In this article, I’ll discuss the 10 best Astronomy books that are very important for beginners. I will also answer some of the very popular questions in the FAQ section that are commonly asked by students.
“Astronomy compels the soul to look upward, and leads us from this world to another.”
Plato, Philosopher
Our curiosity has been encouraging us to understand the events around us from the beginning. Otherwise, when the drops of water fell from the cloud earlier, people used to think that it was magic.
Gradually, we humans started to understand and know about those incidents due to our specialty in which science has played the most role. Science has changed our minds completely. It has explained all those events with proof. Although there are many branches of science, astronomy is one of the most interesting branches among them.
Astronomy is the study of everything related to the universe including the Sun, Earth, Moon, and planets, etc. Along with it, astronomy also gives information about how these things were formed over time, what changes occurred in them and what changes would happen in the future, etc.
To understand astronomy in-depth, you should study books. But which books you should take, this can be a big problem in front of you. So, don’t worry, I am going to mention the 10 best Astronomy books that will be very useful for all beginners.
Are you ready?
Okay, let’s start.
10 Best Astronomy Books for Beginners
Foundations of Astronomy
| Author | Michael A. Seeds, Dana Backman |
| Publication | 2018 (14th Edition) |
| Rating | 4.9 out of 5 |
‘Foundations of Astronomy’ is the first book where you should start your journey in Astronomy. It is full of interesting information about space, the universe, stars, etc. You will find out that it is very clear, well written, and a comprehensive introductory on Astronomy. There are many concepts about the universe are mentioned here. Along with concepts, you will find some experiments, mathematical calculations, illustrations here that will engage you for reading.
Universe
| Author | DK |
| Publication | 2020 (3rd Edition) |
| Rating | 4.8 out of 5 |
This book ranks at 4th position in ‘Comets, Meteors and Asteroids’, 9th position in ‘Mars’ and 31st position in Cosmology.
As the name suggests it is all about the universe which has lighted on many unknown facts of the Universe. It is an impressive compilation of knowledge about the universe with many detailed pictures. This informative book needs to be read.
The Astronomy Book: Big Ideas Simply Explained
| Author | DK |
| Publication | 2017 |
| Rating | 4.7 out of 5 |
It ranks at 2nd position in ‘Astronomy for Teens & Young Adults’ and at 8th position in ‘Comets, Meteors & Asteroids’ that tells its popularity. If you want to know more about the history of Astronomy, this book will fill your requirements. The book starts from ancient Greeks and goes through the modern ages. Every notable invention in the field of astronomy will be introduced here. So, you must read it for a better understanding of Astronomy.
Astronomy: A Self-Teaching Guide
| Author | Dinah L. Moché |
| Publication | 2014 (8th Edition) |
| Rating | 4.6 out of 5 |
This book exists under the top 50 books in Astronomy. If you are interested in aviation and space-related travel, then this book is excellent for you. There are many mathematical formulas in it, so if you know a little bit about mathematics then it becomes easy for you. The author tried his best to provide accurate information to readers. If we talk about its language then it is written in easy-to-understand language. Anyone with basic knowledge of mathematics and physics can read it.
Astronomy for Dummies
| Author | Stephen P. Maran |
| Publication | 2017 (4th Edition) |
| Rating | 4.6 out of 5 |
It is one of the best books that Discovered the origins of the universe. After making sense of the latest discoveries, the author has written this book that is very relatable to the current time. In this book, you will know what are the tools required for observing the sky and what are the secrets of the Sun, Moon, and eclipses. Also, if you want to know more about black holes and the big bang theory, this book is best for you.
21st Century Astronomy
| Author | Laura Kay Stacy Palen George Blumenthal |
| Publication | 2019 (6th Edition) |
| Rating | 4.5 out of 5 |
In this informative book, you will find out several types of research based on modern theories. Laura Kay’s book emphasis learning by doing that makes it more engaging in students’ perspective. The language of it is a little bit advanced yet easy to understand. The authors focus much on the tone of the book. They have made it very interesting to read. Definitely, it is one of the best Astronomy books for beginners.
Astronomy with a Home Telescope
| Author | Seth Penricke |
| Publication | 2015 |
| Rating | 4.5 out of 5 |
As the name suggests, it is such a kind of book that gives a glimpse of the sky’s elements by home telescope. In this book, the author describes the top 50 celestial bodies to explore in the night sky with the help of a simple telescope. It is specially designed for novices in Astronomy who want to understand the nature, character, and elements of the sky.
