<p>I personally found Stephen Hawking's "A Breif History of Time" to be very interesting and informative.  It is a little bit advanced, but is put forward in plain English.  Here is a link to it on Amazon, and you can "look inside" to see part of the book and see what you think.</p>

<p><a href="http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0553380168" rel="noreferrer">http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0553380168/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1535523722&amp;pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&amp;pf_rd_t=201&amp;pf_rd_i=055371449X&amp;pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&amp;pf_rd_r=1Z0JYCKHWXEFPK3TS6TM</a></p>

<p>After reading your comments / clarifications, you might like "A Field Guide to Stars and Planets."  It appears to be a good introduction into astronomy.</p>

<p><a href="http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0395934311" rel="noreferrer">http://www.amazon.com/Field-Guide-Planets-Peterson-Guides/dp/0395934311/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1411293771&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=stars+and+planets</a></p>

<p>As far as covering astronomy from a more mathematical perspective, you might like "A Student's Guide to the Mathematics of Astronomy." </p>

<p><a href="http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1107610214" rel="noreferrer">http://www.amazon.com/Students-Guide-Mathematics-Astronomy/dp/1107610214/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1411294172&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=math+of+astronomy</a></p>

<p>You can take a look inside each of these books to see what you think.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-09-21T04:18:15.127Z
I saw the link, well it was not in my interests. Though I know Steven Hawking is a famous person and I sometimes follow news about him but I don't like to follow theories about the beginning of the world as the theorist in this subject are not speaking using the logic I get habit to in mathematics. But maybe I have to read one day some texts of these theorist, maybe something nice can be found there (but maybe later not now) :) +1
AmirHosein Sadeghimanesh
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-09-21T10:14:41.067Z
@AmirHoseinSadeghiManesh I added a couple more books you might like, based on your clarifications.
Jonathan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-09-21T01:21:44.223Z
2014-09-21T10:13:43.583Z
2014-09-21T10:13:43.583Z
Jonathan
<p>I've just finished my masters degree (to be exact previous week ^_^). And I'm completing my collection of applications of my studies. During previous year I started reading about Robotics and Coding theory (but in free times as a hobby). I knew that my field of study has application in Astrophysics but I didn't have enough time to go after this topic as well. But my main question; these days I felt into mood of having a general knowledge in Astronomy etc. everything related to stars and space.</p>

<p>As I'm not seeking the application of my field of study at astrophysics (if I were it was better to put this question at math stack instead of hear) and certainly almost all members here are not familiar with pure mathematics, I will be pleased if someone here introduce one or several nice texts or books which satisfy one of the two following set of conditions:
1- Some elementary sources which people who doesn't have any background can read them. The notes be exciting and the reader wants to continue it until its end.
2- Sources which also use mathematics (specially if the level of the math won't be only some calculus) but the dominant text be about stars and space.</p>

<p>Assume you are suggesting a text to a person as his first thing he will read in this topic. And if you think a series or a number of texts are suitable, please give an order to which should be read first and then which for the next and so on.
(Also please note that I don't like to read guesses! So texts contains we guessed x should be because of y or we think the world is ... are not interesting to me)</p>

<p>Thank you for your attention.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-09-20T21:18:37.000Z
First: What is your previous mathematical background (in more detail, that is)? Second (and this is, perhaps, more important): What specific area(s) do you want to study?
HDE 226868
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-09-21T04:24:34.963Z
@HDE226868 OK, my field of study at university; (B.Sc.: Pure Mathematics) -> (M.Sc.: Pure Mathematics-> Algebraic Algebraic Geometry ->Singularity Theory) My Master Thesis was about proofs of Resolution of Singularities
You could also find information and my CV at my webpage (the address was at my user profile here)
AmirHosein Sadeghimanesh
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-09-21T04:28:29.400Z
@HDE226868 I am interested in 'stars' and 'space' as I mentioned in the question. Knowing these two objects.
AmirHosein Sadeghimanesh
<star><space><fundamental-astronomy>
Requesting book references for a non-expert person with math background or just a non-expert person
AmirHosein Sadeghimanesh
# Requesting book references for a non-expert person with math background or just a non-expert person

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-09-20)

I've just finished my masters degree (to be exact previous week ^\_^). And I'm completing my collection of applications of my studies. During previous year I started reading about Robotics and Coding theory (but in free times as a hobby). I knew that my field of study has application in Astrophysics but I didn't have enough time to go after this topic as well. But my main question; these days I felt into mood of having a general knowledge in Astronomy etc. everything related to stars and space.

As I'm not seeking the application of my field of study at astrophysics (if I were it was better to put this question at math stack instead of hear) and certainly almost all members here are not familiar with pure mathematics, I will be pleased if someone here introduce one or several nice texts or books which satisfy one of the two following set of conditions:
1- Some elementary sources which people who doesn't have any background can read them. The notes be exciting and the reader wants to continue it until its end.
2- Sources which also use mathematics (specially if the level of the math won't be only some calculus) but the dominant text be about stars and space.

Assume you are suggesting a text to a person as his first thing he will read in this topic. And if you think a series or a number of texts are suitable, please give an order to which should be read first and then which for the next and so on.
(Also please note that I don't like to read guesses! So texts contains we guessed x should be because of y or we think the world is ... are not interesting to me)

Thank you for your attention.

**Tags:** star, space, fundamental-astronomy

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: First: What is your previous mathematical background (in more detail, that is)? Second (and this is, perhaps, more important): What specific area(s) do you want to study?  
> **username_0**: @username_1 OK, my field of study at university; (B.Sc.: Pure Mathematics) -> (M.Sc.: Pure Mathematics-> Algebraic Algebraic Geometry ->Singularity Theory) My Master Thesis was about proofs of Resolution of Singularities You could also find information and my CV at my webpage (the address was at my user profile here)  
> **username_0**: @username_1 I am interested in 'stars' and 'space' as I mentioned in the question. Knowing these two objects.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2014-09-21. Score: 8

I personally found Stephen Hawking's "A Breif History of Time" to be very interesting and informative. It is a little bit advanced, but is put forward in plain English. Here is a link to it on Amazon, and you can "look inside" to see part of the book and see what you think.

[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0553380168/ref=pd\_lpo\_sbs\_dp\_ss\_1?pf\_rd\_p=1535523722&pf\_rd\_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf\_rd\_t=201&pf\_rd\_i=055371449X&pf\_rd\_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf\_rd\_r=1Z0JYCKHWXEFPK3TS6TM](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0553380168)

After reading your comments / clarifications, you might like "A Field Guide to Stars and Planets." It appears to be a good introduction into astronomy.

[http://www.amazon.com/Field-Guide-Planets-Peterson-Guides/dp/0395934311/ref=sr\_1\_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411293771&sr=1-1&keywords=stars+and+planets](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0395934311)

As far as covering astronomy from a more mathematical perspective, you might like "A Student's Guide to the Mathematics of Astronomy."

[http://www.amazon.com/Students-Guide-Mathematics-Astronomy/dp/1107610214/ref=sr\_1\_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411294172&sr=1-1&keywords=math+of+astronomy](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1107610214)

You can take a look inside each of these books to see what you think.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I saw the link, well it was not in my interests. Though I know Steven Hawking is a famous person and I sometimes follow news about him but I don't like to follow theories about the beginning of the world as the theorist in this subject are not speaking using the logic I get habit to in mathematics. But maybe I have to read one day some texts of these theorist, maybe something nice can be found there (but maybe later not now) :) +1  
> **username_2**: @AmirHoseinSadeghiManesh I added a couple more books you might like, based on your clarifications.  

---

