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Astronomy Today
With Astronomy Today, Seventh Edition, trusted authors Eric Chaisson and Steve McMillan communicate their excitement about astronomy and awaken you to the universe around you. The text emphasizes critical thinking and visualization, and it focuses on the process of scientific discovery, making “how we know what we know” an integral part of the text. The revised edition has been thoroughly updated with the latest astronomical discoveries and theories, and it has been streamlined to keep you focused on the essentials and to develop an understanding of the “big picture.” Alternate Versions
848 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1993
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
November 24, 2012
Ahhh.... my astronomy textbook from back in the day when Pluto was still a planet! I remember enjoying this book but totally dreading the random quizzes we had on its contents.
I still have it, which must mean something if I held onto it through all these years!
I still have it, which must mean something if I held onto it through all these years!
September 12, 2015
it was a very helpful book as a complementary textbook for my Astronomy course
epic textbook , I didn't study all the book and I tried to read the rest in the summer vacation but I was busy enough to finish it as I'm a particle physicist not astrophysicist after all
epic textbook , I didn't study all the book and I tried to read the rest in the summer vacation but I was busy enough to finish it as I'm a particle physicist not astrophysicist after all
June 30, 2011
Online resources fantastic.
April 3, 2014
This book is a treasure. It's a university level textbook. Chaisson and McMillan do an amazing job explaining what the Universe is, how it was formed/is forming, how it works from the Big Bang to the formation of stars and galaxies etc...the whole enchilada.
I'm not sure there is a better resource book on the subject available on this planet...one so in depth and articulate, yet written so well a child could understand. They truly did put the cookies on the lower shelf so that us 'common' folk can enjoy them too.
Part Four - Chapters 26-28...Mind-blowingly wonderful. I have to confess, I got my copy for $1.25 (used) at a Goodwill store. But now I'm gonna have to bite the bullet and find the most recent/updated version of this book no matter the cost.
This book is empowering. I feel like I have the encyclopedia of the Universe at my fingertips.
I'm not sure there is a better resource book on the subject available on this planet...one so in depth and articulate, yet written so well a child could understand. They truly did put the cookies on the lower shelf so that us 'common' folk can enjoy them too.
Part Four - Chapters 26-28...Mind-blowingly wonderful. I have to confess, I got my copy for $1.25 (used) at a Goodwill store. But now I'm gonna have to bite the bullet and find the most recent/updated version of this book no matter the cost.
This book is empowering. I feel like I have the encyclopedia of the Universe at my fingertips.
Currently reading
August 9, 2013"Yaninizda tasiyamayasiniz diye boyle buyuk yaptik."
- Chaisson & McMillan
Sundan eminim artik: her referans kitabinin bir tafsilatli versiyonu olmali bir de ince versiyonu. Bu ne arkadas tugla desen tugla degil, kavgada kafaya firlatsan olay cikar.
- Chaisson & McMillan
Sundan eminim artik: her referans kitabinin bir tafsilatli versiyonu olmali bir de ince versiyonu. Bu ne arkadas tugla desen tugla degil, kavgada kafaya firlatsan olay cikar.
May 7, 2014
My Astronomy text book. This is fascinating! I am a little bit of a nerd. I enjoyed all the out of the world stuff this book had to offer. Although there is no person or plot this book was adventurous to me because outer space after all is quite crazy and unstable.
Currently reading
April 26, 2010I'm actually reading the 3rd edition of this bood and this is the 6th but it's by the same people and I couldn't find the 3rd on the search engine.
October 23, 2015
Exaustive panorama of astronomy and cosmology vith a little superior than popular level and with exercices , very readable , i own the seventh edition
February 19, 2023
“Astronomy Today” is an exceptional resource for beginners who are interested in learning about astronomy. The level of detail provided in the book is impressive, and it covers everything from the basics to the most complex ideas in the field. What sets the book apart, in my opinion, is the way it introduces each concept gradually, building knowledge incrementally in a manner that is similar to the scientific method itself.
The book takes a comprehensive approach to the study of astronomy, covering topics such as the history of the field, the basic physics, the solar system, spectroscopy, star formation and evolution, galaxies, and ultimately, cosmology. The author’s writing style is engaging and easy to understand, making it somewhat accessible to readers of wide range of backgrounds and ages.
One of the other strengths of this book is its ability to ignite curiosity and inspire readers to learn more about the fascinating study of the cosmos. It left me with a sense of grandeur and beauty for the universe. I found it a fascinating read, which sparked my interest in astronomy again. It definitely is one of my favourites so far. Totally recommend!
The book takes a comprehensive approach to the study of astronomy, covering topics such as the history of the field, the basic physics, the solar system, spectroscopy, star formation and evolution, galaxies, and ultimately, cosmology. The author’s writing style is engaging and easy to understand, making it somewhat accessible to readers of wide range of backgrounds and ages.
One of the other strengths of this book is its ability to ignite curiosity and inspire readers to learn more about the fascinating study of the cosmos. It left me with a sense of grandeur and beauty for the universe. I found it a fascinating read, which sparked my interest in astronomy again. It definitely is one of my favourites so far. Totally recommend!
March 7, 2023
This is probably the book I've re-read the greatest number of times. But very fascinating, yes, lacking in terms of physical rigor but that makes it accessible to non-physics readers which is the point of an introductory text anyway.
The irony is that the book sometimes has better explanations of some phenomena than the standard graduate text used by cam or the big names. Then again, I've often been disappointed by the standards of the texts / tests used in the western hemisphere - I suppose the value they create stems more from the novelty and impact of their research rather than difficulty of their tests anyway.
