books


 * Spring Editor 2014 Brandon Redmon **
 * Spring Editor 2011 Maria Elera **
 * Fall Editor 2010 Samantha Peña**

The astronomy links section on books, offers those a few links to further their knowledge of astronomy. Since astronomy is a vast subject, we have included many links of websites that sell astronomy books, offer supplementary information for astronomy books, and provide free astronomy books. Some of the links below are about constellations: how to make observations, and to collect information about the stars and other celestial objects. Some of these links have information on the solar system, while other links provide the history of astronomy, pictures of the heavens, and the concept of how vast things truly are. These books are for people from five to one hundred and five. Hopefully, everyone can at least find a book that they would enjoy.

[|(FREE) Astronomy Books Online] Sciencebooksonline.info is a site that is providing a public service. This site has PDF's of all kinds of science books including astronomy, since this is astronomy links. The best part is that the books are free to download. Most of the books are at a collegiate or graduate level. There is a lot of material, so dig through it and have fun!
 * Site owner:** Igor Stamenkovic
 * Last Updated:** March 7, 2011
 * Date Reviewed:** May 17, 2014
 * Reviewed by:** Brandon Redmon
 * Accuracy:** N/A
 * Readability and Clarity:** The audience for this site varies because the books vary in academic levels. The readability of this site is easy; all of the book titles are in a list in the center of the site.

[|Skymaps.com: Recommended Astronomy Books and Products] Skymaps.com is a reseller of all things astronomy. They sell products ranging from books to telescopes, and they also sell books about telescopes. They have a ton of products, but most are books or some sort of guide or manual. The site offers astronomy products for all ages and experience levels.
 * Site owner:** ENOM, INC
 * Last Updated:** December 20, 2012
 * Date Reviewed:** May 17, 2014
 * Reviewed by:** Brandon Redmon
 * Accuracy:** N/A
 * Readability and Clarity:** The audience for this site varies. Further, the readability of this site is easy.

Skymaps.com logo. Digital image. Skymaps.com: Recommended Astronomy Books and Products. 20 Dec. 2012. Web. 17 May 2014.

[|Top 20 Astronomy Books from Cambridge.org] The purpose of this page is to display the top twenty astronomy books from the Cambridge University Press. According to the author of //Cambridge University Press at a Glance//, an article from the Cambridge Press website, "Our peer-reviewed publishing lists comprise over 50,000.... [and]... is growing at a rate of ...4,000 ISBNs every year." A few of the books on this list are //An Introduction to the Theory of Stellar Structure and Evolution//, //Gravity's Fatal Attraction//, and //The Cambridge Concise History of Astronomy//.
 * Site owner:** Cambridge University Press
 * Last Updated:** April 20, 2013
 * Date Reviewed:** May 17, 2014
 * Reviewed by:** Brandon Redmon
 * Accuracy:** The site is very accurate, because its from the publisher of the books.
 * Readability and Clarity:** The audience for this site varies because the books varies in reading levels. However, the readability of this site is easy.

Screen shot of Cambridge.org.Digital image. Top 20 Best Selling Astronomy... 20 Apr. 2013. Web. 17 May 2014.

[|Usborne Book Publishing] The purpose of this page and website is to provide supplementary information for the titles that Usborne Book Publishing has published. The information comes in the form of "Quick links," which are links to other sites about the information covered in the readings from Usborne publishing. One of the great titles, on the site, is a book called //The Usborne Book of Astronomy & Space// (the image to the left). According to the website, Usborne.com, //The Usborne Book of Astronomy & Space// gives a superb introduction to the universe and twenty pages of star maps. Further, it gives a guide to famous and easy to spot stars.
 * Site owner:** Network Solutions, LLC
 * Last Updated:** June 5, 2013
 * Date Reviewed:** May 17, 2014
 * Reviewed by:** Brandon Redmon
 * Accuracy:** The site is very accurate, because the site is a supplement for all for Usborne Publishing.
 * Readability and Clarity:** The audience for this site is anyone who has purchased titles from Usborne. However, it is not necessary to purchase the readings to enjoy the site. The readability of this site is easy, but the scope of the site is about the quick links.

Cover of The Usborne Book of Astronomy & Space. Digital image. "Book of Astronomy and Space"... 5 June 2013. Web. 17 May 2014. 

