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University Library DePaul Library

Encyclopedias, Dictionaries, Handbooks & Other Reference Sources

Try some of the following resources for getting concise overviews and explanations of astronomical concepts and phenomena.

Background Sources Can Help You...

►  identify a topic or focus that you find interesting

►  understand your topic more deeply

►  find definitions and explore the scope of meaning

►  explore different perspectives or viewpoints

►  avoid confusion, uncertainty, or misinformation

►  see the bigger picture and the broader context

►  find accurate and reliable facts

►  identify specialized terms to use in your database searches

►  identify variations in word endings, suffixes, prefixes

►  check spellings