Product Description

Advance praise for Philip Plait s Bad Astronomy

"Bad Astronomy is just plain good! Philip Plait clears up every misconception on astronomy and space you never knew you suffered from." ––Stephen Maran, Author of Astronomy for Dummies and editor of The Astronomy and Astrophysics Encyclopedia

"Thank the cosmos for the bundle of star stuff named Philip Plait, who is the world s leading consumer advocate for quality science in space and on Earth. This important contribution to science will rest firmly on my reference library shelf, ready for easy access the next time an astrologer calls." ––Dr. Michael Shermer, Publisher of Skeptic magazine, monthly columnist for Scientific American, and author of The Borderlands of Science

"Philip Plait has given us a readable, erudite, informative, useful, and entertaining book. Bad Astronomy is Good Science. Very good science..." ––James "The Amazing" Randi, President, James Randi Educational Foundation, and author of An Encyclopedia of Claims, Frauds, and Hoaxes of the Occult and Supernatural

"Bad Astronomy is a fun read. Plait is wonderfully witty and educational as he debunks the myths, legends, and ′conspiracies that abound in our society. ′The Truth Is Out There′ and it′s in this book. I loved it!" ––Mike Mullane, Space Shuttle astronaut and author of Do Your Ears Pop in Space?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5958 in Books
• Published on: 2002-03-14
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

Review
Inspired by his popular web site, www. badastronomy.com, this first book by Plait (astronomy, Sonoma State Univ.) debunks popular myths and misconceptions relating to astronomy and promotes science as a means of explaining our mysterious heavens. The work describes 24 common astronomical fallacies, including the beliefs that the Coriolis effect determines the direction that water drains in a bathtub and that planetary alignments can cause disaster on Earth. The author sharply and convincingly dismisses astrology, creationism, and UFO sightings and explains the principles behind basic general concepts (the Big Bang, why the sky is blue, etc.). Though some may find him strident, Plait succeeds brilliantly because his clear and understandable explanations are convincing and honest. This first volume in Wiley′s "Bad Science" series is recommended for all libraries, especially astronomy and folklore collections. Jeffrey Beall, Univ. of Colorado Lib., Denver (Library Journal, March 15, 2002)

"...everything′s beautifully explained. He gives the neatest explanation of tides I′ve ever seen...for that alone, this book should be in every school library on the planet." (New Scientist, 4 May 2002)

"...the book might be a better student introduction than many more sober tomes..." (Times Higher Education Supplement, 7 June 2002)

"Bad Astronomy is a book which is both timely and welcome. I would recommend it without hesitation, and I have no doubt that it will be widely read..." (The Observatory, October 2002)

For skeptics, always fans of science: The first two books in a series devoted to "bad science," Bad Astronomy by Philip Plait and Bad Medicine (Wiley, $15.95) by Christopher Wanjek, may warm even a Scrooge′s heart. In short chapters, Plait tackles misperceptions about why the moon looks larger on the horizon and why stars twinkle before moving on, dismantling conspiracy kooks who doubt the moon landing and offering a top 10 list of bad science moments in movie history. Wanjek, a science writer who has also written jokes for The Tonight Show and Saturday Night Live, takes an edgy and funny tack in debunking myths such as humans using only 10% of their brains, the utility of "anti–bacterial" toys and the safety of "natural" herbal remedies, ones often loaded with powerful chemicals. (USA TODAY, December 3, 2002)

"...a good read...Plait′s book is readable, entertaining, not exclusively for astronomers, and often very funny..." (Astronomy & Space, June 2003)

"...a great book to dip into..." (Popular Astronomy, January 2004)

Review
"The author sharply and convincingly dismisses astrology, creationism, and UFO sightings.... Plait succeeds brilliantly because his clear and understandable explanations are convincing and honest." (Library Journal, March 15, 2002)

"...everything′s beautifully explained. He gives the neatest explanation of tides I′ve ever seen...for that alone, this book should be in every school library on the planet." (New Scientist, 4 May 2002)

"...the book might be a better student introduction than many more sober tomes..." (Times Higher Education Supplement, 7 June 2002)

"Bad Astronomy is a book which is both timely and welcome. I would recommend it without hesitation, and I have no doubt that it will be widely read..." (The Observatory, October 2002)

"...a good read...Plait′s book is readable, entertaining, not exclusively for astronomers, and often very funny..." (Astronomy & Space, June 2003)

"...a great book to dip into..." (Popular Astronomy, January 2004)

James "The Amazing" Randi, President, James Randi Educational Foundation, and author of An Encyclopedia of Claims, Frauds, and Hoaxes of the Occult and Supernatural
"Philip Plait has given us a readable, erudite, informative, useful, and entertaining book. Bad Astronomy is Good Science. Very good science . . ."

Customer Reviews

Moon Landing Hoax
I bought this book, based on the good reviews. The main interest for me would be the "Moon Landing Hoax", as a photographer I was eager to read arguments that the Apollo photographs were taken on the moon.
On page 171 the author reprints an Apollo photograph in which the shadows
are not parallel. He goes on to explain that as with train lines or railroad tracks they appear to converge on the horizon.
This is the effect of perspective, quite correct, however the shadows in the picture go from left to right and if these were train lines they would not converge. The other fact he does not comment on is that there have not been any further landings on the moon in the last FORTY YEARS.
With the advancement in technology the last forty years have given us
I would expect a McDonalds up there by now.
I paid £0.38p for the book a fair price!!

Kieran Jordon-Price, President of Absolutley Nothing, and Winner of Absolutley No Awards.
Im a complete layman in terms of science, but i wholeheartedly recommend buying this book. One of the best reads I've had in my lifetime. Well done Mr Plait!

Yes, it's good to be bad !
Misunderstanding the laws of nature will often bring misery to people, in terms of loosing money, faith or opportunity. For example, the guys that looks for some secret plot to fake the Lunar landing (Apollo 11) must miss a lot of the wonders of the planetary expeditions brings these years. For the hard-core believers of faked / bad astronomy, this book will bring nothing of interrest; they have already made up their minds.

For others, however, especially for young students of nature, this book is a "must-read". Old wives tales, like the water running clock-wise out of the sink in the Northen Hemisphere and anti-clock-wise on the Southern (or was it the other way around?) and several more similar yarns are dealt with in a serious but entertaining way. To say it short: The book is funny!

The book is of course an edited version of the now famous website where the author brings more and updated news. The book is dated, but it is a must for a teacher of physics / science for the schools.