Stargazing: Books

"Skyguide: A Field Guide to the Heavens" by Mark R. Chartrand and Helmut K. Wimmer Constellation charts, seasonal starcharts, planetary information

"Peterson Field Guides: Stars and Planets" by Donald H. Menzel and Jay M. Pasachoff Detailed "atlas of the sky," lunar charts, history of the constellations

"Eclipse! The What, Where, When, Why & How Guide to Watching Solar & Lunar Eclipses" by Philip S. Harrington

"Astronomical Calendar" by Guy Ottewell Annual calendar with details on meteor showers, lunar phases, planetary conjunctions, and more. To order: (864) 294-2208; $22.95

"Observer's Handbook" published by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. For more advanced observers. To order: (416) 924-7973; $18.95

Stargazing: Planetarium Software

Voyager II
Carina Software
510-352-7328

Starry Night
Sienna Software
800-252-5417

Stargazing: Web Sites

Virtual Reality Moon Phase Pictures
Determine the lunar phase for any date from 1800 to 2199; also allows users to calculate sunrise/sunset and moonrise/moonset charts for the entire year

Eclipse Home Page
Extensive charts and tables for every lunar and solar eclipse

Meteor Showers
Meteor-shower calendar, information on each major shower, links

How to Identify a Meteorite

General Astronomy: Books

"Universe" (4th ed.) by William Kaufmann
One of the most accessible astronomy textbooks, with details on everything from Stonehenge to the fate of the universe

"The Young Oxford Book of Astronomy" by Simon and Jacqueline Mitton
Short articles on all aspects of astronomy, with detailed illustrations

"Encyclopedia of Astronomy and Astrophysics" edited by Robert A. Meyers

Astronomy
Kalmbach Publishing
P.O. Box 1612
Waukesha, WI 53187
Monthly; articles on astronomy research, skywatching, travel; starcharts, and sky almanac

Sky & Telescope
49 Bay State Rd.
Cambridge, MA 02138
Monthly; aimed at serious amateur astronomers, with detailed articles on scientific findings and observing techniques and equipment

Space Telescope Science Institute
The latest photos, press releases, classroom activities, and other information from Hubble Space Telescope

NASA Home Page
Updates on current and past projects, with links to homepages of all major space missions

History of Astronomy
General astronomical history, plus biographies of astronomers, information on observatories

The Solar System: Books

"The Grand Tour: A Traveler's Guide to the Solar System" by Ron Miller and William Hartmann
Details on all the planets, plus major moons, comets, and asteroids, with "conceptual" artwork by the authors

"The Once and Future Moon" by Paul Spudis
An overview of lunar science and exploration

"Venus Revealed: A New Look Below the Clouds of Our Mysterious Twin Planet" by David Harry Grinspoon
The science and history of Venus, from the Maya to Magellan; somewhat technical, but accessible to high school level

"The Planet Mars: A History of Observation and Discovery" by William Sheehan
A fascinating history of Martian research, concentrating on pre-20th century astronomy

"Impact! Earth Destroyer or New Frontier" by Gerrit L. Verschuur
The search for near-Earth asteroids, the threat they pose to Earth, and their potential as interplanetary mineral resources

"The Planetary Report"
The Planetary Society
65 North Catalina Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91106
Bimonthly; articles by planetary scientists, plus news updates; mailed to Planetary Society members

Views of the Solar System
Details on each planet, most of the moons, and several comets and asteroids; in English, Spanish, and Portuguese

The Nine Planets
Information on the planets and other solar-system objects, with good images and extensive links

Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Information on NASA's planetary missions -- past, present, and future

Planetary Names
Names of every crater, mountain, plain, and other feature on every planet, moon, and asteroid in the solar system

Stars, Galaxies, and Universes: Books

"Stars" by James B. Kaler
The lifecycle and anatomy of stars; for the amateur who wants to understand stars

"Coming of Age in the Milky Way" by Timothy Ferris
Through the Eyes of Hubble: The Birth, Life, and Violent Deaths of Stars by Robert Naeye Superb Hubble images show the life cycles of stars

"Alchemy of the Heavens: Searching for Meaning in the Milky Way" by Ken Croswell
A detailed look at our home galaxy, the Milky Way

