Beyond the Blue Horizon: Myths and Legends of the Sun, Moon, Stars, and Planets
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Extensive
  • Really Facinating Book...
Beyond the Blue Horizon: Myths and Legends of the Sun, Moon, Stars, and Planets
E.C. Krupp
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0195078004

Book Description

In his classic study The Masks of God, Joseph Campbell conducted us on a fascinating global tour, showing how the seeds of myth grew in a similar fashion throughout the history of civilization. Before Campbell there was Sir James George Frazier who, in The Golden Bough--his pioneering study of magic, relgion, and folk custom--demonstrated how world mythologies exhibit "the effect of similar causes acting alike on the similar constitution of the human mind in different countries and under different skies." Now, in Beyond the Blue Horizon, eminent astronomer E.C. Krupp guides us expertly through a bewildering maze of cultures and civilizations--from the stone age to the present day--making clear that while the skies of these diverse peoples may vary, they speak nearly the same language. Beyond the Blue Horizon is a treasure trove of myths, legends, and stories in which people have, through the ages, attempted to understand the cosmos and its meaning for humankind. Collecting an astonishing amount of lore between the covers of a single book, Krupp explains why our ancestors were so intrigued by the heavens, and what their celestial stories meant. Readers will learn, for example, that many cultures saw a rabbit--rather than a man--in the moon, and that this moon-rabbit, as a symbol of sacrifice and rebirth, is a cousin of our own Easter Bunny; that to our ancestors, an eclipse challenged the stability and integrity of heaven and thus threatened order and life on earth; that the magical sleighride and chimney antics of Santa Claus echo the ancient journeys of shamans and witch doctors; that our "dog days" of July and August originated in Roman times with the summer appearance of Sirius, the Dog Star; and that the contemporary stories of UFOs reveal the mystery and meaning the sky still holds for us as we approach the twenty-first century. Of course, there is much, much more that will delight and intrigue; even readers familiar with world mythology will find plenty that is new and strange in Krupp's rich panorama. An epic, authoritative, and cross-cultural exploration with over 150 illustrations, Beyond the Blue Horizon tells how all civilizations searched the sky to understand to universe--and our own place in it.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Extensive.......2002-07-07

Krupp has written a book that is comparable to Frazer's Golden Bough and Campbell's Hero With a Thousand Faces. He traces the evolution of sky myths from cultures around the globe. Krupp does an excellent job of capturing the meaning and beauty of these stories, and pieces them together in a well-crafted narrative.

5 out of 5 stars Really Facinating Book..........2000-03-28

Beyond the Blue Horizon: Myths and Legends of the Sun, Moon, Stars, and Planets, is a very interesting and amazing read-- it confronts many possibilities of the place outside our blue sky, and gives the reader something to think about for long after the last page is read. Not only is this book worth reading for the pure fun of it, but it teachs you things that may come in handy at dinner table conversation. Facinating is the word that comes to mind... the myths about the stars and planets can sometimes be good bedtime stories, and over all, this book keeps you wanting more.
One Small Square, The Night Sky
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • A fun and informative hands-on astronomy book for kids.
One Small Square, The Night Sky
Donald M. Silver
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0070580456

Book Description

By focusing on one small square of night sky near Orion, this entry in a highly lauded series gives children aged 6 to 9 an exciting close-up on amazing facts about stars, planets, nebulae, comets, meteors, the moon, constellations, and classic myths. Suitable for stargazing anywhereÑeven the cityÑThe Night Sky will add to kids' wonder as it teaches them about the marvels of the heavens through superb illustrations and a proven approach that entices their interest and involvement.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A fun and informative hands-on astronomy book for kids........2000-05-21

The Night Sky is an excellent introduction to astronomy for children. I am a science teacher and have looked at many books preparing for my astronomy unit next year - and The Night Sky will be required reading for my class! Information is interesting and exciting. Stargazing is an essential part of the book, but done in the typical "One Small Square" fashion so as to interest and excite children with their new knowledge rather than overwhelm them. I loved this book! A must-have for any young scientist!
The Essential Guide to Planets and Moons (Star Wars)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • A Good Start -Needs An Update
  • Excellent for Star Wars fans
  • A Great Reference
  • planets of the star wars universe
  • Helpful
The Essential Guide to Planets and Moons (Star Wars)
Daniel Wallace , and Scott Kolins
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0345420683
Release Date: 1998-07-21

