93 Books Like The Sky Is for Everyone

I found this book compelling because Noon and De Napoli, both Indigenous astronomers, combine their Western scientific knowledge with First Nations cultural knowledge. I was particularly moved by reading about their different but connected personal journeys. Despite prejudice and disadvantage, each was determined to pursue tertiary education and careers in Western astronomy and maintain and communicate the sky knowledge systems of Aboriginal communities.  They unite in presenting astronomy as land and sky together in one cosmology. 

I liked this book because it felt very personal. The occasional, justified critique of Australian society and historical events makes it authentic. I often paused to absorb and reflect. This is part of a six-book series called First Knowledges, and I plan to read the other five.

I loved the way this book brings together historical eclipses, art, mythology, theory, mathematics, religious beliefs, science, and personal reflections on solar eclipses. In particular, I enjoyed learning a bit more about well-known historic eclipse events and technologies. Still, there were some surprises, such as rituals performed by the kings of Assyria after an eclipse. 

I enjoyed looking carefully at the spectacular artworks and photographs of eclipses throughout this book. The chapters on animal behavior and the impact of eclipses on weather completed the way this book reflects my immersive experience of total solar eclipses. Finally, I was touched by the emotional aspect of this book, which included the personal reflections of contemporary eclipse chaser Mike Frost. This was the last work of contributor and well-known eclipse scientist Jay Pasachoff and co-author Tom McLeish, who sadly passed away before publication and I felt fortunate to have their words on paper… show more.

I was fortunate to view two Venus transits, and this book made me realize how certain astronomical events have had enormous social impacts. There are many such examples of adventure, elation, and disappointment in this book, but the one that I found most fascinating is the 1769 transit of Venus, which was the main reason for the British voyage to the Southern Hemisphere. This historical event had major repercussions for Australian Indigenous people due to British colonisation. 

I particularly enjoyed referring to the many colorful images and maps as I read. The stunning painting of Fort Venus, set up for Lieutenant James Cook and astronomer Charles Green’s observations, led me to recently visit the same site, now called ‘Point Venus’, in Tahiti.

This book makes me feel like I am discovering the clues that will lead to solving some of the big questions of our existence. Fred Watson is very good at explaining mind-blowing cosmic science, and I enjoyed his wit and sense of humor. 

This book is about the resilience of our planet Earth. It discusses the science behind cosmic phenomena and explains new technology and applied physics. It made me feel that all may not be lost due to our environmental destruction. My favorite section is about the research contributions made around the globe by citizen scientists and amateur astronomers and the challenges posed by the advent of space tourism.

I live in the world of words. This book plunged me delightfully into the world of images—photographs of distant galaxies and of artworks inspired by those photographs. The subject of the book is the pioneering astronomer Henrietta Leavitt, whose patient, painstaking scrutiny of astronomical photographs at Harvard 100 years ago led her to discover the patterns in the behavior of Cepheid variable stars that opened the doors to the mapping of the universe.

The author of the book is Anna Von Mertens, a visual artist working with charcoal and textiles who juxtaposes the story of Leavitt’s breakthrough, the work of other women like Leavitt at the Harvard College Observatory, the images that provided the foundation for Leavitt’s thinking, and Von Mertens’ own inspired riffs on those images.

I enjoyed the arc of Elkins-Tanton’s life because it wasn’t all spent in science. She showed how her few years in business and teaching math at a college after her MSc gave her skills helpful for doing her PhD.

I particularly liked the insights she provided into being a woman in an executive position and the ways in which she had to learn to serve her research community. It is rare for a woman to reach these administrative levels, so it’s highly valuable to get the inside scoop about it.

I was also struck by her innovative techniques in teaching and research in planetary science—we have much to learn from her approach. 

My astronomer kid self adored this book. My adult self was astonished by this accomplished work of nonfiction. Dual narratives take the stage on each page. First, the star that is trying so hard to be born, and second, the girl Cecilia Payne who tries so hard to understand the natural world. As the star goes through various phases, so does Cecilia, who longs to make scientific discoveries. Brilliantly told, the stories of the star and Cecilia parallel each other. I found myself going back and forth between them, marveling at inset pencil and walnut ink illustrations that never overpowered the text.

As a girl, I, too, loved natural science and wished this book had been published in my day. I might have been prepared to carve my way into a man’s world, as Cecilia did. Back matter fills in how stars are born—Cecilia’s discovery—plus a timeline of her amazing… show more.

Thinking about this book, I’m reminded of the quote “Well-behaved women seldom make history,” a phrase originally coined by historian Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, and which is often interpreted to mean that women ought to rebel in order to be remembered – although Ulrich’s original intent was actually to encourage us to appreciate the quiet impact that billions of ordinary women have made upon history.

In The Stargazer’s Sister, Caroline Herschel, the often-ignored sister of famous astronomer William Herschel, is a shy and soft-spoken soul, who starts out assisting with her brother’s work and ends up becoming an accomplished astronomer in her own right.

A beautiful and atmospheric read, this book is a great reminder that women’s contributions to science throughout history often consisted of unglamorous, behind-the-scenes work – but that doesn’t mean that they should be credited any less for their skill and ingenuity! 

The stars have captivated hunter-gatherers, artists and astrologers, sages and scientists, romantics, and civilizations since the beginning of human time. 

In this book we encounter the twenty-one brightest stars visible from earth and dig into their remarkable secrets. Did you know some giant stars spin so fast they flatten out like eggs? There are stars that pulse back and forth like beating hearts? And some stars are cosmic interlopers passing through our Milky Way galaxy on their way back into the void of forever space. This is my go-to book when I want to refresh my imagination with wondrous facts about the stars blazing overhead. It should be within handy reach of every star-struck observer, camper, or poet.

This is a magnificent history of astronomy and cosmology in all cultures (not just Western).

It is illustrated beautifully and presents technical information in a manner understandable to people unfamiliar with details of astronomy. I liked this because it discussed authoritatively virtually every aspect of its subject matter within the histories of multiple cultures.