Оглавление
Maran Stephen P.. Astronomy For Dummies
Introduction
About This Book
Foolish Assumptions
Icons Used in This Book
Beyond the Book
Where to Go from Here
Part 1. Getting Started with Astronomy
Chapter 1. Seeing the Light: The Art and Science of Astronomy
Astronomy: The Science of Observation
What You See: The Language of Light
Gravity: A Force to Be Reckoned With
Space: A Commotion of Motion
Chapter 2. Join the Crowd: Skywatching Activities and Resources
You’re Not Alone: Astronomy Clubs, Websites, Smartphone Apps, and More
Visiting Observatories and Planetariums
Vacationing with the Stars: Star Parties, Eclipse Trips, Dark Sky Parks, and More
Chapter 3. Terrific Tools for Observing the Skies
Seeing Stars: A Sky Geography Primer
Beginning with Naked-Eye Observation
Using Binoculars or a Telescope for a Better View
Planning Your First Steps into Astronomy
Chapter 4. Just Passing Through: Meteors, Comets, and Artificial Satellites
Meteors: Wishing on a Shooting Star
Comets: The Lowdown on Dirty Ice Balls
Artificial Satellites: Enduring a Love–Hate Relationship
Part 2. Going Once Around the Solar System
Chapter 5. A Matched Pair: Earth and Its Moon
Putting Earth under the Astronomical Microscope
Examining Earth’s Time, Seasons, and Age
Making Sense of the Moon
Chapter 6. Earth’s Near Neighbors: Mercury, Venus, and Mars
Mercury: Weird, Hot, and Mostly Metal
Dry, Acidic, and Hilly: Steering Clear of Venus
Red, Cold, and Barren: Uncovering the Mysteries of Mars
Differentiating Earth through Comparative Planetology
Observing the Terrestrial Planets with Ease
Chapter 7. Rock On: The Asteroid Belt and Near-Earth Objects
Taking a Brief Tour of the Asteroid Belt
Understanding the Threat That Near-Earth Objects Pose
Searching for Small Points of Light
Chapter 8. Great Balls of Gas: Jupiter and Saturn
The Pressure’s On: Journeying Inside Jupiter and Saturn
Almost a Star: Gazing at Jupiter
Our Main Planetary Attraction: Setting Your Sights on Saturn
Chapter 9. Far Out! Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and Beyond
Breaking the Ice with Uranus and Neptune
Meeting Pluto, the Amazing Dwarf Planet
Buckling Down to the Kuiper Belt
Viewing the Outer Planets
Hunting New Planet Number Nine
Part 3. Meeting Old Sol and Other Stars
Chapter 10. The Sun: Star of Earth
Surveying the Sunscape
Don’t Make a Blinding Mistake: Safe Techniques for Solar Viewing
Fun with the Sun: Solar Observation
Chapter 11. Taking a Trip to the Stars
Life Cycles of the Hot and Massive
Star Color, Brightness, and Mass
Eternal Partners: Binary and Multiple Stars
Change Is Good: Variable Stars
Your Stellar Neighbors
How to Help Scientists by Observing the Stars
Star Studies to Aid with Your Brain and Computer
Chapter 12. Galaxies: The Milky Way and Beyond
Unwrapping the Milky Way
Star Clusters: Meeting Galactic Associates
Taking a Shine to Nebulae
Getting a Grip on Galaxies
Joining Galaxy Zoo for Fun and Science
Chapter 13. Digging into Black Holes and Quasars
Black Holes: Keeping Your Distance
Quasars: Defying Definitions
Active Galactic Nuclei: Welcome to the Quasar Family
Part 4. Pondering the Remarkable Universe
Chapter 14. Is Anybody Out There? SETI and Planets of Other Suns
Using Drake’s Equation to Discuss SETI
SETI Projects: Listening for E.T
Discovering Alien Worlds
Astrobiology: How’s Life on Other Worlds?
Chapter 15. Delving into Dark Matter and Antimatter
Dark Matter: Understanding the Universal Glue
Taking a Shot in the Dark: Searching for Dark Matter
Dueling Antimatter: Proving That Opposites Attract
Chapter 16. The Big Bang and the Evolution of the Universe
Evidence for the Big Bang
Inflation: A Swell Time in the Universe
Dark Energy: The Universal Accelerator
Universal Info Pulled from the Cosmic Microwave Background
In a Galaxy Far Away: Standard Candles and the Hubble Constant
The Fate of the Universe
Part 5. The Part of Tens
Chapter 17. Ten Strange Facts about Astronomy and Space
You Have Tiny Meteorites in Your Hair
A Comet’s Tail Often Leads the Way
Earth Is Made of Rare and Unusual Matter
High Tide Comes on Both Sides of Earth at the Same Time
On Venus, the Rain Never Falls on the Plain
Rocks from Mars Dot Earth
Pluto Was Discovered from the Predictions of a False Theory
Sunspots Aren’t Dark
A Star in Plain View May Have Exploded, but No One Knows
You May Have Seen the Big Bang on an Old Television
Chapter 18. Ten Common Errors about Astronomy and Space
“The Light from That Star Took 1,000 Light-Years to Reach Earth”
A Freshly Fallen Meteorite Is Still Hot
Summer Always Comes When Earth Is Closest to the Sun
The Back of the Moon Is Dark
The “Morning Star” Is a Star
If You Vacation in the Asteroid Belt, You’ll See Asteroids All Around You
Nuking a “Killer Asteroid” on a Collision Course for Earth Will Save Us
The Sun Is an Average Star
The Hubble Telescope Gets Up Close and Personal
The Big Bang Is Dead
Part 6. Appendixes
Appendix A. Star Maps
Appendix B. Glossary
Sky Measures
About the Author
Dedication
Author’s Acknowledgments
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