Ebook: Illustrated Dictionary of Astronomy

Authored by a professional astronomer and writer, this volume readily fills the need for an astronomy dictionary. Coverage encompasses named astronomical objects, terms and abbreviations most frequently encountered in astronomy, constellations, principal observatories, space missions, and biographical sketches for 70 well-known individuals in the history of the field. Written at a level accessible to the general reader, the 1,300 alphabetically arranged entries range in length from one sentence (simple definitions) to several paragraphs (entries on planets). Specialist terms and acronyms are clearly explained. Sample entries include Air shower, 719 Albert, Astronomer Royal, Degenerate star, Egg Nebula, Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, Hooker telescope, Kepler’s laws, Penumbra, and Yerkes Observatory. Many up-to-date finds are included; for example, we learn that legislation has been enacted in parts of the U.S. to protect important observatory sites from the damaging effects of unnecessary lighting in nearby cities; the highest quasar redshift measured by 2007 was 6.43; Pluto is no longer categorized as a major planet. About 300 excellent color photographs and illustrations, unusual for a moderately priced dictionary, supplement the text. Among them are 20 new star maps by distinguished illustrator Wil Tirion and photographs from various space missions and the Hubble Space Telescope. Ample see and see also references guide the reader from one topic to another; references to related dictionary entries are highlighted in color. Cambridge Illustrated Dictionary of Astronomy, notable for authoritative, up-to-date definitions supplemented by color illustrations and photographs, is highly recommended for high-school, academic, special, and public libraries. --Nancy Cannon