Astronomical observation Books

Book SynopsisThis book provides a quantitative treatment of the physics of the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with planetary surfaces. With significant updates and additions to reflect recent advances and a strong emphasis on physical insights, this is an essential reference for research scientists, engineers and advanced students of planetary remote sensing.Trade Review'… packed with information … a stimulating and enjoyable read. I encourage any students who read this early in their careers to work through the equations even if they look intimidating, as Hapke does a great job of articulating his logic. For those already familiar with the first edition of this text, it is still a worthwhile read. It centralizes Hapke's pioneering early work with the developments in the almost 20 years since the first edition was published, and the reorganization of chapters and sections results in a more natural, accessible flow.' Rachel Klima, Meteoritics and Planetary ScienceTable of ContentsAcknowledgements; 1. Introduction; 2. Electromagnetic wave propagation; 3. The absorption of light; 4. Specular reflection; 5. Single particle scattering: perfect spheres; 6. Single particle scattering: irregular particles; 7. Propagation in a nonuniform medium: the equation of radiative transfer; 8. The bidirectional reflectance of a semi-infinite medium; 9. The opposition effect; 10. A miscellany of bidirectional reflectances and related quantities; 11. Integrated reflectances and planetary photometry; 12. Photometric effects of large scale roughness; 13. Polarization; 14. Reflectance spectroscopy; 15. Thermal emission and emittance spectroscopy; 16. Simultaneous transport of energy by radiation and conduction; Appendix A. A brief review of vector calculus; Appendix B. Functions of a complex variable; Appendix C. The wave equation in spherical coordinates; Appendix D. Fraunhoffer diffraction by a circular hole; Appendix E. Table of symbols; Bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisAsteroid science is a fundamental topic in planetary science and is key to furthering our understanding of planetary formation and the evolution of the Solar System. Ground-based observations and missions have provided a wealth of new data in recent years, and forthcoming missions promise further exciting results. This accessible book presents a comprehensive introduction to asteroid science, summarising the astronomical and geological characteristics of asteroids. The interdisciplinary nature of asteroid science is reflected in the broad range of topics covered, including asteroid and meteorite classification, chemical and physical properties of asteroids, observational techniques, cratering, and the discovery of asteroids and how they are named. Other chapters discuss past, present and future space missions and the threat that these bodies pose for Earth. Based on an upper-level course on asteroids and meteorites taught by the author, this book is ideal for students, researchers and Trade Review'Asteroids: Astronomical and Geological Bodies was written to coincide with the surge of interest in these relatively small bodies. Missions such as NASA's Dawn satellite to Vesta and Ceres have increased this interest … [the author] intends for this book to introduce students to asteroids, meteors, and comets at a level that would allow them to move on to understanding articles in the planetary science literature. For a work of this breadth, the length is such that some topics are only briefly presented, but with detailed references for students to follow up for further study. Although the book does provide significant detail on the families of asteroids in the main belt, it also discusses comets, Trojan asteroids, centaurs, and Kuiper Belt objects. Some science results from the New Horizons mission to Pluto are presented… Undergraduates with an interest in planetary science will find this to be a very helpful reference book.' C. Palma, CHOICE'This excellent text-book is engagingly written, clear, readable, comprehensive, and just the right length and level for a masters' course … If you know little about asteroids and want to learn, I can recommend no better way to start than with this extremely impressive book.' David W. Hughes, The Observatory: A Review of Astronomy'… an excellent reference for readers interested in space rocks either out of professional or personal curiosity. It prepares the readers with the basics such that results obtained from space missions like Dawn, the first to visit a dwarf planet (Ceres); Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous Shoemaker, the first to land on an asteroid (Eros); Hayabusa, the first to return samples of an asteroid (Itokawa); Galileo and others can be interpreted and understood. … It is not all academic but conveys general knowledge as well. For instance, do the readers know that the iron used to make the dagger found in the tomb of Tutankhamun is meteoritic?' B. Ishak, Contemporary PhysicsTable of ContentsPreface; Acknowledgments; List of symbols and abbreviations; 1. Light and magnitude; 2. Orbits and discovering minor planets; 3. Meteorites, minerals, and isotopes; 4. Reflectance spectroscopy and asteroid taxonomy; 5. Physical properties and families; 6. Comets and outer Solar System bodies; 7. Near-Earth asteroids and the impact threat; 8. Spacecraft missions; References; Index.

