Best children astronomy & space books according to redditors

There were 5 books released yesterday.

Books Released 12/18:

1. Before the Awakening - Amazon, Google Play
   
2. The Force Awakens Novelization - Amazon, Google Play
   
3. Force Awakens, The: Incredible Cross-Sections - Amazon
   
4. Force Awakens, The: Visual Dictionary - Amazon
   
5. Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Amazon
   
   If you want to catch up on the new Star Wars Canon check out my video explaining the new canon.
   

Don't forget Charlie and Carl!

https://www.amazon.com/Tiny-Thinkers-Tortoise-MJ-Mouton/dp/0692548270

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1596439602/ref=pd_aw_sim_14_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=APDCP5H787C8Q6CGHRP6

http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Awakens-Incredible-Cross-Sections/dp/1465438157

In case anyone was looking for it. Lots of neat details and illustrations.

I am a nanny and have seen this situation play out a few times. It works far better when the parents are on the same page. You need to set your boundaries prior to the birth. Tell the parents there will be no baptism and that is final. Also, this is your child and they are not to interfere with what you chose to (or to not) them him/her. That you live in a country that does not openly encourage religiosity like the US is a good start. But if it's like what I see in the states, baptism might be a dealbreaker for whether they actually want anything to do with the grandchild in their life. This is where you have to hold firm. I have also been see posts of atheists who were baptized at birth and are now resentful it was forced on them, so might be another angle to consider.

Fill your child's room with books about science. As your child ages, if any of the books contradict was your in-laws have said to her in private, your child will most likely tell you and that is when you can explain what the grandparents said is not true. I once posted a list of books for kids on here that are good introductions to science but I can't find it, I will keep searching, but offhand I can tell you Grandmother Fish, Older than the Stars, and any book by Chris Ferrie.

The judgement is inevitable but you can judge them right back. Parents can weigh on on the family dynamics better than I can, but from the atheist families I have been with, what helped the most was having the parents on the same page as well as myself since we were the three then children were most likely to come to with questions and eventually they just began ignoring the grandparents.

Copying this and adding some from another place i had posted it

Boynton books like pajama time and wake up are hits
Eric Carle like the very busy spider, mixed up chameleon, panda bear panda bear.
Pout pout fish
Bear snores on
The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear https://www.amazon.com/dp/0859531821/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_pQtezb6GYSVXT
Dr suess is a hit - Mr. Brown can moo can you, 1 fish 2 fish, green eggs and ham.
We have the 3 in this line because he loved the first one someone gave him so much cool dog school dog, fun dog sun dog, snow dog go dog - link - Cool Dog, School Dog https://www.amazon.com/dp/1477816704/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_2RtezbBD2BBWB
The behavior series in these books are amazing - i used the paci one to quit paci and hands are not for hitting and feet are not for kicking to stop those unwanted behaviors - Feet Are Not for Kicking (Board Book) (Best Behavior Series) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1575421585/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_v4Hgzb4MFJ4YD

My kid is crazy about planets so we have some on planets too and he learned so much from them
Hello, World! Solar System https://www.amazon.com/dp/0553521039/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_h7HgzbRYET040 (this one still has pluto but whatever lol)
Solar System for Kids: The Planets and Their Moons https://www.amazon.com/dp/1682801152/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_I8Hgzb7V5G69T

Little blue truck

My kid is also really into these wipe clean books and we spend about 45 mins snuggled on the couch doing them - this one is great but the dry erase marker it comes with is not that good, i just use a different one. We just skip the pages with time etc but he has a blast doing them
Wipe Clean: Early Learning Activity Book (Wipe Clean Early Learning Activity Books) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0312499221/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_49Hgzb8D8BE9T



He has way too many books but these are some of the favs.

not OP, but, Star Wars: The Force Awakens Incredible Cross-Sections

Watch Cosmos or other science video. Do science learning activities - Arduino is a thing now.

Or read a book.

Maybe Yes, Maybe No (LINK)

by Dan Barker

In today's media-flooded world, there is no way to control all of the information, claims, and enticements that reach young people. The best thing to do is arm them with the sword of critical thinking.

Maybe Yes, Maybe No is a charming introduction to self-confidence and self-reliance. The book's ten-year-old heroine, Andrea, is always asking questions because she knows "you should prove the truth of a strange story before you believe it."

"Check it out. Repeat the experiment. Try to prove it wrong. It has to make sense." writes Barker, as he assures young readers that they are fully capable of figuring out what to believe, and of knowing when there just isn't enough information to decide. "You can do it your own way. If you are a good skeptic you will know how to think for yourself."

Another book is "Me & Dog" by Gene Weingarten.

And Born With a Bang: The Universe Tells Our Cosmic Story : Books 1, 2, 3

Here Comes Science CD + DVD

The Magic of Reality by Richard Dawkins

Bang! How We Came to Be by Michael Rubino.

