Bad Astronomy : Misconceptions and Misuses Revealed, from Astrology to the Moon Landing ""Hoax""

## From Publishers Weekly Plait, a science writer who works in the physics and astronomy department at Sonoma State University, is appalled that millions of Americans don't believe the moon landing really took place and do believe that Galileo went blind from looking at the sun, or that they can make an egg stand on end only on the vernal equinox. To set the record straight, he debunks these and many other astronomy-related urban legends in this knowledgeable, lighthearted volume. The early chapter "Idiom's Delight" sets the stage by clearing up the scientific inaccuracies in everyday expressions as in the phrase "light years ahead," for example, which is used to indicate timeliness or prescience when light years are actually a unit of distance. In later chapters, Plait explains meteors, eclipses, UFOs, and the big bang theory, revealing much about the basic principles of astronomy while clearing up fallacies. With avuncular humor, he points out the ways advertising and media reinforce bad science and pleads for more accuracy in Hollywood story lines and special effects. This book is the first in Wiley's Bad Science series on scientific misconceptions (future titles will focus on biology, weather and the earth). (Mar.)Forecast: If every entry in the series is as entertaining as Plait's, good science may have a fighting chance with the American public. Expect respectable sales, for the paperback format is nicely suited for armchair debunkers. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. ## From Library Journal 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 Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

"A glorious book . . . A spirited defense of science . . . From the first page to the last, this book is a manifesto for clear thought."

*Los Angeles Times



"POWERFUL . . . A stirring defense of informed rationality. . . Rich in surprising information and beautiful writing."

*The Washington Post Book World



How can we make intelligent decisions about our increasingly technology-driven lives if we don't understand the difference between the myths of pseudoscience and the testable hypotheses of science? Pulitzer Prize-winning author and distinguished astronomer Carl Sagan argues that scientific thinking is critical not only to the pursuit of truth but to the very well-being of our democratic institutions.



Casting a wide net through history and culture, Sagan examines and authoritatively debunks such celebrated fallacies of the past as witchcraft, faith healing, demons, and UFOs. And yet, disturbingly, in today's so-called information age, pseudoscience is burgeoning with stories of alien abduction, channeling past lives, and communal hallucinations commanding growing attention and respect. As Sagan demonstrates with lucid eloquence, the siren song of unreason is not just a cultural wrong turn but a dangerous plunge into darkness that threatens our most basic freedoms.



"COMPELLING."

*USA Today



"A clear vision of what good science means and why it makes a difference. . . . A testimonial to the power of science and a warning of the dangers of unrestrained credulity."

*The Sciences



"PASSIONATE."

*San Francisco Examiner-Chronicle

Publishers Weekly

Eminent Cornell astronomer and bestselling author Sagan debunks the paranormal and the unexplained in a study that will reassure hardcore skeptics but may leave others unsatisfied. To him, purported UFO encounters and alien abductions are products of gullibility, hallucination, misidentification, hoax and therapists' pressure; some alleged encounters, he suggests, may screen memories of sexual abuse. He labels as hoaxes the crop circles, complex pictograms that appear in southern England's wheat and barley fields, and he dismisses as a natural formation the Sphinx-like humanoid face incised on a mesa on Mars, first photographed by a Viking orbiter spacecraft in 1976 and considered by some scientists to be the engineered artifact of an alien civilization. In a passionate plea for scientific literacy, Sagan deftly debunks the myth of Atlantis, Filipino psychic surgeons and mediums such as J.Z. Knight, who claims to be in touch with a 35,000-year-old entity called Ramtha. He also brands as superstition ghosts, angels, fairies, demons, astrology, Bigfoot, the Loch Ness monster and religious apparitions. (Feb.)

