Good textbooks for a descriptive astronomy course
Kaufman &amp; Freedman's Universe is a very basic astronomy book aimed at non-astronomy science students or astronomy 1st year students, although for the latter it is perhaps a bit too basic. It covers introductions to all the topics you mention, except perhaps exoplanets (but my edition is from the late 90's; my guess is they have it covered too by now). It even gives suggestions for observing projects at the end of each chapter, along with exercises and extra literature. It is also very rich in pictures and explanatory diagrams.