Astronomy for dummies / by Stephen P. Maran.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Maran, Stephen P.

Series:

--For dummies.

--For dummies

--For dummies Astronomy for dummies

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Astronomy.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xviii, 338 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates) : illustrations (some color).

Edition:

3rd ed.

Place of Publication:

Hoboken, NJ : Wiley, 2012.

Hoboken, NJ : Wiley, 2013.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

The fun and easy way to explore the night sky Do you know the difference between a red giant and a white dwarf? From asteroids to black holes, this easy-to-understand guide takes you on a grand tour of the universe. Featuring updated star maps, charts, and an insert with gorgeous full-color photographs, Astronomy For Dummies provides an easy-to-follow introduction to the night sky. Plus, this new edition also gives you the latest theories, explanations, and insights into the basic workings of the universe.Includes updated schedules of coming eclipses of the Sun and Moon

Contents:

About the Author; Table of Contents; Introduction; About This Book; Conventions Used in This Book; What You're Not to Read; Foolish Assumptions; Icons Used in This Book; Where to Go from Here; Part I: Stalking the Cosmos; Chapter 1: Seeing the Light: The Art and Science of Astronomy; Astronomy: The Science of Observation; What You See: The Language of Light; Gravity: A Force to Be Reckoned With; Space: A Commotion of Motion; Chapter 2: Join the Crowd: Skywatching Activities and Resources; You're Not Alone: Astronomy Clubs, Websites, Smartphone Apps, and More

Visiting Observatories and PlanetariumsVacationing with the Stars: Star Parties, Eclipse Trips, Dark Sky Parks, and More; Chapter 3: The Way You Watch Tonight: Terrific Tools for Observing the Skies; Seeing Stars: A Sky Geography Primer; Beginning with Naked-Eye Observation; Using Binoculars or a Telescope for a Better View; Planning Your First Steps into Astronomy; Chapter 4: Just Passing Through: Meteors, Comets, and Artificial Satellites; Meteors: Wishing on a Shooting Star; Comets: The Lowdown on Dirty Ice Balls; Artificial Satellites: Enduring a Love- Hate Relationship

Part II: Going Once Around the Solar SystemChapter 5: A Matched Pair: Earth and Its Moon; Putting Earth under the Astronomical Microscope; Examining Earth's Time, Seasons, and Age; Making Sense of the Moon; Chapter 6: Earth's Near Neighbors: Mercury, Venus, and Mars; Mercury: Weird, Hot, and Mostly Metal; Dry, Acidic, and Hilly: Steering Clear of Venus; Red, Cold, and Barren: Uncovering the Mysteries of Mars; Differentiating Earth through Comparative Planetology; Observing the Terrestrial Planets with Ease; Chapter 7: Rock On: The Asteroid Belt and Near-Earth Objects

Taking a Brief Tour of the Asteroid BeltUnderstanding the Threat That Near-Earth Objects Pose; Searching for Small Points of Light; Chapter 8: Great Balls of Gas: Jupiter and Saturn; The Pressure's On: Journeying Inside Jupiter and Saturn; Almost a Star: Gazing at Jupiter; Our Main Planetary Attraction: Setting Your Sights on Saturn; Chapter 9: Far Out! Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and Beyond; Breaking the Ice with Uranus and Neptune; Meeting Pluto, Planet or Not; Buckling Down to the Kuiper Belt; Viewing the Outer Planets; Part III: Meeting Old Sol and Other Stars

Chapter 10: The Sun: Star of EarthSurveying the Sunscape; Don't Make a Blinding Mistake: Safe Techniques for Solar Viewing; Fun with the Sun: Solar Observation; Chapter 11: Taking a Trip to the Stars; Life Cycles of the Hot and Massive; Star Color, Brightness, and Mass; Eternal Partners: Binary and Multiple Stars; Change Is Good: Variable Stars; Your Stellar Neighbors; How to Help Scientists by Observing the Stars; Star Studies to Aid with Your Brain and Computer; Chapter 12: Galaxies: The Milky Way and Beyond; Unwrapping the Milky Way; Star Clusters: Meeting Galactic Associates

Taking a Shine to Nebulae

Notes:

Previous ed.: 2005.

Includes index.

ISBN:

1-118-37694-3

1-118-37696-X

OCLC:

860494859