Welcome to the Astronomy Subject Guide
The StMU Library is here to support you with your academic research needs. These subject guides are curated to provide you with the information you need to get started in your course.
Credible. Reliable. Curated.
This guide is an excellent starting point for research, but please contact us if you can't find what you are looking for. We're happy to assist you by email, phone a virtual meeting or, if you're near the Library, stop by for a visit.
Stay on top of the latest research from your favourite journals and databases with email alerts.
Books, journals, and databases help you locate background information, peer-reviewed articles and reference resources.
The web is a goldmine if you know where to look. We've done the mining for you to compile online resources that will make your work easier.
Below are some suggested databases for Astronomy.
Databases allow you to search collections of journals, articles, books, topic reviews, evidence-based summaries and drug information. StMU databases include Core Databases which are curated collections focusing on a specific subject area and Multidisciplinary Databases which provide broad subject coverage in all areas of undergraduate study.
IOPscience is an online service for journal content published by IOP Publishing. The database includes access to upwards of 70 journals and over 100 open access eBooks.
Covering all major academic disciplines, Academic Search Elite is a rich resource spanning a broad stretch of academic subjects with thousands of full-text journals and abstracted and indexed
There is nothing wrong with using the internet. You can find very helpful resources on the web but you should know where and when is the right time to use the internet versus a Library database.
Don't hesitate to ask We're happy to assist you in person, by phone, or by MS Teams.
Anytime, anywhere StMU students, staff, and faculty have access to all of the online resources offsite. Simply enter your credentials.
Having problems with offsite access? Make sure you're selecting OpenAthens when given an option. Check out our guide on OpenAthens External Authentication for detailed support.
The StMU Library provides access to hundreds of scholarly journals to keep you up to date with the latest evidence, research, and discussion in your field. If we don't have access to the article you're looking for, fill out an ILL Request and we'll bring in a copy for free. Below you will find links to core, full-text Education journals as well as information about assessing articles found on the web.
Immediate online access
Browse the A-Z listing of all journals available to the StMU community.
No problems
Full-text access is available on campus.
Alerts sent to your email
The catalogue is designed with busy researchers in mind. Save searches and receive
notifications when new resources become available.
The StMU Library provides access to hundreds of scholarly journals to keep you up to date with the latest evidence, research, and discussion in your field. If we don't have to the article you're looking for, fill out an ILL Request and we'll bring in a copy for free . Below you will find links to core, full-text Astronomy journals as well as information about assessing articles found on the web. . eJOURNALS Immediate online access Browse the A-Z listing of all journals available to the StMU community. . NOT A STUDENT? No problem Full-text access is available on campus. . STAY CURRENT Alerts sent to your email The catalogue is designed with busy researchers in mind. Save searches and receive notifications when new resources become available.
The Astronomy and Astrophysics Review publishes invited reviews by leading experts from around the world. The range of topics covered includes all areas of astronomy and astrophysics; cosmic ray physics; studies in the solar system; astrobiology; developments in laboratory or particle physics directly relevant to astronomy; instrumentation; computational or statistical methods with specific astronomical applications; and other subjects relevant to astronomy and astrophysics.
Planetary and Space Science publishes original articles as well as short communications (letters). Ground-based and space-borne instrumentation and laboratory simulation of solar system processes are included.
Experimental Astronomy is a medium for the publication of papers of contemporary scientific interest on astrophysical instrumentation and methods throughout all five channels of information: Electromagnetic Radiation Astronomy; Solar System Observation and Exploration; Cosmic-Ray Detection; Neutrino Astronomy; and Gravitational-Wave Astronomy. Experimental Astronomy publishes full-length articles, research letters and reviews on developments in detection techniques, instruments, and data analysis and image processing techniques. Occasional special issues are published, giving an in-depth presentation of the instrumentation and/or analysis connected with specific projects, such as satellite experiments or ground-based telescopes, or of specialized techniques.
Founded in 1967, this has been the principal journal for the publication of fundamental research on the Sun for five decades. All aspects of solar physics are reported on. Coverage ranges from the internal structure of the Sun and its evolution to the outer corona and solar wind in interplanetary space. Solar Physics publishes papers on solar-terrestrial physics and on stellar research as well, where they contribute directly to our understanding of the Sun.
As an international key journal on scientific space research, its purpose is to provide a comprehensive synthesis of the various branches of the subject. The emphasis is on scientific results and instruments in the fields of astrophysics, physics of planetary systems, solar physics, and physics of magnetospheres & interplanetary matter. Space Science Reviews publishes review articles and topical collections led by expert guest editors.
There is nothing wrong with using journal articles you've found on the internet, there's plenty of high quality information out there. But, there are a few things you should know about Academic, Open Access, and Predatory journals before you start.
