STARS ON THE SHELF (Book Review)
by Carolyn M. Waterson
At this time of year, you may be trying to think of some gifts for the amateur astronomer in your family. We reviewed the following astronomy books, provided for us by the Springer-Verlag Company of New York.
Light from the Depths of Time (list price $19.95) is a fascinating account on the field of cosmology. Dr. Rudolf Kipperhahn has a gift for translating complex theories into analogies understandable to the layperson. With the help of his fictional "Herr Meyer" and the "Flatlanders" of Edwin A. Abbott, Dr. Kipperhahn explores such things at the rotation of galaxies, the electromagnetic spectrum, and the curvature of space.
Each chapter can be easily read within an hour, but the average person may find Light from the Depths of Time a little slow going at times. Therefore, we recommend it for adults and students of high school age or older who really enjoy astronomy.
Exploring the Southern Sky (list price $39.00) is a book easily accessible to all. A "Pictoral Atlas from the European Southern Observatory," compiled by Svend Lausten, Claus Madsen, and Richard M. West, it is a wonderland of photographs from the southern hemisphere sky. Children will be fascinated by the color and beauty of the astronomical photos, while the text is easily understood by older students and adults. A panorama of the Milky Way is included with the book, and Springer-Verlag is offering a set of 20 color slides of Southern Sky objects for $19.95, which you may order from the company.
If you are interested in these books, check your local bookstore, or contact the Planetarium for information on ordering directly from the company. Exploring the Southern Sky is also available from the Planetarium Gift Shop, where your 10% membership discount applies.
Unless otherwise noted, all text, art, code or other content ©1999-2006
Carolyn M. Wallace.
Webmaster: Carolyn M. Wallace
