The Rough Guide to the Universe, Second edition (Rough Guide Reference) [Paperback]

John Scalzi (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 5, 2008

Whether you’re a novice or a more experienced astronomer, The Rough Guide to The Universe is indispensable. The truth may or may not be out there, but space is the place to look, and the Rough Guide to the Universe takes it all in, from our own moon to the furthest frontiers of the known universe - and then speculates about what lies beyond. This fascinating guide is not meant to delve too deeply; instead it gives the reader the grounding needed to appreciate the night sky. Clue- up on the basics with concise information on every planet in the solar system, and practical advice on observing the planets and stars with binoculars, telescopes and the naked eye. You’ll find the latest theories about how the universe came to exist, incisive explanations of the formation of galaxies and weird concepts such a dark matter, wormholes and superstrings. The guide also provides travel-based information on planetariums, observatories and ''deep sky'' sites as well as listings of star clubs, space news sources and other Internet resources. With dozens of photographs and star charts of every constellation, The Rough Guide to the Universe is The Stargazer’s essential handbook

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John Scalzi is a science fiction novelist and non-fiction writer as well as the author of The Rough Guide to the Universe.

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Rough Guides; 2 edition (May 5, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1843538008
• ISBN-13: 978-1843538004
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #858,957 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John Scalzi writes books, which, considering where you're reading this, makes perfect sense. He's best known for writing science fiction, for which he won the John W. Campbell Award (2006) and has been nominated for the Hugo Award for best novel (2006, 2008, 2009). He also writes non-fiction, on subjects ranging from personal finance to astronomy to film, and was the Creative Consultant for the Stargate: Universe television series. He enjoys pie, as should all right thinking people.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent overview, July 1, 2008

By 

Nicholas Russon (Brooklin, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Rough Guide to the Universe, Second edition (Rough Guide Reference) (Paperback)

I was looking for a well-written, intelligent overview of current knowledge on the solar system, and this book was exactly what I was looking for. The presentation is very clear, the writing quality is excellent, and the tone is exactly right for this kind of information: light, good use of humour, and not taking itself too seriously (John Scalzi has a quirky sense of humour . . . it works very well here).

I'm not very interested in Astronomy, so the final part of the book was less useful to me, but I can see that it would have been a very good introduction to using a telescope to view the night skies.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Guide to the Universe!, May 10, 2009

By 

Michael R. Nofi (Santa Rosa, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Rough Guide to the Universe, Second edition (Rough Guide Reference) (Paperback)

John Scalzi's Rough Guide to The Universe, is anything but rough. I have been an amateur astronomer for over 45 years and have read every beginners guide to the stars and this is the best. It is up to date (which is no easy chore these days with all of the advancements in astronomy), thorough, complete, and there is something in it for everyone. If you want to get up to speed on the current state of our understanding of the cosmo, then this book is for you.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars information not sci-fi, May 29, 2010

By 

Sharon G. Miller - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Rough Guide to the Universe, Second edition (Rough Guide Reference) (Paperback)

It is a good book to have on hand for a whole understanding how the universe works. It will be intersting to keep it around and someday have my grandchildren look at it and see what is missing.