Under Alien Skies: A Sightseer's Guide to the Universe by Philip Plait

Under Alien Skies: A Sightseer's Guide to the Universe Reviews

• 
  Gareth Is Haunted

  A spectacular and extremely accessible whistle-stop tour of the cosmos.
  
  I am usually quite reserved when reviewing these types of books, but this simply ticked all the boxes for me.
  It is hard to find a book about astronomy which straddles the thin line between being detailed and yet still remaining incredibly accessible. This book does that in a fashion that makes the subject matter extremely relatable and human. Not only do you get plenty of scientific theories and facts but there is also plenty of humour thrown in for good measure.
  
  Phillip Plait takes us on a tour of some of the most spectacular, and almost unimaginably beautiful sights and occurrences in our universe, This tour takes us to our closest neighbours, our Moon and Mars, detailing their origins and some of their most astonishing features. From there we travel to the farthest reaches of our solar system, visiting Pluto and its remote and icy brothers and sisters. From there the journey takes in many weird and wonderful sights including worlds almost straight out of science fiction and the giants of the universe, stars, nebulae and possibly the strangest objects of all, black holes.
  
  This was one thrilling journey, just don't get too close to those black holes they may be the last thing you ever get to see.
  I simply loved this book!
  
  Many thanks to W. W. Norton & Company and Netgalley for providing an ARC copy for me to review.
• 
  Got Twins-Need Coffee

  Interesting and educational book that kept the attention of myself and my kids alike. Really enjoyed the chapter about Saturn and its rings.
• 
  Michael Hicks

  DNF @ 32%. While I enjoy Philip Plait's work as a science communicator and find his tweets entertaining, Under Alien Skies is proving a bit too dry and repetitive for me. It does have some truly striking photography, but the text itself isn't really firing up my imagination as much as I'd hoped. Sorry, Philip!
• 
  John Kelly

  Fascinating! (to quote a famous Vulcan--though the exclamation point effectively takes it out of Vulcan parlance)
  
  I very much enjoyed
  Under Alien Skies: A Sightseer's Guide to the Universe by
  Philip Plait. I was already familiar with him from his previous work and his participation in The Skeptics Guide to the Universe podcast. His expertise, wit, and ability to communicate science in an approachable fashion all shine in this book. As an example, there is no other science book that I am aware of that compares the breathtaking views of the night sky to warm pajamas. I also find myself much better equipped to properly use "spaghettification" in a sentence.
  
  All joking aside, this book will take you on a journey that, science would suggest, may never be possible otherwise. It will allow you to virtually sand on multiple planets in our own solar system and then explore systems and bodies millions of light years away. I left the book with not only a greater appreciation for the vastness and grandeur of the world we live in but also with greatly increased knowledge of how that world works.
  
  Dr. Plait summed it up pretty well: "The universe is a spectacularly beautiful place. There is certainly a lot to see, and it's awfully interesting, too."
  
  Highly recommended.
• 
  Cailin

  As a lifelong science fiction fan and general science nerd, I have often wondered what the cosmos would look like if viewed from somewhere other than Earth. Although I will never be an astronaut (thanks, eyeballs), this book gave me a close enough idea that my curiosity is sated at least a little bit.
  The scenarios discussed in this book range from wholly plausible to far off dreams. While all of them are ultimately grounded in science, I gravitated toward the chapters dedicated to our own solar system because, for the most part, we can actually get there. That being said, every chapter offered evocative descriptions about what all these distant worlds may look like. Throughout the book, I was filled with wonder and awe.
  I appreciated that the book explained not only how things would appear from other planets, but why. I learned a lot, including about the resonance of orbits. The astronomy presented in this book is easily digestible for general audiences - my background is not in physics and I understood everything just fine. The casual, conversational tone ensures that even the information dense sections are fairly easy to read.
  The second person stories at the beginning of each chapter also drew me in and sparked my curiosity. I think fellow science fiction fans would appreciate them. Overall, I recommend this book to sci-fi lovers, budding astronomers, and anyone else curious about intergalactic sightseeing.
  
  Thank you to W. W. Norton & Company and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
• 
  Emily Green

  Thank you to W. W. Norton and GoodReads Giveaways, from whom I received an ARC of Dr. Philip Plait’s Under Alien Skies: A Sightseer’s Guide to the Universe in exchange for a fair and honest review.
  
  In Under Alien Skies, Plait takes us across the universe, exploring our solar system, galaxy, and beyond. He helps the reader imagine being a tourist in many different places--from the moon to a dwarf star to a black hole. Each adventure has corresponding evidence and history of how we know what we know. There is much to learn from this book, especially for someone like me, who has not learned about space since middle school. I didn’t have astronomy in high school or college, so that is the case for me.
  
  In the second person sections which describe the different trips throughout the universe, Plait creates the experience of being on a spaceship and describing both the sensations and what you might see. There is a captain, of course, and moments when everyone on board is viewing together. There is some discussion of the travel it takes to get there, and admissions from the author when things would have been fudged to make the impossible (as we know it) possible.
  
  The majority of the book, however, is dedicated to science, discussing the composition of planets and stars, the effect of gravity in different places, the possibility of humans traveling to or living in different places. The tone is chatty and the language is not complicated, though it introduces the reader to a lot of vocabulary. This book is clearly written for the common person, and not someone who knows a whole lot about space. There is a lot of information, and if you are looking for a good science writing book, here it is.
  
