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CIST Student Sandbox

IST 605: Journey to the Stars: Astronomy (and Astrophysics!) for Beginners

Resources to introduce you to astronomy and astrophysics- observing the sky and the science behind how celestial bodies behave.

Citations

Achenbach, J. (2025, April 17). Webb telescope detects possible signature of life on a distant world. Washington Post. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A835999171/STND?u=nysl_ca_dmvacces&sid=bookmark-STND&xid=5f3ddb77

American Museum of Natural History (2023, October 7). The known universe in 360 [Video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N79TowJOHHE

Article Plus (database) (https://libguides.nypl.org/article-plus)

Bragga, B., Butler, A., Cannold, M., & MacFarlane, S. (Executive Producers). (2014). Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey. Fox; National Geographic Channel.

Cain, F., & Gay, P. (Hosts). (2006-present). AstronomyCast [Audio podcast]. https://www.astronomycast.com

Consolmagno, G., & Davis, D.M. (1995). Turn left at Orion (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.

Cort, J., & Schmidt, C. (Executive Producers). (1974-current). NOVA. Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

deGrasse, T. (2017). Astrophysics for people in a hurry. W.W. Norton and Company.

deGrasse, T. (Host). (2021, November 9). Cosmic queries- native skywatchers with Dr. Annette Lee (No. 148). [Audio Podcast episode]. In StarTalk Radio. Sirius XM. https://perma.cc/498Z-QSP9

Dickinson, T., & Hewitt-White, K. (2023). Nightwatch (5th ed.). Firefly Books.

Dinwiddie, R., Hughes, D.W., Jones, G.H., Ridpath, I., Stott, C., & Sparrow, G. (2016). The stars: the definitive visual guide to the cosmos (1st American ed.). DK Publishing.

Dudley Observatory/Albany Area Amateur Astronomers (https://dudleyobservatory.org/aaaa/)

Fazekas, A. (2019). National Geographic backyard guide to the night sky (2nd ed.). National Geographic.

Gale OneFile Science (database) (https://go.gale.com/ps/start.do?p=PPGS&u=nysl_ca_dmvacces&sid=geolinks)

Hawking, S. (2008). The illustrated a brief history of time; the universe in a nutshell. Bantam Books.

Mack, K. (2020). The end of everything (astrophysically speaking). Scribner.

Moore, P. (2003). Firefly Atlas of the universe (1st North American ed.). Firefly Books.

Moore, P. (Ed.) (2002). Philip’s astronomy encyclopedia. Philip’s. https://archive.org/details/philipsastronomyencyclopedia_201910/page/n3/mode/2up

National Aeronautics and Space Administration. (n.d.). James Webb Space Telescope. Retrieved August 9, 2025, from https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/

National Aeronautics and Space Administration. (n.d.). Skywatching. Retrieved August 9, 2025, from https://science.nasa.gov/skywatching/

Ridpath, I. (Ed.) (2018). A dictionary of astronomy (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press.

Sagan, C. (2013). Cosmos. Ballantine Books.

Scagell, R., & Frydman, D. (2008). Stargazing with binoculars. Firefly Books Ltd.

StarDate (https://stardate.org)

Todd, I. (2022, October 12). Astronomy for beginners. BBC sky at night magazine. https://perma.cc/GAJ5-3RKJ