Grandmother Fish: A Child's First Book of Evolution

Also:

Greek Myths – by Marcia Williams

Ancient Egypt: Tales of Gods and Pharaohs – by Marcia Williams

God and His Creations – by Marcia Williams

"I Wonder" by Annaka Harris

"From Stardust to You: An Illustrated Guide to The Big Bang" by Luciano Reni

"Meet Bacteria!" by Rebecca Bielawski

See also Highlights for Children - this has materials for younger children.

Atheism books for children by Courtney Lynn

"It Is Ok To Be A Godless Me", "I'm An Atheist and That's Ok", "I'm a Freethinker", "Please Don't Bully Me" and "I'm a Little Thinker" etc.

Courtney Lynn has a couple more for grown ups as well.

Grandmother Fish, free in PDF form online

A child's first book of evolution.

15 Holiday Gift Ideas for Secular Families

Bedtime Bible Stories by Joey Lee Kirkman - for mature teens only

Coming up: TINY THINKERS is a series of books introducing popular scientists to children, by telling their stories as if the scientists themselves were kids!

Depending on the age of the kid, these could be some good ones:

What Do You Believe?

See Inside World Religions

The Belief Book and others in that series

What is God? (this one does presuppose some kind of a higher power, but compares its depiction across many religions and suggests that god is in us/everywhere around us/basically the concept of good)

I Wonder (not specifically about religion, but more about the idea that science can answer some questions but not yet all - some things are a mystery that we can only wonder about)

Also definitely recommend including some books on the scientific version of the creation story (i.e. the big bang, evolution, etc) so kids have that perspective to draw on as well. Again depending on the age, some good ones are:

Older Than the Stars

Big Bang: The Tongue-Tickling Tale of a Speck That Became Spectacular

One Day a Dot: The Story of You, The Universe, and Everything

Our Family Tree: An Evolution Story

Grandmother Fish

Sapiens: Our Human Evolution

Hope some of those are helpful! :)

• Me & Dog
  
  
• The Magic of Reality
  
  
• Older Than the Stars
  
  
• I Wonder
  
  
• 
  Raising Freethinkers: A Practical Guide for Parenting Beyond Belief
  
  
• Parenting Beyond Belief: On Raising Ethical, Caring Kids Without Religion
  
  
• The Emperor's New Clothes
  
  
• When Someone Very Special Dies: Children Can Learn to Cope with Grief (Drawing Out Feeling series)
  
  
• What Do You Believe?

Here are some other reasons which explain more about Rey's talents and abilities:


From "Star Wars: The Force Awakens, "Star Wars The Force Awakens: Before the Awakening" and "Star Wars: Force Awakens Incredible Cross Sections"

• (Summary of Rey's chapter in "Before the Force"): Rey has friends on Jakku. She fixed a downed freighter and made it flyable. She even repaired/replaced it's hyperdrive and it worked. Her friends decide to steal it from her and use it to escape Jakku when they find out that Rey didn't want to leave because of her hopes of her family returning. Instead she wanted to sell it to Unkar for a lot of portions (she imagines hundreds of portions or more). Her friends end up taking the ship and leaving without her.
  
  
• Her speeder is capable of low-altitude flight and can even do barrel-rolls. So Rey does have some real flight experience from this. However, she has never flown "off-planet". As posted in a different thread by /u/twinspiritradio:
  
  
  • In the cross-section of her speeder, it says that when it's not carrying salvage, it can gain incredible speeds and perform such moves like barrel rolls.
    http://i.imgur.com/14XAgCt.jpg
    
    
• She also finds data chips which contain a flight simulator. She is so driven to master flight that she pushes herself and pushes herself. Starting out, she couldn't even take off without crashing. Through crazy determination and time there's nothing the flight simulator can't throw at her that she cannot do.
  
  
  • Source (from "Before the Awakening"): http://i.imgur.com/TmuySPQ.png
    
    
• She has been on-board the Millennium Falcon before. She used to sneak onto not only the Millennium Falcon, but all of Unkar's other ships he had docked and did this frequently. Who knows what she did on it, but it explains how she is so familiar with the Millennium Falcon and knows how to repair it.
  
  
  • Source (from "Star Wars: The Force Awakens"): http://i.imgur.com/LmqarJF.png
    
    
    Other observations
    
    
• Rey has been stranded on Jakku for quite some time and has to scavenge as a means to eat. She scavenges for parts from downed Imperial wreckage. In doing so, she develops her technological know-how. To be able to know what will get her more "portions" she needed to know what was valuable. In order to learn how to get these parts, she had to learn how to properly remove them and where they were and possibly what they were used for. This is how she is so mechanically inclined, especially with Imperial/First Order technology.
  
