A Beginner's Guide to the Universe
Published on 19. December 2002
Book
Hardback
156 pages
978-0-521-80693-0 (ISBN)
Description
A Beginners Guide to the Universe is a fascinating introduction to astronomy and the wonders of the night sky. It begins by looking at the universe as a whole, describing what we can see in the night sky. The solar system is then explored in detail, taking each planet in turn, from the hot world of Mercury near the Sun, to the distant, frozen world of Pluto. Moons, asteroids, meteoroids and comets are described, and objects outside our solar system are explained. Readers will learn what stars are, and how they cluster together to form galaxies that allow us to map out the furthest reaches of our Universe. At the end of the book, Professor John Brown, Astronomer Royal for Scotland, answers astronomy questions posed by schoolchildren. Written in an accessible language, this guide will appeal to both children and adults wishing to learn about astronomy for the first time.
Reviews / Votes
'This is a wide-ranging astronomy book, brilliantly written for 9-11 year ages, or thereabouts. The co-authors are an astronomer and a primary school teacher, and it shows in the result. The astronomical terminology is painlessly introduced, and material and ideas are presented in digestible chunks. ... recommended strongly for anyone looking for a present for a youngster showing signs of wanting to know more about the Earth in space, all primary science teachers, and for additions to school libraries. I would cheerfully predict that it will help to attract more than just a few young readers into becoming serious students of the subject.' Rochard Knox, GNONOM 'The authors infuse the process of science and research into their text, letting the reader know the inside story about how theories and science 'facts' come into being. I'm not sure that I've ever read an introductory book in which this was done as well'. Sky and Telescope 'The book is user-friendly, nicely broken up by headngs into small, easily-digestible sections ...'. Southern ObserverMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Illustrations
3 Halftones, unspecified; 5 Line drawings, unspecified; 86 Line drawings, color
Dimensions
Height: 254 mm
Width: 198 mm
Thickness: 17 mm
Weight
619 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-521-80693-0 (9780521806930)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Andrew Conway is a lecturer in astronomy, based in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the Open University, UK. Rosie Coleman is a primary school teacher in Scotland, UK, and has taught children for almost thirty years.
Content
1. Our view of the universe; 2. The Solar System; 3. Stars and galaxies; 4. Questions and answers.