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Astronomy 101

If you've ever wonder about the cosmos, our place within it and how we are planning to explore it, than you'd be doing yourself a service to browse the topics presented here.

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Stephen Hawking

Stephen W. Hawking is the foremost theoretical physicist of his generation. In spite of being disabled by Motor Neurone Disease, he is highly active in physics, writing, and public life. His two major books available on audio, A Brief History of Time and The Universe in a Nutshell are now classic best-sellers.

Titles on this Topic

Astronomy 161 - Introduction to Solar System Astronomy Podcast
by Richard Pogge

Audio recordings of the lectures for Prof. Richard Pogge's Autumn Quarter 2006 Astronomy 161 class at The Ohio State University.

Astronomy I: Earth, Sky and Planets
by James Kaler

The Earth, the sun and moon, the planets, comets, asteroids and meteorsâ€”the solar system is all around us, yet how much do we truly know about it?

Astronomy II: Stars, Galaxies, and the Universe
by James Kaler

Over the past century, our vision has taken us far beyond the home Galaxy into the vastness of the Universe, where we find we are hardly alone.

Astronomy: The Heavenly Challenge
by Jack Arnold

As optics improved, man began to see the solar system. Tycho Brahe in Denmark, Nicolaus Copernicus of Poland, Johannes Kepler of Germany, and Italy's Galileo all began to see a new relationship between the world and the stars

The Black Hole War
by Leonard Susskind

The inside account of the battle among Stephen Hawking, Leonard Susskind, and Gerardt Hooft over the true nature of black holeswith nothing less than our understanding of the entire universe at stake

A Brief History of Time
by Stephen Hawking

This landmark book is for those of us who prefer words to equations; this is the story of the ultimate...

A Briefer History of Time
by Stephen Hawking

This is the origin of and the reason for A Briefer History of Time: its authorâ€™s wish to make its content more accessible to readers â€“as well as to bring it up-to-date with the latest scientific observations and findings.

Cosmology: The History and Nature of Our Universe
by Mark Whittle

Cosmology: The History and Nature of Our Universe introduces you to the biggest story of all in 36 half-hour lectures that cover the origin, evolution, composition, and probable fate of our universe.

Earth and the Universe
by James Kaler

In this lecture Professor James Kaler puts Earth in perspective within the solar system, the galaxy, and the whole universe.

The Fabric of the Cosmos
by Brian Greene

Space and time form the very fabric of the cosmos. Yet they remain among the most mysterious of concepts.

The Grand Design
by Stephen Hawking

A succinct, startling, and lavishly illustrated guide to discoveries that are altering our understanding and threatening some of our most cherished belief systems, The Grand Design is a book that will informâ€”and provokeâ€”like no other.

Heavens Above: Stars, Constellations, and the Sky
by James Kaler

Have you ever gone outside at night to admire the stars? And wonder what they all are, and what stories they have to tell? Have you ever thought you'd like to know and understand the constellations or know the names of the stars?

Life Beyond Earth
by Timothy Ferris

The story of man's search for life elsewhere in the universe...

Origins of the Universe
by Jack Arnold

The story of the cosmos, its beginning and its changes through time, has been a topic of much speculation and myth. It also has attracted intense attention from scientists.

The Planets
by Dava Sobel

With her blockbuster New York Times best sellers Longitude and Galileo's Daughter, Dava Sobel used her rare and luminous gift for weaving difficult scientific concepts into a compelling story to garner rave reviews and attract readers from across the literary spectrum.

Rocket Boys
by Homer Hickam

In this uniquely American memoir, Homer Sonny Hickam beautifully captures a moment when a dying town, a divided family, and a band of teenage dreamers...

A Short History of Nearly Everything
by Bill Bryson

In A Short History of Nearly Everything, Bill Bryson takes his ultimate journey...

Stephen Hawking Asks Big Questions About the Universe
by Stephen Hawking

In keeping with the theme of TED2008, professor Stephen Hawking asks some Big Questions about our universe -- How did the universe begin? How did life begin? Are we alone? -- and discusses how we might go about answering them.

What is a Star?
by James Kaler

Professor James Kaler shares his genuine awe and lifelong fascination with the stars in this opening lecture. He describes what a star and provides info about our closest star, the Sun.

When Is a Planet Not a Planet?: The Story of Pluto
by Elaine Scott

Q: When is a planet not a planet? Scientists have argued for years over the answer to this question. And central to their debate has been Pluto, the tiny orb circling the Sun at the outermost reaches of our solar system.

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Astronomy 101

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