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Knowledge in a Nutshell: Astrophysics
Whether searching for extra-terrestrial life, managing the effects of space weather or learning about dark matter, the study astrophysics has profound implications for us all. NASA scientist and astronomer Sten Odenwald explains the key concepts of this vast topic, bringing clarity to some of the great mysteries of space.
These include:
• The theory of relativity
• Cosmic background radiation
• The evolution of stars
• The formation of the solar system
• The nature of exoplanets
• Space weather systems
Filled with helpful diagrams and simple summaries, Knowledge in a Nutshell: Astrophysics is perfect for the non-expert, taking the complexities of space science and making them tangible.
These include:
• The theory of relativity
• Cosmic background radiation
• The evolution of stars
• The formation of the solar system
• The nature of exoplanets
• Space weather systems
Filled with helpful diagrams and simple summaries, Knowledge in a Nutshell: Astrophysics is perfect for the non-expert, taking the complexities of space science and making them tangible.
- GenresSciencePhysicsNonfiction
240 pages, Paperback
Published November 15, 2019
16 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 12, 2019
I'm thee first person to review this one. Yes, brain. Every now and again I science up my brain, just so it stays in good shape. This, however, I might have overshot with, though it was quite a workout. It seemed like one of those brief yet comprehensive volumes that covers all you need to know on the subject and in a way it is, but it’s entirely too scientific or not even that, it’s entirely too much like a condensed textbook. It is accessible to general population, especially those with some basic knowledge on astronomy and physics, but it’s still fairly heavy reading with maths and formulas to back it up. Which is to say there will be sentences worth rereading two or three times. Which makes the reading experience longer and much more labor intensive that one might initially expect. Good overview, but much too technical for most laypersons interested in the subject. Educational and I’m glad I read it (and also kinda proud of myself for making it all the way through), but work, this was work, like taking an abbreviated crash course in astrophysics. Saddle up, crash test dummies. This is tough business. And to think in a way it still mostly only covers the 4.6% of the universe that is understood. The rest remains a mystery, conveniently named dark matter and dark energy. Still no grand unifying theory. The more you learn, the more you realize the insufficiency of available information. But learning is always good. Thanks Netgalley.
April 9, 2020
I requested this book because I had read a book about astrophysics before this year and think that it's hella cool topic to know stuff about. The only thing is: I really have not a single clue what I just read. I am a total beginner in physics and was really happy when I understood some little parts of the book (and loved the one about the northern lights because I will go see them next year and though that that is really cool). But other than that, I did not get the rest of the book. That doesn't mean that I did not learn anything from it. I am now more aware of the size of the universe and the planets and the sun and all of the stars and other galaxies. That really amazes me a lot, it amazes me so much that I cannot begin to imagine how big it all is, because it's just crazy. Sometimes I wished for a bit more of explanation and easy language to understand the topics a bit better, because most of the time I was just very lost.
So I'd say that it's a good book, but that's it's not really suited for people with beginner-level physics knowledge. If you want to read and understand this book at the same time, I'd say either have physics or astrophysics knowledge beforehand or be prepared to look up a lot of stuff. A real lot.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
So I'd say that it's a good book, but that's it's not really suited for people with beginner-level physics knowledge. If you want to read and understand this book at the same time, I'd say either have physics or astrophysics knowledge beforehand or be prepared to look up a lot of stuff. A real lot.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 20, 2023
Astrophysics: Knowledge in a Nutshell is a standalone book by Sten Odenwald. It is a non-fiction book that explores the science behind the cosmos. This book is written with new info every new chapter. With 20 chapters this book can teach the reader about almost 50 ideas. Each chapter studies a new idea and goes back to the history of that topic. I like this book because I can learn new words and fascinating ideas. As the reader, I am also able to learn about historic people and their discoveries that helped generations learn more about space. Something amazing about this book is the way it keeps you interested. As a non-fiction book it can easily bore the reader by dragging on and on about facts. This book is great at finding a balance between facts, pictures, and equations to keep a reader intrigued. One thing that I do not like about the book is that there is not a definition next to each new word of the book. The reader must flip to the back where the glossary is. For example, in one chapter the idea of a star’s life cycle was brought up. One stage of their life is a planetary nebula which confused me, but instead of giving the definition right next to the word I had to flip to the back and find the glossary. Furthermore, the glossary doesn’t have every challenging word which makes it hard for the reader to understand the topic. In contrast, I like how many challenging words there are in the book. It makes me intrigued to figure out the meaning of them. One of my favorite things that the book has taught me is about space weather. I learned about solar flares and how they could be deadly to an astronaut who is caught in it. I also learned how storms could affect the earth’s magnetic field. Another thing I like in the book is how many diagrams and equations are shown. This helps me take notes and visualize how I could solve for a certain force or distance. This book could be a great source of information for your entire lifetime. I will take notes in this book and continue to look back to it for help. This book resonates with me as I want to become and astronaut. Learning everything, I can about space will certainly help me to achieve my goal.
