Contents
- Preface
1Science and the Universe: A Brief Tour
2Observing the Sky: The Birth of Astronomy
7Other Worlds: An Introduction to the Solar System
13Comets and Asteroids: Debris of the Solar System
14Cosmic Samples and the Origin of the Solar System
18The Stars: A Celestial Census
20Between the Stars: Gas and Dust in Space
21The Birth of Stars and the Discovery of Planets outside the Solar System
27Active Galaxies, Quasars, and Supermassive Black Holes
- AHow to Study for an Introductory Astronomy Class
- BAstronomy Websites, Images, and Apps
- CScientific Notation
- DUnits Used in Science
- ESome Useful Constants for Astronomy
- FPhysical and Orbital Data for the Planets
- GSelected Moons of the Planets
- HFuture Total Eclipses
- IThe Nearest Stars, Brown Dwarfs, and White Dwarfs
- JThe Brightest Twenty Stars
- KThe Chemical Elements
- LThe Constellations
- MStar Chart and Sky Event Resources
- Index
For Further Exploration
Articles
Ancient Astronomy
Gingerich, O. “From Aristarchus to Copernicus.” Sky & Telescope (November 1983): 410.
Gingerich, O. “Islamic Astronomy.” Scientific American (April 1986): 74.
Astronomy and Astrology
Fraknoi, A. “Your Astrology Defense Kit.” Sky & Telescope (August 1989): 146.
Copernicus and Galileo
Gingerich, O. “Galileo and the Phases of Venus.” Sky & Telescope (December 1984): 520.
Gingerich, O. “How Galileo Changed the Rules of Science.” Sky & Telescope (March 1993): 32.
Maran, S., and Marschall, L. “The Moon, the Telescope, and the Birth of the Modern World.” Sky & Telescope (February 2009): 28.
Sobel, D. “The Heretic’s Daughter: A Startling Correspondence Reveals a New Portrait of Galileo.” The New Yorker (September 13, 1999): 52.
Websites
Ancient Astronomy
Aristarchos of Samos: http://adsabs.harvard.edu//full/seri/JRASC/0075//0000029.000.html. By Dr. Alan Batten.
Claudius Ptolemy: http://www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk/Biographies/Ptolemy.html. An interesting biography.
Hipparchus of Rhodes: http://www-history.mcs.st-andrews.ac.uk/Biographies/Hipparchus.html. An interesting biography.
Astronomy and Astrology
Astrology and Science: http://www.astrology-and-science.com/hpage.htm. The best site for a serious examination of the issues with astrology and the research on whether it works.
Real Romance in the Stars: http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/the-real-romance-in-the-stars-1527970.html. 1995 newspaper commentary attacking astrology.
Copernicus and Galileo
Galileo Galilei: http://www-history.mcs.st-andrews.ac.uk/Biographies/Galileo.html. A good biography with additional links.
Galileo Project: http://galileo.rice.edu/. Rice University’s repository of information on Galileo.
Nicolaus Copernicus: http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Biographies/Copernicus.html. A biography including links to photos about his life.
Videos
Astronomy and Astrology
Astrology Debunked: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y84HX2pMo5U. A compilation of scientists and magicians commenting skeptically on astrology (9:09).
Copernicus and Galileo
Galileo: http://www.biography.com/people/galileo-9305220. A brief biography (2:51).
Galileo’s Battle for the Heavens: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL28AF597A9C90E18E. A NOVA episode on PBS (1:48:55)
Nicolaus Copernicus: http://www.biography.com/people/nicolaus-copernicus-9256984. An overview of his life and work (2:41).