Draw 50 Aliens: The Step-by-Step Way to Draw UFOs, Galaxy Ghouls, Milky Way Marauders, and Other Extraterrestrial Creatures (Draw 50)
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • A book drawers will love
  • a really good book
  • Draw 50 Aliens plus
  • A Wonderful Book for Children
Draw 50 Aliens: The Step-by-Step Way to Draw UFOs, Galaxy Ghouls, Milky Way Marauders, and Other Extraterrestrial Creatures (Draw 50)
Lee J. Ames
Manufacturer: Broadway
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

GeneralGeneral | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
DrawingDrawing | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Drawing | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
DrawingDrawing | Art | Arts & Music | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Art | Arts & Photography | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
DrawingDrawing | Instruction & Reference | Art | Arts & Photography | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
GeneralGeneral | Instruction & Reference | Art | Arts & Photography | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
DrawingDrawing | Graphic Design | Arts & Photography | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
DrawingDrawing | Art | Arts & Music | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
All 4-for-3 DealsAll 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:
  1. Draw 50 Monsters: The Step-by-Step Way to Draw Creeps, Superheroes, Demons, Dragons, Nerds, Dirts, Ghouls, Giants, Vampires, Zombies, and Other Curiosa (Draw 50) Draw 50 Monsters: The Step-by-Step Way to Draw Creeps, Superheroes, Demons, Dragons, Nerds, Dirts, Ghouls, Giants, Vampires, Zombies, and Other Curiosa (Draw 50)
  2. Draw 50 Beasties (Draw 50) Draw 50 Beasties (Draw 50)
  3. Draw 50 Sharks, Whales, and Other Sea Creatures: The Step-by-Step Way to Draw Great White Sharks, Killer Whales, Barracudas, Seahorses, Seals, and More (Draw 50) Draw 50 Sharks, Whales, and Other Sea Creatures: The Step-by-Step Way to Draw Great White Sharks, Killer Whales, Barracudas, Seahorses, Seals, and More (Draw 50)
  4. Draw 50 Dinosaurs (Books for Young Readers) Draw 50 Dinosaurs (Books for Young Readers)
  5. Draw 50 People: The Step-by-Step Way to Draw Cavemen, Queens, Aztecs, Vikings, Clowns, Minutemen, and Many More... (Draw 50) Draw 50 People: The Step-by-Step Way to Draw Cavemen, Queens, Aztecs, Vikings, Clowns, Minutemen, and Many More... (Draw 50)

ASIN: 038549145X
Release Date: 1998-10-20

Book Description

Alien fever is running high: the Alien movies and reissue of the Star Wars trilogy have made outer space fascinating to a whole new generation of children. And who better to help budding artists master their drawings of the friendly folk from the final frontier than Lee Ames--creator of the phenomenally successful Draw 50 series?

An ideal tool for young artists or the parent or teacher seeking to help a child master their artistic skills, Draw 50 Aliens includes creatures from every walk of the galaxy: Ames gives instructions for drawing UFOs, Nebula Nomads, Milky Way Marauders, and every other type of extraterrestrial. And, in the tradition of the Draw 50 series, all of these characters are humorous, lovable, and very accessible for children.

With over two million copies in print, the Draw 50 series has successfully shown children how to create everything from a robin to a spaceship, Tyrannosaurus rex to John the Baptist. But with Draw 50 Aliens, Ames has--perhaps as never before--hit upon a deeply appealing subject, one that taps into children's sense of wonder and will keep them endlessly entertained and forever sketching away.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars A book drawers will love.......2003-01-15

I looked at the book Draw 50 Aliens. I thought it was a good book because it has easy steps for drawing the aliens and UFOs. I think kids in 4th and 5th grade who are good drawers would like this book I recommend this book to people who love to draw.

5 out of 5 stars a really good book.......2001-03-25

This really helped my drawing talent. It taught me How to draw in a different way then i am used to. i rate this book five stars 'cause that is pretty much what it deserves.

