Explore the curiosities of our galaxy with this comprehensive, digestible guide to astronomy! Too often, textbooks obscure the beauty and wonder of outer space with tedious discourse that even Galileo would oppose. Astronomy 101 cuts out the boring details and lengthy explanations, and instead, gives you a lesson in astronomy that keeps you engaged as you discover what's hidden beyond our starry sky. From the Big Bang and nebulae to the Milky Way and Sir Isaac Newton, this celestial primer is packed with hundreds of entertaining astronomy facts, charts, and photographs you won't be able to get anywhere else. So whether you’re looking to unravel the mystery behind black holes, or just want to learn more about your favorite planets, Astronomy 101 has all the answers—even the ones you didn’t know you were looking for.

This book provides a wealth of astronomy knowledge designed for the non-science major. Presents thorough coverage of the big ideas in astronomy. For self-study purposes for those interested in astronomy.

If you want to learn about astronomy, then check out “HowExpert Guide to Astronomy.” Join Ryan T. Kirby, an experienced astronomer, and educator, in an exploration that will take you to the stars! In this short book, Ryan aims at teaching you everything you need to know about astronomy and stargazing from scratch! The book is divided into five sections, which are as follows: 1. Understanding the Universe: Ryan brings you up to speed on all the essential terminology and concepts vital to your ability to learn astronomy. 2. Planning your Observation: Discover everything you should do to prepare to go outside and observe the night sky! 3. Exploring the Night Sky: A section where Ryan offers detailed instructions on how to begin observing and learn the night sky while bringing in some helpful tips and tricks from his personal experiences. 4. Unique Events and Activities to Try: A section dedicated to some astonishing events astronomers should look out for and some of his favorite activities and observations, along with detailed advice on tackling them. 5. Fun Facts and Misconceptions: Ryan uniquely closes the book by briefly explaining many surprising, interesting, and unexpected facts about space! This book brings readers into the world of astronomy with ease and offers expert advice and guidelines for approaching the daunting hobby. While aimed at Northern hemisphere residents, many tips, tricks, and techniques are relevant even under entirely different skies than those he mentions throughout the book. About the Expert Ryan Thomas Kirby has served as an educator for half a decade and has received numerous academics and leadership awards during his academic career. Ryan has had experience as a teaching assistant for astronomy courses, an observatory assistant, a supplemental instructor for astronomy courses at a community college, and an educator in numerous other positions. His experience educating in the field of astronomy is rivaled by his experience researching the field. Notably, he has used T.H.E.M.I.S. data from the surface of Mars to investigate the ages of ancient lava flows and imaged densely packed star clusters to learn about their ages, along with other research contributions. Ryan continues to educate others on astronomy topics and continues to contribute to research in the field with plans to further narrow his research in a search for moons around extrasolar planets as he progresses his academic career. Ryan is an alumnus of both Bristol Community College and Wheaton College in Massachusetts. He studied astronomy and physics and has held various leadership and educational positions at both colleges during his tenure. HowExpert publishes quick 'how to' guides on all topics from A to Z by everyday experts.

The sun, moon, stars, and planets have been a source of wonder and fascination for as long as humans have inhabited the earth. In Sky Gazing, a highly visual guide to observing the sky with the naked eye, kids aged 9–14 will delve into the science behind what they see, whether they live in a dark rural setting or under the bright lights of the city. Exploring astronomical objects and events, this captivating book takes young readers on a tour of our solar system and deep space beyond, with explanations of how objects like Earth’s moon were formed and the “why” behind phenomena such as eclipses, northern lights, and meteor showers. Curious sky gazers will discover how to find and observe planets — no binoculars or telescopes required! — and star charts will guide them in spotting constellations throughout the seasons and in both hemispheres while they learn about constellation myths from cultures around the world. Activities include tracking the cycles of the sun and moon and observing the sky during daylight hours or on a cloudy night, while astronomer profiles and sidebars on space technology and current issues such as light pollution help ground kids’ discoveries in the ancient and enduring science of studying the sky.