Amazon.com

For the true Star Wars fan, the Essential Guide to Planets and Moons is crucial. You can keep track of all the places mentioned in the movies, books, and comics with this detailed reference. One hundred locations, from the well-known (Tatooine and Hoth) to the more obscure (J't'p'tan and Taanab), are covered in detail. Each planet, moon, or asteroid is accompanied by information on solar system, terrain, language, and points of interest, along with illustrations of the resident species, intelligent and otherwise. Daniel Wallace investigates each planet's role in the Star Wars saga, while Brandon McKinney and Scott Kolins's comic-style black-and-white drawings help the reader get an idea of what these unique worlds and their inhabitants look like. The Essential Guide series also includes Weapons and Technology, Vehicles and Vessels, and Characters.

Book Description

THE ULTIMATE RESOURCE TO THE WORLDS OF THE STAR WARS GALAXY!

From the sun-baked deserts of Tatooine to the frost-bitten snowscape of Hoth to the misty swamps of Dagobah, here's your expert guide to the hundred most fascinating worlds of the extraordinary Star Wars universe. Travel from the Deep Core to the Outer Rim Territories and discover the wonders of:

¸  Kashyyyk--the treacherous, arboreal planet where the Wookiee race dwells among the branches in elevated cities . . . and lethal predators rule the surface
¸  Bespin--the gas planet devoid of solid ground, in whose atmosphere hovers the formidable Cloud City
¸  Endor--The Forest Moon: home to the peaceful but powerful Ewoks and site of a decisive battle in the galactic civil war
¸  Coruscant--center of power, law, history, and culture in the galaxy . . . and once the location of Imperial City, the seat of the dreaded Empire

EXPLORE THE TERRAIN, MEET THE INHABITANTS, AND UNCOVER THE SECRETS OF THESE AND MANY, MANY MORE REMARKABLE DESTINATIONS ON A CAPTIVATING, FULLY-ILLUSTRATED VOYAGE TO THE BRIGHTEST STARS OF A FANTASTIC UNIVERSE!

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars A Good Start -Needs An Update.......2007-05-20

This book can be helpful to hard core fans, but it is woefully incomplete and I was not impressed with the tiny artwork. One reviewer here hit it spot on when they said that this book should have focused more on what the planets were like (climate, ecology, civilizations,cultures, mini-history) rather than rehashing the stories from those worlds. It would have been nice if they had explained the meaning of "Agriworlds" And "Industrial Worlds" and their roles in the SW Galaxy. It would have been nice if they'd done the obvious and updated the book to include the Prequel worlds too. And while they were at it, some of the more intrieguing worlds from the obscure corners of the universe like Togoria, Renastasia, Dellallt, Grizmallt,Taris, Or Malachor V.(Heck- since they could included Rafa IV, they could have included some of these) Of corse if they expanded this in the way I'd like to see, it would be a huge richly illustrated tome indeed. But I'd buy it.

4 out of 5 stars Excellent for Star Wars fans.......2003-10-13

When it comes to science fiction, the Star Wars saga is the best. However, the films themselves give very little information regarding the locales that our beloved characters find themselves exploring. This is a shame, because the planets that occupy everyone's favorite galaxy far far away are nothing short of fascinating. Finally, a book entitled Star Wars - The Essential Guide To Planets And Moons was released! Now, fans would be able to learn about the ever-so awesome places characters in the films travelled to! Read on for my review of this book.

PROS:
-If you're a fan of the Star Wars films, and you're interested in reading about the worlds explored in the classic trilogy, this book will have more than enough information to make you happy. From Luke Skywalker's desert homeplanet of Tatooine to the icy world of Hoth, they're all here.
-The book covers the expanded universe! This means places from the novels, comic books, and video games appear in this book! Even if you're just a fan of the films, the information on the expanded universe will fascinate you.
-This book is readily available in most major bookstores (B. Dalton, Barnes And Noble, Borders, etc.) You shouldn't have any trouble finding it.
-The price for this book is very good, considering all the information it has to offer. This is a worthwhile purchase if you're a Star Wars fan.

