Practical Universe: Observations, Experiments, Exercises
Edition: 3
Copyright: 2026
Pages: 208
Edition: 3
Copyright: 2026
Pages: 470
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Practical Universe: Observations, Experiments, and Exercises has been in print for over twenty-five years. The progress in astronomy since that time, both regarding new observations and the development of new methods and techniques, is gigantic and almost beyond anybody’s comprehension.
Practical Universe: Observations, Experiments, and Exercises:
- Is designed to meet the needs and expectations of introductory astronomy courses for non-science majors – no advanced math skills are required.
- Presents exercises for outdoor observations, regular laboratory experiments, and classroom and homework exercises.
- Includes units about extrasolar planets, stellar and supermassive black holes and Kuiper Belt Objects.
- Recognizes the new understanding of the Solar System, now considered to host eight planets instead of nine.
- Includes exercises available for software packages such as Starry Night and Stellarium.
5. THE SOLAR SYSTEM
Unit 5.1 – Astronauts’ Weights
Unit 5.2 – Introduction to the Night Sky
Unit 5.3 – Use of Star Maps
Unit 5.4 – The Ecliptic
Unit 5.5 – The Length of the Day
Unit 5.6 – Earth’s Geographical Coordinate System
Unit 5.7 – The Altitude and Azimuth of the Sun
Unit 5.8 – The Apparent Path of the Moon
6 FROM STARS TO GALAXIES
Unit 6.1 – Exoplanetary Systems and Habitable Zones
Unit 6.2 – Masses of Exoplanet Host Stars
Unit 6.3 – Parallax: The Distance to a Star
Unit 6.4 – The HR and MK Diagram
Unit 6.5 – Cepheids and Other Pulsators
Unit 6.6 – Globular Clusters and Molecular Clouds
Unit 6.7 – The Hubble Distance-Redshift Relation
7 A LITTLE BIT OF ASTROPHYSICS
Unit 7.1 – The Solar Spectrum
Unit 7.2 – The Doppler Effect
Unit 7.3 – The Colors and Luminosities of Stars
Unit 7.4 – Eclipsing Binaries
Unit 7.5 – Spectroscopic Binaries
Unit 7.6 – Black Holes
TABLES
1. Astronomical and Physical Constants
2. The Nearest Stars
3. The Brightest Stars
4. Variable Stars
5. The Messier Catalogue
SOURCE INFORMATION AND SUGGESTED READINGS
Manfred Cuntz is a professor at The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). Originally from Germany, he spent extended time at various science institutions in Colorado, Alabama, and Texas. His network of collaborations spans all around the globe, including Europe, Japan, Mexico, and India. He is strongly engaged in research, teaching and public engagements. In 2020, he was inducted into UTA’s Academy of Distinguished Teachers. In 2023, he became a fellow with the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. Manfred has spent more than 30 years studying the universe, especially stars and planets, including planets where life might be possible. This book is loosely inspired by the Alpha Centauri system, a triple star system in our immediate cosmic neighborhood, consisting of three suns of different colors (although no effort was made to strictly map the various astronomical data). Red dwarfs, like the third sun, are known to be especially violent. Manfred has been involved in numerous public outreach activities, including being a script writer of planetarium shows, and events for kids and grownups of all ages. Fun with Three Suns in the Sky is his picture book debut.