This spectacularly illustrated book is a comprehensive exploration of astronomy through the eyes of the world's observatories and spacecraft missions. Featuring the latest and most stunning images, it provides a magnificent picture of the beauty of the cosmos. The accompanying text is an accessible guide to the science behind the wonders and includes clear explanations of all the major themes in astronomy. An essential guide to understanding and appreciating the Universe, Visions of the Cosmos builds on the success of the authors' previous book, Hubble Vision, which became an international best-seller and won world-wide acclaim. Carolyn Collins Petersen is a science journalist and creator of educational materials for astronomy. She is the former Editor of Books & Products at Sky Publishing Corporation, and served as Editor of SkyWatch and Associate Editor of Sky & Telescope magazines. Petersen is the lead author of the book Hubble Vision, first published in 1995 by Cambridge University Press, and co-written with Dr. John C. Brandt. She is also co-editor (with J. Kelly Beatty and Andrew Chaikin) of The New Solar System, fourth edition, co-published by Sky Publishing Corporation and Cambridge University Press. John C. Brandt has held positions as a research scientist, teacher, and administrator, and is currently an adjunct professor of physics and astronomy at the University of New Mexico. He served for 20 years as Chief of a major NASA scientific laboratory and was the Principal Inverstigator for the Goddard High Resolution Spectograph on the Hubble Space Telescope. John received the NASA Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement in 1978 and 1992, and has had a minor planet formally named after him (3503 Brandt) for his fundamental contributions to understanding of solar system astrophysics.

The perfect starter astronomy guide to night viewing. 101 Objects to See in the Night Sky is a fun and practical guide to identifying and observing 101 of the most fascinating and exciting sights in the northern night sky. Designed for newcomers to astronomy, the book explains what can be seen using the naked eye, binoculars or a telescope. In the book, professional astronomer Robin Scagell shows the novice astronomer where to look in the sky to see a particular object, or group of objects or sights. They may be a planet, its rings or satellites, a series of lunar craters, a constellation, asteroids, meteors, a nebula, galaxy or star cluster, for example. He describes the object in detail and gives observing tips to improve viewing skills. Informative "Where to find it" instructions and "What you'll see" explanations for each object give night sky viewers an extra hand. A concise "fact file" is provided for each object, and readers can award themselves "points" for their skill in finding the object, with higher scores given for spotting the night sky's more elusive or hard-to-see features. The book is organized by season -- winter, spring, summer, fall -- with an opening section on "things you need to know," such as marker objects (for example, Sirius, the brightest star in winter's night sky) and how to use them to search beyond. It also covers such topics as asteroids and dwarf planets, noctilucent clouds, northern lights, the International Space Station, sunspots, eclipses and much more. 101 Objects to See in the Night Sky is an ideal guide for astronomy novices and classrooms.

Avoid the Stargazing Pitfalls and Learn Everything You Need to Know About Astronomy Without the Complicated Mumbo Jumbo! Interested in the universe? Our solar system? How about stargazing and astronomy? If you're nodding your head, then Astronomy 101 is the book for you! It can be really intimidating to try and learn about astronomy if you're a beginner. There's so much information out there, and it can be hard to know where to start. Not to mention, so many books out there go into heavy mathematics and physics equations that are just too complicated and boring. It's almost as if there aren't any books written for casual stargazers who just want to learn about pretty constellations. But not anymore! This introductory guide will motivate and engage you in this fascinating subject. Written in a conversational style, this book contains definitions and explanations about the universe, our solar system, and recommended tools for observation - but always in a laid-back and easy-to-understand manner. In this guide, you will: Unlock the universe!: This is the perfect beginner's guide to explore and learn about everything the cosmos have to offer while having lots of fun. Skip the complicated stuff: Get right into the exciting and entertaining parts of stargazing by skipping all the physical and mathematical formulas. Inspire youngsters to pick up this hobby: Help your children get into astrology too so that it can be a fun family activity for everyone! Spend more time together and bond while doing what you love. Avoid the pitfalls of stargazing: You'll never have to worry about running into a wall or falling out of love with this amazing subject. And more! We'll also show you how to stargaze on your own, without expensive equipment or classes. With our easy-to-follow instructions, you'll be able to explore the night sky like a pro in no time!