CONS:
-The major problem with this book is that it was released circa 1997. This means it came out before 1999, and accordingly the locales exclusive to the prequel films, Episode I and Episode II, don't appear in here. That kind of bites, because I wanted to read up on Naboo and Kamino.
-The only pictures in the book are black-and-white sketches. I would have liked to see some more detailed pictures, preferably in color.

OVERALL:
If you're a Star Wars fan, I guarantee this book will fascinate you. If you're not a fan of the Star Wars series but know somebody who is, this makes a great gift. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

5 out of 5 stars A Great Reference.......2003-01-15

Although it is not officially a supplement, I found this book indispensable for gamemastering in the Star Wars Roleplaying Game. The fact is, there really isn't a better resource for finding new places to visit in the Star Wars Universe. Even if you're not into the RPG scene, however, this member of the 'Essential Guide' series is an excellent read.

For some of those, namely the hardcore fans that have read every single Star Wars thing ever published (I cannot claim this title, as I've only read about half of it all) this book might seem a bit redundant. All of the locations are taken from either film or literature, so if you've read all the literature it follows that you'll have seen all of the 100 worlds depicted here at least once. Nevertheless, it is useful to have all of this information in one place, in case you forgot just which world the Ugnaughts come from (Umgul) or how to spell "Mrlsst." The Star Wars Encyclopedia and Guide to the SW Universe have all of this information as well... somewhere. The problem is you have to remember what you were looking for to find it. This book simplifies matters if you just have to know, but can't recall any of it.

For those who are NOT hardcore fans or could care less that Wild Boetays can be found on Garos IV, you probably won't find this guide more than moderately amusing. The other ones in the series (Characters, Vehicles and Vessels, and Weapons and Tech, to name a few) might be more diverting. But for those who are serious about Star Wars (you know who you are) the Guide to Planets and Moons is a really cheap thrill.

4 out of 5 stars planets of the star wars universe.......2001-10-11

This book is very cool.There are 200 planets in this book.But there are way more planets then this.

4 out of 5 stars Helpful.......2001-08-04

This book is helpful for those who haven't read a certain Star Wars book, but come across one of the planets in that book mentioned in some other book. However, with all the new books coming out right now, you'll find that this book is pretty useless for them.
Planets, Moons and Stars (Take-Along Guides)
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Planets, Moons and Stars (Take-Along Guides)
    Laura Evert
    Manufacturer: Northword Press
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

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    ASIN: 1559718420

    Book Description

    Take our latest Take-Along Guide outside at night! Planets, Moons and Stars provides an introduction to the bodies in our solar system. Young astronomers and explorers will learn to identify our nine planets and how to seek out the shapes in the sky that our ancestors saw thousands of years ago. This book includes information on which planets and constellations you can see with the naked eye or with binoculars, and which ones require telescopes. Statistics, illustrations, and interesting facts are included in each section. Planets, Moons and Stars provides a fascinating mix of science, history, and legend. This is a perfect first book for a child interested in astronomy, or for a family evening field trip 'to the stars.'
    Night Sky Atlas: The Moon, Planets, Stars and Deep Sky Objects
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • Very good first star atlas
    • You NEED this book.
    Night Sky Atlas: The Moon, Planets, Stars and Deep Sky Objects
    Robin Scagell
    Manufacturer: Firefly Books
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

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    ASIN: 1554070260

    Book Description

    A practical guide to binocular and small telescope observing.

    Night Sky Atlas combines clear, accurate star maps with reliable and informative text. This is a highly practical atlas for beginning sky gazers using binoculars or a small telescope.

    Sturdy binding makes it suitable for outdoor use. Cover flaps can be used as page-markers. The sewn binding allows the atlas to be opened flat. The star maps are drawn with black stars on a white background, allowing observers to pencil in their own observations. The high quality paper can withstand repeated use of an eraser.

    The book begins by presenting the whole sky in a series of six maps, showing stars down to magnitude 5.5 -- all visible with binoculars or a small telescope. Opposite each map is a photo-realistic image that shows how the same portion of sky looks to the naked eye, allowing less-experienced observers to quickly find specific objects of interest.