[|BackYard Astronomer's Guide] The purpose of this page is to give supplementary information for //The Backyard Astronomy Guide// by Terence Dickinson and Alan Dyer. This guide and site is for the beginning to novice astronomer. The site covers topics of purchasing of equipment, finding objects throughout the sky, and much more. The site also has free downloads of mini tutorials for testing your telescope and telescope collimation.
 * Site owner:** Alan Dyer
 * Last Updated:** March 3, 2000
 * Date Reviewed:** May 17, 2014
 * Reviewed by:** Brandon Redmon
 * Accuracy:** The site is very accurate, because the site is a supplement for the guide book.
 * Readability and Clarity:** The audience for this site is anyone who has purchased //The Backyard Astronomer's Guide//. The readability of this site is easy, it is on a 10th grade level. However, the movies are great for the visual learners.

Cook, Robble, Michael Webb, and R. J. GaBany. The Horse Head Nebula. Digital image. Backyard Astronomer's Gudie. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 May 2014.


 * __Astronomy Today__ (7th edition)[[image:astronomytoday.jpg align="left"]]**
 * Author:** Eric Chaisson and Steve McMillan
 * Audience:** High School Students/College Students and adults

This book is very pricey at about $108 brand new but you can buy some used ones from Amazon. In this book you will find very thorough descriptions of different subjects of astronomy. There are pictures, drawings and figures included. This book is 880 pages long. A lot of science books can be dry and boring but this book keeps your attention and doesn't bore you to death. This book can be used in the classroom and uses the scientific method/discovery to demonstrate how "we know what we know."

http://www.amazon.com/Astronomy-Today-7th-Eric-Chaisson/dp/0321691431/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1291629855&sr=1-1
 * Reference:** Chaisson, Eric and McMillan, Steve. __Astronomy Today.__ Benjamin Cummings. July 16, 2010.


 * __The Usborne Book of Astronomy and Space__**[[image:usborne.jpg align="left"]]
 * Author:** Lisa Miles
 * Audience:** Ages 9-12

This book is one that I wish was around when I was younger. It includes pictures and facts of different things in the universe and includes numerous websites that can further educate children on different objects. It is a useful book for both home and school.

http://www.amazon.com/Usborne-Book-Astronomy-Space/dp/0794526268/ref=sr_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1291620597&sr=1-9
 * Reference:** Miles, Lisa. __The Usborne Book of Astronomy and Space.__ Usborne Books. January 2010.


 * __On the Shoulder of Giants: The Great Works of Physics and Astronomy[[image:giants.JPG align="left"]]__**
 * Author:** Stephen Hawking
 * Audience:** Students and adults

//Acclaimed physicist Hawking has collected in this single illuminating volume the classic works of physics and astronomy that in their day revolutionized humankind's perception of the world. Included are Copernicus's On the Revolution of Heavenly Spheres, Galileo's Dialogues Concerning Two New Sciences, Kepler's "Harmony of the World," Newton's The Principia and selections from The Principle of Relativity by Einstein. Taken together, these writings document the evolution of our conception of the universe from a pre-Copernican cosmos with a stationary earth at its center to one in which the very weave of time and space are relative (//taken from Amazon.com). This book caught my eye because it includes many of the things we learned in astronomy class. As a bonus it even includes some of the history of physics!

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/On-the-Shoulders-of-Giants/Stephen-Hawking/e/9780762416981/?itm=50&USRI=astronomy
 * Reference:** Hawking, Stephen. __On the Shoulder of Giants: The Great Works of Physics and Astronomy__. Running Press Book Publishers. December 2003.


 * __Sizing Up the Universe: The Cosmos in the Perspective[[image:sizinguniverse.JPG align="left"]]__**
 * Author:** Richard J. Gott, Robert J. Vanderbei
 * Audience:** Students and adults

I found this book to be unique out of most of the astronomy books I came across. Unlike a lot of other books, this one gives you an idea of how big things in the universe really are. The authors accomplish this by using visual comparisons. The Map of the Universe is published in this book for the first time ever. This link to Amazon shows some of the pictures from the book: http://www.amazon.com/Sizing-Up-Universe-Cosmos-Perspective/dp/1426206518/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1291618193&sr=8-1

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Sizing-Up-the-Universe/Richard-J-Gott/e/9781426206511/?itm=49&USRI=astronomy
 * Reference:** Gott, Richard J. and Vanderbei, Robert J. __Sizing Up the Universe.__ National Geographic Society. November 2010.


 * __Hubble: Window on the Universe[[image:hubble.JPG align="left"]]__**
 * Author:** Giles Sparrow
 * Audience:** Children, students and adults

This book gives a brief history of the Hubble Space Telescope. It is mostly compiled of pictures taken by the space telescope. The pictures include galaxies and the spiraling Perseus dwarf project.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Hubble/Giles-Sparrow/e/9781435126398/?itm=47&USRI=astronomy
 * Reference:** Sparrow, Giles. __Hubble: Window on the Universe.__ Sterling Publishing, August 2010.

