Book excerpt: Providing the tools and know-how to apply the principles of astronomy first-hand, these 43 laboratory exercises each contain an introduction that clearly shows budding astronomers why the particular topic of that lab is of interest and relevant to astronomy. About one-third of the exercises are devoted solely to observation, and no mathematics is required beyond simple high school algebra and trigonometry.Organizes exercises into six major topics--sky, optics and spectroscopy, celestial mechanics, solar system, stellar properties, and exploration and other topics--providing clear outlines of what is involved in the exercise, its purpose, and what procedures and apparatus are to be used. Offers variations on standard and popular exercises, and includes many that are new and innovative, such as "The Messier List" which helps users discover basic facts about the Milky Way Galaxy by plotting these objects on a star chart; "Motions of Earth" demonstrates just how fast the Earth is moving through space and in which direction it is going, and; "Radioactivity and Time" which measures the half-life of a short-lived isotope, and consider radioactive dating and heating of celestial bodies. Includes a guide to astronomical pronunciations, a guide to the constellations, spectral classifications, quotes on science, and more.For astronomers.