num_pages: 153
description: Today men walk on the Moon while probes journey into deep space to discover more than the origins and composition of the universe. None of this would have been possible without the discoveries made by the great astronomers over the centuries. Accompanied by over 600 spectacular illustrations, this book shows how these discoveres were made, so that you, too, can follow the same steps. Using a simple telescope or binoculars, make the same observations that Galileo did when he first saw Jupiter and four of its moons, a discovery which challenged the orthodox views of his day. Learn how to catalog the stars according to their brightness, as did the Greek astronomer Hipparchus. Understand how Einstein's Theory of Relativity provides possible answers to the mystery of the beginning and end of the universe. Beginning with the sun, the book describes the nature of the stars and planets forming our Solar System and the other stellar systems beyond. The terms and techniques of astronomers are carefully explained and numerous illustrated experiments, using simple equipment combined with practical advice, show you how to make your own observations with the basic tools of the astronomer.
title: The Practical Astronomer
publisher: Macmillan