This self-teaching guide brings the fascinating world of astronomy to interested amateurs and students everywhere. From the spectacular beauty of galaxies, stars and planets to the timeless mysteries of black holes, the Big Bang, and the possibility of life on other planets.

To help you further appreciate the wonders of the cosmos, this book also includes: Star and Moon maps that identify objects in the sky Objectives, reviews, and self-tests that monitor your progress Simple activities that help you to test basic principles at your own pace Updated with the latest discoveries, new photographs, and references to the best astronomy Web sites, this newest edition of Astronomy imparts an extraordinary appreciation of the elegant beauty of the universe. Over 2 Million Wiley Self-Teaching Guides in Print

List of Tables
Introduction: Cosmic View
Chapter 1 Understanding the Starry Sky
Chapter 2 Light and Telescopes
Chapter 3 The Stars
Chapter 4 The Sun
Chapter 5 Stellar Evolution
Chapter 6 Galaxies
Chapter 7 The Universe
Chapter 8 Exploring the Solar System
Chapter 9 The Planets
Chapter 10 The Moon
Chapter 11 Comets, Meteors, and Meteorites
Chapter 12 Life on Other Worlds?
Epilogue
Useful Resources
Periodicals
Online Directories
Books by Dinah Moche
Career Information
Almanacs, Observing Guides, and Star Atlases
Organizations
Astronomy and Space Online
Appendixes
1. The Constellations
2. Physical and Astronomical Constants
3. Measurements and Symbols
4. Periodic Table of the Elements
5. The Nearest Stars
6. The Messier Objects
Index
Star and Moon Maps Back of Book