__**Night Watch: A practical Guide to Viewing the Universe**__
 * Author:** Terence Dickinson
 * Audience:** Students and adults

The first book I came across was __Night Watch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe__. This handbook can be very helpful for beginners in Astronomy as well as for experience astronomers, even if it is very basic. This handbook provides information about the weather, telescopes, and the correct way to pronounce the names of many stars. It also provides quite a bit of information about binoculars and certain kinds of objects that can be seen with the binoculars. The book contains various star charts with information of how to use them when making an observation. If you are trying to purchase a new telescope but you are not sure which one is right for you this book can also help you decide what kind of telescope you may be looking for by offering information about the different kinds of telescopes there are. Overall, in my opinion this handbook can be very handy for two main things, whether if it is for observing objects or looking for information about telescopes that you may want to purchase.


 * Reference:** Dickinson, Terence. __NightWatch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe__. 4th ed. Firefly Books, 2006. 1-192.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/155407147X?tag=thlada20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=155407147X&adid=1WWMPVT1AQECKXBW7JP4&
 * picture from:** http://search.barnesandnoble.com/NightWatch/Terence-Dickinson/e/9781554071470/?itm=1&USRI=night+watch%3a+a+practical+guide+to+viewing+the+universe+4th+edition

__**A Walk through the Heavens: A Guide to Stars and Constellations and their Legends**__
 * Author:** Milton D. Heifetz
 * Audience:** Adults and Students

The second astronomy book I came across was __A Walk through the Heavens: A Guide to Stars and Constellations and their Legends__. This could be a helpful book if you are trying to get a better understanding about constellations. It contains background information about constellations, such as why they have names of ancient myths and of animals. __A Walk through the Heavens__ also provides information for locating and observing constellations without any need to use any equipment. You can learn how to find and observe many different constellations with your plain eyes just by reading this book.


 * Reference:** Heifetz, Milton D. __A Walk through the Heavens: A Guide to Stars and Constellations and their Legends__. 3rd ed. Cambridge UP, 2004.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0521544157?tag=thlada-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=0521544157&adid=1YHD0XN9C99MA1E6T2QZ&

__**The New Solar System**__ **Author:** Andrew L. Chaikin **Audience:** Students and adults

Unlike __Night Watch__ and __A Walk through the Heavens__ that are about making observations and finding constellations, this third book is more about the solar system. It starts off with the history of the exploration of the solar system and ends with the possibilities of there being life somewhere else in the solar system. This book provides information about the Sun, Earth, Mars, Mercury, Venus and the Moon along with information about the atmospheres and interiors of terrestrial and giant planets. __The New Solar System__ contains chapters on Jupiter’s Galilean satellites, such as Charon, Pluto, Titan and Trito. Other chapters are about comets, meteorites, asteroids, cometary reservoirs and “small worlds”. One of the good things about this book is that it contains many images that can help make the reference data and tables easier to use.


 * Reference:** Heifetz, Milton D. __A Walk through the Heavens: A Guide to Stars and Constellations and their Legends__. 3rd ed. Cambridge UP, 2004.

http://www.amazon.com/New-Solar-System-Kelly-Beatty/dp/0521645875/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1228113146&sr=1-1

__**365 Starry Nights**__
 * Author:** Chet Raymo
 * Audience:** Students and Adults

If you want to find out more information about stars, __365 Starry Nights__ is a good book for you. In this book you can find a lot of information about stars, whether you are trying to calculate the age of a star, its brightness, distance, or be able to describe its position, this book has it all. It even contains hints on how to observe stars either with a telescope or with the naked eye. This is a great book for finding information about stars, especially with all the many charts, maps and drawings it contains and all the up-to-date information available.


 * Reference:** Raymo, Chet. __Three Hundred and Sixty Five Starry Nights: An Introduction to Astronomy for Every Night of the Year__. Fireside, 1990.

http://www.amazon.com/Three-Hundred-Sixty-Starry-Nights/dp/0671766066/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1228114643&sr=8-1

__**Universe**__ **Author:** Robert Dinwiddie
 * Audience:** High School Students and General Public

__Universe__ contains all sorts of information about space. This book is divided into three sections, the first one is called “Introduction” this section is more of an overview about the universe and space. The second section is called “Guide to the Universe” which consists of information about the solar system in general; from the planets, comets, meteors, asteroids, stars, galaxy clusters to the Milky Way. The third and final section is “The Night Sky”, this section is about constellations. It also contains maps and sky guides that provide background information as well as northern and southern latitudes from the years of 2005-2012.


