Product Details

• Actors: William Shatner
• Directors: NASA
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Finley-Holiday Film Corp.
• VHS Release Date: January 23, 1989
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6301148002
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #384,043 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

54 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars As good as it gets, April 2, 2002

By 

Dr. Thomas Carl (Nuernberg, Germany) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Universe & CD-Rom (Paperback)

I had the fortune, and sometimes misfortune, to read a fair number of textbooks. All of them did promise to teach, though some proofed rather very disappointing on closer inspection.

This book on the other hand most certainly holds everything one can expect.

The book is divided into four parts: first, there is a small introction into the basics of astronomy, followed by a more in depth discussion of the solar system. The third part then covers stars and stellar evolution, while the final part is devoted to galaxies and cosmology.

The math required is minimal (i don't think the average high school graduate should have any problems), and a wealth of pictures and graphs, together with elaborate explanations in the text make sure, that this book will be a pleasure to learn from for the interested college student.

Every chapter (30 in all) ends with a short recapitulation of the most important concepts learned, a good number of review questions (to which the answers are supplied in the back of the book) and suggestions for further reading (books, magazines and weblinks).
The book comes also with a CD, on which there are further review tests to all chapters (of course with answers), as well as additional animations and much more.
As if that were not enough, there is a companion webside that offers additional tests and answers plus updated information, since after all, astronomy is progressing swiftly.

All in all, there cannot be much doubt that this is one of the best and most well rounded astronomy textbooks on the market. If you have to learn the basics of astronomy due to a course, or if you simply want to enrich your horizon, this book will make either task both easier and more enjoyable.

...

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent, informative, illuminating, February 28, 2003

By 

"river29" (South Fallsburg, New York United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Universe & CD-Rom (Paperback)

This is a premier text for the fields of astromony and comsmology. Thorough, deep, professional, concise, technically and scientifically accurate, but also, imaginative, filled with the wonder of discovery and learning. Beginning with the ancient origins of astronomical pursuits, the reader is taken through the unfolding world of space and time. The electromagnetic spectrum, light and optics, telescopes, planet and solar system formations, stars-their nature, galaxies, quasars, black holes, all of these wonders are explored. Do yourself a flavor-get it!

32 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars beautiful!, August 8, 2002

By 

Patrick Van Esch (Grenoble, France) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Universe (Paperback)

This book is beautiful. Well written, easy to read, with
nice and informative illustrations all over, full of
interesting details. The CD is also very interesting,
not only for Starry Night, but also because of very
illustrative simulations.
The level is between popular and introductory professional.
There is not much hard theory inside, but that was
probably not the aim of the authors.
Apart from a great thing to read for oneself, the niceness
of the edition makes it also a nice gift in my opinion.