the second edition, and includes information on new space missions, both those planned for the future and those that have recently come to fruition (such as the Huygens Probe of Saturns moon Titan). It also boasts entry-level Internet links (accessed via a regularly updated website), and in-depth features on topics such as the Big Bang, Dark matter, and Gamma-ray bursts. ... Read more