Weird Astronomy - (Astronomers' Universe) by David A J Seargent (Paperback)

About the Book

A book that will appeal to all who are interested in unusual celestial occurences, this volume details a variety of odd astronomical observations and includes a number of amusing anecdotes that demonstrate the significance of these "weird" phenomena.

Book Synopsis

Weird Astronomy appeals to all who are interested in unusual celestial phenomena, whether they be amateur or professional astronomers or science buffs who just enjoy reading of odd coincidences, unexplained observations, and reports from space probes that "don't quite fit." This book relates a variety of "unusual" astronomical observations - unusual in the sense of refusing to fit easily into accepted thinking, or unusual in the observation having been made under difficult or extreme circumstances. Although some of the topics covered are instances of "bad astronomy," most are not. Some of the observations recorded here have actually turned out to be important scientific breakthroughs. Included are some amusing anecdotes (such as the incident involving "potassium flares" in ordinary stars and the story of Abba 1, the solar system's own flare star!), but the book's purpose is not to ridicule those who report anomalous observations, nor is it to challenge scientific orthodoxy. It is more to demonstrate how what's "weird" often turns out to be far more significant than observations of what we expect to see.

From the Back Cover

You go out for a night's observing and look up at the sky. There are all the usual suspects--a splattering of stars, the Moon, Venus, maybe Mercury and Mars. Perhaps you can identify some of the constellations. If you are using binoculars or a small telescope, you can see many wonders not revealed to the naked eye but still well known to telescope users for centuries. But what if you look up and see something completely new, something unexplainable. Do your eyes deceive you? Are you really seeing what you think you are seeing? What should you do? In this fascinating account of the many oddball things people - from novice astronomers to certified experts - have observed over the years, you will be introduced to a number of unusual - and sometimes still unexplainable - phenomena occurring in our usually familiar and reassuring skies. What exactly did they see? What discoveries followed these unusual sightings? What remains unexplained? In addition to the accounts, you will find scattered throughout the book a number of suggested astronomy projects that you can do yourself. The projects range from very basic to a bit more challenging, but all are fun and all are very instructive about unusual sightings. Be sure to try them!

Review Quotes

From the reviews:

"It's one of the most evocative, incisive and fascinating books I've read on astronomy. ... Seargent's clear, intelligent and insightful prose considers and summarises all sides of any debate. ... Essentially, he supplies you with the information, then allows you to decide. ... Seargent also offers UFO researchers a feast for thought. ... Seargent suggests that astronomers might find 'very interesting phenomena ... . The book is a masterclass in popular science writing ... ." (Mark Greener, Fortean Times, April, 2011)

"Thank you Goodreads First Reads for this free book. This is a great book. Full of interesting and unusual events. A must read for any astronomy hobbyists." (Landy, Goodreads, June, 2011)

"WOW!!! this book was really amazing!!! i mean im not that into space as many people but this book was really interesting and it got me to think. ... I had no idea of how many theories regarding space there were!!! i was amazed by how many pictures and data that has come from space that id never even knew existed!!!" (Magdalena, Goodreads, June, 2011)

"This is a much lighter, much more entertaining read ... . One of the best things about the book is that it is littered with lots of suggestions for experiments and observations the reader can do themselves, to gain a better understanding of how the night sky works ... . All in all a very enjoyable read, written in a friendly, informal style. Definitely a book to have within easy reach for those nights when the clouds refuse to part." (Cumbrian Sky, May, 2011)

"Any book which looks at the lighter side of astronomy is always welcome and this is both entertaining and engaging." (Spaceflight, Vol. 54 (1), January, 2012)

About the Author

David A.J. Seargent holds an MA and PhD, both in Philosophy, from the University of Newcastle NSW, where he formerly worked as a tutor in Philosophy for the Department of Community Programmes/Workers' Educational Association external education programme. He is also a keen amateur astronomer, and is known for his observations of comets, one of which he discovered in 1978. Together with his wife Meg, David lives at The Entrance, north of Sydney on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia. He is the author of two astronomy books: Comets: Vagabonds of Space (Doubleday, 1982), and The Greatest Comets in History: Broom Stars & Celestial Scimitars (Springer, 2008). Currently he is the author of a regular column in Australian Sky & Telescope magazine.