One of the real celestial treats through any size telescope is the giant planet Jupiter. Even a 2-inch scope will let you view its main markings and four largest moons. By watching the moons change their positions night after night, you can experience “real-time” astronomy. That would be a good start. If, however, you want to go deeper into Jupiter observations, I recommend Jupiter and How to Observe It by John W. McAnally (Springer, 2008). Even before...

The greatest natural occurrence you can witness — bar none — is a total solar eclipse. If one of these spectacular events is in your future, you owe it to yourself to pick up Martin Mobberley’s new book, Total Solar Eclipses and How to Observe Them (Springer, 2007). Mobberley has packed this book with specific information on this topic. This book comprises two sections. Part 1, “Eclipse Mechanisms, Statistics and Tracks,” contains six chapters. Part...

In previous blogs, I’ve written about my love for meteorites, including my trip to the Center for Meteorite Studies at Arizona State University. I also have a small but enjoyable meteorite collection. As an observational astronomer, I enjoy viewng meteor showers. A recently published book combines these interests and adds a lot more. Meteors and Meteorites: Origins and Observations by Martin Beech ( The Crowood Press , 2006) begins in space with Chapter...

In the past few years, various publishers have released several titles on or related to Copernicus. Two that stand out for me are Dennis Danielson’s The First Copernican and Jack Repcheck’s Copernicus’ Secret . I interviewed both authors about their books. You can listen to my Danielson interview here and my interview with Repcheck here . One book that I overlooked until recently is Uncentering the Earth by William T. Vollmann (released in paperback...

Those of you who have followed my blogging know that I’m crazy about old astronomy books. My personal fetish is first-edition, 19th-century books in English. But within my library, my favorite subcollection is astronomy books written by 19th-century women. Women astronomers and science writers of this period were pioneers, and titles by them are uncommon. One of the women represented in my collection is American astronomer Maria Mitchell (1818–1889...

Pick any date in 2008. Astronomy magazine highlights the coming year’s main celestial events in its December issue. And, each month, we detail what’s happening in the sky. But what if you’re an astronomy buff who wants a night-by-night guide to sky events? Judging by the book on my desk, you’re in luck. Ohio amateur astronomer Tammy Plotner’s new book, The Night Sky Companion: A Yearly Guide to Sky-Watching 2008-2009 (Springer, 2007), is a 669-page...

I interviewed physicist Sidney Perkowitz about his book Hollywood Science . This publication looks at more than 100 films throughout cinematic history that have covered scientific topics. Columbia University Press, the publisher, sums up the book as: Sidney Perkowitz questions how much faith we can put into Hollywood’s depiction of scientists and their work; how accurately these films capture scientific fact and theory; whether cataclysms like our...

If you’re a fan of strange tales, curious quests, and questionable observations, you’ll enjoy Richard Baum’s The Haunted Observatory (Prometheus Books, 2007). As an astronomy trivia buff, I found a lot to keep me reading. In his first chapter, “A World Rumored Beyond,” Baum examines one of astronomy’s great mathematical detective stories: the prediction and subsequent discovery of Neptune. Baum is an accomplished writer who knows how to weave a tale...

With President Bush’s call for a return to the lunar surface, dozens of titles about the Moon have hit bookstores. From the volumes that have crossed my desk, most are nostalgic or historic accounts that showcase the people behind earlier lunar missions. Robert Godwin has assembled one of the more original books from this genre. The Lunar Exploration Scrapbook: A Pictorial History of Lunar Vehicles (Apogee, 2007) shows readers the designs for rovers...

It’s the year 2030, and humans are finally undertaking interplanetary travel with a historic mission to the Red Planet. This is the premise for Discovery Channel Canada’s 4-hour “Race to Mars” mini-series, which the network describes as its most ambitious project to date. (Watch the trailer .) The show premiered in Canada September 23, but air dates for the U.S. are not yet available. However, the companion book to the series is. In Race to Mars ...