"Galaxies" by Timothy Ferris
A coffee-table book of stunning galaxy portraits

"Black Holes & Time Warps" by Kip Thorne
The story of black holes, from their birth in the human mind to their probable existence in space and time

"Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking
Discussions about some of the most interesting topics in modern astronomy

"A Brief History of Time" by Stephen Hawking
The cosmology primer, introducing readers to the mysteries of the cosmos

"In Search of the Big Bang" by John Gribbin
Historical account of the scientists and events that shaped our present view of the birth and state of our universe

"The Omega Point" by John Gribbin
What is the fate of our universe, the "Big Crunch" or never-ending expansion

"The First Three Minutes: A Modern View of the Origin of the Universe" by Steven Weinberg
A millisecond-by-millisecond account of the origin of the universe

Ancient Astronomy: Books

"Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning" by Richard Hinckley Allen
First published in 1899, constellations and stars in European, Asian, and Middle Eastern cultures

"Skywatchers, Shamans, and Kings: Astronomy and the Archaeology of Power" by E.C. Krupp
How ancient kings and priests used astronomy to maintain power

"Beyond the Blue Horizon: Myths and Legends of the Sun, Moon, Stars, and Planets" by E.C. Krupp
The astronomy and skylore of many cultures

"Cycles of the Sun, Mysteries of the Moon: The Calendar in Mesoamerican Civilization" by Vincent H. Malmstrom
An engaging history of the development of the Mesoamerican calendar

For Children: Books

"Our Universe" by Roy A. Gallant
A child's guide to the universe.

"The Reason for Seasons: The Great Cosmic Megagalactic Trip" by Linda Allison

"The Night Sky Book: An Everyday Guide to Every Night" by Jamie Bob

"The Big Dipper and You" by E.C. Krupp (ages 5-12)

"Isaac Asimov's Library of the Universe"
A series of 32 books for young readers, covering avariety of astronomical topics.

"Eyewitness Science: Astronomy" by Kristen Lippincott
Profusely illustrated book about astronomical history and techniques and the solar system.

Miscellaneous: Books

"The Physics of Star Trek" by Lawrence M. Krauss
A fun book for Trekkers and non-Trekkers alike, covering warp drive, time travel, transporters, and other Star Trek mainstays

"Powers of Ten" by Philip and Phylis Morrison
A look at the universe, from the smallest to the largest

"Einstein Simplified" by Sidney Harris
A look at the remarkable theories of this century's greatest scientist

SETI Institute
Web site of the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

Science Fiction/Space Technology: Tools for Learning
Designed for teachers, this site contains extensive information on astronomy and space exploration in science fiction, and how fiction and reality differ

Images: Web Sites

NASA Image Exchange
Links to dozens of NASA sites with various images: astronomy, Earth, solar system, space shuttle, spacecraft, aircraft

Astronomy Picture of the Day
A different photo every day, with an extensive archive of photos from Hubble Space Telescope, other space missions, ground-based telescopes, and more

McDonald Observatory Visitor's Information Center
PO Box 1337
Fort Davis, TX 79734

Hansen Planetarium Publications
1845 S 300 West #A
Salt Lake City, UT 84115-1804
800-321-2369

Science & Art Products
24861 Rotunde Mesa
Malibu, CA 90265
Orders: 800-356-1733; Info: 310-456-2496; Fax: 310-456-0728

The Planetary Society
65 N Catalina Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91106
818-793-5100

Kitt Peak National Observatory
PO Box 26732 Tucson, AZ 85726
520-318-8000

Lick Observatory
University of California
Publications Dept.
Santa Cruz, CA 95064
408-459-2201

Johnson Space Center Collection
Media Services Corp.
Commercial Desk
2101 NASA Rd One
Building 423/AP32
Houston, TX 77058
281-483-4231

Finley-Holiday Film Corp.
Box 619
Whittier, CA 90608
800-345-6707

Space Images
Ron Weber
800-877-8915
210-789-4504
Ron@SpaceImages.com

Spaceshots
33950 Barnby Rd.
Acton, CA 93510
800-272-2779

Sky Image Lab
Publisher of Digital Astronomy Images
20205 Saratoga Vista Ct
Saratoga, CA 95070
877-895-0979