Astronomy Today
| Author | Eric Chaisson, Steve McMillan |
| Publication | 2014 (8th Edition) |
| Rating | 4.4 out of 5 |
“Astronomy Today” by Eric Chaisson is one of the best astronomy books for beginners that deals with the fundamentals of Astronomy, the information from the cosmos, the sun, the stars, the asteroids, and many more other elements that are the parts of the universe. The book is written in easy-to-understand language. It has tons of beautiful colorful illustrations that make things even clearer. Critical thinking is the major part of this insightful book.
Pathways to Astronomy
| Author | Steven Schneider |
| Publication | 2020 (6th Edition) |
| Rating | 5 out of 5 |
Pathways to Astronomy by Steven Schneider is one of the best introductory books for astronomy which mainly deals with telescopes, asteroids, meteorites, and the solar system. You will find many interesting facts about the universe here that will explain how the Earth and other planets came into existence. If we talk about its language, it is well written and has many illustrations that make it more engaging.
Learning Astronomy by Doing Astronomy
| Author | Stacy Palen, Ana Larson |
| Publication | 2019 (2nd Edition) |
| Rating | 4.2 out of 5 |
There is a fact that a person can learn best by practicing, therefore, both authors created this book very practical. They introduced such activities to students that are built around a concept leading the students from basic knowledge to a deeper understanding through guided interactions. ‘Learning Astronomy by Doing Astronomy‘ is one of the best Astronomy books for beginners. Either you are a beginner or advanced, you must go for it.
FAQ
Who is the father of Astronomy?
Nicolaus Copernicus, a great Mathematician, Physician was the father of Modern Astronomy. Whereas Galileo Galilei, an Italian astronomer, physicist, and engineer, was the father of Observational Astronomy.
Who are the famous astronomers?
The most famous Astronomers from all over the world are-
- Nicolaus Copernicus (Poland)
- Aryabhata (India)
- Galileo Galilei (Italy)
- Albert Einstein (Germany)
- Johannes Kepler (Germany)
- Christoph Arnold (Germany)
- Bhaskara (India)
- Isaac Newton (UK)
- Leonardo da Vinci (Italy)
- Stephen Hawking (UK)
How many years does it take to become an astronomer?
Usually, it takes 8 to 10 years to become an astronomer. You have to complete your bachelor’s degree in Astronomy with Physics and Maths. After completing your bachelor’s, you will have to go for a master’s degree in Astronomy and after completing your master’s, you will have to complete your Ph.D. in Astronomy. In this way, you can become a research astronomer.
Does NASA hire astronomers?
Yes, NASA also offers astronomy students the opportunity to work with them. NASA expects their astronomers to discover new things in the universe and also explore the theories about the universe.
How can I learn astronomy online?
There are many online resources where you can learn Astronomy without facing any problems. Online education platforms like Coursera, edX, udemy, unacademy, etc. are the best platforms to learn Astronomy. There are many non-profit organizations like Yale University, NASA, University of California, etc. that are providing the best lectures to students.
What skills do you need to be an astronomer?
There are some required skills to become Astronomer. You can’t become astronomer without these given skills.
- Mathematical skills
- Meticulous
- Critical thinking ability
- Writing skills
- Ability to understand complicated data
- Scientific interest
- Logical thinking
- Communication skills
- Computing skills
What are the branches in astronomy?
There are few main branches of Astronomy that are as follows-
- Astrophysics – deals with the physics of the universe.
- Astrobiology- deals with the biological systems in the universe.
- Planetary Science – deals with planets.
- Astrometry- deals with the position of objects in the sky.
- Observational astronomy- the practice of observing celestial objects.
- Photometry- deals with the Optical nature of celestial objects.
- Spectroscopy- deals with spectra of celestial objects.
- Astrochemistry- deals with reactions of molecules in the Universe.
What’s the difference between astrology and astronomy?
| Astronomy | Astrology |
| 1. Astronomy is the study of the objects like planets, asteroids, stars, etc. in the universe. | 1. Astrology comes from the believes that planets that occur in the solar system affect our lives. |
| 2. It is the physics of the universe. | 2. It is the effect on human beings. |
| 3. Astronomy is known as mathematical observational science or exact science. | 3. Astrology is called the fruit of your actions or deeds. |
| 4. This is a more holistic study of the sky. | 4. Whereas it is one part of that. |
Conclusion
I hope you have known the 10 best astronomy books for beginners now. Along with this, you have got some answers to your questions. Now, you should take these books and dive into them. After studying some of these books, you will move a step from beginner to advanced in astronomy. For advanced knowledge, you have to study all these books with concentration.
So, go and make a schedule to study these books.
If this article has added any value to your life, then share it with your friends so that they too can become familiar with these books. And also tell me in the comments section which book you are going to study first.
Thank You!
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