 * Reference:** Raymo, Chet. __Three Hundred and Sixty Five Starry Nights: An Introduction to Astronomy for Every Night of the Year__. Fireside, 1990.

http://www.amazon.com/Universe-Robert-Dinwiddie/dp/0756613647/ref=sr_1_10_s9_rk?ie=UTF8&s=books&s9r=8a5850a41a9c975a011b5388437114c6&itemPosition=10&qid=1228115030&sr=1-10 **picture from:** http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Universe/Martin-Rees/e/9780756636708/?itm=1&USRI=universe The Heavens Proclaim His Glory: A Spectacular View of Creation Through the Lens of the NASA Hubble Telescope




 * __Turn Left at Orion: A Hundred Night Sky Objects to see in a Small Telescope and How to Find Them__**
 * Author:** Guy Consolmagno and Dan M. Davis
 * Audience:** Amateur astronomers who own a small telescope. (Students and Adults)

__Turn Left at Orion__ allows beginners to learn the night sky at their own place. This book let's amateur astronomers who own any type of telescope learn about their surrounding sky. The book is filled with information about a few major planets, constellations, the moon, clusters, and Nebulas and how there is no such thing as owning a bad telescope.


 * Reference:** Guy Consolmagno and Dan M. Davis. __Turn Left at Orion: A Hundred Night Sky Objects to see in a Small Telescope.__ Cambridge University Press, 2000.

http://www.amazon.com/Turn-Left-Orion-Hundred-Telescope/dp/0521781906/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1305436911&sr=8-1


 * __The Backyard Astronomer's Guide__**
 * Author:** Terence Dickinson and Alan Dyer
 * Audience:** For both beginners and experienced astronomers who want information on astronomy and the equipment used to capture it. (Students and Adults)

__The Backyard Astronomer's Guide__ contains small, yet brief information about astronomy. However it has allot of valid information about the devices used to capture such astronomical features. This book also discusses the photography and backs it up with information.


 * Reference:** Terence Dickinson and Alan Dyer. __The Backyard Astronomer's Guide__. Third edition, revised and expanded. Firefly Books, Limited, 2008.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Backyard-Astronomers-Guide/Terence-Dickinson/e/9781554073443/?itm=1&USRI=the+backyard+astronomer%27s+guide


 * __First Contact: Scientific Breakthroughs in the Hunt for Life Beyond Earth__**
 * Author:** Marc Kaufman
 * Audience:** For Curious readers seeking knowledge in life on other planets. (General Public)

__First Contact__ contains information of what we so far know and what the future may bring about life beyond earth. This book allows curious readers to jump in and want to research themselves of this big question mark that has been haunting us for decades; Do Aliens really exist?


 * Reference:** Marc Kaufman. __First Contact: Scientific Breakthroughs in the Hunt for Life Beyond Earth__. Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Book, 2011.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/First-Contact/Marc-Kaufman/e/9781439109007/?itm=1&USRI=beyond+earth




 * __The Heavens Proclaim His Glory: A Spectacular View of Creation Through the Lens of the NASA Hubble Telescope__**
 * Author:** Thomas Nelson
 * Audience:** Readers who want to be inspired by beautiful photography along with quotes. (General Public)

__The Heavens__ contains photography taken by NASA's Hubble Telescope. The images are breath taking and is paired up with inspiring quotes. This is a book that makes the readers thankful to have such wonderful sights to enjoy when looking up at the sky.


 * Reference:** Thomas Nelson. __The Heavens Proclaim His Glory: A Spectacular View of Creation Through the Lens of the NASA Hubble Telescope__. Nelson, Thomas, Inc. 2010.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Heavens-Proclaim-His-Glory/Thomas-Nelson/e/9780529124326/?itm=6&USRI=nasa


 * __How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming__**
 * Author:** Mike Brown
 * Audience:** Readers who grew up with pluto as the ninth planet. (Students and Adults)

__How I killed Pluto__ talks about the findings and later debates of kicking Pluto, a once upon a time planet out of our solar system. Hearing the news that Pluto is no longer considered a planet allows the readers to think more deeply into what we should consider a planet. This book also gives it's readers a good understanding of why it is better to now call Pluto a dwarf planet rather than the ninth planet in our solar system.


 * Reference:** Mike Brown. __How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming__. Random House Publishing Group, 2010.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/How-I-Killed-Pluto-and-Why-It-Had-It-Coming/Mike-Brown/e/9780385531092/?itm=20&USRI=astronomy