    The maps can be used for planning observations, navigating from one part of the sky to another and for a quick reference guide.

    Other features include:

    A comprehensive index provides the location of information for all the night sky objects and features covered in the atlas.

    The Night Sky Atlas is the ideal portable reference for backyard astronomers.

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Very good first star atlas.......2005-11-24

    This is a very nice first atlas. It starts with a introduction section which covers the basics on celstial movement, observation techniques, and a few pages on the planets and the moon (including 4 pages of charts on the moon's four quaters and 4 accompanying pages of descriptions of each). It then has a very nice sky atlas section with the left page showing a black star on white background atlas and the right page showing the same view with white stars on black and all markings removed. This is helpful for getting a good idea of what you'll see, but the stars are artifically enlarged to show magnitude differences so its not exactly what you'll see in the sky.

    My one gripe about this atlas comes in the third and final section on individual constelations. Its very well detailed and uses a page or so per constelation with textual descriptions of various objects, a few photographs, and a finder chart. However, the charts are printed with yellow stars on blue background, which washes out quite horribly when used outside under a red light. A white light only fares slightly better. I've found that this section is best used indoors. You can use many available software pacakages to print finder charts that are more exact to what you're looking for and will display better outdoors.

    Overall, a very good buy.

    5 out of 5 stars You NEED this book........2005-09-16

    I have many Astronomy books, but this is one of my favorites. The atlas is a classic star chart of an area of the sky, and on the next page is a photo of what you can expect to see. No more looking at your star chart, and then looking UP to try to find what you're looking for. It's so cool, and makes finding deep sky objects (or whatever your fancy) much easier. The back of the book also shows each constellation, and has a list of interesting objects in each with pictures that are stunning. Lots of great reference data also. Highly recommended and a GREAT PRICE too !!!!
    Stars; A Guide to the Constellations, Sun, Moon, Planets, and Other Features of the Heavens (A Golden Nature Guide)
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Stars; A Guide to the Constellations, Sun, Moon, Planets, and Other Features of the Heavens (A Golden Nature Guide)
      Herbert and Robert Baker Zim
      Manufacturer: Golden Press
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback
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      ASIN: B000EP4WC8

      Product Description

      An Illustrated Guide to the constellations, sun, moon, planets and other features of the heavens. Includes 150+ Color Illustrations
      National Audubon Society Pocket Guide to Planets and Their Moons (National Audubon Society Pocket Guides)
      Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
      • A beautiful picture book of the solar system.
      National Audubon Society Pocket Guide to Planets and Their Moons (National Audubon Society Pocket Guides)
      NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY
      Manufacturer: Knopf
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback

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      ASIN: 0679779973
      Release Date: 1995-04-25

      Customer Reviews:

      5 out of 5 stars A beautiful picture book of the solar system........1998-10-20

      Easy to read and even easier to look at, this little book is a giant. The photos are beautiful and their full-bleed format makes them look like little windows to the universe. If it's photos of the solar system you want, this book is the perfect place to start.
      Many Skies: Alternative Histories Of The Sun, Moon, Planets, And Stars
      Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
      • Thought provoking work of alternate astronomy
      • A vivid and contemplative account
      Many Skies: Alternative Histories Of The Sun, Moon, Planets, And Stars
      Arthur R. Upgren
      Manufacturer: Rutgers University Press
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover

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      ASIN: 0813535123

      Book Description

      An alternate selection of The Scientific American Book Club and The Science Fiction Book Club

      Praise for Many Skies

      "Arthur Upgren's marvelous look at our place in the universe deals with profound questions. What if things didn't turn out exactly as they did—would we still be here? By studying these questions, we gain a much better appreciation of how lucky we are to enjoy life on this precious planet Earth."—David H. Levy, co-discoverer of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 that collided with Jupiter, and science editor of Parade

      "Upgren will leave you wanting to invent an alternative universe of your own. In mine, we live well outside the galactic plane, making cosmology much easier to investigate."—Virginia Trimble, president, Commission XII, International Astronomical Union

      What if Earth had several moons or massive rings like Saturn? What if the Sun were but one star in a double-star or triple-star system? What if Earth were the only planet circling the Sun?