  Would I teach this book? Well--probably not. I can see that this is a good book. That’s obvious. But it was a little too dense to be entertaining to me. It took me a while to read and I found it to be--well--not to my taste. So, while there might be a lot in the book for my students to learn, it would not be enjoyable for me. And I cannot say that a lot of the information stuck with me. I found my mind drifting in several places. So. while I might recommend this to others who enjoy science writing, especially astronomy, I would not assign it for my class.
• 
  Chris Harvey

  I've been a fan of Phil Plait since stumbling onto Death from the Skies, his 2008 book about the different ways the universe can (or eventually WILL) kill us all. He's a great science communicator that is best for people who have some understanding of space already but want to learn more. This book is more of the same from him if you're familiar with his work, and I mean that as a compliment.
  
  This book doesn't deal with impending death but instead the spectacular views that are denied to us being stuck on this rock. I particularly enjoyed the chapters on Saturn, asteroids (they're not necessarily solid rock but a collection of pebbles!?) and black holes. For some reason I really fixated in on the apparent brightness of stars or planets from different alien worlds. It's cool to think of the sun being a still blinding pinpoint in the sky from the outer solar system. Where else would you have that presented to you? He answers questions I didn't realize I had.
  
  If I had one complaint it was that he tries to explain every concept. I didn't need an explanation of what static electricity is. Especially when a few pages after that he's explaining something a little more complicated that I didn't quite grasp completely. I think the intended audience for this would be an older teen, someone who has already read a bit about space and is comfortable with the basics.
• 
  Elisa

  This fun and interesting read is the perfect travel book for all your extraterrestrial destinations. You want to go to the Moon? Better get used to the gravity. How about honeymooning in Mars? Plait has you covered. Even if you have “visiting a black hole” on your bucket list (better make it the last item), this book will tell you what to expect. There is a lot of science, but in a way that is easily understandable. The author has such a funny sense of humor that I was laughing at times. The last few chapters were a little too much for me, so I had to go slowly. Some concepts remain too technical but, if you pay attention, it eventually makes sense. It’s amazing to realize what huge leaps our technology is taking, since many of the information here was unknown just a few years back. Like the author, I really hope that we’ll eventually get there. The Orion Nebula sounds like a great destination for my retirement.
  I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#W. W. Norton & Company!
• 
  Morgan Thomas

  Thank you so much for the ARC of this book. I had so much fun with it. This is probably one of my favorite non-fiction books ever. I love how the author broke everything down to if you were there what would you see. Then how he explained the science behind it. I enjoyed learning more about space especially the planets (and former planets) he specifically mentioned like Pluto, Saturn, and mars. I also love how when he was describing the planets with two suns he referenced it back to one of my favorite sci-fi films Star Wars. It helped me visualize it. This book was just such a cool read that’s written in a way that is easily understandable. The authors enthusiasm about the subject really jumped off the page too. You can tell how much he enjoys what he studies. I really want to pick up this authors other two books now. I would really recommend this book
• 
  Steve

  My favorite part of the book is the author’s obvious and contagious enthusiasm for the subject matter. I also enjoyed the conversational tone of the book and I felt that Plait was talking directly to me. By-and-large, the science was clearly explained but there was some information that was over my head. I also enjoyed the great photos and figures, and the footnotes, which were well worth reading. Plait also writes with a good sense of humor and comes across as a completely likeable person. Overall this book is well worth reading. Thank you to Netgalley and W. W. Norton & Company for the digital review copy.
• 
  Connie

  I loved this book! It reads like a guide to the universe. Easy and enjoyable to read! You can read it from cover or use it as a research book. I like they way the author uses simply examples to illustrate what it might be like in space, You will be able to get mental picture of where he is taking you in the universe. Not many science books can spark your imagination along with giving the facts, this book does both. This a great book for almost any age group. I would like to see this author write about quantum mechanics,and string theory multiverse. I bet it would be amazing. Thank you so much for a great read !
• 
  Sierra

  4.5 stars! This is exactly what a pop science book is supposed to be. Funny tone, lots of science but in accessible form, a little bit of fun speculation. I really appreciated the lack of diagrams and conceptual scenarios that have plagued my recent reading. Instead, you imagine yourself as a space traveler, physically going to all these places. It was a little silly, but in an educational way that worked amazingly.
  
  ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
• 
  SkipO

  Rec'd from GOODREADS drawing....Thanks.
  What a great interesting book!
  I thoroughly enjoyed (and learned) more than I thought I would.
  Fascinating especially the chapter on Saturn and its rings
  Highly recommend it!
• 
  La biblioteca de Frodo

  Me encantó este libro. Me pareció súper interesante la manera en la que presenta todo lo que rodea a los planetas y el cosmos. Todos los capítulos son maravillosos y te llevan más allá de la Tierra para visitar esos mundos que se encuentran fuera de nuestro alcance.
  
  El autor consigue transmitirte su entusiasmo por el tema. Necesitaba un librito que me hiciera echar de menos la saga de The Expanse y, definitivamente, este cumplió con su cometido.
• 
  Ben

  The kind of astronomy book I've been waiting for without really knowing it. There's plenty of science, but it's ably handled by Plait, who throws in a bit of humor as well as the imagination it takes to extrapolate from what scientists currently know (and don't).