If you're new to a subject, reference resources are the perfect place to begin your research. Resources such as encyclopaedias, handbooks, dictionaries, atlases, and almanacs can provide a concise introduction to a subject and introduce the specialized keywords that will make locating secondary sources more efficient. Below you will find a listing of print and electronic reference resources to get you started. . eBOOKS Click and read Immediate access anytime, anywhere. . PRINT BOOKS Available to all Place a Request in the catalogue for quick pickup or visit the library to browse the stacks. . OTHER LIBRARIES You can borrow from them too Search and Request books from our SAIL partners (U of C, AU, and BVC) from within the STMU catalogue.
Print resource: REF QB14 .F57 2004
Print resource: REF QD65 .C73 2013
Libraries are filled with books! Many prefer holding a hard copy book instead of an electronic version. Don't worry, we have both available depending on what you like best.
Books are ideal information sources to consult when looking for a comprehensive overview of your topic. Don't see what you are looking for? Ask us about InterLibrary Loans to find a book from another library.
Below you will find a listing of the Library of Congress call ranges associated with Astronomy, as well as some suggested subjects and keywords that can be used when searching the library catalogue . eBOOKS Click and read Immediate access anytime, anywhere . PRINT BOOKS Available to all Place a Request in the catalogue for quick pickup or visit the library to browse the stacks. . OTHER LIBRARIES You can borrow from them too Search and Request books from our SAIL partners (U of C, AU, and BVC) from within the STMU catalogue.
Prehistoric astronomy
Astrographic catalogue and chart (Note: charts and atlases)
Astrogeology
Amateur astronomy
Libraries are filled with books! Many prefer holding a hard copy book instead of an electronic version. Don't worry, we have both available depending on what you like best.
Books are ideal information sources to consult when looking for a comprehensive overview of your topic. Don't see what you are looking for? Ask us about InterLibrary Loans to find a book from another library.
Click and read Immediate access anytime, anywhere.
Available to all Place a Request in the catalogue for quick pickup or visit the library to browse the stacks. .
You can borrow from them too Search and Request books from our SAIL partners (U of C, AU, and BVC) from within the STMU catalogue.
The internet has a wealth of information. Explore grey literature, Open Education Resources and digital repositories to discover information about your subject from all over the world. Below you will find a curated list of web resources.
Below you will find a curated list of web resources.
The Canadian Astronomy provides data from Hubble Space Telescope, Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, the Gemini observatories, and the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope – into a Science Platform for data-intensive astronomy.
The Canadian Space Agency makes scientific data available to researchers, students, industry and the public. We encourage you to consult our data catalogue to innovate and contribute to the advancement of knowledge.
The HEASARC archive contains data obtained by high-energy astronomy missions observing in the extreme-ultraviolet (EUV), X-ray, and gamma-ray bands, as well as data from space missions, balloons, and ground-based facilities that have studied the relic cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation in the sub-mm, mm and cm bands.
The NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive serves as the permanent archive for NASA space science mission data. “Space science” means astronomy and astrophysics, solar and space plasma physics, and planetary and lunar science.
It's not always black and whiteGrey literature falls into a 'grey area' of materials produced outside traditional publishing channels. Learn more about grey literature in the Research Tips tab.
Request and you shall receive If you have located an article online that the StMU Library does not have access to through our databases and journals, submit an ILL request and we'll locate a copy at no charge.
Many electronic resources, such as the Library catalogue and academic databases, offer citation generation tools to automatically generate citations in your chosen style. Be sure to always verify the accuracy of the citation as sometimes this information is incorrect or improperly formatted. Below you will find a selection of citing and writing resources.
ACS (American Chemical Society)
APA (American Psychological Association)
APS (American Physical Society)
Print resource on Course Reserve. Please visit the Library information desk. Council of Science Editors Style Guide
Print resource on Course Reserve. Please visit the Library information desk.
Chicago/TurabianPrint resource on Course Reserve. Please visit the Library information desk
IEEE Style Manual (PDF)This style is commonly used for Electrical and Computer Engineering.
MLA (Modern Language Association)Print resource on Course Reserve. Please visit the Library information desk.
Writing Resources for Subject
Essay do's and don'ts : a practical guide to essay writing
Print resource: General Reserves PE1408 .E54 2017
The Purdue Online Writing Lab The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University houses writing resources and instructional material and we provide these as a free service of the Writing Lab at Purdue. Students, members of the community and users worldwide will find information to assist with many writing projects.
Style guides are updated regularly to keep pace with the changing nature of information, but instructors don't always adopt the most current guideline right away.
Check out the academic writing series offered by the Learning Centre and master the citation styles used in your field of study.
