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Hello EVenglowe72558 and welcome.  I watched my cousin's original version of "Understanding the Universe"  in 2007.  I was so impressed with it I ordered and received the 2nd edition (parts 1-8) in March 2008.  The revised edition is much the same as the first but there is so much more colorful demonstration in the concepts and workings of the universe.  Dr. Alex seems to come across a bit more entertaining in it also.  Although a bit pricey, I would highly recommend this series or maybe a more current one if it's out there.  The course guidebook (561 pages!) is a wonderful tool for quick reference and sometimes I take it out on public viewing nights.  If there is a tough to answer question I can pull out that guide and the answer is almost always there and easy to find.  Ultimately this course led me to my 10" computerized telescope.  To me this course energized my hobby like no other.

Quote from the backpage of the guide--"Professor Alex Filippenko is Professor of Astronomy at the University of California, Berkeley.  He holds a Ph.D.  in Astronomy from the California Institute of Technology.  One of the world's most widely cited astronomers, he has published more than 500 papers.  Science magazine credited his research team with the "Science Breakthrough of 1998" for research on exploding stars (supernova).  He was voted "Best Professor" by UC Berkrley students in 1995, 2001, 2003, 2004, and 2006."        He probably has more of these by now.

He and Buzz Aldrin are on the Astronomy's Editorial Advisory Board.  He seems to be a kind man who would go out of his way to help us all understand what goes on in our universe.  It would be a thrill to meet this man that does attend and speak at many astronomy related conferences.  NEAF comes to mind.

Hope this helps a little. 

As a matter of fact, I've heard Professor Filippenko speak at the NEAF.

Dave Mitsky

Thanks for the feedback.  And, yes, it does help, quite a lot, in fact.  It makes me very excited and eager to get to the library to claim my waiting borrows of Prof. Filippenko's UNDERSTANDING ASTRONOMY course in its various ncarnations.  (I was quite excited, after seeing him appear ni so many astronomy-themed documentary TV shows, including nearly every episode of the History Channel/H2's series THE UNIVERSE, when the library blurb about the course listed his name as the professor of the series.  It was really great to happen upon a familiar name and not just to have a course by somebody I knew absolutely nothing abuot; it lets me know the professor teaching the couse really knows his stuff and is a genuine expert in his field.)

Your comments also make me feel very confident in my rather spontaneous purchase of Dr. Filippeno's BLACK HOLES EXPLAINED course also put out by The Teaching Company, even though I did so admittedly on a sort of whim since he teaches it and since it is currently on sale at a ridiculously reduced price (a normally $199.95 DVD series currently going for $19.95 as part of the company's holiday 2011 promotion, as the gentleman who took my order called it). It is said to arrive in 3 to 5 business days,a nd tomorrow is day #3 post-order, so I am keeping my fingers crossed and trying to be patient while I wait.

Something else that was neat to hear and seems consistent with what you wrote in your post is that the Customer Service gentleeman who took my order said he's a fantastic professor and also a enuinely nice person.  He said when Dr. Filippenko went in to record his courses, he stopped into the phone center with his wife to bring cupcakes for the employees there.  That really seems genuinely nice, especially for somebody who appears to be such a world-renowned scientist and multi-award winning professor and astronomer.

I also like what you wrote about both him and Buzz Aldrin being on ASTRONOMY Magazine's editorial board.  It looks as though I've picked a GREAT magazine to subscribe to.  Dr. Filippenko is certainly an astronomy expert, obviously, based on evrything I've read and seen of his TV appearances, and, goodness, Buzz Aldrin is an all around astronomy legend and hero!  I was excited even when he appeared on an earlier season of DANCING WITH THE STARS.  With luminaries in the field such as thse two connected with the magazine, I cannot help but look forward to the start of my subscription with tremendous eagerness.

Great News!  My copy of Dr. Filippenko's BLACK HOLES EXPLAINED course from The Teaching Company/The Great Courses arrived today.  Needless to say, especially having it arrive literally only 3 short days after the order was placed, the package was received with much enthusaism and eagerness to dig in.  I am NOT AT ALL disappointed.  It has 2 DVDs with 6 lectures each (each running 30 minutes, as the packaging states.  And it includes a course guidebook that seems very helpful as a supplemental resources along with the video lessons.

I am completely blown away by this man's awesome teaching style.  I've read in articles I've seen about him and his teaching on-line that he is incredibly entertaining as well as extremely knowledgeable in his field of expertise, but I had NO IDEA what an UNDERSRSTATEMENT thee comments actually are.  Even though the format (at least so far, after running through the first 3 lectures on first viewing...undoubtedly to be eventually first of many viewings) is traditional professor speaking to the cameras, it is NOT AT ALL boring.  He draws you in from the first moment the cameras start rolling, and, even though daily life requiredo me to stop where I did this afternoon, it was difficult to shut off the DVD player.  With this professor/astronomer's truly dynamic personality on camera (you really feel as though you are actually in one of his classrooms, which I would guess must be an awesome real-life/in-person experience for his U.C. Berkeley students) makes you not even feel as though you are learning, but you are...very much.  He's got a great sense of humor and a genuine passion for his subject material.  WAtching, I found msyelf compeltely absorbed.

