300 Astronomical Objects: A Visual Reference to the Universe

by Jamie Wilkins, Robert Dunn

Praise for the hardcover edition:
BEST BOOKS 2007, JUNIOR HIGH AND YOUNG ADULTS, ASTRONOMY
"Simply put, this book is a real gem."
-- Science Books and Films



"A glorious vision of the universe."
-- American Reference Books Annual 300 Astronomical Objects is a handy and comprehensive reference to the most interesting celestial objects. It takes readers on a photographic tour through the galaxy, from its solar core to its outer limits, stopping to view all the highlights and give the very latest data about the universe.

Convenient sidebars with each entry provide up-to-date facts and figures on every object, including mass, magnitude, density, radius, rotation period, and surface and core temperatures. An annotated cross-section of the object enhances this information, and a full-color photograph brings the object to life.

Additional spreads bring together and explain related objects and phenomena. For example, the corresponding pages for the sun include solar power, sunspots and solar flares. Others examples include:

Mercury and its surface
The asteroid belt and 433 Eros
Jupiter and its moons, including Io, Europa and Callista
Uranus and its rings and moons, including Ariel and Titania
Outer belts and comets, such as Halley's comet, and the Deep Impact mission
Space telescopes, including the International Space Station. 300 Astronomical Objects is a beautiful and handy reference for the amateur astronomer.

Genres: Science, Astronomy, Nonfiction, Reference

264 pages, Paperback

First published August 15, 2006

About the author

Jamie Wilkins has a degree in astrophysics from Cambridge University.

Reviews

[Dan Downing · Rating 5 out of 5]

I built my first telescope almost 60 years ago. It went with the collection of newspaper clippings I had about rockets and our burgeoning efforts to enter outer space. Things have changed since then. For instance, our Universe had gotten a whole lot bigger. We now count hundreds of billions of galaxies rather than a few hundred.
We also have astounding photographs from space-borne telescopes, both optical and otherwise. The photos are breath-taking. My 6-year-old granddaughter was struck dumb, something no Halloween phenomena managed.
Messrs. Wilkins and Dunn (Goodreads insists on losing Mr. Dunn's name) provide identification for each picture and a half-page or so of text describing them. They start with the solar system, including telescopes and un-crewed probes, then move on to the realm of the boundless universe. A few things have changed since the publication in 2011, but the seasoned space enthusiast or the novice will find lots to love here.
Recommended.

[Kaethe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't try to sit and read this straight through. The text explaining what is known about various objects tends to duplicate itself, which is fine if you're just flipping through and looking at all the gorgeous pictures, many from Hubble, or if you dip into it from time to time to look up something in particular. Stunning images. I am in awe of how big and old the universe is, and how many stars it has in it. My favorites are the galaxies that are running/have run into each other.

Library copy

[Kitty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I asked to renew this book but the librarian said no! So, I'll wait 'til they put it back on the shelf and take it out again to finish. This is a great book with lots of good pictures and info about 300 different objects in the sky visible by eye, telescope, or satellite. So much info, so little time!

[Arapahoe Libraries · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume consists of both the expected planets, galaxies, and other natural objects and crewed and unmanned man-made crafts.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book, believe it or not. It gave a lot of information, but it wasn't boring at all.