What happens to space and matter near a black hole? Where did the moon come from? How do we know what stars are made of? Are we alone in the universe? In Exploding Stars and Invisible Planets, Fred Watson, an award-winning astronomer, presents the most up-to-date knowledge on hot topics in astronomy and space science, providing a fascinating and entertaining account of the latest research. Watson explains how to find invisible planets around other stars, why dark matter matters, and the future of citizen space travel, all while recounting the seismic shifts in understanding that have taken place during his illustrious career. The book features illuminating discussions of microbes in space; the dividing line between day and night; exploding stars and light echoes; fast radio bursts and signals from space; meteors, meteorites, and space dust; what happened to the Martian ocean; the seas and lakes of Titan; and the birth of the universe.

Exploding Stars and Invisible Planets: The Science of What's Out There

Science & Math

Watson, Fred

Astronomy & Space Science

Columbia University Press

Stargazer: The Life and Times of the Telescope

The telescope is undoubtedly one of the world's most far-reaching inventions. For the past four centuries the telescope has stood at the forefront of human discovery. From its humble beginnings in seventeenth-century Holland, when a simple spectacle-maker first presented his invention to his country's military leaders, to today's colossal structures housed in space-age cathedrals, the telescope has unlocked nature's secrets. And in the past decade, the Hubble Space Telescope has brought us to the very edges of the universe, and the very beginning of time. How did the telescope —a potent mix of art, science, and engineering—reach its present level of sophistication?The history of the telescope is a rich story of human ingenuity and perseverance involving some of the most colorful figures of the scientific world —Galileo, Johann Kepler, Isaac Newton, William Herschel, George Ellery Hale, and Edwin Hubble. Stargazer brings to life the story of these brilliant, and sometime quirky, scientists as they turned their eyes and ideas beyond what anyone thought possible.Professor Fred Watson, one of Australia's top astronomers, writes clearly and skillfully, without technical jargon but with a dash of humor, explaining the science and technology behind the telescope, and the enormous impact that it has had for four hundred years on how we have come to understand our universe.

Da Capo Press

The history of the telescope is a rich story of human ingenuity and perseverance involving some of the most colorful figures of the scientific world- Galileo, Johann Kepler, Isaac Newton, William Herschel, George Ellery Hale, and Edwin Hubble.Stargazer brings to life these brilliant, if sometimes quirky, scientists as they turned their eyes and ideas to the stars. Written by one of Australia's top astronomers, Stargazer reveals lucidly, and without technical jargon (but with a dash of humor), the history, science, and technology behind the telescope, and the enormous impact that it has had for four hundred years on how we have come to understand our universe.

History

World

An anecdotal history of the development of the optical telescope and the people involved, culminating in the author's predictions for future developments.

Allen& Unwin

Cosmic Chronicles

NewSouth Publishing

Age range 10+. Why do stars twinkle? What’s the best way to start spotting constellations and comets? Is there life beyond Earth? What’s the chance of a catastrophic collision with a killer asteroid? He’s covered the big space questions for adults, now Australia’s very own Astronomer-at-Large, Fred Watson, embarks on a grand tour of the Universe especially for children. From stargazing to telescopes, space travel to black holes, killer comets to aliens, Fred covers every question kids might ask about space—and then some. With incredible illustrations by Fred himself and a mix of mind-boggling facts, Spacewarp is a fascinating book that kids will love—and parents and friends will undoubtedly learn a thing or two as well!

Spacewarp: Colliding Comets and Other Cosmic Catastrophes

Children's Books

Science, Nature & How It Works

NewSouth

Everything the amateur astronomer needs to know about the history of the universe, from the transit of Venus to the Higgs boson, from ancient Peruvian observatories to the world's largest particle accelerator
Many people outside the science world harbor the romantic notion that astronomers spend every night with their eyes clapped to giant telescopes, looking for things. The most frequent question astronomer Fred Watson is asked by members of the public is Have you found anything—recently? Sadly, the answer is usually no. That's because finding new things is only a small part of what astronomers do, compared with investigating things they already know about. People sense that in this, the biggest of big sciences, there might be answers to some of the most profound questions that can be asked: questions about the nature of space and time, about our ultimate origins, the meaning of life, and perhaps even spirituality. Nevertheless, astronomy does provide a broader framework than most sciences for deliberations about issues big and small. And in Fred Watson we have the most witty, funny, and knowledgeable companion to take us on this ride through space, ruminating on Pluto's demotion from planetary status, Peru's ancient sky watchers, sustainable space science, microbes, the sheer pleasure of an eternal quest for knowledge, and maybe, just maybe, the meaning of life.

Star-Craving Mad: Tales from a Travelling Astronomer

Why is Uranus Upside Down?: And Other Questions About the Universe

Summersdale

The stars and planets have been a source of fascination since the dawn of time. Throughout the centuries, numerous observers have uncovered increasingly detailed information about the universe, and the quest to discover more about our Solar System and the worlds beyond continues. Astronomica combines the knowledge of astronomy experts with the very latest images to present an in-depth look at the universe and the celestial bodies that abound in the intriguing realm of the night sky.

Astronomica

Millennium House

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Watson, Fred. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Watson, Fred

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Watson, Fred. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Exploding Stars and Invisible Planets: The Science of What's Out There

Stargazer: The Life and Times of the Telescope

Stargazer: The Life and Times of the Telescope

Stargazer: The Life and Times of the Telescope

Cosmic Chronicles

Spacewarp: Colliding Comets and Other Cosmic Catastrophes

Star-Craving Mad: Tales from a Travelling Astronomer

Why is Uranus Upside Down?: And Other Questions About the Universe

Stargazer: The Life and Times of the Telescope

Astronomica