Bad Astronomy -- CONTENTS -- Introduction -- PART I Bad Astronomy Begins at Home -- 1 The Yolk's on You: Egg Balancing and the Equinox -- 2 Flushed with Embarrassment: The Coriolis Effect and Your Bathroom -- 3 Idiom's Delight: Bad Astronomy in Everyday Language -- PART II From the Earth to the Moon -- 4 Blue Skies Smiling at Me: Why the Sky Is Blue -- 5 A Dash of Seasons: Why Summer Turns to Fall -- 6 Phase the Nation: The Moon's Changing Face -- 7 The Gravity of the Situation: The Moon and the Tides -- 8 The Moon Hits Your Eye Like a Big Pizza Pie: The Big Moon Illusion. PART III Skies at Night Are Big and Bright -- 9 Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star: Why Stars Appear to Twinkle -- 10 Star Light, Star White: Stars of Many Colors -- 11 Well, Well: The Difficulty of Daylight Star Sighting -- 12 The Brightest Star: Polaris-Just Another Face in the Crowd -- 13 Shadows in the Sky: Eclipses and Sun-Watching -- 14 The Disaster that Wasn't: The Great Planetary Alignment of 2000 -- 15 Meteors, Meteoroids, and Meteorites, Oh My!: The Impact of Meteors and Asteroids -- 16 When the Universe Throws You a Curve: Misunderstanding the Beginning of It All. PART IV Artificial Intelligence -- 17 Appalled at Apollo: Uncovering the Moon-Landing Hoax -- 18 Worlds in Derision: Velikovsky vs. Modern Science -- 19 In the Beginning: Creationism and Astronomy -- 20 Misidentified Flying Objects: UFOs and Illusions of the Mind and Eye -- 21 Mars Is in the Seventh House, But Venus Has Left the Building: Why Astrology Doesn't Work -- PART V Beam Me Up -- 22 Hubble Trouble: Hubble Space Telescope Misconceptions -- 23 Star Hustlers: Star Naming for Dummies -- 24 Bad Astronomy Goes Hollywood: The Top-Ten Examples of Bad Astronomy in Major Motion Pictures. Recommended Reading -- Acknowledgments -- Index. Part I : Bad astronomy begins at home : 1. The yolks on you : egg balancing and the Equinox -- 2. Flushed with embarrassment : the Coriolis Effect and your bathroom -- 3. Idiom's delight : bad astronomy in everyday language. Part II : From the earth to the moon : 4. Blue skies smiling at me : why the sky is blue -- 5. A dash of seasons : why summer turns to fall -- 6. Phase the nation : the moon's changing face -- 7. The gravity of the situation : the moon and the tides -- 8. The moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie : the big moon illusion -- Part III : Skies at night are big and bright : 9. Twinkle, twinkle, little star : why stars appear to twinkle -- 10. Star light, star white : stars of many colors -- 11. Well, well : the difficulty of daylight star sighting -- 12. The brightest star : Polaris, just another face in the crowd -- 13. Shadows in the sky : eclipses and sun-watching -- 14. The disaster that wasn't : the great planetary alignment of 2000 -- 15. Meteors, meteoroids, and meteorites, oh my! : the impact of meteors and asteroids -- 16. When the universe throws you a curve : misunderstanding the beginning of it all -- Part IV : Artificial intelligence : 17. Appalled at Apollo : uncovering the moon-landing hoax -- 18. Worlds in derision : Velikovsky vs. modern science --19. In the beginning : creationism and astronomy -- 20. Misidentified flying objects : UFOs and illusions of the mind and eye -- 21. Mars is in the seventh house, but Venus has left the building : why astrology doesn't work -- Part V : Beam me up : 22. Hubble trouble : Hubble Space Telescope misconceptions -- 23. Star hustlers : star naming for dummies -- 24. Bad astronomy goes Hollywood : the top-ten examples of bad astronomy in major motion pictures NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the renowned astronomer and author of Cosmos comes a “powerful [and] stirring defense of informed rationality” (The Washington Post Book World) in a world where fake news stories and Internet conspiracy theories play to a disaffected American populace.LOS ANGELES TIMES BOOK PRIZE WINNER • “Glorious... A spirited defense of science... From the first page to the last, this book is a manifesto for clear thought.”—Los Angeles Times How can we make intelligent decisions about our increasingly technology-driven lives if we don't understand the difference between the myths of pseudoscience, New Age thinking, and fundamentalist zealotry and the testable hypotheses of science? Casting a wide net through history and culture, Pulitzer Prize–winning author and distinguished astronomer Carl Sagan argues that scientific thinking is critical not only to the pursuit of truth but to the very well-being of our democratic institutions. He examines and authoritatively debunks such celebrated fallacies as witchcraft, faith healings, demons, and UFOs. And yet, disturbingly, in today's so-called information age, pseudoscience is burgeoning, with stories of alien abduction, “channeling” past lives, and communal hallucinations commanding growing attention and respect. As Sagan demonstrates with lucid eloquence, the siren song of unreason is not just a cultural wrong turn but a dangerous plunge into darkness that threatens our most basic freedoms.

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?

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?

