Astronomy For Dummies

Embark on your own personal journey into the night sky. Stardate: Today!

Ever catch yourself staring up at the night sky and wondering just what the heck is out there? While no one book can answer all your questions, Astronomy For Dummies will take you on a tour through the Milky Way (and beyond!) that describes some of the most fascinating objects in the universe.

This book comes complete with online access to chapter quizzes and downloadable full-color astronomical photos of our universe, as well as easy-to-follow explanations of the eye-popping wonders and gorgeous interstellar objects that populate our solar system, galaxy, and universe. You’ll find:

• Brand-new star charts for the northern and southern hemispheres, as well as descriptions of the latest tech tools for amateur astronomers
• Lists of the most recently discovered exoplanets, exomoons, and exocomets hurtling through the cosmos
• The latest timelines for dazzling solar events and maps to the best places to see them live and in-person

Filled with discussions of the biggest and greatest new breakthroughs and an 8-page color insert packed with unbelievable, full-color photographs, Astronomy For Dummies is a can’t-miss book that will ignite a passion for understanding the mysteries of the universe in children and adults alike!

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

PART 1: GETTING STARTED WITH ASTRONOMY

CHAPTER 1: Seeing the Light: The Art and Science of Astronomy

CHAPTER 2: Join the Crowd: Skywatching Activities and Resources

CHAPTER 3: Terrific Tools for Observing the Skies

CHAPTER 4: Just Passing Through: Meteors, Comets and Artificial Satellites

PART 2: GOING ONCE AROUND THE SOLAR SYSTEM

CHAPTER 5: A Matched Pair: Earth and Its Moon

CHAPTER 6: Earth’s Near Neighbors: Mercury, Venus, and Mars

CHAPTER 7: Rock On: The Asteroid Belt and Near-Earth Objects

CHAPTER 8: Great Balls of Gas: Jupiter and Saturn

CHAPTER 9: Far Out! Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and Beyond

PART 3: STARTING WITH OLD SOL: MEETING STARS AND GALAXIES

CHAPTER 10: The Sun: Star of Earth

CHAPTER 11: Taking a Trip to the Stars

CHAPTER 12: Galaxies: The Milky Way and Beyond

CHAPTER 13: Falling for Black Holes and Quasars

PART 4: PONDERING THE REMARKABLE UNIVERSE

CHAPTER 14: Planets of Other Suns: Is Anybody Out There?

CHAPTER 15: Delving into Dark Matter and Antimatter

CHAPTER 16: The Big Bang and the Evolution of the Universe

PART 5: THE PART OF TENS

CHAPTER 17: Ten Strange Facts about Astronomy and Space

CHAPTER 18: Ten Common Errors about Astronomy and Space

PART 6: APPENDIXES

APPENDIX A: Star Maps

APPENDIX B: Glossary

About the Authors

Stephen P. Maran, PhD, is former Assistant Director of Space Sciences for Information and Outreach at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.

Richard Tresch Fienberg, PhD, is former Editor in Chief of Sky & Telescope magazine. Both Steve and Rick have received NASA medals for exceptional achievement.