Bad Astronomy

A clever, thought-provoking guide that attacks common astronomical misconceptions What is Bad Astronomy? Anything that accidentally or intentionally mangles the basic principles of astronomy. And who is on the lookout for good examples of Bad Astronomy? The Bad Astronomer, of course, a/k/a professional astronomer Phil Plait. In Bad Astronomy, Plait clears up misconceptions and malarkey relating to our Earth, moon, and the wider Universe. Ranging from commonly misunderstood notions such as why the sky is blue and the reason we have seasons, to large-scale shenanigans such as the so-called moon landing hoax and UFO sightings, Bad Astronomy wipes the stardust from readers' eyes to reveal just how the Universe works. Not only does Plait clearly explain the principles behind major concepts like the Big Bang, he leads readers to understand basics such as what makes the Moon look big when it rises and why the planets -- and astrology-- cannot directly influence our lives. Here is a fascinating and enlightening read for amateurs and experts alike. Bad Astronomy is the first volume in Wiley's "Bad Science" series; forthcoming titles will look at common misconceptions related to biology, weather, and the Earth.

Introduction PART I: Bad Astronomy Begins at Home 1. The Yolk's on You: Egg Balancing and the Equinox 2. Flushed with Embarrassment: The Coriolis Effect and Your Bathroom 3. Idiom's Delight: Bad Astronomy in Everyday Language PART II: From the Earth to the Moon 4. Blue Skies Smiling at Me: Why the Sky Is Blue 5. A Dash of Seasons: Why Summer Turns to Fall 6. Phase the Nation: The Moon's Changing Face 7. The Gravity of the Situation: The Moon and the Tides 8. The Moon Hits Your Eye Like a Big Pizza Pie: The Big Moon Illusion PART III: Skies at Night Are Big and Bright 9. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star: Why Stars Appear to Twinkle 10. Star Light, Star White: Stars of Many Colors 11. Well, Well: The Difficulty of Daylight Star Sighting 12. The Brightest Star: Polaris-Just Another Face in the Crowd 13. Shadows in the Sky: Eclipses and Sun-Watching 14. The Disaster that Wasn't: The Great Planetary Alignment of 2000 15. Meteors, Meteoroids, and Meteorites, Oh My!: The Impact of Meteors and Asteroids 16. When the Universe Throws You a Curve: Misunderstanding the Beginning of It All PART IV: Artificial Intelligence 17. Appalled at Apollo: Uncovering the Moon-Landing Hoax 18. Worlds in Derision: Velikovsky vs. Modern Science 19. In the Beginning: Creationism and Astronomy 20. Misidentified Flying Objects: UFOs and Illusions of the Mind and Eye 21. Mars Is in the Seventh House, But Venus Has Left the Building: Why Astrology Doesn't Work PARTV: Beam Me Up 22. Hubble Trouble: Hubble Space Telescope Misconceptions 23. Star Hustlers: Star Naming for Dummies 24. Bad Astronomy Goes Hollywood: The Top-Ten Examples of Bad Astronomy in Major Motion Pictures Recommended Reading. Acknowledgments Index