October 22, 2021
I hate to give this a one star rating, but it's such a frustrating read that I can't in good conscience recommend it to someone else. I don't mean to throw flak at the author, I feel like a lot of this book's problems are with the editor(s) (and I do realize it can't be easy to edit a book on an advanced and technical topic like astrophysics).
This book suffered heavily from two different sources, one is a severe over-usage of undefined jargon. I'm simply someone with an amateur interest in astronomy and physics but that's who the book is aimed at if you read the back of the book, yet even having read a good handful of other books on astronomy and astrophysics, there were a lot of words whose usage I wasn't really familiar with in the context of astrophysics. On a topic like this, writing your book in clear simple to understand English is a must, and this book didn't meet the mark at all in that regard.
Secondly, I feel like a lot of explanations "beg the question", meaning that it would explain a phenomena in a very shallow fashion--very much a 'surface' explanation-- that don't leave you any better off than you were before. So y explains x, but 'y' is stated in such a way that you are left asking but how does 'y' work instead of "how does 'x' work?". I guess the simplest way to say this is that many explanations were just inadequate (some sections are worse than others, I found the chapter on radiation to be one of the worst in this regard and this was regrettably the first chapter if I'm not mistaken, not a great introduction into the book!).
The only other small problem I had is that the chapter summaries, called the 'Key Points', were terribly messy and should have just been removed from the book, sometimes they referenced things that were barely mentioned or even not at all. Sometimes they were very 'samey', 2-3 points that could have just been condensed into one point. A few points the content of the key points was even contradictory (again, this all points to problems with the editor of the book) where the chapter text said the Milky Way galaxy and the Andromeda galaxy would collide in 4b years and the key points summary stated it would be in 2b years! (or vice versa). I know it seems trivial, but having these inconsistencies present in such a noticeable fashion leaves the reader lacking confidence in the rest of the information reported. Yes, it might have been a typo, but how can I tell what other typos or errors are still present that I [i]can't[/i] easily detect?
I will say that the author did take some time to highlight the achievements and contributions to the field by women and due to the aforementioned complaints, was one of the bright spots in this volume.
This book suffered heavily from two different sources, one is a severe over-usage of undefined jargon. I'm simply someone with an amateur interest in astronomy and physics but that's who the book is aimed at if you read the back of the book, yet even having read a good handful of other books on astronomy and astrophysics, there were a lot of words whose usage I wasn't really familiar with in the context of astrophysics. On a topic like this, writing your book in clear simple to understand English is a must, and this book didn't meet the mark at all in that regard.
Secondly, I feel like a lot of explanations "beg the question", meaning that it would explain a phenomena in a very shallow fashion--very much a 'surface' explanation-- that don't leave you any better off than you were before. So y explains x, but 'y' is stated in such a way that you are left asking but how does 'y' work instead of "how does 'x' work?". I guess the simplest way to say this is that many explanations were just inadequate (some sections are worse than others, I found the chapter on radiation to be one of the worst in this regard and this was regrettably the first chapter if I'm not mistaken, not a great introduction into the book!).