5 out of 5 stars Draw 50 Aliens plus.......2000-06-04

I bought this book for a younger friend who likes to drawstange creatures. I used to teach art to children and used a number ofthe Lee Ames books in my classes which were always a big hit. I noticed that not all children can follow the visual step-by-step instructions but those that did usually had a great time and good results. This books seems to be of the same quality as the other Lee Ames books I've purchased.

5 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Book for Children.......2000-02-04

Ric Estrada, who illustrated this book, has come up with some wonderfully imaginative characters that show the younger reader the basics of drawing a cartoon character. Mr. Estrada, a forty year veteran of comic books and animation, shows how the building blocks of solid design are formed from the simplest of shapes. Not only is this a great learning tool, but the names and commentary inside are quite entertaining as well. I highly recommend this book.
The Black Hole at the Center of Our Galaxy
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Concerning Melia's "Black Hole.."
  • Very excited about this book
  • passionate, he is - but it's hard to follow
  • Fascinating indeed
  • Amazing Detective Story
The Black Hole at the Center of Our Galaxy
Fulvio Melia
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

AstronomyAstronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
Star-GazingStar-Gazing | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Science | Subjects | Books
Rocks & MineralsRocks & Minerals | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books
AstronomyAstronomy | Astronomy | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
Look Inside Outdoors & Nature BooksLook Inside Outdoors & Nature Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
All TitlesAll Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ProfessionalProfessional | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ScienceScience | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:
  1. The Edge of Infinity: Supermassive Black Holes in the Universe The Edge of Infinity: Supermassive Black Holes in the Universe
  2. Echo of the Big Bang Echo of the Big Bang
  3. The Biggest Bangs: The Mystery of Gamma-Ray Bursts, the Most Violent Explosions in the Universe The Biggest Bangs: The Mystery of Gamma-Ray Bursts, the Most Violent Explosions in the Universe
  4. Cosmic Catastrophes: Exploding Stars, Black Holes, and Mapping the Universe Cosmic Catastrophes: Exploding Stars, Black Holes, and Mapping the Universe
  5. The Extravagant Universe: Exploding Stars, Dark Energy, and the Accelerating Cosmos (Princeton Science Library) The Extravagant Universe: Exploding Stars, Dark Energy, and the Accelerating Cosmos (Princeton Science Library)

ASIN: 0691095051

Book Description

Could Einstein have possibly anticipated directly testing the most captivating prediction of general relativity, that there exist isolated pockets of spacetime shielded completely from our own? Now, almost a century after that theory emerged, one of the world's leading astrophysicists presents a wealth of recent evidence that just such an entity, with a mass of about three million suns, is indeed lurking at the center of our galaxy, the Milky Way--in the form of a supermassive ''black hole''!

With this superbly illustrated, elegantly written, nontechnical account of the most enigmatic astronomical object yet observed, Fulvio Melia captures all the excitement of the growing realization that we are on the verge of actually seeing this exotic object within the next few years.

Melia traces our intellectual pilgrimage to the ''brooding behemoth'' at the heart of the Milky Way. He describes the dizzying technological advances that have recently brought us to the point of seeing through all the cosmic dust to a dark spot in a clouded cluster of stars in the constellation Sagittarius. Carefully assembling the compelling circumstantial evidence for its black hole status, he shows that it is primed to reveal itself as a glorious panorama of activity within this decade--through revolutionary images of its ''event horizon'' against the bright backdrop of nearby, radiating gas.

Uniquely, this book brings together a specific and fascinating astronomical subject--black holes--with a top researcher to provide both amateur and armchair astronomers, but also professional scientists seeking a concise overview of the topic, a real sense of the palpable thrill in the scientific community when an important discovery is imminent.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Concerning Melia's "Black Hole..".......2006-07-06

The best thing about this book is the series of photos at the beginning which focus in on Sagittarius A*. It is a little thin on theory (purposely); and at the end, he is a little too gung-ho about the ability of science to answer all questions. But in general it is an exciting subject and the author presents it very well.

