Customer Reviews

Seeing the Deep Sky: Telescopic Astronomy Projects Beyond the Solar System (Wiley Science Editions)

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After staggering along for 18 pages regarding various first magnitude stars by season both northern and southern stars are briefly described. No graphs of constellations. There are two drawings of relative star sizes, mostly rambling text.

Until we come to the 'spectral types; O B A F G K M, described on page 18 with the mnemonic "Oh, Be A Fine Girl, Kiss Me" which the author adds 'but the will hardly do in today's world where we are striving for equality between the sexes'.

OKaaayyyy. But now in chp 8, pg 28; The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram... we are told; '...the diagram would not have been possible without the cataloging and ideas of three female astronomers at Harvard...'

So I am wondering was the diagram possible because the three astronomers were female? Or is it possible that they were trained and/or working in the astronomy science. (Could it be both were required?)

Overall there is much useful information in this book, but that information is poorly organized. And sadly the need to cram a political agenda makes this work both confusing and an insulting distraction of 'party' dogma every ten pages.

I'm sure Soviet scientists had their 'science' articles thusly scrubbed by their minders but who would want to read such garbage? .

My advice, look for an older astronomy book, not so up to date but at least it's straight science.