  
• Rey knows how to defend herself because she's had to to survive on her own for so long. It's even demonstrated in the film and even blows Finn's mind when he sees it. So her skills with a lightsaber can easily be taken from this.
  
  
  What does all of this tell you?
  
  
  
• Just because she knows how to fly something doesn't make her the child of Han or Luke.
  
  
• Just because she is familiar with the Millennium Falcon doesn't mean she is Han's daughter.
  
  
• Just because she knows how to fix things and understands technology, doesn't make her a clone/descendant of Anakin.
  
  
• Just because she knows how to defend herself, doesn't mean she was ever trained as a Jedi/Padawan.
  
  
  What does it not tell you?
  
  
  
• Where her Force abilities come from or how she is able to understand and use it.
  
  
  Personal observations
  
  
  
• To me, all of this is more evidence that she is more likely a descendant of Obi-Wan than of a Skywalker/Solo. Why? Well, it shows that she is highly intelligent, focused, determined and patient. This doesn't describe a Skywalker or a Solo in the slightest. We know all too well how impatient and unfocused Anakin and Luke were. None of those things describe Han Solo at all either. Who does it describe? Obi-Wan Kenobi.
  
  
• You might say, well, Obi-Wan didn't like to fly. My response? Who cares what Obi-Wan did/didn't like? Vader chose the Dark Side, Luke didn't. Right there is a simple example of how a person can differ from their ancestors.
  
  
  Additional details
  
  
• Also from /u/kremshawthethird, which is from "Rey's Survival Guide": https://i.imgur.com/UN7c2gw.jpg It shows how the rebel helmet she has and the rebel forces "doll" have nothing to do with Luke Skywalker. It could however, show why she calls herself "Rey".
  
  
• And from /u/jlsm511's post on /r/starwarsleaks: http://imgur.com/a/1BVvH
  This sample from "Star Wars: The Force Awakens Visual Dictionary": discusses the helmet and doll briefly as well.
  **
  
  Edit: Added links to sources.*

I've been into the hobby for 6 months or so. Bought myself an 8" dobsonian reflector, and a couple higher quality lenses for it. I have been keeping a journal of my progress, but I am just doing simple writeups of my findings and the conditions/location of any given night of observing.

I bought a couple books that have been a big help in navigating the night sky.. one is the a sky chart by Celestron:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000665V8


The other is called "night watch" and is a complete beginners guide to the night sky/astronomy and has also been very helpful, and I highly recommend it -

http://www.amazon.ca/NightWatch-Practical-Guide-Viewing-Universe/dp/1552093026


I downloaded a quite powerful app for my iPhone called "GoSkyWatch" and I'd say it's been by biggest ally. It utilizes gps as well as accellerometer/gyro functionality, so by simply holding my phone up it shows me exactly what I'm looking at, and also locates what I need to find.

I've gotten out around a dozen times so far, and am finally getting into a groove and knocking off lots of deep space objects. Of all the galaxies/nebula/clusters I've found... I still gotta say nothing quite affects me like locking onto Saturn and seeing it drift through my field of view. After that though, the first time I saw M81 and M82 galaxies in the same field blew me away, and M31 Andromeda galaxy is always a pleasure. Really looking forward to winter months and getting a chance to look around Orion and it's hidden gems within.

Older than the stars:
http://www.amazon.com/Older-Than-Stars-Karen-Fox/dp/1570917884

Source: Exploring the Night Sky by Terence Dickinson

It's $12 on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1465438157/

It's not that bad, really, although yeah - deep sky objects are going to be damned tough.

Swing over to /r/astronomy and look at the advice there. My firm recommendation is to get some good binoculars (10x50 or so - don't get zoom binocs and make sure the diameter is at least 5x the magnification), a planisphere, a dim red flashlight, a comfy reclining lawn chair, and most important of all, a copy of [Terrence Dickinson]s Nightwatch](https://www.amazon.ca/NightWatch-Practical-Guide-Viewing-Universe/dp/155209300X). Maybe add a tripod and binocular adaptor if you want, and a phone 'finder' app.

That really should get most neophytes through a solid year of astronomy. Some people never leave their binoculars.

Just ordered mine...https://www.amazon.com/dp/1465438157/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_wOQxwbN756R8V

Our family tree
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0152017720/ref=pd_aw_fbt__b_img_2?refRID=0F3M60WMEJYZAW0QFHA6#productDescription_secondary_view_pageState_1423367287694

I wonder
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1940051045/ref=pd_aw_sim_b_2?refRID=0F3M60WMEJYZAW0QFHA6

And older than the stars
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1570917884/ref=pd_aw_sbs_b_3?refRID=1JSEC4DMC180KGGF2SSM

Are all books geared towards science and skeptisisim and all books I'm considering buying at some point.