Citing & Writing Many electronic resources, such as the Library catalogue and academic databases, offer citation generation tools to automatically generate citations in the style of your choice. Be sure to always verify the accuracy of the citation as sometimes this information is incorrect or improperly formatted. Below you will find a selection of citing and writing resources. . STAY CURRENT Use the edition stated in your syllabus Style guides are updated regularly to keep pace with the changing nature of information, but instructors don't always adopt the most current guideline right away. . GET HELP Set yourself up for success Check out the academic writing series offered by the Learning Centre and master the citation styles used in your field of study.
Print resource on Course Reserve. Please visit the Library information desk.
Print resource on Course Reserve. Please visit the Library information desk.
Print resource on Course Reserve. Please visit the Library information desk.
This style is commonly used for Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Print resource on Course Reserve. Please visit the Library information desk.
Print resource: General Reserves PE1408 .E54 2017
The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University houses writing resources and instructional material, and we provide these as a free service of the Writing Lab at Purdue. Students, members of the community, and users worldwide will find information to assist with many writing projects.
Searching academic databases and library catalogues isn't like searching a browser on the web. To get relevant results, searches must be limited to keywords and subjects, and then joined using Boolean terms. Below you will find some tips on using Boolean terms with examples tailored to Biology, as well as descriptions of the different types of resources that may be encountered when searching. . CONNECT WITH US We'll help you get started Reach out via phone, email, MS Teams, or in person and we'd be happy to assist with any of your research and resource needs. Boolean Search Tips Use Boolean search operators AND, OR, and NOT to combine terms and create more accurate searches. This is particularly helpful when you are searching for resources on broader topics, information in a wide variety of formats, and if you don’t know the exact Library of Congress subject heading or title you are searching for. The Boolean operator AND tells the catalogue to only return results containing all of the specified search terms. "Meteor shower" AND earth Moon AND phase The operator AND can be used to combine two or more terms, and can be used in conjunction with other Boolean operators such as truncation and nested terms. Truncation is a method of broadening a search to include variable word endings. Use the * symbol at the end of a word, or the last point of change, to tell the catalogue to search for multiple word endings. Astro* will search for astronomy, astrological, and astronomical Galax* will search for Galaxy and Galaxies. The operator OR will also broaden searches as it tells the catalogue to return results with either or all of terms entered into a query. "Minor planet" OR Asteroid will return results containing both terms Nested Terms is the practice of using brackets, or parenthesis, to determine an order of operations similar to mathematical equations. The catalogue will parse the instructions with the brackets first and then combine the terms with all other operators. Astronomy AND (galaxy OR universe OR planet OR solar system) Use quotes around a phrase or concept to indicate that those terms must be kept together when searching. "solar eclipse" "Gamma ray burst" AND 'long duration" Large sets of search results can be limited using the operator NOT. This operator tells the catalogue to exclude results containing a certain term. "Solar system" NOT "Milky Way" From your results, select useful titles and click on the hyperlinked Subjects to find other books and articles on your topic.
These are articles reporting on original research and include elements such as a hypothesis, background studies, literature reviews, detailed methodologies, results, interpretations of findings, and discussions on possible implications and future research. Original research articles are typically longer, ranging from 3, 000 – 12, 000 words. These articles are peer reviewed and cite relevant publications from other authors that relate to the research being conducted.
These articles report on the in-depth study of a specific person, group, or event. They are used in a variety of fields such as psychology, medicine, education, political science, and social work in order to seek patterns and causes of behaviour.
A literature review is a systematic summary and synthesis of what has been published on a topic by accredited scholars and researchers. They frequently convey what knowledge and ideas have been established on a topic, as well as critically assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the field. They will often lack a ‘Methods’ section, though they are often peer reviewed.
These reviews are often designed to provide an exhaustive summary of current evidence in relation to a specific research question, synthesize findings qualitatively or quantitatively, and critically appraise research studies. Systematic reviews use rigorous and transparent review methodologies with the aim of assessing and minimizing bias in the findings.
A meta-analysis is a statistical analysis that combines the results of multiple scientific studies addressing the same question. The primary aim is to use statistical analyses to determine common truths. Meta-analyses can be part of a broader systematic review.
Including letters to the editor, correspondences, short communications, editorials, pictorial essays
Broadly speaking, gray literature is information produced outside of the traditional academic publishing and distribution systems such as academic journals and monographs. Gray literature can include reports, policies, working papers, newsletters, speeches, government documents, and more.
As grey literature is produced directly by an individual or organization, for their own either use or wider sharing, it is often more current than academic publications as it is not subject to the delays found in traditional publishing processes.
As grey literature does not go through a rigorous peer review process the quality can vary significantly, and it is recommended that these sources be critically evaluated.
These can include scientific studies conducted by Government agencies and NGO which are often not peer reviewed. These types of reports can be found in both scholarly databases and freely on the web.