The only other small problem I had is that the chapter summaries, called the 'Key Points', were terribly messy and should have just been removed from the book, sometimes they referenced things that were barely mentioned or even not at all. Sometimes they were very 'samey', 2-3 points that could have just been condensed into one point. A few points the content of the key points was even contradictory (again, this all points to problems with the editor of the book) where the chapter text said the Milky Way galaxy and the Andromeda galaxy would collide in 4b years and the key points summary stated it would be in 2b years! (or vice versa). I know it seems trivial, but having these inconsistencies present in such a noticeable fashion leaves the reader lacking confidence in the rest of the information reported. Yes, it might have been a typo, but how can I tell what other typos or errors are still present that I [i]can't[/i] easily detect?
I will say that the author did take some time to highlight the achievements and contributions to the field by women and due to the aforementioned complaints, was one of the bright spots in this volume.
July 14, 2020
A Pretty Tough Nutshell for a Nutshell Book
This book is oddly organized, and the content borders on random. It's generally interesting, and mostly accessible, but still feels almost like someone collected all of the little sidebars and factoid panels and introductions and digressions from a textbook and then just randomly lined them up.
As to organization, we start with a multi-chapter section about "the tools in the astrophysicist's toolbox". That's fine, but a few pages in we are going over micrometry, spectroscopy, and the formula, (V=c x 1/R), for calculating Doppler speed shifts. Really? In a nutshell? And then we start to calculate angular distances using the "appropriate" spherical trigonometry formula, and measure parallax angles with a theodolite. We conclude with many pages setting out all of the different star catalogues, starting with the Babylonians around 1200BCE. All of this is wrapped up with a final section titled "Key Points", which would be helpful except that lots of the key points are one sentence statements about matters that were never addressed, or only obliquely addressed, in the preceding chapter.
The balance of the book is organized into sections, or "Parts", that address the Sun, the Planetary Systems, the Stars, the Galaxy, and the Cosmic Structure. Each part has multiple chapters, and again we just sort of bounce around touching on this and that in more or less detail.
There is a lot that's of interest here. (The chapter on solar structure is fascinating and you can skip over the adiabatic lapse rate and go right to the P-P fusion cycle.) It's just that the book doesn't follow the usual nutshell pattern of either leading a reader from simpler to more complex topics, or guiding the reader through an overview that reflects a consistent level of knowledge or background. This book is basic and intermediate and even slightly advanced, (or very, very advanced once we get to cosmology), sometimes switching tone and content from paragraph to paragraph. I found it interesting as a browseable source of interest, but I wouldn't count on it as a satisfying overall introduction, or even a refresher, for the field.
(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
This book is oddly organized, and the content borders on random. It's generally interesting, and mostly accessible, but still feels almost like someone collected all of the little sidebars and factoid panels and introductions and digressions from a textbook and then just randomly lined them up.
As to organization, we start with a multi-chapter section about "the tools in the astrophysicist's toolbox". That's fine, but a few pages in we are going over micrometry, spectroscopy, and the formula, (V=c x 1/R), for calculating Doppler speed shifts. Really? In a nutshell? And then we start to calculate angular distances using the "appropriate" spherical trigonometry formula, and measure parallax angles with a theodolite. We conclude with many pages setting out all of the different star catalogues, starting with the Babylonians around 1200BCE. All of this is wrapped up with a final section titled "Key Points", which would be helpful except that lots of the key points are one sentence statements about matters that were never addressed, or only obliquely addressed, in the preceding chapter.
The balance of the book is organized into sections, or "Parts", that address the Sun, the Planetary Systems, the Stars, the Galaxy, and the Cosmic Structure. Each part has multiple chapters, and again we just sort of bounce around touching on this and that in more or less detail.
There is a lot that's of interest here. (The chapter on solar structure is fascinating and you can skip over the adiabatic lapse rate and go right to the P-P fusion cycle.) It's just that the book doesn't follow the usual nutshell pattern of either leading a reader from simpler to more complex topics, or guiding the reader through an overview that reflects a consistent level of knowledge or background. This book is basic and intermediate and even slightly advanced, (or very, very advanced once we get to cosmology), sometimes switching tone and content from paragraph to paragraph. I found it interesting as a browseable source of interest, but I wouldn't count on it as a satisfying overall introduction, or even a refresher, for the field.
