If you're completely unfamiliar with Astronomy, start with the Encyclopedia Britannica either in print or online. Volume 25 contains a long article on Astronomy, which you will find under "Physical Sciences." It covers the history of the field from Ancient Greece through today, and describes shifts in theory, technology, and areas of study.
Specialized reference sources, like astronomy encyclopedias and dictionaries, are a great place to start learning about unfamiliar topics and terms. But they can become dated, especially with a rapidly changing scientific subject like astronomy, so once you are familiar with a concept, move on to full-length books that have been recently published or journals, magazines, and reliable websites.
Van Nostrandís Scientific Encyclopedia and the McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology both contain a short introductory article under "Astronomy" with bibliographies of books and websites at the end, as well as many related articles on specific astronomical topics and concepts scattered throughout the rest of the volumes. The index volume of the McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology also contains a study guide to astronomy (pp. 142-3), which breaks down astronomy into major areas of study and lists the titles of relevant articles that can be found throughout the rest of the encyclopedia.
Facts on File Dictionary of Astronomy can be used to find a succinct description of an unfamiliar term. The entries are non-technical, written for students and general readers. Astronomy and Astrophysics Encyclopedia contains longer and more technical discussions of unfamiliar concepts than the Facts on File Dictionary of Astronomy. The articles also include bibliographies which can be helpful in finding further information on a particular topic.
Xrefer is a wonderful online reference source, which you can find in the pull-down menu on the library's homepage, that searches multiple reference sources simultaneously and lets you click cross-references to learn more. Check out the concept mapping section of their site, which gives you a visual sense of how all the topics and cross references relate to one another.
The Dictionary of Scientific Biography is a bit dated (it was published in 1970), but can be a great resource for information on astronomers throughout history. The articles are lively and include bibliographies on both the astronomer and the areas he or she studied. The index, which is subdivided by era, culture, and special topic, can help you locate both astronomers and people who have contributed to the field of astronomy. There is also a list of scientists by field at the back of the index volume.
The American Men and Women of Science is a good source for locating scientists who are currently working in the field, though its entries contain only a small amount biographical data. The index lists scientists by field and then by geographical location, which can be useful for finding local astronomers.
Books are a good place to find historical information and in-depth discussions of specific topics, as well as visual resources like oversize atlases and star charts. You will find books on astronomy on the shelves under QB or you can search the library's catalog by call number for "QB". (Some titles are availble in electronic form through netLibrary, which is in the pulldown menu on the library's homepage.) Don't foget to look at the subject headings at the bottom of each book's information page; you can click the headings to find more books on that particular subject. Below are a few of the key astronomy titles we have at Simmons, arranged in chronological order of original publication, with a gazing guide listed at the end.
Periodicals, like magazines, newspapers, and journals, are reliable sources of current information and research. Here are some of the more important and reputable magazines and journals in Astronomy, as well as some databases which can search across publications for articles on astronomy.
The two popular monthly astronomy magazines are Sky & Telescope and Astronomy, both of which focus on amateur astronomy, with sky watching tips and articles on current phenomena.
Mercury, published by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, is a bi-monthly glossy magazine aimed at the more advanced amateur and covers everything from the history of astronomy to current phenomena, with longer articles exploring current topics in-depth.
Most astronomical and astrophysical journals are research oriented and often highly technical, but are a great resource for learning about the very newest breakthroughs and research areas. Simmons does not subscribe to any physical astronomy journals, but you can find most of the major ones online in Astrophysics Data System, a database of journals and conference proceedings in astrophysics, astronomy, geophysics, and related fields.
Databases give you access to many periodicals and articles simultaneously and let you search by keyword, title, author, and subject, which can save you time when you are looking for information on a particular topic or phrase, but keep in mind that some articles, especially older ones, may not be available in full-text online.
Astrophysics Data System is discussed under journals.
Applied Science and Technology Index (accessed through H.W. Wilson) draws articles from trade journals, publications, and conference proceedings from 1993 to today, with full-text articles from 1997. It focuses on materials in english, with a bias toward the US.
General Science Full Text (accessed through H.W. Wilson) covers all areas of science and draws from both popular and scholarly literature from the US and the UK, with article summaries dating back to 1993 and access to full-text articles beginning in 1995. It does include journals, but is best used for popular rather than technical information.
Lexis-Nexis (accessed through www.nexis.com) is a great resource for searching local, national, and international newspapers and magazines. You can often find information here that you won't find in any other database, but use is restricted so please ask the librarian for a daypass.
Websites are a great place to find out the very latest and hottest news, since they are updated daily or weekly, but be careful as the information you find on the internet may not be thoroughly tested or verified. (Be sure to check the sources and sponsors associated with any information you find.)
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the governmental organization that deals with astronomy, among other space sciences. The main website NASA.gov includes links to all kinds of educational materials, including multimedia, information for researchers, current projects, and the history of NASA. Also check out the news page for the most recent breakthroughs and discoveries.
The Planetary Society is a good source of current news and also has links to multimedia sites where you can listen to planetary radio or drive a immitation Mars Rover in real-time.
The Astronomy Picture of the Day site has a new picture of an astronomical event each day from NASA with a short explanation written by an astronomer. The description includes links to other related photos, journal articles, glossaries, and outside websites. You can also search the archive.
Hubblesite.org, devoted to the Hubble telescope, has great images of space, information on the Hubble telescope and the places it has traveled, and lots more, including games, reference pages, and astronomical discoveries.
Astroweb is a catagorized listing of web resources on astronomy slanted toward the professional astronomer. The links include everything from "Pretty Pictures" to current research areas.
Space.com is a large site devoted to all aspects of space and astronomy, including technology, news, education. There is a lot to explore, but keep in mind that it is a commercial site so be aware of bias and commercial influence.
© 2004 Frances McConihe
This guide was created for LIS 407 - Introduction to Reference, part of the Simmons College Graduate School of Library and Information Science, taught by Prof. Alan Smith and is not an official guide to the Simmons Library Collection.