Astronomy For Dummies, 3rd Edition

The fun and easy way to explore the night sky

Do you know the difference between a red giant and a white dwarf? From asteroids to black holes, this easy-to-understand guide takes you on a grand tour of the universe. Featuring updated star maps, charts, and an insert with gorgeous full-color photographs, Astronomy For Dummies provides an easy-to-follow introduction to the night sky. Plus, this new edition also gives you the latest theories, explanations, and insights into the basic workings of the universe.

• Includes updated schedules of coming eclipses of the Sun and Moon and a revised planetary appendix
• Covers recent discoveries in space, such as water on the Moon and Pluto’s demotion from “planet” status
• Collects new websites, lists of telescope motels, sky-watching guides, and suggestions for beginner’s telescopes and suppliers
• Brings you up-to-speed on the latest social trends and personal technology, such as stargazing mobile apps, NASA video, and the prevalence of “Citizen Science” networks

Whether you’re an amateur astronomer, space enthusiast, or enrolled in a first year astronomy course, Astronomy For Dummies has you covered.

Table of Contents

Part I: Stalking the Cosmos
Chapter 1: Seeing the Light: The Art and Science of Astronomy
Chapter 2: Join the Crowd: Skywatching Activities and Resources
Chapter 3: The Way You Watch Tonight: Terrific Tools for Observing the Skies
Chapter 4: Just Passing Through: Meteors, Comets, and Artificial Satellites

Part II: Going Once Around the Solar System
Chapter 5: A Matched Pair: Earth and Its Moon
Chapter 6: Earth’s Near Neighbors: Mercury, Venus, and Mars
Chapter 7: Rock On: The Asteroid Belt and Near-Earth Objects
Chapter 8: Great Balls of Gas: Jupiter and Saturn
Chapter 9: Far Out! Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and Beyond

Part III: Meeting Old Sol and Other Stars
Chapter 10: The Sun: Star of Earth
Chapter 11: Taking a Trip to the Stars
Chapter 12: Galaxies: The Milky Way and Beyond
Chapter 13: Digging into Black Holes and Quasars

Part IV: Pondering the Remarkable Universe
Chapter 14: Is Anybody Out There? SETI and Planets of Other Suns
Chapter 15: Delving into Dark Matter and Antimatter
Chapter 16: The Big Bang and the Evolution of the Universe

Part V: The Part of Tens
Chapter 17: Ten Strange Facts about Astronomy and Space
Chapter 18: Ten Common Errors about Astronomy and Space

Part VI: Appendixes
Appendix A: Star Maps
Appendix B: Glossary