Teachers
Peterson, Ivars. Newton's Clock. W. H. Freeman & Co., 1993.
Newton's Clock is a good book to read about the history of astronomy. It is not a textbook, and, therefore, is easy reading. It provides the useful background information needed to understand how astronomy evolved which students may question about. Ivars is a mathematics and physics writer for the Science News.
Comins, Neil F.. Heavenly Errors. Columbia University Press, 2001.
This is another good book that provides insight to what students and people think about the universe and some of the misconceptions they may have. The book shows, in light of corrected information, that some people and students never correct their erroneous beliefs. The book's strength is that it relates the incorrect beliefs and then follows it with correct information. Comins is a professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Maine.
Bennett, Jeffrey, Megan Donahue, Nicholas Schneider, and Mark Voit. The Cosmic Perspective. 4th ed. Addison Wesley, 2007.
A resourceful college textbook that is a good complement to Universe by Freedman and Kaufmann. The reading is easier in this textbook than the latter.
Freedman, Roger A., and William J. Kaufmann III. Universe. 7th ed. New York: W. H. Freeman & Co., 2005.
A resourceful college textbook that is a good complement to The Cosmic Perspective by Bennett, Jeffrey, Donahue, and Schneider. The reading is a bit more difficult than the latter textbook.
Sagan, Carl. Contact. New York: Pocket Books, 1985.
This is an enjoyable book with lots of speculation to stimulate the imagination and to consider the possibilities.
Students
Note
Check your school library for suitable books if students are interested in obtaining more information about astronomy. All school library books may not have the same titles as listed in the student resources below. Student books should offer varied information that includes facts, colorful pictures, and projects to do.
Bramwell, Martyn. Mapping the Planets and Space. Minneapolis: Lerner Publishing Co., 1998.
This book shows how to make a telescope, how to listen to space, and has facts about the solar system.
Garlick, Mark A.. Astronomy A Visual Guide. Firefly Books, 2004.
This book has good colorful photographs, facts, and some statistics.
Moore, Sir Patrick. Guide to Stars and Planets. Firefly Books, 2005.
This book focuses on constellations.
Camp, Carole Ann. American Astronomers Searchers and Wonderers. Enslow Publishers Inc., 1996.
This is an inspiring book about people and their work in astronomy. Some biographies include Edwin Hubble, Carl Sagan, and Annie Jump Carmon.
Sagan, Carl. Contact. New York: pocket books, 1985.
A good book for students as well as adults to stimulate the imagination and the possibilities.