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Book SynopsisThis 2007 book provides a concise overview of variable stars, including a historical perspective, an introduction to stars in general, the techniques for discovering and studying variable stars, and a description of the main types of variable stars. It is especially suitable for undergraduate students and experienced amateur astronomers.Trade ReviewReview of the hardback: 'If you want a comprehensive guide to the science of variable stars, you can't go wrong with a book written by John Percy, a world authority on variable star observation.' BBC Sky at Night MagazineReview of the hardback: '… tightly written, and frequently interspersed with figures and graphs, the book contains an enormity of fact and discussion … a foremost authority on Variable Stars, and is a marvellous repository of information. As such it is an ideal textbook for a serious student, or a reference book for the amateur astronomer.' Astronomy & SpaceReview of the hardback: '… the book achieves its aim of providing an overview of variable-star astronomy, and given the size of the field this is no mean feat. It comes with an excellent index …' The ObservatoryReview of the hardback: 'It seems likely to me that Understanding Variable Stars was written with the American Association of Variable Star Observers members in mind. …It is certainly the most up-to-date readable description of the various types of starts and what is known about each. …Basically, if you observe variable starts, you should read and probably own this book. Thank you, Dr. Percy!' American Association of Variable Star Observers BookstoreReview of the hardback: 'In this beautiful book, John Percy, a professor of astronomy and astrophysics at the University of Toronto, describes in detail the wide range of variable stars and their study. After a touching memory of Janet Mattei (1943–2004), director of the AAVSO for thirty years (and G. B. Lacchini UAI Award 1995), with whom Percy shared a long season of collaborations, the author describes the … development of the variable stars, doing well to understand how technology has, over time, changed the conditions of observation, accuracy, and reduced mass of data. … The book is well documented and full of charts, drawings and images. Each chapter has a specific and very accurate bibliography.' AstronomiaTable of Contents1. Introduction; 2. Stars in general; 3. Rotating variable stars; 4. Eclipsing variable stars; 5. Pulsating variable stars; 6. Cataclysmic variable stars; 7. Young variable stars; 8. Miscellaneous variable stars; 9. Applications of variable stars; 10. Epilogue; Appendices.

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Book SynopsisIn this entertaining and highly illustrated history of the Royal Observatory, first published in 1900, astronomer Edward Walter Maunder (18511928) explores the departments of the institution and the lives of its Astronomers Royal, illuminating the fabulous and often overlooked advances made there since its founding in the seventeenth century.Table of Contents1. Introduction; 2. Flamsteed; 3. Halley and his successors; 4. Airy; 5. The observatory buildings; 6. The time department; 7. The transit and circle departments; 8. The altazimuth department; 9. The magnetic and meteorological departments; 10. The heliographic department; 11. The spectroscopic department; 12. The astrographic department; 13. The double-star department; Index.

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Book SynopsisWith the discovery of planets beyond our solar system 25 years ago, exoplanet research has expanded dramatically, with new state-of-the-art ground-based and space-based missions dedicated to their discovery and characterisation. With more than 3,500 exoplanets now known, the complexity of the discovery techniques, observations and physical characterisation have grown exponentially. This Handbook ties all these avenues of research together across a broad range of exoplanet science. Planet formation, exoplanet interiors and atmospheres, and habitability are discussed, providing in-depth coverage of our knowledge to date. Comprehensively updated from the first edition, it includes instrumental and observational developments, in-depth treatment of the new Kepler mission results and hot Jupiter atmospheric studies, and major updates on models of exoplanet formation. With extensive references to the research literature and appendices covering all individual exoplanet discoveries, it is a valTrade Review'The second edition of The Exoplanet Handbook is an extraordinary achievement. In a field that is progressing at a dizzying pace, Michael Perryman has carefully digested a huge volume of research and presented the reader with an accessible summary in a clear and authoritative style. Covering the whole exoplanet field, the handbook serves as a wonderful introduction to the student and a trusty companion to the experienced researcher. This is indispensable reading for anyone serious about exoplanets.' Peter Wheatley, University of Warwick'This is an impressively complete guide to all exoplanet-related research conducted to date. It is a must-have for any exoplanet researcher, from new undergraduate students to seasoned professors. This second edition of Perryman's handbook has more than doubled in size, and is a testimony to the many rapid developments in the field. It is by far the most comprehensive reference for exoplanet research available.' Ignas Snellen, Rijksuniversiteit Leiden, The Netherlands'This is a new edition of Perryman's excellent Exoplanet Handbook which was published in 2011. The first edition quickly became a favourite with researchers: in my view this version will become the bible. The second edition is the same format as the original but contains more than twice as many pages … The first port of call when thinking about a new project. Perryman has painstakingly searched all the discovery and analysis techniques commonly used and presented his