Customer Reviews

21st Century Astronomy (Full Second Edition)

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Wonderful explanations. This is the astronomy book I never had as a kid! I'm a biologist and always thought I had the good fortune of working in the most interesting field. It sounds trite, but this book has opened my eyes to a universe out there. Now I even sort of understand black holes and the implications of relativity.

This is my third year teaching introductory astronomy. I've used three textbooks. Last year I got a copy of 21st Century Astronomy free--publishers are always trying to get professors to adopt their textbooks. Anyway, I really like this one. I haven't been able to use it in a class yet, but I would like to. I use it already to help me prepare for lectures. It's clear and don't talk down to the reader. Many textbooks get weighted down with frills, but not this one. The graphics are clear but never superfluous. In keeping with its title, it includes may up to date topics.

The other texts I have used are Kaufman, Seeds, and Bennet et al. (which I liked a lot too--it's a little bulky though.)

I am teaching an introductory astronomy course this semester, and chose to use a different text since that is what others before me had used. Early on, the publisher sent a free copy of this book to me. I liked it so much that I ended up using it to prepare many of my lectures, and when I teach this course again I suspect that this will become the new text. The overall tone of the book is very good, presenting scientific material in a well thought-out fashion that doesn't talk down to the reader. The figures are clear, and often address common misconceptions. The material is also very up to date, addressing hot topics like Pluto's status as a planet, dark energy, WMAP results, etc. The only thing I don't like about the book is that the chapter titles and section headings are often complete sentences. For example, the chapter on the Sun is called "The Sun is an ordinary G star," instead of just calling it "The Sun." Strange, but overall an excellent book.

Very well written astronomy textbook. I attended a week-long Elderhostel seminar on astronomy after reading this book and heard almost nothing I hadn't already read in it. Astronomy is a difficult subject to wrap your mind around, but 21st Century Astronomy is a tremendous help. Be sure to do all the exercises and problems at the end of each chapter. That's how half the learning takes place. Engineers, mathematicians and physicists will want to dig deeper, but this text takes the reader about as far as possible with only a good grounding in algebra. I heartily recommend it.

I am learning the fundamentals of science, while exploring the skies. This book lays out complex information in a very descriptive way, it aids in teaching the way to think when it comes to science.

I am an Astrophysics major at ASU and this book is used for both semesters of SES 101 and 102. The book is VERY useful even for a non-student and gives a great deal of insight and information needed for the subject.