Anyhow, a very solid and broad-based introduction to astro/astrophys for anyone who cares for it and astoundingly good as a springboard to further inquiry in the field. 5/5 stars.
The irony is that the book sometimes has better explanations of some phenomena than the standard graduate text used by cam or the big names. Then again, I've often been disappointed by the standards of the texts / tests used in the western hemisphere - I suppose the value they create stems more from the novelty and impact of their research rather than difficulty of their tests anyway.
Anyhow, a very solid and broad-based introduction to astro/astrophys for anyone who cares for it and astoundingly good as a springboard to further inquiry in the field. 5/5 stars.
January 4, 2024
This book did an excellent job of introducing the basic concepts of astronomy from the characteristics of our own solar system to why the universe appears flat to whether we'll ever encounter life out there. Not only that, but it did it without getting bogged down in math that I couldn't understand or physics that I'd have no chance of understanding. Clearly it's meant for a brief overview course instead of a course training future astronomers, but that is exactly what I was looking for. This was really interesting, and I'm glad I decided to pick it up.
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February 8, 2021Good book yum hmmm Bob Hahn high ahhh ahhh egg Bob Knuth by bbffd yt? Bibb bobbing big big mom Bibb vgffd Bibb gig off big hugs I'm sorry baby and I don't want )
If the government vibe by virtue big brother video button by virtue of being able to come over for the first place of my.
If the government vibe by virtue big brother video button by virtue of being able to come over for the first place of my.
July 25, 2022
Such an excellent book. It doesn’t read like a text book and has beautiful photos. I wish I had bought the new version because of how much has changed in the last 7-8 years. I read it cover to cover basically just for enjoyment and highly recommend it to anyone interested in astronomy. Please don’t cheap out and buy the newest version though. Wish I had.
December 31, 2020
Read cover to cover. An excellent intro to the topic.
January 5, 2021
Hands down best book on everything about cosmos. Its a very good college level book. Not too technical , but not too layman. It makes you think, understand the concepts and has amazing explanations that are not simple analogies. There are quizzes and problems at end of each chapter that sufficiently challenge and test our comprehension of the subject. Its written by truly passionate authors as you will feel it in their writing. Another aspect that i found very humbling is the caution shown by authors in presenting every information with sufficient caveats. This is to reflect the confidence in evidence supporting a fact, clarifying which part of that knowledge is pure hypothesis or which model it is based on. All of that displays a honest assessment of what we know.
This book is a lifetime treasure. And a good example of how ratings alone never tell you the full story about a books value.
This book is a lifetime treasure. And a good example of how ratings alone never tell you the full story about a books value.
January 29, 2020
This is the standard text on astronomy, from planetary to interstellar. Most people who use this have already read Hawking.
This book is just data, and is not used in higher education courses at UC’s.
But, it does teach you about the planetary bodies and their moons. It’s information you should memorize. Uranus’ moons are named after Shakespeare characters from the Tempest. Jupiter is the one with Galilean moons, and Saturn and Neptune have similar, desolate and icy worlds.
This book contains data, or information, on what was known about dark matter. Dark matter is exotic matter and also matter we can’t see that contributes to the mass of galaxies. We can’t see it because it’s weakly interacting, thus dark.
Since I was a kid, I’ve been told 70% of the universe is dark energy, 25% dark matter, and 5% matter. There was a time when radical ideas would be criticized, as I once used to say exotic matter is something completely else - not a fermion or a boson. If you want to stay between Academia, you stick with the official story but if you want to be creative, you can try a synthesis of ideas. However, then you have to cite sources, as someone will accuse you of not having read it in a book.
There’s no in between.
This book is just data, and is not used in higher education courses at UC’s.
But, it does teach you about the planetary bodies and their moons. It’s information you should memorize. Uranus’ moons are named after Shakespeare characters from the Tempest. Jupiter is the one with Galilean moons, and Saturn and Neptune have similar, desolate and icy worlds.
This book contains data, or information, on what was known about dark matter. Dark matter is exotic matter and also matter we can’t see that contributes to the mass of galaxies. We can’t see it because it’s weakly interacting, thus dark.
Since I was a kid, I’ve been told 70% of the universe is dark energy, 25% dark matter, and 5% matter. There was a time when radical ideas would be criticized, as I once used to say exotic matter is something completely else - not a fermion or a boson. If you want to stay between Academia, you stick with the official story but if you want to be creative, you can try a synthesis of ideas. However, then you have to cite sources, as someone will accuse you of not having read it in a book.
There’s no in between.
March 26, 2021
Great overview
This is a terrific overview of astronomy that manages to provide scientific information without delving too deeply into the underlying physics, chemistry and mathematics. It’s a good text for non science majors and amateur astronomers as well as for astronomy majors. I e been through the book about three times and each time I find a factual gem, or an explanation that is useful. I’ve also used it as a launching pad into deeper scientific texts. All in all it is informative and useful.
This is a terrific overview of astronomy that manages to provide scientific information without delving too deeply into the underlying physics, chemistry and mathematics. It’s a good text for non science majors and amateur astronomers as well as for astronomy majors. I e been through the book about three times and each time I find a factual gem, or an explanation that is useful. I’ve also used it as a launching pad into deeper scientific texts. All in all it is informative and useful.
May 10, 2014
I absolutely HATED this book. It was so confusing and hard to read and didn't hold my attention at all. If you're a science major, I'm sure you would love this book, but if you're someone like me who is only taking the class to fulfill a science credit, it will most likely be mind draining.
July 9, 2008
This book has some really good data and general info :)
June 4, 2015
Excellent introduction to the field of astronomy. This book does a great job making incredibly complex concepts attainable and understandable.
September 19, 2014
I loved it and still have it
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews