Over 4,100 technical terms from astronomy and related fields are explained in keyword form across 256 pages. Where pictures say more than words, there are 84 illustrations. Those who want to delve deeper can do so with the help of 201 formulas. Otherwise, many figures are presented, although it was necessary to limit these to those that are really frequently asked about. The book is not intended to be a tabular collection of figures, but merely to outline terms in a few words.
Further reading is recommended for a deeper understanding. This paperback is intended to be a constant companion for on the go, at lectures and seminars, when reading specialist articles and watching TV programmes with astronomical content. For this reason, it has been produced as a modern, elegant and thread-bound flexcover.
From the foreword:
"To mention it right away, this book is not an introduction to astronomy, nor is it a compendium or reference work. It is rather a technical dictionary that lists a large number of terms that may occur in connection with astronomical or astrophysical literature. This includes non-fiction books for budding stargazers as well as specialist literature for students.
But articles in specialist journals and lectures are also often peppered with technical terms that you cannot identify at the moment you hear them and leave you wondering: What was that again, how did that work?
Whenever you want to look up a technical term and don't want to search through thick tomes, this pocket book will help. In alphabetical order, well over 4,100 terms relating to astronomy and astrophysics are explained briefly and concisely.
Unlike similar literature, this book does not include explanatory photos, tables or detailed descriptions. Over 80 terms are illustrated with drawings. Around 200 formulas help readers who want to quickly calculate something. The author assumes basic knowledge of the subject matter and only wants to provide a reminder. To compensate, the book does not limit itself to a few hundred terms, but offers several thousand. For this reason, even beginners and laymen will find plenty of inspiration.
The author Dr. Erik Wischnewski was born in Hamburg in 1952. He studied physics, mathematics and astronomy at Hamburg University and obtained his doctorate in Graz. Today he works as a freelancer. Erik Wischnewski has been practising astronomy at a high level for decades. He has also made a name for himself in the field of knowledge transfer. The minor planet 227770 Wischnewski was named in his honour.
