Astronomy: Books & eBooks

This book tracks the history of the theory of relativity through Einstein's life, with in-depth studies of its background as built upon by ideas from earlier scientists. The focus points of Einstein's theory of relativity include its development throughout his life; the origins of his ideas and his indebtedness to the earlier works of Galileo, Newton, Faraday, Mach and others; the application of the theory to the birth of modern cosmology; and his quest for a unified field theory.

From planetary movements and the exploration of our solar system to black holes and dark matter, this comprehensive reference simplifies all aspects of astronomy with an approachable question-and-answer format. With chapters broken into various astronomical studies--including the universe, galaxies, planets, and space exploration--this fully updated resource is an ideal companion for students, teachers, and amateur astronomers, answering more than 1,00 questions, such as Is the universe infinite? What would happen to you if you fell onto a black hole? What are the basic concepts of Einstein's special theory of relativity? and Who was the first person in space?

Does the sun always rise exactly in the east? What are supermoons and are they really so big? What is the relationship between the apparent path of the sun and the zodiac signs? Why did the ancient Egyptians worship the bright star Sirius and how is the star connected to the phrase "dog days"? What stars did ancient armies use for testing their soldiers' eyesight? Which is the most accurate calendar in use? What is the Antikythera mechanism and could it really predict eclipses? How is astronomy connected to the famous painter Vincent van Gogh?This book provides the answers to these and a number of other similar questions in a simple and concise manner without the use of equations or complicated mathematics.