5 out of 5 stars Very excited about this book.......2004-08-27

This is an exciting book for just about anyone interested in astronomy.
First of all I'd like to express all my admiration, the book is really
wonderfully written, witty, elegant, always
crystal clear and never boring, a real pleasure for the
mind. Second of all it's a real surprise to see how close
astronomers are to actually seeing a black hole. Since things
are changing so fast, does the author plan on writing an updated
edition soon? It seems that a new edition would be necessary
in a few years.

3 out of 5 stars passionate, he is - but it's hard to follow.......2004-05-09

Apparently Sgr A* is shrinking - at various points in the book, it's described as the size of Mars' orbit, the size of Mercury's orbit, and several times the diameter of the Sun. Then there's the "how fast are the nearby stars going", in units of millions of kilometers per hour in one chapter, and kilometers per second in another - unit confusion! It's an enjoyable book, but somewhat choppy in nature - he introduces a segment on Hawking radiation, then mentions that it's totally useless in detection for supermassive black holes. The descriptions of Sgr A* are well done at the various wavelengths and very helpful; the background on why each wavelength conveys certain information was particularly excellent.
Now: why go to Australia to look at the Milky Way?

5 out of 5 stars Fascinating indeed.......2004-02-01

The subject of this book has been one of my abiding interests since high school. My daughter strongly recommended it to me, with the assurance that it contained one of the best descriptions of general relativity for the layman, woven into the captivating story of the black hole at the center of our galaxy. Finally, someone who is directly involved with frontline research on this topic has taken the time to write about it in language that nonexperts can understand. Why is it that others don't do the same?

5 out of 5 stars Amazing Detective Story.......2004-02-01

Hooray for Carolyn Collins Petersen, who wrote a review of this book for the January issue of Sky and Telescope. She absolutely captured the essence of this worthwhile read, and convinced me to pick up a copy of my own. I agree with her assessment wholeheartedly. Melia's book is a detective story, but more than that, it's an up-to-date account of what black hole astronomers are aiming for. The only thing I was somewhat disappointed with was that the last chapter ended too early. The subject of supermassive black holes in general deserves a lengthier discussion.
Extragalactic Astronomy and Cosmology: An Introduction
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Extragalactic Astronomy and Cosmology: An Introduction
    Peter Schneider
    Manufacturer: Springer
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover

    AstronomyAstronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Biology | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Zoology | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Science | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books
    NeuroscienceNeuroscience | Neurology | Internal Medicine | Medicine | Subjects | Books
    AstronomyAstronomy | Astronomy | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Physics | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
    All TitlesAll Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
    MedicineMedicine | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
    ProfessionalProfessional | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
    ScienceScience | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
    Similar Items:
    1. Physical Foundations of Cosmology Physical Foundations of Cosmology
    2. Gravitational Lensing: Strong, Weak and Micro: Saas-Fee Advanced Course 33 (Saas-Fee Advanced Courses) Gravitational Lensing: Strong, Weak and Micro: Saas-Fee Advanced Course 33 (Saas-Fee Advanced Courses)
    3. The Tapestry of Modern Astrophysics The Tapestry of Modern Astrophysics
    4. The Cosmic Century: A History of Astrophysics and Cosmology The Cosmic Century: A History of Astrophysics and Cosmology
    5. Physics And Chemistry of the Interstellar Medium Physics And Chemistry of the Interstellar Medium

    Accessories:
    1. In Search of Dark Matter (Springer Praxis Books / Space Exploration) In Search of Dark Matter (Springer Praxis Books / Space Exploration)
    2. Comet/Asteroid Impacts and Human Society: An Interdisciplinary Approach Comet/Asteroid Impacts and Human Society: An Interdisciplinary Approach
    3. A Companion to Astronomy and Astrophysics: Chronology and Glossary with Data Tables A Companion to Astronomy and Astrophysics: Chronology and Glossary with Data Tables

    ASIN: 3540331743

    Book Description

    Starting with the description of our home galaxy the Milky Way, this cogently written textbook introduces the reader to the astronomy of galaxies, their structure, active galactic nuclei, evolution and large scale distribution. Then, from the extensive and thorough introduction to modern observational and theoretical cosmology, the text turns to the formation of structures and astronomical objects in the early universe. The basics of classical astronomy and stellar astrophysics needed for extragalactic astronomy are given in the appendix.

    In particular, Peter Schneider’s Extragalactic Astronomy and Cosmology has the goal of imparting the fundamental knowledge of this fascinating subfield of astronomy, while leading readers to the forefront of astronomical research. But it seeks to accomplish this not only with extensive textual information and insights. In addition, the author’s evident admiration for the workings of the universe that shines through the lines and the many supporting color illustrations will deeply inspire the reader.

    While this book has grown out of introductory university courses on astronomy and astrophysics, it will not only be appreciated by undergraduate students and lecturers. Through the comprehensive coverage of the field, even graduate students and researchers specializing in related fields will appreciate it as reliable reference.

    Planetary Nebulae Beyond the Milky Way: Proceedings of the ESO Workshop held at Garching, Germany, 19-21 May, 2004 (ESO Astrophysics Symposia)
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Planetary Nebulae Beyond the Milky Way: Proceedings of the ESO Workshop held at Garching, Germany, 19-21 May, 2004 (ESO Astrophysics Symposia)

      Manufacturer: Springer
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover

      AstronomyAstronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
      Astrophysics & Space ScienceAstrophysics & Space Science | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
      Star-GazingStar-Gazing | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
      GeneralGeneral | Evolution | Science | Subjects | Books
      GeneralGeneral | Science | Subjects | Books
      AstronomyAstronomy | Astronomy | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
      Astrophysics & Space ScienceAstrophysics & Space Science | Astronomy | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
      All Amazon UpgradeAll Amazon Upgrade | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
      Professional & TechnicalProfessional & Technical | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
      ScienceScience | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
      ASIN: 3540310118

      Book Description

      In the last decade extra-galactic planetary nebulae (PNe) have gained increasing importance. Improved observational capabilities have allowed fainter and fainter PNe to be studied in galaxies well beyond the Milky Way. Planetary nebulae can be detected to at least 30Mpc. They are found in galaxies of all types and also between the galaxies in nearby galaxy clusters. They are valuable as probes, both for providing the velocity of their host stars and also the evolutionary status and relation to the stellar population from which they formed.

      This book contains the proceedings of a workshop held at ESO headquarters in Garching in 2004, the first meeting devoted entirely to Extra-galactic Planetary Nebulae. A wide range of topics is covered, from stellar and nebular astrophysics to galactic dynamics and galaxy clusters, making this volume a unique and timely reference of broad astrophysical interest.

      Astronomy of the Milky Way
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        Astronomy of the Milky Way
        Mike Inglis
        Manufacturer: Springer
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback

        AstronomyAstronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
        GeneralGeneral | Science | Subjects | Books
        GeneralGeneral | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books
        AstronomyAstronomy | Astronomy | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
        GeneralGeneral | Physics | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
        All TitlesAll Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
        ProfessionalProfessional | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
        ScienceScience | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
        Similar Items:
        1. Galaxies and How to Observe Them (Astronomers' Observing Guides) Galaxies and How to Observe Them (Astronomers' Observing Guides)
        2. Nebulae and How to Observe Them (Astronomers' Observing Guides) Nebulae and How to Observe Them (Astronomers' Observing Guides)
        3. Deep-Sky Companions: Hidden Treasures (Deep-Sky Companions) Deep-Sky Companions: Hidden Treasures (Deep-Sky Companions)
        4. The Complete CD Guide to the Universe (Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series) The Complete CD Guide to the Universe (Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series)
        5. Human Vision and The Night Sky: How to Improve Your Observing Skills (Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series) Human Vision and The Night Sky: How to Improve Your Observing Skills (Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series)