Nightwatch as u\zobmiegeezus said. Thinking about getting more starcharts soon, but this one has helped a lot with the basics and made me realize how fulfilling observing can be.

Sometimes you can get lucky. I ended up with this wonderful little book about alien biology that I still have crammed in a bookshelf somewhere, and I once ended up with one of Teddy Deary's Horrible Histories books, which ended up kindling a livelong love of history. And of course, if all else fails, there's Calvin and Hobbes.

See my flair.

Maybe some of these or books like these will help you explain things to your kids.

http://www.amazon.com/Parenting-Beyond-Belief-Raising-Religion/dp/0814474268/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326736652&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Just-Pretend-Freethought-Book-Children/dp/1877733059/ref=pd_sim_b_7?ie=UTF8&refRID=1TST6CPCNP7RGVV1RVT7

http://www.amazon.com/Raising-Freethinkers-Practical-Parenting-Beyond/dp/0814410960/ref=pd_sim_b_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=1TST6CPCNP7RGVV1RVT7

http://www.amazon.com/Maybe-Yes-No-Dan-Barker/dp/0879756071/ref=pd_sim_b_5/175-5906093-8191060?ie=UTF8&refRID=161YVFZQ1AYMJBH8S80V

http://www.amazon.com/What-Do-You-Believe-Publishing/dp/0756672287/ref=pd_sim_b_2/175-5906093-8191060?ie=UTF8&refRID=161YVFZQ1AYMJBH8S80V

http://www.amazon.com/Older-than-The-Stars-Karen/dp/1570917884/ref=pd_sim_b_3/175-5906093-8191060?ie=UTF8&refRID=161YVFZQ1AYMJBH8S80V

I'd recommend Nightwatch. It IS about observing, but it's also incredibly motivating.

As far as a best-ever book on cosmology, Sagan's Cosmos. It's not new, but BOY is it interesting!

> my big complaint is that the colors/pictures inside the books can be super boring

Agreed. I actually returned the one we got and replaced it with Baby Loves Aerospace Engineering. It covers exactly the same concepts, but in a much prettier way and with a kid and a bird to look at!

Yes! Astronomically correct Twinkle Twinkle Little Star by Zach Weinersmith

You can [adopt a star] (http://adoptastar.whitedwarf.org/) for her. Just be aware that this isn't an ACTUAL adoption/naming of a star, and it won't be listed with NASA or anything. It's just a nice novelty, but at her age, she'd be pumped.

If you haven't already, check out the [NASA Kids Club] (http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/kidsclub/flash/#.VLIU5SvF-So) site. Lots of space-related activities and education!

You can buy her a [Meteorite kit] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0039ZT0KY/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0039ZT0KY&linkCode=as2&tag=ufowioutrspcgft2012-20) that also provides educational materials as well as meteorite samples

[Here's] (https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/196434533/women-in-science-valentina-tereshkova?ref=related-3) a great poster of Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space, to keep her enthused about space exploration.

And [here's] (https://www.etsy.com/listing/156254584/space-explorer-iron-on-patch) a cute iron-on patch to make her feel more official!

There are also a lot of great children's books about space, such as [You Are Stardust] (http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781926973357) and [Star Stuff: Carl Sagan and the Mysteries of the Cosmos] (http://www.amazon.com/Star-Stuff-Sagan-Mysteries-Cosmos/dp/1596439602/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1420958032&sr=8-3&keywords=cosmos+carl+sagan+book). Stephen Hawking also wrote a series of [children's books] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1416985840/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1416985840&linkCode=as2&tag=stephenhaw042-20) with his daughter Lucy that are incredibly adorable. And finally, [Born With A Bang: The Universe Tells Our Cosmic Story] (http://www.amazon.com/Born-Bang-Universe-Sharing-Children/dp/1584690321/) helps tell the tale of the beginning of our universe, narrated by the Universe itself!

Of course, there are also many neat planetariums on the market. She can have a star show every night! Invest in a telescope (if you haven't already), and take her out on a clear night to explore the stars with her own eyes.

It's really great that you're encouraging her in this. It's vital for future space exploration that we keep children's interest piqued when it comes to science and space. Heck, she may end up being the first woman on Mars! Kudos to you, and best of luck finding something perfect for your little space explorer, and I hope she feels better soon! :)

http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Awakens-Incredible-Cross-Sections/dp/1465438157/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0AEBEWJR9BRSQMVFFV0F

I have a 4 year old who loves the 11 minute cruise/entry/descent/landing video from JPL on Youtube.
He wanted me to make a booklet to take for childcare news - here it is if anyone else's 4/5/6 year olds would get a kick out of it: Curiosity Picture Book
(6MB)
Eleven pages of pictures and short sentences about about the journey to Mars by Curiosity.

Get it on your iPad/Kindle too - it should be free shortly if I sorted out the Kindle promotion thing properly.