      These and other imaginative scenarios are the subject of Arthur Upgren's inventive book Many Skies: Alternative Histories of the Sun, Moon, Planets, and Stars. Although the night sky as we know it seems eternal and inevitable, Upgren reminds us that, just as easily, it could have been very different.

      Had the solar system happened to be in the midst of a star cluster, we might have many more bright stars in the sky. Yet had it been located beyond the edge of the Milky Way galaxy, we might have no stars at all. If Venus or Mars had a moon as large as ours, we would be able to view it easily with the unaided eye. Given these or other alternative skies, what might Ptolemy or Copernicus have concluded about the center of the solar system and the Sun?

      This book not only examines the changes in science that these alternative solar, stellar, and galactic arrangements would have brought, it also explores the different theologies, astrologies, and methods of tracking time that would have developed to reflect them. Our perception of our surroundings, the number of gods we worship, the symbols we use in art and literature, even the way we form nations and empires are all closely tied to our particular (and accidental) placement in the universe.

      Many Skies, however, is not merely a fanciful play on what might have been. Upgren also explores the actual ways that human interferences such as light pollution are changing the night sky. Our atmosphere, he warns, will appear very different if we have a belt of debris circling the globe and blotting out the stars, as will happen if advertisers one day pollute space with brilliant satellites displaying their products.

      From fanciful to foreboding, the scenarios in Many Skies will both delight and inspire reflection, reminding us that ours is but one of many worldviews based on our experience of a universe that is as much a product of accident as it is of intention.

      Customer Reviews:

      5 out of 5 stars Thought provoking work of alternate astronomy .......2006-03-20

      Alternate history has become a popular subject in recent years, both in terms of fiction and also in non-fiction, exploring such ideas as what would have happened if Napoleon had not been defeated at Waterloo or if the South had won the Civil War. Upgren in _Many Skies_, explored alternate solar, stellar, and galactic systems and arrangements and what effects these might have had on the history of the world.

      Upgren divided the book into four sections, chapters in each section either exploring an alternate universe where the sky as it appears on Earth is different or discussing some aspect of astronomy as set-up to an idea for an alternate universe in a following chapter. The chapters described the different sky, why it was different, how this sky could have come to exist, what it would look like to an observer on Earth, and then what effects this might have had on the history of science and the history of the world in general. Often times the discussion of the effects were just questions the author would raise though in several cases he went into more detail. There were many diagrams and charts to help illustrate his points and Upgren did a good job of explaining astronomical terms such as proper motion, retrograde motion, and globular clusters when needed.

      Part one looked at different systems and arrangements for our Sun and Moon. What if the Earth had three moons? What if the Earth had not one Sun but three? What if the Earth were alone in space with the Sun, with no Moon or other planets, comets, or asteroids?

      Part two looked at alternate planets in our solar system, including our own. What if the Earth had rings? What if Jupiter existed in the orbit of our Venus? What if a bright planet, known to the ancients, orbited the Sun outside of the primary plane of the solar system, going far to the north or the south of the ecliptic? What if very bright comets were more frequent? What if Mars or Venus had a moon the size of our Moon (if Mars or Venus had a satellite as large and as bright as our Moon it would easily be seen by the unaided eye; if the Moon was seen from Venus when Venus is at its closest, about 26 million miles away, it would outshine all but the Sun and the Earth)?

      Part three looked at alternate stellar and galactic systems and arrangements. What if a star close to the Earth became a supernova? What if the Pleiades Cluster was about as close as the Hyades is now, not thousands of light years away but instead only a hundred light years away, with its stars visible in the daytime? What if the solar system were above the galactic plane, perhaps well outside and to the north of it, with the northern sky completely black and empty to the naked eye?

      Part four didn't really delve as much into different skies but touched on other topics, including issues of light pollution and astronomical causes of mass extinction on Earth.