        ASIN: 1852337435

        Book Description

        One of the wonders of the universe we live in is the Milky Way. It spans the entire sky and can be seen every night of the year from anywhere on Earth. This is the first book that deals specifically with what can be seen within the Milky Way from a practical observer's point of view. Astronomy of the Milky Way covers every constellation that the Milky Way passes through, and describes in detail the many objects that can be found therein, including stars, double and multiple stars, emission nebulae, planetary nebulae, dark nebulae and supernovae remnants, open and galactic clusters, and galaxies. It also describes the one thing that is often left out of observing guides - the amazing star clouds of the Milky Way itself. It is one of a two-volume set that deal with the entire Milky Way - this second volume looks at what can be seen predominantly from the Southern skies In addition to the descriptive text there are many star charts and maps, as well as the latest up-to-date images made by observatories around the world and in space, as well as images taken by amateur astronomers. Equipped with this book, an amateur astronomer can go out on any clear night of the year and observe the galaxy we live in - The Milky Way.
        The Milky Way And Other Galaxies (Our Solar System)
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          The Milky Way And Other Galaxies (Our Solar System)
          Dana Meachen Rau
          Manufacturer: Compass Point Books
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Hardcover

          AstronomyAstronomy | Astronomy & Space | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
          GeneralGeneral | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
          CosmologyCosmology | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
          UniverseUniverse | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
          CosmologyCosmology | Astronomy | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
          Similar Items:
          1. Black Holes (Our Solar System) Black Holes (Our Solar System)

          ASIN: 0756508533
          The Guide to the Galaxy
          Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
          • A great way to learn about the neighborhood
          • Excellent introduction for someone curious about our stars
          • superb reading and pictures, no bla bla
          • An armchair astronomer's dream.
          The Guide to the Galaxy
          Nigel Henbest , and Heather Couper
          Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Hardcover

          AstronomyAstronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
          CosmologyCosmology | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
          Solar SystemSolar System | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
          GeneralGeneral | Science | Subjects | Books
          AstronomyAstronomy | Astronomy | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
          ASIN: 0521306221

          Customer Reviews:

          5 out of 5 stars A great way to learn about the neighborhood.......2001-10-17

          This is a wonderful book full of explanations, photographs and maps. There's a bit of history about the Milky Way Galaxy's discovery followed by descriptions of our Galaxy and the surrounding neighborhood, the "Local Group." The book starts outward and moves in toward the galactic center, describing the various spiral arms along the way. It contains great maps and excellent descriptions, particularly of our very local part of the Galaxy. It's not a difficult read, though a little previous reading in astronomy wouldn't hurt. Definitely a great resource for amateur astronomers and those with just a passing interest. This is not a new book, and I'd love to see a newer edition.

          5 out of 5 stars Excellent introduction for someone curious about our stars.......1998-02-11

          Reading this book rekindled an old dormant interest in "reading" the night sky. This book, if carefully read, presents galactic structure are we currently know it in a way that truly make one rethink the night sky and truly begin to understand what one is seeing. I have to agree with several prior reviews: this is the kind of book that can expand one's mind. I went so far as to duplicate the color maps and laminate them so that when I star gaze, I can refer to the maps and place objects in our Orion Arm, Perseus Arm, or Sagittarius Arm. The explanation of Gould's belt made me appreciate again the splendor of Orion in the winter sky. This book is well worth the price and read. It can be casually read, but careful reading and study pay big dividends.

          5 out of 5 stars superb reading and pictures, no bla bla.......1997-11-10

          a superb book for amateur-reading . Beautiful colourful pictures of our galaxy. A 'road-map' on a scale you've never seen ! It tells you more about our home-galaxy, distances, objects, and the location of our own star (the sun) than whatever astronomical photographs may. I was very sorry to reach the last pages.