I remember buying this at a book fair in elementary school. I think it might be the one you're looking for. Amazon lets you preview the first few pages.

EDIT: Had some time to A. Wake up, and B. Get my shit organized.

So my first recommendation is to read these 3 books.

http://www.amazon.com/Relax-Its-Just-God-Religious/dp/1941932002/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452781395&sr=8-1&keywords=relax+it%27s+just+god

http://www.amazon.com/Parenting-Beyond-Belief-Raising-Religion/dp/0814474268/ref=pd_sim_14_5?ie=UTF8&dpID=41mSJWJjhCL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR104%2C160_&refRID=136KZ8YRX0P0CY93EJGA

http://www.amazon.com/Magic-Reality-Dawkins-Richard-Hardcover/dp/B011SKFWNK/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1452781427&sr=1-2

These are all geared more towards the parents, but it sounds like that will be just as beneficial to you. I've worried about the same exact stuff you're worried about ever since my wife told me she was pregnant. These books have been a fantastic resource. The first 2 help you prepare for the inevitable questions (which it sounds like you're already getting) children ask in regards to our origins. There's nothing I can say here that will really improve upon what's contained in these books, so my #1 suggestion is to just pick them up and read them. "Relax, It's Just God" Is a quick read, so I'd probably start there.

I'll just say, for anyone that hasn't read them, or doesn't intend to, the most important thing I took from these books is this:

Please don't shield your children from religion. It's played an incredibly important role in the founding of civilization, and it continues to be a dominant force in society (particularly if you're in the US). By shielding your children from all things religion, they will have no defense against it when they are inevitably confronted with it. To a child, the easy answers and flimsy logic of religious dogma can seem persuasive. By refusing to talk about it, or not engaging them honestly in discussions about it, you're essentially sending them out into the world unarmed.

Now, once you've sort of amassed this collection of tips and strategies for talking about it with them, you need to build an understanding of the concepts that ACTUALLY govern our world. There's a lot of great resources out there nowadays that introduce complex things in a very approachable way. If your children are on the younger side, I'd recommend these books:

http://www.amazon.com/I-Wonder-Annaka-Harris/dp/1940051045/ref=pd_sim_sbs_14_5?ie=UTF8&dpID=51Xa9vh-4mL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=13A7B660SHNYNWGNRS9J

http://www.amazon.com/Our-Family-Tree-Evolution-Story/dp/0152017720/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=12ZKCH4ZP41R11J3AQC3

http://www.amazon.com/Older-than-The-Stars-Karen/dp/1570917884/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1NTGW8B5FNWYGW2MDDGP

I buy these 3 for every single one of our friends that has a child (provided I'm cognizant of their beliefs, wouldn't want to step on any toes)

I think one of the things religion has going for itself, that science and reason kind of lag behind in, is instilling a sense of wonder in people. It's easy for adults to marvel at things like quasars, black holes, the process of DNA replication, etc., etc., but it's a bit harder to instill that sense of wonder in kids without getting into some really dry science. That's why religion (in my opinion) is still so successful, it offers easy answers to really difficult questions, and doesn't really require you to think too hard on it. "I'm scared of dying" is easily answered by "Well don't worry, God loves you and will bring you to heaven with him."

There's also some great videos on youtube I'd recommend (though they vary a bit in regards to age appropriateness):

https://www.youtube.com/user/sciencestatedclearly (evolution)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rHUDWjR5gg&list=PL8dPuuaLjXtPAJr1ysd5yGIyiSFuh0mIL (Astronomy)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X56fBK1JlY&list=PLsmqeqKj7M-rZe1C9PUon8V-VQ1tZj5NF (evolution)


Kids, even very young kids, are a lot smarter than we give them credit for. Knowledge of the way the world actually works is the best insulator against religious dogma, so give them as much as they can handle. When that kid at school tells them God created everything, instill values in your child that will lead them to ask "why" instead of just accepting that at face value. And if your child comes home and says, "Jimmy said god created the world" you can respond with, "Well yes, that's what Christianity says, do you know what Islam says? Hinduism? What about the Greek Myths, those are pretty cool huh? Most civilizations have a story about how everything got started, but none of them really agree with one another, and we've never been able to prove it. Scientifically we have a pretty good idea, but there's a few things we don't know yet, and that's perfectly fine. It's ok to say 'I don't know' when it comes to big complicated stuff like this. Let's see if we can't find out more! (insert books/videos/research here)"

My son is barely a month old, so I'm a ways off from a lot of these conversations, but I'm doing my best to prepare myself. I hope to teach him how to tell whether a source is reliable or not, how to be skeptical (particularly of those in power) and how to think critically, and not stop digging just because the answer he arrives at makes him feel better. Luckily, there's a plethora of information out there nowadays from secular sources that is geared towards people like you and me and our non-religious offspring.


