Can anyone recommend any good astronomy/astrophysics books?

Basically does everyone agree we hate circuits!!! :smile:

Reply 21

Original post by Anon2.5

Basically does everyone agree we hate circuits!!! :smile:

No I like circuits. I loved the electricity stuff and everything actually. Don't hate anything in physics, but mechanics is a bit of a pain - interesting though.

Reply 22

What's the hardest thing about physics a level?

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Reply 23

Original post by Anon2.5

What's the hardest thing about physics a level?

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Mechanics is quite hard. Explaining the maths can be difficult. Other than that I'd say electric fields and things are quite complex. I loved light but it was difficult to get your head around at first - it's like the first lesson on light - and you get told 'Light is not always a wave' and you're like whaaaaaat?

Reply 24

danny111

Original post by boumavilla

I'm going to take Astrophysics at uni, so I know how your passion feels. :yep:

How big is your telescope's aperture? Mine is 6 inch. :sexface:

Subscribe to my youtube channel and watch my existing videos! :h:

http://www.youtube.com/user/astrolekker
I plan to make many more during the summer. :woo:

Hey cool channel!

Reply 25

Original post by Anon2.5

Yeah same! I'm just about to start it in September, as I've just finished my GCSEs. When the teacher was telling us the course content I though oh wow I am going to find this so hard! But I need the subject if I want to go on and do astrophysics at university!

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You're right up my street. :sexface:

I've just finished the first year of A-levels, it was a HARD year, and if you're like me, you won't like Maths A-level one bit. :sigh:

I used to be epic at Maths but A-level means you actually have to work hard. Take my advice and START EARLY!!

Where are you thinking of going for university to study Astro? :sexface:

I'm looking at Cariff, Exeter, Bristol and Aberystwyth. :yep:

Reply 26

eclectic_

Would highly recommend A Universe From Nothing by Lawrence Krauss. Has my favourite quote about science ever in it:

"Every atom in your body came from a star that exploded. And, the atoms in your left hand probably came from a different star than your right hand. It really is the most poetic thing I know about physics: You are all stardust. You couldn’t be here if stars hadn’t exploded, because the elements - the carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, iron, all the things that matter for evolution and for life - weren’t created at the beginning of time. They were created in the nuclear furnaces of stars, and the only way for them to get into your body is if those stars were kind enough to explode. So, forget Jesus. The stars died so that you could be here today."

If you want a nice starter guide to astrophysics (including the maths involved) outside of your A-level studies (I don't think they have that module?) try looking at IB resources for the astrophysics option (option E, and lots of resources are on the internet and free to use). I did the option and it's really very interesting. I think it's the most popular topic in IB Physics.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 27

Original post by eclectic_

"Every atom in your body came from a star that exploded. And, the atoms in your left hand probably came from a different star than your right hand. It really is the most poetic thing I know about physics: You are all stardust. You couldn’t be here if stars hadn’t exploded, because the elements - the carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, iron, all the things that matter for evolution and for life - weren’t created at the beginning of time. They were created in the nuclear furnaces of stars, and the only way for them to get into your body is if those stars were kind enough to explode. So, forget Jesus. The stars died so that you could be here today."

Beautiful and i love thinking about things like that :smile:

Reply 28

Original post by danny111

Hey cool channel!

Thanks bro! :h:

Reply 29

Fat-Love

My recommendation? At least read that entire list that you have already before getting more books :P

Reply 30

noobynoo

"A Brief History of Time" is quite good. Except the bit where he goes on about "imaginary time".

Reply 31

Original post by boumavilla

You're right up my street. :sexface:

I've just finished the first year of A-levels, it was a HARD year, and if you're like me, you won't like Maths A-level one bit. :sigh:

I used to be epic at Maths but A-level means you actually have to work hard. Take my advice and START EARLY!!

Where are you thinking of going for university to study Astro? :sexface:

I'm looking at Cariff, Exeter, Bristol and Aberystwyth. :yep:

Oh great -.- Yeah I thought I was good at maths (a* fingers crossed)! But now I'm not so sure everyone says a level is so hard!! I was thinking Exeter or Manchester but not really sure yet :smile:

Reply 32

Original post by noobynoo

"A Brief History of Time" is quite good. Except the bit where he goes on about "imaginary time".

Ordered that one yesterday on amazon!

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Reply 33

Original post by Fat-Love

My recommendation? At least read that entire list that you have already before getting more books :P

I've almost finished wonders of the life and then that's all of them!
But I've recently ordered:
A breif history of time - Stephen hawking
The grand design - Stephen hawking
Cosmos - Carl sagen
So some summer reads!

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Reply 34

Original post by Anon2.5

I bought wonders of life ages ago and still only read one chapter.

Reply 35

Original post by Tilly Seargeant

I bought wonders of life ages ago and still only read one chapter.

It's not as good as wonders of the universe and wonders of the solar system in my opinion :smile:

Reply 36

Original post by Anon2.5

It's not as good as wonders of the universe and wonders of the solar system in my opinion :smile:

I do think those are better. I have never read them all the way through, but I read sections now and again. It's much more interesting. The thing that let wonders of life down is there's too much unnecessary words - it goes on a bit.

Reply 37

Original post by Anon2.5

Oh great -.- Yeah I thought I was good at maths (a* fingers crossed)! But now I'm not so sure everyone says a level is so hard!! I was thinking Exeter or Manchester but not really sure yet :smile:

I'm not putting you off though hopefully. :mmm:

It is very much a marathon not a sprint. :sadnod:

Exeter is nice. :smile:

Cardiff offers Astrophysics as a separate subject though instead of Physics with Astrophysics. Cardiff is very suited to this area of Physics, their research is very impressive too. :yep:

Reply 38

Original post by boumavilla

I'm not putting you off though hopefully. :mmm:

It is very much a marathon not a sprint. :sadnod:

Exeter is nice. :smile:

Cardiff offers Astrophysics as a separate subject though instead of Physics with Astrophysics. Cardiff is very suited to this area of Physics, their research is very impressive too. :yep:

Nope I love it too much to be put off haha! Ooo that sounds nice then you don't have to do that difficult parts of physics. What careers are there in astrophysics? Because my plan was to become a professor so be a researcher and then a lecturer but I know that's not exactly a wide field!

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Reply 39