A prescient warning of a future we now inhabit, where fake news stories and Internet conspiracy theories play to a disaffected American populace “A glorious book . . . A spirited defense of science . . . From the first page to the last, this book is a manifesto for clear thought.”—Los Angeles Times How can we make intelligent decisions about our increasingly technology-driven lives if we don’t understand the difference between the myths of pseudoscience and the testable hypotheses of science? Pulitzer Prize-winning author and distinguished astronomer Carl Sagan argues that scientific thinking is critical not only to the pursuit of truth but to the very well-being of our democratic institutions. Casting a wide net through history and culture, Sagan examines and authoritatively debunks such celebrated fallacies of the past as witchcraft, faith healing, demons, and UFOs. And yet, disturbingly, in today's so-called information age, pseudoscience is burgeoning with stories of alien abduction, channeling past lives, and communal hallucinations commanding growing attention and respect. As Sagan demonstrates with lucid eloquence, the siren song of unreason is not just a cultural wrong turn but a dangerous plunge into darkness that threatens our most basic freedoms. Bad Astronomy -- CONTENTS -- Introduction -- PART I Bad Astronomy Begins at Home -- 1 The Yolk's on You: Egg Balancing and the Equinox -- 2 Flushed with Embarrassment: The Coriolis Effect and Your Bathroom -- 3 Idiom's Delight: Bad Astronomy in Everyday Language -- PART II From the Earth to the Moon -- 4 Blue Skies Smiling at Me: Why the Sky Is Blue -- 5 A Dash of Seasons: Why Summer Turns to Fall -- 6 Phase the Nation: The Moon's Changing Face -- 7 The Gravity of the Situation: The Moon and the Tides -- 8 The Moon Hits Your Eye Like a Big Pizza Pie: The Big Moon Illusion.;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. Den amerikanske astronomen Edwin Powell Hubble var i sin tid i besittelse av verdens største teleskop og klarte i 1924 å måle avstanden til en spektakulær spiralformet samling stjerner? Andromedagalaksen, en stor galakse langt utenfor vår egen galakse? Melkeveien. Senere påviste Hubble at galaksenes avstand henger sammen med deres bevegelseshastighet på den måten at jo lenger vekk en galakse befinner seg, jo høyere hastighet har den? og galaksene vil fortsette å bevege seg lengre og lengre fra hverandre. Med andre ord vil kosmos fortsette utvide seg, og har sitt utgangspunkt i Big Bang. Hubble klarte imidlertid ikke å regne ut nøyaktig hvor gammelt universet er. Til det trengte man et mer avansert teleskop. Da dette teleskopet var ferdigutviklet ble det kalt opp etter Edwin Hubble. Boken er gjennomillustrert med fotografier og grafikk, hovedsakelig i farger. Innholdet er ordnet i fem kapitler: The Hubble space telescope; Planets; Stars; Galaxies; Universe. Har innholdsfortegnelse, forord og etterord, samt kommentarer til rekonstruksjonen av farger på fotografier fra universet via Hubble-teleskopet "Are we on the brink of a new Dark Age of irrationality and superstition? In this stirring, brilliantly argued book, internationally respected scientist Carl Sagan shows how scientific thinking is necessary to safeguard our democratic institutions and our technical civilization." "The Demon-Haunted World is more personal and richer in moving and revealing human stories than anything Sagan has previously written. With illustrations from his own childhood experience as well as engrossing tales of discovery, Sagan shows how the method of scientific thought can cut through prejudice and hysteria to uncover the often surprising truth." "He convincingly debunks "alien abduction," "channelers," faith-healer fraud, the "face" on Mars, and much else. Along the way , he refutes the arguments that science destroys spirituality or is just another arbitrary belief system, asks why scientific study is often stigmatized, discusses the dangers of the misuse of science, and provides a "baloney detection kit" for thinking through political, social, religious, and other issues."--BOOK JACKET

How did the universe begin? How big is it? What is it made of? What is its ultimate fate? These are some of the questions that scientists have been investigating with the Hubble Space Telescope since its launch in 1990. Not only is Hubble providing us with an unprecedented amount of information about the universe, but its breathtaking images—disseminated in the press and over the Internet—have excited more people around the world than any othe rimages made in the last decade.

This fabulous, poster-size paperback on Hubble's dramatic discoveries—prepared to accompany a major Smithsonian Institution exhibition that will travel across the United States for several years—presents the awesome Hubble images of nebulae, emerging stars, and othe rcelestial phenomena that have electrified us all. Far more affordable priced than previous Hubble books—and the first one prepared by the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), which operates the telescope for NASA—this dramatic and beautiful work lets readers shoot for the stars.

In the first book for the general reader that presents the full range of scientific evidence for past and possibly future dangers, noted planetologist and impact-crater expert John S. Lewis shows us the unmistakable evidence - from space-probe flybys of the planets to the scars on our own Earth - of cataclysmic comet and asteroid impacts. By comparing what we know about the earth's geology and paleontology with the images of the other planets and moons in our solar system, Lewis makes the strongest case yet for sudden, dramatic extinctions and assesses the risks to planet Earth. Not even Darwin was aware of the events now seen as having played such a crucial role in the evolution of life on earth. . Lewis tells of the dangers to our civilization, dangers in the form of near-earth asteroids, or NEAs, whose impact could destroy in an instant what it has taken humans millennia to build. Finally, he describes the searches and preventive measures being undertaken today by scientists around the globe to ward off this threat from space. Are we on the brink of a new Dark Age of irrationality and superstition? In this book, the writer shows how scientific thinking is necessary to safeguard our democratic institutions and our technical civilization. This book is more personal and richer in moving and revealing human stories than anything the author has previously written. With illustrations from his own childhood experience as well as engrossing tales of discovery, he shows how the method of scientific thought can cut through prejudice and hysteria to uncover the often surprising truth. He convincingly debunks "alien abduction," "channelers," faith-healer fraud, the "face" on Mars, and much else. Along the way, he refutes the arguments that science destroys spirituality or is just another arbitrary belief system, asks why scientific study is often stigmatized, discusses the dangers of the misuse of science, and provides a "baloney detection kit" for thinking through political, social, religious, and other issues. -- Jacket How can we make intelligent decisions about our increasingly technology-driven lives if we don't understand the difference between the myths of pseudoscience and the testable hypotheses of science? Pulitzer Prize-winning author and distinguished astronomer Carl Sagan argues that scientific thinking is critical not only to the pursuit of truth but to the very well-being of our democratic institutions. Casting a wide net through history and culture, Sagan examines and authoritatively debunks such celebrated fallacies of the past as witchcraft, faith healing, demons, and UFOs. And yet, disturbingly, in today's so-called information age, pseudoscience is burgeoning with stories of alien abduction, channeling past lives, and communal hallucinations commanding growing attention and respect. As Sagan demonstrates with lucid eloquence, the siren song of unreason is not just a cultural wrong turn but a dangerous plunge into darkness that threatens our most basic freedoms.--Amazon.com Dr. Plait created his popular web site: (http://www.badastronomy.com/index.html) http://www.badastronomy.com/index.html , to debunk bad astronomy in popular culture. This website proved popular, which led to this first book by Plait, that carries on from the website and in a detailed and clear fashion criticises and disproves popular myths and misconceptions relating to astronomy, and promotes science as a means of explaining the skies. 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.). John S. Lewis, A Planetary Scientist, Details The Recent Scientific Study Which Suggests That Massive Solid Bodies From Space Pose A Very Real Threat To Our Planet And Explores The Implications For The Future Of Life On Earth. 1. Stones That Fall From The Sky -- 2. Target: Earth -- 3. Stealth Weapons From Space -- 4. Brighter Than A Thousand Suns -- 5. The Space Age: The Cratered Planets -- 6. Near-earth Objects -- 7. The Bashful Face Of Mars -- 8. Ends Of Geological Ages -- 9. Earth's Twin -- 10. You Found What On Mercury?? -- 11. Comet And Asteroid Families -- 12. Craters In The Ocean Don't Last -- 13. Effects On Human Populations -- 14. The Fiery Rain: Simulations By Computer -- 15. What Can We Do About It? John S. Lewis. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This fabulous, poster-size book presents the awesome Hubble images of nebulae, emerging stars, & other celestial phenomena that have electrified us all. Subsidiary Rights: Main Selection of the Astronomy Book Club. Hubble fans and stargazers will delight in this large format book (10.5x14.5"), which shows how the Hubble telescope works, what it's been up to, and how it has contributed to our understanding of the universe. The large pictures and concise text should tempt readers of all ages Colorful and awe-inspiring poster-size photographs of emerging star, nebulae, and other astronomical marvels highlight an exploration of the impact that the Hubble Space Telescope has had on scientific study and general appreciation of the wonders of the skies. Original. Since its launch in 1990, the Hubble space telescope has provided astronomers with both information about the universe and extraordinary images. This book contains over 100 colour inages from the Hubble. Describes the science behind many astronomy-related misconceptions and hoaxes covering such topics as meteors, eclipses, UFOs, the big bang theory, and the Moon landing. A beginner's guide to astronomy features information about the solar system as well as star maps and a monthly guide on locating the planets in the sky.