EDIT: The other book I will recommend that's not a parenting book and isn't geared towards kids is "Your inner fish". There is a series of youtube videos based of the book if you prefer that. Basically, it makes evolution really cool, and in a way that (in my opinion) you can tell your children about easily. Things like why our skin is the way it is, why we look the way we do, etc. All stuff kids will probably ask.

Oh jeez, I have like 50 in my lists... Hmm... Let's go with this one!

Thanks for the cute contest!

Edit: or this one! instead.Really, any one in my lists would be wonderful. :)

My daughter loves space. She's been incredibly helpful during this stressful time of late, and I really appreciate how wonderful and supportive she's been. I'm thinking of someone else today!

2 good books to get you set:

1. 'Nightwatch' by Terence Dickinson :
   This will get you oriented with everything astronomy.
   
   http://www.amazon.com/NightWatch-Practical-Guide-Viewing-Universe/dp/1552093026
   
   
2. 'Turn Left at Orion' :
   This book will show you how to actually find nebulae, double stars, and galaxies in the night sky. It will also show you what each looks like through the eyepiece of an amateur telescope.
   
   http://www.amazon.com/Turn-Left-Orion-Hundred-Telescope/dp/0521781906
   
   *You can probably find the e-book version of each of these online if you look. But then again, having a physical book in front of you is 10x better.
   
   
   
   
3. Software
   
   Stellarium :
   Pretty much a software planetarium thats free. All you have to do is type in your location and it'll show you exactly whats in your sky at the moment. Three useful keyboard buttons: 'pg up' = zoom in, 'pg down' = zoom out, 'n' = shows deep sky object locations.
   
   http://www.stellarium.org/
   
   Last but not least:
   Try to get yourself a used dobsonian telescope (8 inch or 6 inch). You can definitely get one for $200 used. Its a good investment b/c its something that lasts a lifetime and it retains its value extremely well. Remember astronomy is about actually seeing and experiencing the sky, and not just learning about it from a book.
   
   Hope you get hooked on astronomy like I did last year.

I'd recommend Night Watch by Terrence Dickinson

http://www.amazon.com/NightWatch-Practical-Guide-Viewing-Universe/dp/1552093026

I'm a member of my local astronomy group, and this book is in pretty much everyone's library. It's spiral bound with big pages, meant to be used outdoors to familiarize the beginner with the night sky.

The Time and Space of Uncle Albert is quite well done, I feel. There are a couple of sequels too.

Nightwatch Terry Dickinson is my go-to suggestion.

This is the first book my son ever focused on 😊

Hello, World! Solar System https://www.amazon.ca/dp/0553521039/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_HF84CbHCG4RK7

We have a couple from this series: Baby Loves Aerospace Engineering! (Baby Loves Science) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1580895417/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_NgUzzb21803A7

The Baby University including Baby Loves Rocket Science (https://www.amazon.com/Rocket-Science-Babies-Baby-University/dp/1492656259/) and Baby Loves including Baby Loves Aerospace Engineering (https://www.amazon.com/Baby-Loves-Aerospace-Engineering-Science/dp/1580895417/) books might be good.

http://www.amazon.com/Exploring-Night-Sky-Astronomy-Beginners/dp/0920656668/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417547768&sr=8-1&keywords=astronomy+for+kids

http://www.amazon.com/4M-5219-solar-system-kit/dp/B00007L12U/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1417547768&sr=8-7&keywords=astronomy+for+kids

http://www.amazon.com/Night-Sky%C2%AE-Star-Wheel-Publishing/dp/1931559309/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1417547768&sr=8-11&keywords=astronomy+for+kids

stuff like this may help :) I literally searched astronomy for kids on amazon :)

Pretty sure its from "Star Wars: The Force Awakens Incredible Crosssections EDIT: Nope, sorry.

http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Awakens-Incredible-Cross-Sections/dp/1465438157

http://www.starwars.com/databank

That's a free resource. You can also buy:

• http://www.amazon.ca/Star-Wars-Complete-Vehicles-Publishing/dp/1465408746
  
  
• http://www.amazon.ca/Star-Wars-Awakens-Incredible-Cross-Sections/dp/1465438157
  
  

It's from the Star Wars: The Force Awakens Incredible Cross Sections. Not sure about the isbn. But here's an amazon link.

http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Awakens-Incredible-Cross-Sections/dp/1465438157

Definitely worth it. A lot of interesting info on the ships and some fantastic illustrations and stills from the film.

I recommend the manga guide to general used to read it when I was a physics undergrad

https://www.amazon.fr/Manga-Guide-Relativity-Hideo-Nitta/dp/1593272723

A great starter book is NightWatch by Terence Dickinson

http://www.amazon.com/NightWatch-Practical-Guide-Viewing-Universe/dp/1552093026

It can teach you to memorize the sky starting with the big dipper. Just by using the big dipper you can find your way to other constellations and major stars.