      Not surprisingly, many of the various scenarios dealt primarily with alternate histories of science (particularly astronomy) as a result of these different skies. In some cases these alternate skies were beneficial to science. If the Earth had more than one Sun and/or had more than one Moon, or if Jupiter or Venus had satellites visible to the naked eye it would have been possible that the heliocentric model of the solar system would have been adapted centuries earlier, perhaps in the days of the Roman Empire, as it would have been apparent to ancient astronomers that not every object orbited the Earth. Similarly, in an alternate universe with a closer Jupiter (in the orbit of Venus perhaps), close enough that the unaided eye could detect a disk; it would have been possible to see a full set of phases and lead the intelligent observer to conclude it orbited the Sun and not the Earth.

      In other cases these alternate skies would not have helped the advancement of science. In an alternate universe where the Earth had rings, the only fully dark skies would exist near the poles, where the rings, lying on the equatorial plane, would be below the horizon and thus not visible. At lower latitudes the sky would always be too bright for the observation of faint objects and it is very likely that as a result the development of stellar astronomy would have been severely retarded. In a system with only the Sun and the Moon (no planets, comets, or asteroids), the issue of whether or not the Sun revolves around the Earth would likely not have been solved until the 18th or 19th centuries when the aberration of starlight and direct measure of stellar parallax could be accomplished with better instrumentation, Kepler's Laws of planetary motion could not have been devised, nor probably either Newton's laws of motion (or at least both would have been devised much later in history). Additionally, no concept of a week or a month would have suggested itself, producing perhaps changes in timekeeping.

      Changes to world history would of course not be limited to just astronomy and Upgren does explore that as well. He suggested that if the Earth had had more than one Sun and/or Moon, it is possible that monotheistic religious would not have arisen at all or have arisen later in world history and perhaps in the present polytheistic religious would still be quite common and widespread. In an alternate universe where the northern sky is pure black (due to the solar system being well above the galactic plane), astrology would not have developed and many world mythologies would have been less rich.

      An interesting and thought provoking book, my only complaints are that I would have liked more development of non-science-related historical topics as well as alternate evolutionary histories of life on Earth.

      5 out of 5 stars A vivid and contemplative account.......2005-03-11

      Emeritus astronomy professor Arthur Upgren presents Many Skies: Alternative Histories Of The Sun, Moon, Planets And Stars, an imaginative discussion of how bodies in the night sky could just as easily have been arranged in very different ways. Exploring scenarios such as if the Earth had multiple moons, or rings like Saturn, or if the Sun were a double-star or triple-star system, Many Skies contemplates how different theologies, astrologies, and methods of tracking time would have evolved. Many Skies also scrutinizes how human interferences such as light pollution is changing the night sky, and warns that increased satellites displaying products will change the appearance of Earth's atmosphere. A vivid and contemplative account, as appealing, understandable, and enjoyable for lay readers as for experts in the field.
      The Far Side of the Sky: Jumping off the Planet ; Bouncing off the Moon ; Leaping to the Stars
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        The Far Side of the Sky: Jumping off the Planet ; Bouncing off the Moon ; Leaping to the Stars
        David Gerrold
        Manufacturer: Sfbc Science Fiction
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Hardcover

        GeneralGeneral | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | Classics | Comic | Contemporary | Literary
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        ASIN: 073942808X

        Product Description

        Sending young people on extraordinary adventures in which they discover their worlds and themselves is one of science fiction's grand traditions.
        Through the Telescope: A Guide for the Amateur Astronomer, Revised Edition
        Average customer rating: 2 out of 5 stars
        • Excellent guide
        • A poor excuse for a book on amateur astronomy
        • Badly in need of copy editing
        • Warning: bad book!
        • Excellent reference book
        Through the Telescope: A Guide for the Amateur Astronomer, Revised Edition
        Patricia L. Barnes-Svarney , and Michael R. Porcellino
        Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback

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        ASIN: 0071348042

        Book Description

        In the ten years since this award-winning book was originally written by Michael Porcellino, the field of astronomy and its discoveries has grown by leaps and bounds. From the astounding images sent back by the Hubble Space Telescope, to the bright comet Hale-Bopp from the fleet of Martian probes, to the long-distance explorations of the Moon, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn--the universe has become more accessible than ever. And thanks to this revised and thoroughly updated new edition by astronomer and science writer, Patricia Barnes-Svarney, anyone with an interest can delve into its wonders. From the very close up to the far reaches of space, THROUGH THE TELESCOPE presents a uniquely "user-friendly" view of the universe, and offers both novice and advanced amateur astronomers some of the best tools available to watch the nighttime skies. You’ll learn all about: * Setting up a good, user-friendly telescope system * How to look at the universe in order to really see it * Upgrading your telescope for peak performance * How to spot a star cluster, a nebulaÖeven a supernova * Forming your own network of amateur astronomers. Complete with a web site appendix and fully updated charts on eclipses and planetary oppositions well into the year 2000, this edition of an acclaimed book will be an invaluable users guide for aspiring astronomers entering the new millennium.

        Customer Reviews:

        4 out of 5 stars Excellent guide.......2002-02-01

        This is an excellent guide for the amateur astronomer, with copious information on both what to look at in the sky and what to buy to do so, including both binoculars and telescopes. It has copious information on every aspect of skywatching, down to the best filters to view the various planets through. It's very supportive of amateur astronomy, consistently pointing out the contributions that amateurs have made and continue to make to the science (one of the few sciences where this is still possible).

        Quibbles: a few formatting problems, where the formatting notation shows up instead of italics or whatever was intended. And they repeat the urban legend about Galileo going blind from observing the sun (though admittedly I just recently found out that this is mistaken).

        Other than that, it's an excellent book, though more of a reference than a "sit-down-and-read" book, which is what I did with it, at least for now.

        Meanwhile, I wonder if some of the other reviews (below) apply to the earlier edition of the book, since I did not encounter the same problems.

        1 out of 5 stars A poor excuse for a book on amateur astronomy.......2000-12-14

        I pity the novice who purchases this book with the intention of learning about amateur astronomy. The book is a demonstration of what happens when someone rushes it to publication, does not KNOW the subject and builds poorly on a work that wasn't very good in the first place. There are so many terrifically awful errors in this book, it would take another book to document them. Pictures of microscopes where telescopes should be, refractor telescopes described as Dobsonians, etc, etc. The illustration/pictures are also slipshod, out of focus and poorly rendered. I cannot believe a suposedly reputable publishing house could release this "joke" of a text on amateur astronomy. It should be withdrawn from the market NOW and burned. -Richard Anderson

        1 out of 5 stars Badly in need of copy editing.......2000-07-05

        It's amazing McGraw-Hill let this one out at all. There are typographical and syntactical errors on almost every page. I can't comment on technical accuracy, as I am a beginner at astronomy. But I do know when I've seen the same photograph twice with different, and inconsistent, captions. The publisher did a real disservice to the author of this edition--and to the memory of the author of the original version--by rushing this to market without at least showing it to a copy editor.

        1 out of 5 stars Warning: bad book!.......2000-03-04

        This is the worst astronomy book I've encountered in forty years as an amateur astronomer! It is full of errors and has some of the poorest illustrations (out-of-focus, incorrectly labeled) I've ever seen in a commercial publication. Anyone interested in buying and using telescopes would be much better served by NightWatch by Terence Dickinson, The Backyard Astronomer's Guide by Dickinson and Dyer, or Phil Harrington's Star Ware.

        4 out of 5 stars Excellent reference book.......1999-09-18

        As an amateur in astronomy, I found this book very educative. It covers all aspects of astronomy - from naked eye view of the sky to deep space objects, binocular to large telescope obesrvation, etc. Though it was written in 1989, the book will continue to be a reference book to all interested in astronomy.

        Books:

        1. Binocular Highlights: 99 Celestial Sights for Binocular Users (Sky & Telescope Stargazing)
        2. Comet/Asteroid Impacts and Human Society: An Interdisciplinary Approach
        3. Compact Cities: Sustainable Urban Forms for Developing Countries (Compact City)
        4. Compact Stellar X-ray Sources (Cambridge Astrophysics)
        5. Constructing a Poetic Universe: The Diane and Bruce Halle Collection of Latin American Art
        6. Cosmic Rays and Particle Physics
        7. Death by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries
        8. Death by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries
        9. Delirious New York: A Retroactive Manifesto for Manhattan
        10. Discovering the Essential Universe

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