Astronomy: A Self-Teaching Guide, Eighth Edition

Book Preface

Astronomy is a user-friendly guide for beginners. Chapters make it easy for you to quickly learn the main topics of a college level course. Sections clarify basic principles and contemporary advances. The Index enables you to look up concepts, definitions, facts and famous astronomers, fast.
You can use the book alone or with a conventional textbook, Internet-based or distance-learning course, computer software, telescope manual, or as a handy reference.

PARTICULARLY USEFUL FEATURES

• Web site addresses throughout for the best astronomy online.
• Mathematics is not required.
• Line art makes technical ideas obvious.
• Star and Moon maps for fun stargazing.
• Up-to-date, accurate star, constellation, and astronomical data.
• Popular sky targets for hobby telescopes.
• Tips for hands-on, active learning.
• Objectives, reviews, and self-tests to monitor your progress.

WHAT’S NEW IN THE SEVENTH EDITION?

While keeping its successful self-teaching format, this seventh edition incorpo-rates Web site addresses for spectacular color images. The entire book was revised to include revolutionary discoveries and the best suggestions from many readers and educators who profitably used prior editions.
Frontier twenty-first-century research into black holes, active galaxies and quasars, searches for life in space, origin and structure of our universe, and the newest ground and space telescopes are described.

Web sites with daily astro-news and space scenes never before viewed by humans are specified. Labeled drawings of the Keck Telescope, Fermi Gamma Ray Observatory, and Hubble Space Telescope data path clarify space technol-ogy. New art illustrates fundamental concepts, such as the electromagnetic spectrum, phases of the Moon, planet orbits, and H-R diagrams.

STUDY AIDS

A list of objectives for each chapter tells you instantly what information is contained there. The first time a new term is introduced, it appears in bold type and is defined. Topics in each chapter are presented in short, numbered sections. Each section contains new information and usually asks you to answer a question or asks you to suggest an explanation, analyze, or summa-rize as you go along. You will always see the answer to the question right after you have answered it. If your answer agrees with the book’s, you understand the material and are ready to proceed to the next section. If it does not, you should review some previous sections to make sure you understand the mater-ial before you proceed.
A self-test at the end of each chapter lets you find out fast how well you understand the material in the chapter. You may test yourself right after com-pleting a chapter, or you might take a break and then take the self-test as a review before beginning a new chapter. Compare your answers with the book’s. If your answers do not agree with the printed ones, review the appro-priate sections (listed next to each answer).

USEFUL RESOURCES AND WEB SITES

Sources of excellent print and online astronomy materials, activities, and refer-ences are included in the Useful Resources and Web Sites section. Here you will also find a list of other books for stargazers of all ages by the author, Dinah L. Moché, Ph.D.

The author and publisher have tried to make this book accurate, up-to-date, enjoyable, and useful for you. It has been read by astronomers and many students, hobbyists, and educators who have contributed helpful suggestions during the preparation of the final manuscript. If, after completing the book, you have suggestions to improve it for future readers or for an author’s visit, please let the author know: Dinah L. Moché, Ph.D., c/o Professional & Trade Group, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030.