(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
September 17, 2019
3.5
This book was a little more technical and in-depth than I was expecting. I have read other books on astronomy and astrophysics that lay things out pretty simply and in easy to understand terms. This book was in a more advanced category. While there were some things I already knew, there was plenty that was discussed that I didn’t know, and there were several things I had to re-read because I wasn’t quite getting it. There were a lot of charts and mathematical equations included in the book. While the charts helped with explaining certain ideas, a lot of the math was over my head. It’s been a while since I’ve taken college level math, so there were times that I skimmed over those parts.
I think that this is a book that’s better for people who already have a good background in the subject material, as it may be too much for the casual reader.
This book was a little more technical and in-depth than I was expecting. I have read other books on astronomy and astrophysics that lay things out pretty simply and in easy to understand terms. This book was in a more advanced category. While there were some things I already knew, there was plenty that was discussed that I didn’t know, and there were several things I had to re-read because I wasn’t quite getting it. There were a lot of charts and mathematical equations included in the book. While the charts helped with explaining certain ideas, a lot of the math was over my head. It’s been a while since I’ve taken college level math, so there were times that I skimmed over those parts.
I think that this is a book that’s better for people who already have a good background in the subject material, as it may be too much for the casual reader.
February 24, 2020
I did enjoy this book quiet a bit. Good detail and touches on almost all points of Astrophysics at some point. I wouldn't say this is a book for everyone but for sure for anyone with a little knowledge or interest in this subject.
July 7, 2021
Not a book for a normal person who thinks space is cool. Gets extremely complicated and will bore you out. I can see how it is a good read for a genuinely passionate person interested in astrophysics on an academic level, but anyone else do not waste your time and stick to animated YouTube videos.
September 1, 2023
I did enjoy this book and learned quite a bit about astrophysics. However, I'd say that the title is a bit misleading, as it gives the impression that this book is more of a "beginner's" guide, when it actually is not.
November 1, 2022
A pretty interesting read; however, I think that there are probably 2 audiences who might be interested in a book like this: those who know absolutely nothing about astrophysics and those already familiar with the topic. This book tried to tread water in both realms and I don't think it succeeded very well.
Those with limited background in calculus and physics might be challenged a bit more, however, I would just say to ignore anything that looks too unfamiliar and read for the overarching concepts presented.
I believe those already familiar with the topic would be interested in a little more rigorous and thorough breakdown of the subjects found in other books...
Those with limited background in calculus and physics might be challenged a bit more, however, I would just say to ignore anything that looks too unfamiliar and read for the overarching concepts presented.
I believe those already familiar with the topic would be interested in a little more rigorous and thorough breakdown of the subjects found in other books...
September 17, 2019
I will this book in its paper version, because I find it the perfcet little handbook to read some other non fiction books, which keep for granted a lot of notions (about physics, cosmology, math, etc.etc.). The author keeps the information to the minimum so to avoid useless complications and the pictures are great.
Appena questo libro verrá pubblicato, me lo compreró in forma cartacea, perché é il bignamino perfetto per leggere altri libri sia saggi che sci-fi, dove spesso e volentieri gli autori danno per scontato che i lettori siano giá in possesso di una serie di nozioni varie (fisica, cosmologia, matematica, etc.). L'autore limita al massimo le informazioni in modo da non creare confusione e le fotografie ed i disegni sono molto belli.
THANKS NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!
Appena questo libro verrá pubblicato, me lo compreró in forma cartacea, perché é il bignamino perfetto per leggere altri libri sia saggi che sci-fi, dove spesso e volentieri gli autori danno per scontato che i lettori siano giá in possesso di una serie di nozioni varie (fisica, cosmologia, matematica, etc.). L'autore limita al massimo le informazioni in modo da non creare confusione e le fotografie ed i disegni sono molto belli.
THANKS NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews