Modern astronomy : startling facts

Abstract

The year 2009 is being recognised as the international year of astronomy (IYA) to mark the four hundredth anniversary of the historical occasion in the year 1609 when Galileo Galilei used the then newly invented telescope to observe astronomical objects.

Many activities have been planned to commemorate IYA-09. Towards this we feel that an Astronomy Quiz book, along with introductory notes on a wide variety of topics in astronomy, would be very timely. We have, in this book, a thousand interesting trivia related to all aspects of astronomy. Also included are introduction to wide range of topics on modern astronomy, including planets, stars, space probes, astronomers: facts and discoveries, historical facts, observatories, etc.

This book will be of good interest to both general public as well as to students interested in astronomy and its many interesting fields.