Best Book For Learning About The Universe

[ChristianNorman]

I am currently reading TL@O but wanted to know if there is any book that has a list of what's up there, including deep space, with in-depth descriptions and good quality images, potential physics based but anything really.

I would just like something to read that lists, explains and show's what's up there and assume such a thing should exist.

Any help would be much appreciated, as would some clear sky's!

[NGC 1502]

This guide - http://www.willbell.com/handbook/nitesky.htm shows "what's up there" better than most.

A few years back I'd have said Burnhams Celestial Handbook (still good), but the Kepple & Sanner guides are a big step ahead.

Not cheap, but will give a lifetime's use.

Regards, Ed.

[bish]

There are so many books out there. Night Sky Observers guide as mentioned above are very good. Big Bang by Simon Singh is a good read about cosmology. Bang by Patrick Moore is also a good general read.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Strangely enough, i found Bill Bryson's book "A short History Of Nearly Everything" very useful in explaining rather complicated (to me) aspects of astronomy,physics etc. I also like Ian Ridpath's book "Astronomy". It deals with the simple stuff and the more difficult stuff in a manner that is understandable to everyone.

[dick_dangerous]

Strangely enough, i found Bill Bryson's book "A short History Of Nearly Everything" very useful in explaining rather complicated (to me) aspects of astronomy,physics etc.

That book should be required reading for anyone wanting to know about any aspect of science - Bill Bryson is such an accessible writer.

Anything written by Patrick Moore is going to a great guide to the universe for an amateur. I have a great book of his called, "Stars," which is about the 50 brightest stars in the night sky. I've also been casually flicking through a copy of "A Guide to the Galaxy," of an evening, which was written by Heather Couper and Nigel Henbest - it's not only a geography of the Milky Way, and the stars contained within it, but also a history of how our understanding of the structure of our galaxy and the universe has developed. As essential to read as the similarly titled Douglas Adams novelisation!

DD

[LukeSkywatcher]

That book should be required reading for anyone wanting to know about any aspect of science - Bill Bryson is such an accessible writes about.

He really does his research before publishing anything on subjects that he writes about. I was very impressed with his book "Mother Tongue", which was about the origins of language. I really do enjoy his style of writing and his humour.

Ive read most of his work and the only one i didnt like was "At Home".

[baggywrinkle]

That book should be required reading for anyone wanting to know about any aspect of science - Bill Bryson is such an accessible writer.

Anything written by Patrick Moore is going to a great guide to the universe for an amateur. I have a great book of his called, "Stars," which is about the 50 brightest stars in the night sky. I've also been casually flicking through a copy of "A Guide to the Galaxy," of an evening, which was written by Heather Couper and Nigel Henbest - it's not only a geography of the Milky Way, and the stars contained within it, but also a history of how our understanding of the structure of our galaxy and the universe has developed. As essential to read as the similarly titled Douglas Adams novelisation!

DD

Thumbs up for Bryson's book..best science read ever and one you will never forget due to the humour.

[ChristianNorman]

Thank you for the advice, the Bill Bryson book is now downloaded ready for when I have finished TL@O.

I think i'll read A Brief (& Briefer) History Of Time as well but i don't think that is exactly light reading.

Clear sky's this weekend, yes!!

[glowjet]

For deep space, if you want to be a little selective, you can cover all of the Messier subjects in... "Atlas of the Messier Objects" by Robert Stoyan, dealing with history, astrophysics and observation, it is a large and somewhat expensive book, but with stunning photographs. SPM himself regarded it as one of the best he had ever seen on the subject, when he reviewed it on first publication, for the S@N mag. This just might be of interest to you, as you will, no doubt, be chasing some of these objects down in your sky quest in the near future

[bish]

Thumbs up for Bryson's book..best science read ever and one you will never forget due to the humour.

I've had a copy sitting around for quite a while and never got around to reading it. Think I should make the effort.

[dick_dangerous]

I think i'll read A Brief (& Briefer) History Of Time as well but i don't think that is exactly light reading.

"A Brief History of Time," is like James Joyce's "Ulysses" - virtually unreadable (Although probably with slightly more of a plot). I found it very inaccesible even when I was studying Physics. Hawking later wrote a book called, "The Universe in a Nutshell," which was very accessible and I also enjoyed Michio Kaku's "Hyperspace."

DD

[tibbz2]

I read A Brief History of Time last year halfway through my GCSE course and found it too basic if anything A good intro to physics though if you aren't upto date

[Stevie816]

Hi Christain

Our understanding of the universe is expanding and changing very quickly. Facts from a decade ago have been abandoned and new theories are being formed every day. books are just someones ideas and interpretations. The exciting thing is that still most of it is not known or understood, perhaps understanding it is beyond humans . But embrace the new knowledge accept it if you can and perhaps form your own opinions. The internet is a great resource for information. There is much to see from a telescope. but remember we are on a small spec of dust orbiting an ordinary star one of a billion in our galaxy which is one of billions of galaxies. Just look up and wonder. Any of the theories could be correct or the truth could be much more fantastic than even our greatest minds can imagine.

Stevie