          5 out of 5 stars An armchair astronomer's dream........1997-07-14

          An extraordinary book that fits all those bits and pieces together to orient you into our galaxy. Distances become second nature, you come to see the sky in 3 dimensions. Beautiful photgraphs and diagrams. This book will make your mind grow
          Galactic Astronomy: Structure and Kinematics of Galaxies
          Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
          • The biggest things in the universe...
          Galactic Astronomy: Structure and Kinematics of Galaxies
          James Binney
          Manufacturer: W H Freeman & Co (Sd)
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Hardcover

          AstronomyAstronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
          CosmologyCosmology | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
          Solar SystemSolar System | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
          UniverseUniverse | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
          CosmologyCosmology | Astronomy | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
          ASIN: 0716712806

          Customer Reviews:

          5 out of 5 stars The biggest things in the universe..........2003-05-21

          The book `Galactic Astronomy: Structure and Kinematics', by Dimitri Mihalas and James Binney, is a classic, basic text for those interested beyond the basic level of what a galaxy is and how it is structured.

          This is a revision of a text first written in 1967 -- as scientific advances have proceeded at an ever increasing speed, this text too is lacking in many of the most recent discoveries and interpretations. However, it still provides a significant introduction to many basic ideas and patterns that have not changed over time. There has been a follow-up by James Binney and Michael Merrifield published recently.

          Galactic astronomy, with the increasing understanding of large-scale physics and the increasing data from telescopes, both visual and extra-visual, has made great strides in understanding the composition, motions and developments of galaxies -- not only spiral galaxies such as our own, but other galactic shapes and structures, too. This book addresses the structure and kinematics. A word of explanation: kinematics is the study of motion without reference to the forces which cause the motion -- dynamics addresses that, and that is not included in this text, but rather left for a second volume.

          This volume begins with a basic overview of the our conception of our own galaxy, giving a brief historical overview of explanations about the Milky Way and how this developed into the idea of a disc of stars; the recognition of our Sun being not in the centre but rather in a more unremarkable spot on one of the arms of the galaxy; the increasing knowledge from better and better observational data of the number of stars and other constituents of the galaxy, and the plotting of movement of individual stars and the collective motion of the galaxy. With the additional charting of dark matter, globular clusters, and other pieces, an increasingly accurate portrait of our home galaxy has been made.

          The volume then gives a 'refresher' on astronomical terminology and concepts as related to galactic astronomy. Positions and coordinate systems, motions, measurements using parallax, stellar spectra, magnitudes and colours, energy distributions, and a refresher on the cataloguing system help to put the rest of the text in perspective. Particularly as galaxies are primarily made up of stars, the physical properties stars--masses, evolution, types of stars--are examined in detail, along with information about interstellar absorption and other galactic constituents.

          Then, galactic astronomy begins in earnest, with a discussion of the distribution of stars and other elements in our own galaxy. Methods of star counting, apparent versus real distribution of stars and elements, distribution in the disc and distribution in the spheroidal component, as well as stellar populations are covered. From here, a description of other types of galaxies (morphology, magnitudes, distances, spectrophotometric properties) enlarges the ideas of galactic ideas. In examining other galactic types, Mihalas and Binney give a cautionary tale, one that is true in observational astronomy generally -- one thing may look like another, even with the most sophisticated of measuring tools. People may make assumptions about observational data trends that can skew large-scale ideas of the entire universe.

          `Biases of the kind...may affect our understanding of the Universe in two important ways. (1) We may be unaware of the existence of numerous compact galaxies or diffuse, faint galaxies, which together might contribute significantly to the mass density and dynamics of the Universe, and which might feature prominently in the world views of observers whose skies are either darker or less hazy than our own. (2) We may seriously misjudge the nature and size of 'normal' galaxies.'

          While our data today is yet again much better than that used when this text was compiled, these caveats are still of importance, as the hunt for dark matter, less luminous objects, and hidden material still continues.

          In discussing the kinematics, the motion of galaxies, Mihalas and Binney begin with solar and stellar motions, and then proceed from there. Using relative parallax measurements and motion around the galactic centre, they proceed to describe the kinematics of stars both in the disk and the halo (the spheroidal-component), also observing the varying velocities. Estimation and application of general rotation laws from our own galaxy to other galaxies is a rather difficult one to observe, given the continuing difficulties of pinpointing individual constituents in vastly distant galaxies for measurement.

