Astronomical Pseudo-Science: A Skeptic's Resource List (Version 3.0; August 2003)

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by Andrew Fraknoi
(Foothill College & Astronomical Society of the Pacific)

© copyright 2003 Andrew Fraknoi. The right to reproduce for any educational non-commercial purpose is hereby granted, as long as the author's name and institution are not deleted.

This is a selected list of resources for those who want to examine with a skeptical eye some of the claims at the fringes of science that seem connected to astronomy. The last section includes some general books that deal with a broader range of pseudo-scientific topics. Instructors can often use the enormous media and student interest in some of these topics as a way of generating discussion about what constitutes science and about how the scientific method allows us to test controversial hypotheses and determine whether nature really works in the way they claim.

Table of Contents:

1. Astrology
2. UFO's as Alien Spaceships
3. Crop Circles
4. The "Face" on Mars
5. The Full Moon and Lunacy
6. The Dogon Tribe and Sirius B
7. Immanuel Velikovsky and Worlds in Collision
8. Ancient Astronauts and Erich Von Daniken
9. Creationism Versus Evolution
10. The "Great Moon Hoax": Did Astronauts Land on the Moon?
11. Miscellaneous Topics in Astronomical Pseudo-science
12. General Books and Sites that Include Sections on These Topics

1. Astrology

Perhaps the best known field of astronomical pseudo-science is the ancient idea that the position of the Sun, Moon, and planets at the moment we are born somehow affects our subsequent personality, career, or love-life. Astrology got a big media boost in 1988 when it was revealed that for a large part of his term, President's Reagan's schedule had been controlled by the predictions of a San Francisco astrologer (who had been on Nancy Reagan's payroll.) However, astrology is also the field in which the largest number of scientific tests have been performed and the evidence clearly demonstrates that astrological connections are no more than wishful thinking.

Books

Culver, Roger & Ianna, Philip Astrology: True or False. 1988, Prometheus Books. The best skeptical book about astrology, full of useful information.

Benski, Claude, et al. The Mars Effect. 1996, Prometheus Books. A rather technical discussion of the statistical test of Michel Gaugelin's claim of a neo-astrology, showing it does not work.

Biswas, S., et al., eds. Cosmic Perspectives. 1989, Cambridge U. Press. This anthology has an excellent review of the evidence against astrology by I. Kelly, R. Culver, and P. Loptson.

Gauguelin, Michel Dreams and Illusions of Astrology. 1979, Prometheus Books. A critique of astrology by a French statistician.

Jerome, Lawrence Astrology Disproved. 1977, Prometheus. A historical review.

Articles

Abell, G. "Astrology -- Its Principles and Relation and Nonrelation to Science" in The Science Teacher, Dec. 1974, p. 9. An early debunking article.

Bok, B., et al. "Objections to Astrology" in The Humanist, Sep/Oct. 1975. A special issue devoted in large part to this subject.

Carlson, S. "Astrology" in Experientia, vol. 44, p. 290 (1988). A clear review.

Carlson, S. "A Double Blind Test of Astrology" in Nature, vol. 318, p. 419 (5 Dec. 1985). A technical paper describing a good experiment examining whether astrology works.

Dean, G. "Does Astrology Need to be True?" in Skeptical Inquirer, Winter 86-87, p. 116; Spring 1987, p. 257. An important examination of tests about astrology.

Dean, G. & Kelly, I. "Does Astrology Work: Astrology and Skepticism 1975-2000" in Kurtz, Paul, ed. Skeptical Odysseys. 2001, Prometheus Books.

Dean, G., et al. "The Guardian Astrology Study: A Critique and Reanalysis" in The Skeptical Inquirer, Summer 1985, p. 327.

Dean, G., et al. "Astrology" in Gordon Stein, ed. The Encyclopedia of the Paranormal. 1996, Prometheus Books, p. 47-96. Long readable introduction.

Fraknoi, A. "Your Astrology Defense Kit" in Sky & Telescope, Aug. 1989, p. 146. An introductory article with some basic skeptical questions about astrology. (Available on the web at:
http://www.astrosociety.org/education/astro/act3/
astrology3.html#defense)

Fraknoi, A. "Astrology Versus Astronomy" in Astronomy, Jan. 1999, p. 102. Concise note.

Kelly, I. "Modern Astrology: A Critique" in Psychological Reports, vol. 81, p. 1035 (1997). An excellent review. (An expanded version can be found on the first web site recommended below.)

Kelly, I." Why Astrology Doesn't Work" in Psychological Reports, vol. 82, p. 527 (1998).

Kelly, I. "The Scientific Case Against Astrology" in Mercury, Nov/Dec. 1980, p. 135.

Kelly, I. "Astrology and Science: A Critical Examination" in Psychological Reports, vol. 44, p. 1231 (1979).

Kruglak, H. & O'Bryan, M. "Astrology in the Astronomy Classroom" in Mercury, Nov/Dec 1977, p. 18.

Kurtz, P. & Fraknoi, A. "Scientific Tests of Astrology Do Not Support Its Claims" in Skeptical Inquirer, Spring 1985, p. 210.

Kurtz, P., et al. "Astrology and the Presidency" in Skeptical Inquirer, Fall 1988, p. 3. A good summary of the controversy concerning astrology in the Reagan White House.

Lovi, G. "Zodiacal Signs Versus Constellations" in Sky & Telescope, Nov. 1987, p.507.

Mc Gervey, J. "A Statistical Test of Sun-sign Astrology" in Skeptical Inquirer, Spring/Summer 1977, p. 49.

Nienhuys, J. "The Mars Effect in Retrospective" in Skeptical Inquirer, Nov/Dec. 1997, p. 24. Good summary of the current research on what seemed to be one lone test confirming astrology. (see also, Dean, G. "Is the Mars Effect a Social Effect" in Skeptical Inquirer, May/June 2002, p. 33.)

Rotton, J. "Astrological Forecasts and the Commodity Market" in Skeptical Inquirer, Summer 1985, p. 339.

Web Sites:

A long analysis of the history of and problems with sun-sign columns: http://www.astrology-and-science.com

In general the most useful site for information on testing astrology is http://www.astrology-and-science.com

The Real Constellations of the Zodiac: http://www.griffithobs.org/IPSRealConst.html A 1977 article by Lee Shapiro discussing when the Sun actually passes through each constellation.

The Astrotest: http://home.wxs.nl/~skepsis/astrot.html Dutch skeptic Rob Nanninga describes an experimental test of astrology done with the help of astrologers.

The Real Romance in the Stars:
http://www.world-of-dawkins.com/Dawkins/
Work/Articles/1995-12romance_in_stars.htm Biologist Richard Dawkins wrote an angry column to a British newspaper flirting with astrology and you can it here with a few later notes.

Horoscopes Versus Telescopes: http://www.astrosociety.org/education/publications/tnl/11/11.html An issue of the ASP's newsletter for astronomy teachers devoted to debunking astrology.

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