Bad Astronomy

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View books by Philip C. Plait.

Moon Landing Hoax - Rated
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. - Rated
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 ! - Rated
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.

This Astronomer is Bad! - Rated
Phil Plait is an astronomer who got fed up with the misconceptions surrounding his subject, and he has set out to rectify the situation. He has succeeded.
It's all here - tides, planets, astrology the whole lot.
Ever wondered why it's easier to balance an egg on the first day of spring? Look no further.
Highly recommended!

Good Astronomy! - Rated
This book is a must if you have had enough of old wives tales about why the sky is blue and how the moon affects the tides. Plait explains many many astronomical misconceptions in a very intelligent yet entertaining way. Here is a wonderful way to teach your kids (and yourself) why summer turns to autumn, why stars twinkle and why the world did not end during the Great Planetary Alignment of 2000. This book also examines the moon landing hoax, which I found highly amusing.

Even if you are not into astronomy, this book is one that will make you laugh at some of the tall tales you were told in your youth regarding the planets, the moon and the stars. The added bonus is these fun facts are written by an intelligent 'astronomer, teacher, lecturer and all-around science junkie' who works in the physics and astronomy department at Sonoma State University. I think it's safe to say that this man knows his stuff!