“We are stardust brought to life, then empowered by the universe to figure itself out – and we have only just begun.”
For as long as humanity has existed, there are records of being enthralled by the heavens in the night sky around them. With all of its planets, stars and galaxies, the expanse of space has been used to explain everything from someone’s irritable mood to the meaning of life. On the back of some of the biggest scientific breakthroughs we have ever seen over the past few years, check out the 7 best astronomy books from 2022 here at What We Reading!
A Brief History Of Black Holes – Dr. Becky Smethurst
Ever since their initial discoveries in the early 1970s, Black Holes have become one of the most bizarre objects in the universe. The first-ever photograph of one in 2019 broke the internet, but humanity is still very much scratching the surface when it comes to actually understanding how these objects have shaped the universe.
Dr. Becky Smethurst is an astrophysicist at the University of Oxford, and masterfully weaves through our discoveries on Black Holes to date, and why so much still eludes us. From what would happen if you were to fall into one, to how these massive objects came about, this captivating 2022 astronomy book makes one of science’s most complex topics fun and digestible.
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The Cosmos Explained – Charles Liu
How the universe began and where it will eventually meet its end are perhaps the two questions humanity have grappled with. Thankfully, Hayden Planetarium Associate Professor Charles Liu is on hand to help with his book The Cosmos Explained.
The book colourfully details everything from the first one ten-millionth of a trillionth of a second after The Big Bang, the formation of our solar system, to how life on Earth was able to flourish. Presented with a slick ‘60s retro look, beautiful telescopic images and a timeline at the bottom of every page, it is the perfect guide for anyone looking to broaden their understanding of how the universe came to be.
Apollo Remastered – Andy Saunders
Apollo Remastered is the stunning result of painstaking recoveries and remastering by English photographer Andy Saunders. With cutting-edge technologies and incredible attention to detail, Saunders gives readers the highest quality images from the Apollo programmes ever seen.
Spacewalks, astronauts and images of our planet and moon are presented in a never-before-seen way, shedding new light on one of humanity’s greatest achievements. Endorsed by everyone from Dr Brian Odom to real-life astronauts Charlie Duke and Walter Cunningham, it’s one astronomy book not to be missed.
Space Oddities – Joe Cuhaj
Space Oddities – Forgotten Stories of Mankind’s Exploration of Space is Joe Cuhaj’s homage to humanity’s history of attempting to explore the mysteries of space.
Giving readers insightful guides into the weird, eccentric and often perilous trips that have boldly gone where no man has gone before, Cuhaj covers everything from the lone bolt that meant the Soviet Union missed out on beating the United States to the Moon, to how musical playlists are used to wake up astronauts. Space Oddities is the greatest collection of little-known tales from humanity’s attempts at space travel, and serves as one of the most fascinating reads for any space fanatic.
The Elephant In The Universe – Govert Schilling
‘Dark Matter’ is the term used to describe roughly 85% of space that isn’t made up of planets, stars, nebulas and galaxies. It’s a fascinating and terrifying part of astronomy that scientists have endeavoured to learn more about, which is exactly what Govert Schilling taps into in The Elephant in the Universe.
With interviews from both advocates and naysayers toward our efforts for a better understanding of this unique scientific discovery, it is the absolute must-read on Dark Matter’s role in the universe.
Yearbook Of Astronomy 2023
With its first edition being printed in 1962 on the eve of the Space Age, the Yearbook of Astronomy is the annual guide on all the latest goings-on in the world of stargazing. Delivered with its distinct style, the Yearbook offers jargon-free and accessible articles and sky charts for every budding astronomer to take into the back garden or allotment with them.
One of the best science books for fuelling inspiration, the 2023 Yearbook includes articles ranging from discoveries around Jupiter’s atmosphere, the future of spaceflight and a preview of the end of the universe.
Night Sky Almanac 2023: A Stargazer’s Guide – Storm Dunlop And Wil Tirion
Lauded as ‘beautifully presented and utterly essential for all budding astronomers’ by Waterstones and officially approved by the Royal Observatory Greenwich, Night Sky Almanac 2023 is the perfect gift book for any astronomy fan.
The book comes with monthly calendars and rotas for budding stargazers to discover the events that light up the night sky. Complete with facts and astronomical anniversaries all year round, it acts as a perfect bridge for seeing and understanding the beauty of space.
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
