Bad Astronomy

"Bad Astronomy: Misconceptions and Misuses Revealed, from Astrology to the Moon Landing "Hoax"" is a non-fiction book by the American astronomer Phil Plait, also known as the Bad Astronomer. The book was released in 2002 and deals with various misunderstandings about space and astronomy, such as sounds being audible in space (a misconception because in space, sound has no medium in which to propagate). Many ideas relating to space that are mistaken but nevertheless often portrayed in popular movies are corrected and explained. He also dedicates much of the book to debunking the idea of a Moon Landing Hoax and explains why astrology should not be taken seriously. A part of the book describes the moon's tidal effects and explains the Coriolis effect, why the sky is blue, the Big Bang, etc.

Many of the topics discussed in the book and arguments are also to be found on Plait's personal page [http://www.badastronomy.com BadAstronomy.com] but are explained in greater depth in the book. The author states that the book is intended to debunk popular myths and also to describe science in an easily comprehensible way.

The book is the first volume in the series "Bad Science" from John Wiley & Sons, which includes the book "Bad Medicine (book)". As of January 2007, it is Plait's only book, however his newest book, "Death From the Skies" is due out in October 2008.

Reviews

* [http://www2.nsta.org/recommends/product.asp?id=13103 National Science Teachers Association's review]

External links

* [http://www.badastronomy.com BadAstronomy.com]
* [http://eu.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0471409766,subjectCd-PH00,descCd-reviews.html Wiley's entry on the book]