          This is a book on how galaxies are, and some basic information about the motion of galaxies. A follow-up volume, published in 1987, dealt with galactic dynamics. Many questions remained unanswered at the time of publication, and still remain unanswered. However, for the serious astronomer (amateur or professional -- and astronomy is one of the few sciences in which to be an amateur is a respected status), this book gives insight and information on a fascinating branch of the study of the universe. Intended for late undergraduate and graduate-level study.
          Sky Vistas: Astronomy for Binoculars and Richest-Field Telescopes
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            Sky Vistas: Astronomy for Binoculars and Richest-Field Telescopes
            Craig Crossen , and Gerald Rhemann
            Manufacturer: Springer
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Hardcover

            AstronomyAstronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
            Astrophysics & Space ScienceAstrophysics & Space Science | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
            GeneralGeneral | Science | Subjects | Books
            GeneralGeneral | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books
            AstronomyAstronomy | Astronomy | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
            Astrophysics & Space ScienceAstrophysics & Space Science | Astronomy | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
            GeneralGeneral | Physics | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
            All Amazon UpgradeAll Amazon Upgrade | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
            Professional & TechnicalProfessional & Technical | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
            ScienceScience | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
            All TitlesAll Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
            ProfessionalProfessional | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
            ScienceScience | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
            ASIN: 3211008519

            Book Description

            This book is primarily a practical guide for observers with normal or giant binoculars, or "richest-field” telescopes, who wish to get the most out of their instruments. Apart from that, it is also a readable, well-illustrated book for "arm-chair observers”. The central point of interest is wide-field astronomy – areas of the night sky that are particularly rich in objects. The Milky Way itself is the ultimate "wide-field” object and therefore its general features and the regions rich in clusters and nebulae are described. A chapter on clusters emphasizes open clusters best viewed in binoculars followed by a chapter on large but faint nebulae invisible to standard telescopes but visible to binoculars. The last chapter deals with fields in which groups of bright galaxies can be seen. The full-page color and black-and-white photos are one of the best features of this book and make it appealing to the general reader. The practical observer is shown exactly where objects are with respect to one another.
            The Milky Way And Other Galaxies (Isaac Asimov's 21st Century Library of the Universe)
            Average customer rating: Not rated
              The Milky Way And Other Galaxies (Isaac Asimov's 21st Century Library of the Universe)
              Isaac Asimov , and Richard Hantula
              Manufacturer: Gareth Stevens Publishing
              ProductGroup: Book
              Binding: Library Binding

              AstronomyAstronomy | Astronomy & Space | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
              GeneralGeneral | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
              GeneralGeneral | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
              ASIN: 0836839684

              Books:

              1. Dutton's Nautical Navigation
              2. Essential Cosmic Perspective, The (3rd Edition)
              3. Essential Cosmic Perspective, The (3rd Edition)
              4. Fallingwater: A Frank Lloyd Wright Country House
              5. Fundamental Astronomy
              6. Galaxies and How to Observe Them (Astronomers' Observing Guides)
              7. Heat: An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany
              8. History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
              9. History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
              10. History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

              Books Index

              Books Home

              Recommended Books

              1. The Mindbody Prescription: Healing the Body, Healing the Pain
              2. Shadow Dance: A Novel
              3. GIS and Remote Sensing Applications in Biogeography and Ecology
              4. I of the Vortex: From Neurons to Self
              5. Microbiology: An Introduction
              6. Rich Dad's Advisors®: The ABC's of Building a Business Team That Wins: The Invisible Code of Hon
              7. Rashomon Gate: A Mystery of Ancient Japan
              8. The Show Starts on the Sidewalk: An Architectural History of the Movie Theatre, Starring S. Charles
              9. Living Big in Small Apartments
              10. A Visual Introduction to Bears