Popular Books on Astronomy

Do you wonder about what exists beyond the earth? Are you curious about stars, planets and other celestial bodies? If yes, then the best way to quench your thirst for knowledge is to browse through books related to the subject. If you are confused about which book to start with, here in this blog we have compiled a list of some of the most popular books on Astronomy. Have a look!

Popular Books on Astronomy

Here are 50 popular books for astronomy that can help you understand the universe better.

Astronomy Books for Beginners

These are additional books that astronomy beginners can read and explore.

1. The Universe In A Nutshell by Stephen Hawking
2. Astronomy For Dummies by Stephen P. Maran
3. Astronomy: A Beginner’s Guide To The Universe by Eric Chaisson And Steve Mcmillan
4. Astronomy: A Self-teaching Guide by Dinah L. Moche
5. The Astronomy Book: Big Ideas Simply Explained by Dk
6. The Fabric Of The Cosmos: Space, Time, And The Texture Of Reality by Brian Greene
7. Guide To The Stars by Ken Graun
8. See It with a Small Telescope By Will Kalif
9. 100 things to See in the Night Sky by Dean Regas
10. Parallel Worlds by Michio Kaku

What is Astronomy?

Astronomy is the branch of science that is involved in the study of celestial objects including galaxies, planets, stars, comets and asteroids. In short, it is the study of everything existing in the universe beyond the earth’s atmosphere. There are two main types of astronomy – Observational and Theoretical. The first deals with the use of cameras and telescopes to observe celestial objects, while the latter uses different scientific models to explain the observations and make possible predictions regarding the objects. If you feel you are a beginner and interested in learning about celestial objects, you could start with one of these books on Astronomy mentioned below.

A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking

This bestselling book by Stephen Hawking is a wonderful take on the origin, development and evolution of the universe. In this book on Astronomy, the author has explained the most complex ideas and concepts relating to time, space, black holes etc. in a way that makes it easy to understand for the average reader. This is a good book for beginners or casual readers having no prior expertise in astronomical studies.

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NightWatch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe by Terence Dickinson

This is one of the best guidebooks for beginners in stargazing. The author’s unique ability to simplify difficult astronomical concepts along with the use of lucid language has made this one of the bestselling books on Astronomy. The book is heavily illustrated with charts, diagrams and the latest photographs. This is a go-to book for someone who is interested in stargazing.

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Cosmos by Carl Sagan

This book by the Pulitzer Prize winning author Carl Sagan was developed along with a Television series of the same name. This book explains complex scientific concepts to anyone interested in gaining knowledge about Astronomy. The heavily illustrated book covers a wide range of topics starting from antiquity to modern times, which makes it one of the most popular books on Astronomy.

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Facts from Space by Dean Regas

One of the best books on Astronomy for beginners interested in space and celestial objects, Facts from Space takes you on a fun ride throughout the book. Full of facts and trivia relating to space missions, planets, stars, astronauts etc, every page of this book has something new for the reader.

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Catching Stardust by Natalie Starkey

This wonderful book by Natalie Starkey dealing with asteroid and comets gives us an idea about the importance of studying these celestial objects. It is an interesting read for anyone interested in knowing about the origin of comets and asteroids and why their study is relevant for the present day.

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Planet Hunters: The Search for Extraterrestrial Life by Lucas Ellerbroek

Do you wonder if there is life on planets other than earth? Lucas Ellerbroek’ s book provides a detailed account of the history of discovery of exoplanets, i.e. the planets orbiting other stars like the sun. What makes it one of the most popular books on Astronomy is that the experiences of researchers of the subject are presented in the form of stories, instead of merely presenting the research.

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Few More Good Reads –

We have listed a few additional reads for those interested in astronomy below –

The Planet Factory by Elizabeth Tasker

This book by Elizabeth Tasker talks about the perspective of scientists on what they know about distant plants. This book is a good read for beginners who wish to know more about planets beyond the solar system. The chapters are full of humorous explanations to ensure students learn well about this important aspect of modern astronomy.

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Catching Stardust by Natalie Starkey

This book is written by space scientist Natalie Starkey. The main purpose of this book is to break the misconceptions about asteroids and comets. It delves upon the reasons why it is so important to study about comets and asteroids. This book also reflects on the history of the basic human understanding of comets and asteroids.

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See it with a Small Telescope by Will Kalif

This book by Will Kalif is considered to be a fun read for those just getting familiar with their new telescope. Through this book, the author emphasizes on dozens of interesting objects in the sky. If you are someone who enjoys looking at planets, star clusters, the moon, nebulas or something else, this book is a must read for you

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Finding our Place in the Universe by Helen Courtois

This book by Helen Courtois is about on her own journey in the field of astrophysics. It also highlights the contributions made by female astrophysicists across the globe. This book is a must read for all those who wish to know more about the discovery of Laniakea. It also provides for a pure tale of adventure for readers. 

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Hope this blog helped you in your search for the best books on Astronomy. If you want to consider pursuing Astronomy for higher studies, our experts at Leverage Edu can help you devise a perfect study abroad plan!