Astronomy: A Beginner's Guide to the Universe [with MasteringAstronomy]

by Eric Chaisson, Steve McMillan

Key For one-semester Introduction to Astronomy courses. With A Beginner’s Guide, Sixth Edition, trusted authors Eric Chaisson and Steve McMillan communicate their excitement about astronomy and awaken readers to the universe around them. Thoroughly updated, the revised edition focuses on the process of scientific discovery and scientific method, making “how we know what we know” a more integral part of the book with attention to clearly and concisely presenting scientific terms to the non-science reader. The authors incorporate three themes in this briefer version of their two textbooks; process of science, the size and scale of the universe as well as the evolution of the universe. A Beginner’s Guide emphasizes critical thinking and visualization, and is now available with a custom tailored leading-edge technology program. The Sixth Edition features an even greater focus on the process of science, MasteringAstronomy, ™ and a dedicated myeBook. Key Charting the Heavens : The Foundations of Astronomy, The Copernican The Birth of Modern Science, Light and The Inner Workings of the Cosmos, The Tools of Astronomy, The Solar Interplanetary Matter and the Birth of the Planets, Earth and Its Our Cosmic Backyard, The Terrestrial A Study in Contrasts, The Jovian Giants of the Solar System, Moons, Rings, and Small Worlds Among Giants, The Our Parent Star, Measuring the Giants, Dwarfs, and the Main Sequence, The Interstellar Star Formation in the Milky Way, Stellar The Lives and Deaths of Stars, Neutron Stars and Black Strange States of Matter, The Milky Way A Spiral in Space, Normal and Active Building Blocks of the Universe, Hubble’s Law and Dark The Large-Scale Structure of the Cosmos, The Big Bang and the Fate of the Universe, Life in the Are We Alone? Intended for those interested in learning the basics of astronomy

Genres: Astronomy, Science, Textbooks, Nonfiction, Space, Physics, Reference

592 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

Reviews

[Sofibrivi]

I owe every good grade in my Astronomy course to this book

[✨faith✨trust✨pixiedust✨ Dead Account; Not Coming Back]

for school

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was pretty interactive and had a good balance of facts, pictures, graphs, and illustrations. I enjoyed learning more about astronomy even though it wasn't my favorite subject. I took an astronomy class as a part of my general education courses in college. It was an interesting class, but nothing I'm going to be obsessed with anytime soon. The website where we took our quizzes was also pretty cool. If you're a fan of astronomy, I'd recommend this book.

*Taken from my book reviews blog: http://reviewsatmse.blogspot.com/2012...

[Cherish · Rating 5 out of 5]

...a constant read. It blows my mind on a regular basis.

[Harmony · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jam packed with information but not in a way that made it easy to learn. I often felt like the authors would see something shiny, go off on a tangent, and never properly explain the concepts. They used different terms for the same thing but switch between them without explaining they are connected. Most of my learning was from comparing what was written in the book with external sources that were better at explaining the concepts.

[Emil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book if you are searching for some „simple”, broad explanations for the astrophysics processes which shape the Universe.
However, sometimes it feels that the topics are based more on predictions rather than facts.

[Huy Le · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good and well-rounded book about astronomy.

[Tanu Goel Srivastava · Rating 3 out of 5]

Could have been easier for non science students

[Deanna Sutter]

Winter semester 2021

[David Czuba · Rating 4 out of 5]

This edition of Astronomy:A Beginner's Guide to the Universe, came to me in a 3- ring binder from a forgotten shelf of books at Job Corps. It isn't a print proof, but it might be a review copy (there are errors, but not in the subject matter. Also, the sidebars and captions of illustrations take getting used to). My avid interest when younger as an amateur with a 6 inch Meade Newtonian was renewed as I sped through the first and last chapters, the last covering Drake's equation on the potential for intelligent, technological life elsewhere in the universe. Satisfied that its content was going to be fruitful, I kept reading, and was not disappointed.

This 8th Edition came out in 2017, much of its information the latest as of 2015, confirmed by observation that matched theoretical predictions. For several examples, the LIGO observatories were not operationally on their first runs. The James Webb Space Telescope had not been launched. Nor was the Parker Solar Probe. Dark Matter is only now being measured by an instrument deep in a mine in Sudbury, Ontario.

The fine writing tempered always by a caution against speculation from a minority of the scientific body, this book captures what I believe to be the essence of what a textbook should be. It's clarity and wise use of analogy, combined with succinct explanation confirms my belief.( I use this word with caution because I emailed one of the authors, Chaisson, using the word, which he pointed out, saying "You do use the word 'believe' when you express an opinion...  I tend to avoid that loaded word in science, demanding evidence instead." ) Now that's an author I respect and trust.

If I had my youth to live over again, I would pursue astronomy as a vocation. Would that i had a textbook (and instructors) as good as this at that time. This book makes an excellent start to any curriculum where math, logic, computing, physics and chemistry are equally foundational. Much of what is touched on here is cross-examined and developed further by study in those disciplines and sciences. I highly recommend this book for those wishing to make a career in astrophysics, space robotics, exoplanet research, or astrobiology, among other occupational outlooks.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty decent intro college level textbook. Informative and not too boring. Not too much extra fluff, but the material was engaging.

[Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit dry and thick reading, but then it is a science book after all! It covers the subject decently well and is reasonably clear. I have the cd/ebook version and I love the production quality of the included movies.

[Jillian Navejas]

I don't know that I'd call this a beginners guide....

[kayla** · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a book about astronomy, not bad!

[Yaritza · Rating 5 out of 5]

This text book was very easy to understand. Learned about every aspect of our planets and our universe.

[Linda Hayashi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed this so very much that I have acquired another similar version for next semester's Astronomy class.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Power read it. Carl Sagan was right. Billions and billions of stars.

[Alexander · Rating 3 out of 5]

The ending chapter was very interesting, in my opinion. ^_^