Introduction to Astronomy
by Shaffer, RickFormat: Hardcover
Pub. Date: 1999-09-01
Publisher(s): Gramercy
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Summary
For anyone who has triedand failedto find the Big Dipper or Orion's Belt, this information-filled reference guide is the perfect introduction to discovering the wonders of the sky. Includes computer-generated maps that simplify identification, a mini-almanac to pinpoint the planets each month as well as advice on buying and using binoculars or a telescope, even a table that explains when to watch for meteor showers.
Table of Contents
| Preface | p. vii |
| Acknowledgments | p. viii |
| Introduction | p. 1 |
| What It Takes to Learn the Sky | p. 1 |
| The Standard Warnings | p. 1 |
| How This Book Is Arranged | p. 2 |
| If You're in a Big Hurry, What to Read First | p. 3 |
| How the Sky--and the Maps--Are Arranged | p. 4 |
| How the Earth Is Laid Out | p. 4 |
| Relating the Earth to the Celestial Sphere | p. 6 |
| How the Earth "Makes the Sky Move" | p. 6 |
| Showing the "Round" Sky on a Flat Page | p. 9 |
| Using the Maps to Find the Stars | p. 10 |
| Your First Night Under the Stars | p. 16 |
| The Path of the Sun, Moon, and Planets Through the Sky--the Ecliptic | p. 18 |
| Why the Ecliptic Is "Tilted" | p. 18 |
| Motion of the Sun Along the Ecliptic | p. 21 |
| Motion of the Moon Along the Ecliptic | p. 21 |
| Motion of the Planets Along the Ecliptic | p. 26 |
| Mini-almanac (and Almanacs in General) | p. 29 |
| Using the Maps and Mini-almanac to Find the Planets | p. 29 |
| Techniques for Viewing the Sky | p. 32 |
| A Very Short Primer on Light | p. 32 |
| About Your Eyes | p. 34 |
| How a Telescope Works | p. 37 |
| Mounting a Telescope So It Can Move About the Sky | p. 51 |
| How to Purchase a Good Telescope | p. 55 |
| A Telescope for Each Eye--Binoculars | p. 56 |
| Quick Notes on Photographing the Sky | p. 60 |
| Picking a Time and Place for Viewing | p. 61 |
| The Astronomer's Worst Enemy--Earth's Atmosphere | p. 61 |
| When and Where to View What | p. 64 |
| Looking at the Sky After Sunset | p. 66 |
| A Bit More About Scattering | p. 66 |
| Watching the Sun as It Sets | p. 66 |
| There's Twilight, and Then There's Twilight | p. 66 |
| Seeing the Earth's Shadow | p. 67 |
| Finding the First Stars and Planets (and a Daytime Surprise) | p. 67 |
| Seeing the Zodiacal Light | p. 68 |
| Seeing Artificial Satellites | p. 68 |
| Seeing a Very Young Moon | p. 69 |
| Seeing the Aurora | p. 69 |
| Inside the Solar System--the Sun, Moon, and Planets | p. 71 |
| General Description of the Solar System | p. 71 |
| The Scale of the Solar System | p. 72 |
| Old Reliable--the Sun | p. 73 |
| Our Nearest Neighbor--the Moon | p. 77 |
| Observing the Inner Planets | p. 80 |
| Observing the Outer Planets | p. 83 |
| The Leftovers--Comets, Asteroids, and Meteors | p. 88 |
| Outside Our Solar System--the Milky Way Galaxy | p. 93 |
| About the Milky Way in General | p. 93 |
| Stars | p. 94 |
| Some Catchall Notes on Deep-Sky Objects | p. 97 |
| Nebulae | p. 97 |
| Clusters of Stars | p. 99 |
| Far Outside Our Solar System--Other Galaxies | p. 100 |
| How Galaxies Formed | p. 100 |
| Types of Galaxies | p. 101 |
| Groups of Galaxies | p. 101 |
| Observing the Galaxies | p. 102 |
| The All-Sky and Zoom Maps | p. 103 |
| Mini-Almanac | p. 170 |
| Index | p. 175 |
| Table of Contents provided by Syndetics. All Rights Reserved. |
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