An awe-inspiring, unforgettable journey of scientific exploration from Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw, the international bestselling authors of Why Does E=MC2? and The Quantum Universe, with 55 black-&-white and 45 full-color pages featuring photographs, diagrams, maps, tables, and graphs. We dare to imagine a time before the Big Bang, when the entire universe was compressed into a space smaller than an atom. And now, as Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw show, we can do more than imagine: we can understand. Universal takes us on an epic journey of scientific exploration. It reveals how we can all come to grips with some of the most fundamental questions about our Earth, Sun, and solar system--and the star-filled galaxies beyond. How big is our solar system? How quickly is space expanding? How big is the universe? What is it made of? Some of these questions can be answered on the basis of observations you can make in your own backyard. Other answers draw on the astonishing information now being gathered by teams of astronomers operating at the frontiers of the known universe. At the heart of all this lies the scientific method. Science reveals a deeper beauty and connects us to each other, to our world, and to our universe. Science reaches out into the unknown. As Universal demonstrates, if we dare to imagine, we can do the same.

The touchstone for contemporary stargazers. This classic, groundbreaking guide has been the go-to field guide for both beginning and experienced amateur astronomers for nearly 30 years. The fourth edition brings Terence Dickinson and Alan Dyer's invaluable manual completely up-to-date. Setting a new standard for astronomy guides, it will serve as the touchstone for the next generation of stargazers as well as longtime devotees. Technology and astronomical understanding are evolving at a breathtaking clip, and to reflect the latest information about observing techniques and equipment, this massively revised and expanded edition has been completely rebuilt (an additional 48 pages brings the page count to 416). Illustrated throughout with all-new photographs and star charts, this edition boasts a refreshed design and features five brand-new chapters, including three essential essays on binocular, telescope and Moon tours by renowned astronomy writer Ken Hewitt-White. With new content on naked-eye sky sights, LED lighting technology, WiFi-enabled telescopes and the latest advances in binoculars, telescopes and other astronomical gear, the fourth edition of The Backyard Astronomer's Guide is sure to become an indispensable reference for all levels of stargazers. New techniques for observing the Sun, the Moon and solar and lunar eclipses are an especially timely addition, given the upcoming solar eclipses in 2023 and 2024. Rounding out these impressive offerings are new sections on dark sky reserves, astro-tourism, modern astrophotography and cellphone astrophotography, making this book an enduring must-have guide for anyone looking to improve his or her astronomical viewing experience. The Backyard Astronomer's Guide also features a foreword by Dr. Sara Seager, a Canadian-American astrophysicist and planetary scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an internationally recognized expert in the search for exoplanets.

A basic field guide for beginning observers of the night sky, introducing information on the locations, names, and characteristics of stars, constellations, and other bodies in outer space.

A practical guide to viewing the universe.

Winner of the 1987 New York Academy of Sciences Children's Science Book Award, Exploring the Night Sky is aimed at novice star gazers anxious to expand their astronomical repertorie beyond the Big and Little Dippers. Dickinson has designed a superb introduction to astonomy that is clear, concise, and very "user friendly" no matter what the child's age. 50 color photographs and illustrations.

For as long as there have been people, men and women have looked up into the night sky and wondered about the nature of the cosmos. Without the benefit of science to provide answers, they relied on myth and superstition to help them make sense of what they saw. Lucky for us, we live at a time when regular folks, equipped with nothing more than their naked eyes, can look up into the night sky and gain admittance to infinite wonders. If you know what to look for, you can make out planets, stars, galaxies , and even galactic clusters comprising hundreds of millions of stars and spanning millions of light-years. Astronomy For Dummies tells you what you need to know to make sense of the world above us. Written by one of the most well-known astronomers in the world, this fun, fact-filled ,and accessible guide fills you in on the basic principles of astronomy and tells you how to: Identify planets and stars Explore our solar system, the Milky Way, and beyond Understand the Big Bang, quasars, antimatter, black holes, and more Join the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Get the most out of planetarium visits Make more sense out of space missions From asteroids to black holes, quasars to white dwarfs, Astronomy For Dummies takes you on a grand tour of the universe. Featuring star maps, charts, gorgeous full-color photographs, and easy-to-follow explanations it gives you a leg up on the basic science of the universe. Topics covered include: Observing the night sky, with and without optics Selecting binoculars and telescopes and positioning yourself for the best view Meteors, comets, and man-made moons Touring our solar system and becoming familiar with the planets, asteroids, and near Earth objects Our Sun, stars, galaxies, black holes and quasars SETI and planets revolving around other suns Dark matter and antimatter The Big Bang and the evolutions of the universe You might think the cosmos is a vast and mysterious place, but Astronomy For Dummies will make it seem as friendly and familiar as your own backyard.