It has sky maps, future eclipse dates and whatnot, a guide to telescopes and binoculars as well as info about all the planets and the universe.

Really good book

There is a pretty big difference between having a career in astronomy and having a hobby of astronomy. Some people like both; other people only one or the other.

It sounds like you are of the age where you can expand your knowledge of "amateur astronomy" and it may lead to a fantastic lifelong hobby. But you may find "astronomy as a career" to be not as exciting. It's just too early to tell.

Anyway, that being said... from the point of view of a career, you'll eventually need the math that all scientists need: calculus, differential equations, linear algebra, probability and statistics. And if you go into cosmology or certain other areas, you'll also need some more specialized math that will be taught with your quantum physics courses.

But any "hobbyist" knowledge that you pick up before then is certainly not a waste, no matter what.
cookupastorm had some GREAT advice for that

And I already threw in my plug for the fantastic Intro to Astronomy course from the Great Courses. See if you can get it on inter-library loan and watch it for free.

In addition to Turn Left at Orion mentioned by cookupastorm, people frequently recommend Nightwatch by Terence Dickinson

Also, as an amateur, you can already get a taste of the career-type stuff by helping out with such things as GalaxyZoo (or wikipedia link ) or the American Association of Variable Star Observers.

Also, goes without saying: Look up your local Astronomy club and go to some of their meetings and star parties.

I don't have much knowledge or experience, but I too have recently picked up the astronomy bug. I've been practicing by using Stellarium and a planisphere for locating objects in the sky. From what I've gathered online, it's best to start simple.

My daughter (5) and son (7) both enjoy this book I Wonder. Also, Older Than The Stars is pretty decent too.

This book is a pretty awesome ELI5 for Einstein's theories of relativity, if anyone's interested.

I failed my first driving test, I was really nervous and the examiner was super strict and overly critical over little things. I took it a second time at a different site with another examiner and passed easily, maybe you could try a different examiner or place as well, sometimes it's not you but the ones testing you. Hope you pass next time!

I have a few books in that price range:

http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B000JMKNJ2/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3HDKJRK0CSGLH&coliid=IKO3UVC81C1PE

http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00MX1CBRO/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3HDKJRK0CSGLH&coliid=I2F9IKNDRNHWX8

http://www.amazon.com/The-Man-Went-Side-Moon/dp/0811840077/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

This is a really odd, beautiful children's book on Michael Collins. Actually, great for any age.

I know you asked for a program, but if you're interested in something physical as well, a planisphere could come in handy.

My friend purchased this for my daughter:
https://www.amazon.com/Baby-Loves-Aerospace-Engineering-Science/dp/1580895417

I've been reading this book to my kid for 2-3 years (they are 4.5 now). They were able answer questions about the planets when we visited an observatory last spring. The book itself isn't complicated, and it's probably for the under 8 crowd, but I do like the rhymes and the little details they have about the planets.

Although age 4-6, here is a book about the big bang

I'm right there with you. I'm a bit old school as well. If they print it, I'll buy it. Goes for comics, novels, and even other books that aren't "novels". I like getting the Incredible Cross Sections books and the Galactic Maps type books. They're really cool!

Having a small child, I actually find this pretty obnoxious. Pluto's demotion has made it more prominent than non-dwarf planets. There are a lot of toys that have gone from "All 9 Planets" to "All 8 Planets, featuring Pluto!"

We have a floor puzzle that includes Ceres and Pluto, so it gets away with throwing Pluto in there, but it also labels Charon, the only moon labeled on the entire puzzle. We have this book which gives a verse to Pluto, but no other dwarf planets. The verse has the correct status, "Pluto alas is not a planet at all...", but it also mentions Pluto in Neptune's verse. Pluto shouldn't be there at all, but not only is it there, it's the only body mentioned in two verses.

Despite my best efforts, my 2 year old mentions Pluto when listing the planets, so I have settled on making her continue on with Haumea, Makemake, and Eris.

[It is on Amazon in the US] (http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Awakens-Incredible-Cross-Sections/dp/1465438157/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=17ZVXNZJ9V63XHNY7VRE)

The real "awe" is in the truth. A man clapping his hands is shit compared to what actually happened. Check it out sometime: The Big Bang for Kids

That one is ages 7+, so it's a good place to start for the religious.

We also like Me and Dog- https://www.amazon.com/Me-Dog-Gene-Weingarten/dp/1442494131/ and Older than the Stars- https://www.amazon.com/Older-than-Stars-Karen-Fox/dp/1570917884/

Looking at stars is pointless, they'll still just be points of light. The interesting things are planets, nebulae, clusters, galaxies and the occasional comet.