All I can say is that I can hardly wait for my upcoming next library trek when I'll be borrowing his UNDERSTANDING THE UNIVERSE:  An Introduction To Astronomy  course in its various incarnations and his said award-winning astronomy textbook THE COSMOS.  I am already saving up to purchase the current version of UNDERSTANDING THE UNIVERSE, as I am sure I will need my own copy in my personal home study "library" for keeps.  Especially given the comment about how usefult he accompanying course guidebook sounds to be as a valuable astronomy resource.

I also think the BLACK HOLES EXPLAINED guidebook is quite interesting, as it contains full lecture text/notes, thought questions to ponder, time line of developments through the centuris relating to black holes,, recommended reading list, biographical notes on the various scientists and stronomers discussed in the course, a glossary, and a very nice 2 1/2 page bio on Professor ALex himself.

Obviously, even after just beginning this new addiction to my personal home "library", I must most highly recommend this for anybody interested in learning more about black holes and related topics.  I think it is going to be very informative and interesting as well as quite entertaining.  I think it's wonderful when a professor can succeed at making learning be not only interesting and enjoyable but also actually down-right FUN.  That is certainly the case with this course and this professor.

Last comment:  I also have to comment on how cool I personally think it is that so many of the books on Dr. Filippenko's Recommended Reading list are among those I've either already read, currently have signed out from the lbirary (many in full-length unabridged audio versions), or have waiting for me to claim upon my next library trek, or are "next up" on my to-be-read list.  Others I have not heard of prior to today will definitely find their way onto my reading list.  The more I read and the mreo I learn, the more I want to keep on reading and learning and growing n this most interesting and exciting field.

Jennifer ("Evenglowe72558")

Evenglowe72558

The more I read and the more I learn, the more I want to keep on reading and learning and growing in this most interesting and exciting field.

Hi Jennifer,

It is indeed an interesting and exciting field. There is so much to learn and so many new discoveries, that it's a life long pursuit for many of us. The universe is so vast and there are so many mysteries to investigate, I don't see how anyone interested in the subject could ever get bored. It's great to see that you have so much passion for the subject.

-Ed

Sorry to jump in and potentially hi-jack this thread, but I have recently re-come across Filippenko's Understanding the Universe video lecture series at the library and I have a few questions, if anyone has the time and/or experience.

Basically, in the guide books there is an 'essential reading' and 'recommended reading' list after each lecture's notes. I think this is fantastic as it brings back the collegiate experience of a lecture and independent study - but unlike my collegiate experience there does not seem to be a 'guided' reading, as it were, where the lecture's corresponding reading is laid out (e.g. Chapters 3-4 for lecture 2; "Cosmos" chapters 7-9). Are the essential/recommended reading books laid out in the same order as his lectures? How would one know which pages/chapters to read in each of the books to correspond to the lecture? Is there some resource I'm missing, or would I need to basically watch the lecture, get ahold of the books and try to figure out which chapters seem the most appropriate?

Thank you!

Let me begin by prefacing my words by noting that I am absolutely NOT in any way, shape, or form any sort of expert herein and obviously do NOT have any sort of "inside track" or anything.  I'm just a simple enthusiast with a ton of respect for this noted professor and astronomer and am only now discovering his resources (and gratefully so for that matter).

That said (and I, too, would welcome anybody's thoughts and insights who know much better than I and who is/are far more familiar with Dr. Filippenko's UNDERSTANDINGT HE UNIVERSE course than I am), I hope that I MIGHT possibly be able to shed some light come next week and my trip to our local public library where I'll be signing out not only UNDERSTANDING THE UNIVERSE in all its "incarnations" (both 1st and 2nd Editions, along with the 2003 WHAT'S NEW additional 2-part mini-course that seems like it was released as a supplement to the original edition to the original course???), along iwth the 1st edition of Dr. Filippenko's Astronomy textbook THE COSMOS (the only edition available through our library system).  Perhaps by more or less "lining up" the lecture topics in the video course with the sequence of chapters and topics in his textbook might be ablet o shed some light on how at least this resource "matches" or "lines up" with the video course.

Since I receive posts through e-mail as well as reading them here on the ASTRONOMY site, I will save the e-mail of your post from tonight and revisit it upon returning home from the library next Tuesday.  (I request materials on-line and then havet hem held for me so they will be there when I get a ride to pick them up.  The course parts and the textbook I saw today have successfully arrived at my pick-up library locations, so I am sure I'll be able to borrow all the above when I can get there next week.)

If anybody else can answer better or before my follow-up next week, I'd be curious to read wht you have to say as well.  I look forward very much to my upcoming library trek and in fact have to admit feeling a bit impatient for next Tuesday afternoon to arrive.