Astrophysics is Easy!: An Introduction for the Amateur Astronomer (Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series) (Paperback)

~ Mike Inglis (Author)
Key Phrases: perfect seeing conditions, background star field, famous galaxy, Milky Way, Tools of the Trade, Local Group (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

From the reviews:

"Inglis … offers a handy, useful resource both for amateur astronomers and colleges with small student-oriented observatories. It will be useful for introductory astronomy courses that include some observations. … Many different kinds of stars are discussed with the appropriate physics. In addition, Inglis treats topics such as different kinds of galaxies, gravitational lensing, and Hubble’s Law, all done using mathematics no more sophisticated than arithmetic. For all good college libraries. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers; lower-division undergraduates; two-year technical program students." (K. L. Schick, CHOICE, Vol. 45 (6), 2006)

"Inglis begins by discussing all the fundamental tools of the trade and then moves on to the astrophysics of the interstellar medium stars, and finally galaxies. The text’s tone is friendly and conversational, and the author sprinkles in his own anecdotal experiences. The book is generously illustrated with black-and-white figures and a few color photographs. … Astrophysics Is Easy! is a must for any amateur astronomer who desires to learn more about the science of astronomy … ." (Jennifer Birriel, Sky and Telescope, May, 2008)

"The author has set himself the goal of writing a book that is useful to the amateur astronomer who wants to know more about the beauty in the sky … . this book is affordable for many young scientists, physicists, or amateur astronomy groups. It will also be useful to professional astrophysicists who have to address a broad audience or prepare a lecture for a non-scientific public. … this book may encourage more young readers to pursue a career in science, maybe even in astrophysics." (Fernande Grandjean and Gary J. Long, Physicalia Magazine, Vol. 30 (4), 2008)

Product Description

Astrophysics is a subject that is often - with some justification - regarded as extremely difficult, requiring at least degree-level mathematics as a prerequisite to its understanding. Consequently, many amateur astronomers just don't bother, and miss out on the fascinating fundamentals of the subject, and often on an understanding of exactly what they are observing.

Mike Inglis' quantitative approach to astrophysics cuts through all the incomprehensible mathematics, and explains all aspects of astrophysics in simple terms.

A unique feature of this book is the way that example objects for practical observation are given at every stage, so that practical astronomers can go and look at the objected or objects under discussion, using only commercial amateur equipment.

Product Details

• Paperback: 206 pages
• Publisher: Springer; 1 edition (August 23, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1852338903
• ISBN-13: 978-1852338909
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #242,861 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Concise Introduction to Astrophysics, August 17, 2008

By	J. Wallace (UT,United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Don't let the size of this book fool you. It is packed with useful information and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about what they see in the night sky. Each section of the book has example objects to view...I really like that aspect of this book.

Don't be concerned about too much technical/mathematical detail. The material is presented in a way that's "meaty" and concise which makes it easy to get the most out of it.

Prior to reading this book I read a college level astronomy text and several amateur astronomy books. I would say this is an important addition to any amateur astronomer's bookshelf. The material is up to date and well presented.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Intended to help the amateur astronomer take a step into the physics of astronomy, February 16, 2010

By	Michael A. Duvernois (Minneapolis, MN United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This is a great little book. Whenever I give a talk on my astrophysics research (in high energy cosmic rays and neutrinos) to the amateur astronomers, I mention this book as a good step for expanding their knowledge of the science underlying their hobby. Professional and amateur astronomy are a long distance apart, though many scientists got interested in science first from looking at the skies. This book helps bridge the gap somewhat.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Resource, June 9, 2009

By	M. Kramer (Illinois) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

This book is exactly what we needed to study for a non-calculus based astronomy exam. Broad coverage combined with detailed mathematical calculations plus informative text makes this the best book on the market. There are many introductory astronomy texts that are also excellent but less mathematical, so get one of those too, but use this for help with astronomy problem solving.