Do you have access to a decent pair of binoculars? If so, they will serve nicely for observing a lot of objects in a dark sky location. Even just kicking back in a lawn chair and scanning the Milky Way reveals thousands of stars you can't see with the naked eye.

One thing you won't need binoculars for is M31, visible to the naked eye and in the eastern sky that time of year - but you have to know where to look. A good book for the basics is Terence Dickinson's Nightwatch and it's actually easier to become familiar with the sky in the city since only the brightest starts are visible and the constellations are more easily recognized. Once you've got that down, 'star hopping' is easy.

Also, check out Sky and Telescope's Sky at a Glance for the lowdown on the weeks ahead.

Good luck and happy hunting.

I've never seen Bill Nye. In Canada in the 80s I did watch this show quite a bit though:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTXoozcv01w

Bob MacDonald is still on TV all the time now too so everything's good.

I was more into reading astronomy and paleontology books on my own though because the chance of exactly what I was looking for being on TV one day was pretty low. The book I probably read more than any other was this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Exploring-Night-Sky-Astronomy-Beginners/dp/0920656668

http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Awakens-Incredible-Cross-Sections/dp/1465438157/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1451526514&sr=8-1&keywords=star+wars+cross+sections

Click Clack Peep (my daughter LOVES all the Click Clack books, but this is her favorite one. Btw it’s mandatory to read it in the most Southern, country accent possible.)

How to be a Good Dog

Owl Babies

Blue on Blue

Hello Light House

Puppy and Friends

We Forgot Brock!

Giraffes Can’t Dance

Solar System

Ten Little Rabbits

Panda Bear, Panda Bear What Do You See?

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat

Babushka Baba Yaga

The Thingamabob

Hear Bear Roar

If you want a book to help get your head around special relativity, try The Time and Space of Uncle Albert. It is written for kids, has no maths, and is incredibly insightful - after two years of a physics degree I re-read it and found it was still helpful in building my understanding!

Michael Collins and his fellow CM pilots probably have the record.

Incidentally, this is a terrific book:
http://www.amazon.com/Man-Who-Went-Side-Moon/dp/0811840077

Silly redditor

Babies can't read.


I had a pair of books that I would recommend to any parent. Exploring the Night Sky, and Exploring the sky by day. It's difficult to put into words what these books did for me as a child. It gave me an awesome sense of understanding. This when combined with the ridiculously ignorant interpretations of clouds, rainbows, and stars by other children and adults, made me realize that people just make shiat up when they don't understand something, even adults. That realization helped inoculate me against any other silliness not backed up by evidence.

Give the gift of knowledge. Kids are naturally curious about the sky, what with all the weird and wonderful things that can be seen.

I'd highly recommend getting hold of "NightWatch" by Terence Dickinson. An excellent book with annotated star charts which note what can be seen with various types of equipment under various conditions. Lots of great advice to a beginning astronomer.

Found it! It's called Star Stuff: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1596439602/ref=mp_s_a_1_16?qid=1416771265&sr=1-16&pi=SL75

I like the analysis, the scum ship could be the Quad Jumper: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/9194w9oTJ4L.jpg

As seen in the TFA Cross Sections book:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1465438157?redirect=true&ref_=s9_simh_gw_p14_d1_i1

I definitely like Kylo more than Rey. I'm super HAPPY with the entire cast including Rey. But my heart has always been with the bad guys. I knew I was going to love Kylo the most the moment I saw him. In fact the moment I saw him I looked at my boyfriend and said "You're costuming that." like he didn't have an option, I'm making him a Kylo and he's going to be mine and that's that!

But I LOVE the point you brought up that this movie really makes you sympathize with the bad guys and I loved that. You feel for Finn who is freaked out by the power and cruelty of the first order and you actually feel for Kylo who is struggling between light and dark. Watching the promos and getting hyped, I never imagined I would feel for Kylo. I assumed I'd sit there and think he was amazing but I didn't think I'd connect with him, it was actually kind of nice! I'm circle jerking, I know, I can't help it.

Here's a list of shit you need to pick up:

The visual dictionary

The Art of Star Wars the Force Awakens

And you mentioned having a book with layouts of the death star and such so you may like Incredible Cross Sections.

And from what EVERYONE I know has been telling me, The Force Awakens novelization is a must read if you want juicy little details that weren't made crystal clear in the movie!

Also, if you are not reading the comics. STOP. RIGHT. NOW. AND. READ. THEM!!

In order of priority:

Darth Vader

Star Wars

Princess Leia

Shattered Empire

And read Kanan if you're a Rebels fan. I HAVE the comic I just haven't read that one yet!

But no seriously that Darth Vader comic. The stuff that happens. UGH. NERDGASM. After reading them and re-watching the movies in preparation for TFA I fell in love with the originals all over again. It was like that fresh awesome new love I had for them the first time! So good!