conclusions in a concise way whilst retaining sufficient detail to make them useful for research scientists … The breadth of work and Perryman's ability to digest the results and put it in context is just remarkable.' Don Pollacco, The Observatory'This is now the bible of the field and should be on the bookshelf of everyone who wants to view our planet and its history from a more realistic perspective than the old anthropocentric. The breadth of the work is impressive, and Perryman covers in detail and authoritatively everything from the basics of the field, such as observational techniques, classification of the stars hosting the exoplanets, formation and evolution of the planets, and what we know about their interiors and atmospheres. … The content is encyclopedic, with many concepts explained in small text boxes or explanatory figures carefully chosen from the literature. But unlike an encyclopedia, the information appears in a meaningful context, not in alphabetical order … Everything is laid out in a very 'user-friendly' way.' Birger Schmitz, Meteoritics & Planetary Science'This book is an abridgement of all things extrasolar planets. With a thorough revamp, it is now more than twice as long not counting the appendices where lists of extrasolar planets by methods of detection can be found; references that include back references i.e. where to find them in the text; subject index and object index. The meat of the book … is … a collection of papers that have been rewritten and reorganised in such a way to convey only the take-home messages … With thousands of papers on the subject, weeding out the best of them is no mean feat. … This is basically an encyclopaedia on extrasolar planets; useful to serious readers. Barring anything that happens after its publication, this book is up-to-date.' B. Ishak, Contemporary PhysicsPraise for the first edition: '… more technically detailed and comprehensive than many of the rival texts … it is an ideal companion for a Ph.D. student in the field, as well as an excellent reference for the experienced researcher … this is also an excellent, detailed textbook suitable for a specialist undergraduate or postgraduate lecture course.' The ObservatoryPraise for the first edition: 'If I were allowed access to only one book on the subject of extra-solar planets, Michael Perryman's The Exoplanet Handbook is a contender that would be very hard to beat. The book documents the whirlwind development of this newly emergent and energetic new field of science … It is also a compendium of essential physical concepts, useful formulae and computational strategies for analysis of the various types of astronomical data used to discover and characterise exoplanets.' Andrew Collier Cameron, University of St AndrewsPraise for the first edition: 'This remarkable compilation brings together observations and theoretical explorations of a rapidly growing astronomical field. Literally every possible observational method is explained and recent results given … While the number of known exoplanets changes weekly, the methods through which we discover and characterise these do not. Highly recommended.' George F. Benedict, University of Texas, AustinPraise for the first edition: 'The Exoplanet Handbook provides a very valuable integration of all aspects of the fascinating and interdisciplinary world of exoplanet science. It combines in a coherent context the presentation of the observational techniques, covering recent highlights and future prospects, with the description of the vast range of intertwining phenomena and processes that shape the paths of planet formation, evolution and structure … The Handbook is an invaluable resource for professional planetary scientists and academic teachers, for both practising astronomers and motivated amateurs, and for advanced undergraduate and graduate students.' Vittorio Vanzani, Università degli Studi di Padova, ItalyPraise for the first edition: 'This Handbook is a true encyclopedic reference on exoplanets. Perryman's new book is a comprehensive review on major programs and results obtained in the last decade in this exciting new domain of astrophysics and as such it is a priceless resource for experts. The detailed descriptions of the foundations of the main observations techniques and key theoretical aspects make it a perfect book for any student wishing to have a comprehensive introduction to exoplanet research. This volume is likely to become an important reference in the field.' Didier Queloz, Geneva ObservatoryPraise for the first edition: 'The Exoplanet Handbook by Michael Perryman is impressive; the content is of high level and very accurate. He has succeeded in providing an exhaustive and up-to-date review of this mature and rich field. The Handbook will surely help Ph.D. students and professional astronomers who want to learn about this field. It will even be useful to experts who want to check details on some specific aspects, either about exoplanets themselves, detection methods, or instrumentation.' Jean Schneider, CNRS/LUTH, Paris ObservatoryPraise for the first edition: '… an excellent, startlingly complete snapshot of the current state of knowledge regarding extrasolar planets … Like any good encyclopedia, The Exoplanet Handbook has as its major strength its reference list, which cites more than 4000 papers. The list provides a near-complete snapshot of all the research that has taken place in the field in the past two decades. Furthermore, the references are deftly integrated into the text, which makes this volume an excellent point of departure for any researcher seeking to chart a new course of exoplanetary investigation.' Gregory Laughlin, Physics TodayPraise for the first edition: 'The Exoplanet Handbook by Michael Perryman is an exhaustive reference for the techniques, facts and theory of exoplanet science. An excellent and objective resource for novice and expert alike, this compendium is destined for the libraries of all serious students of the art.' Adam Burrows, Princeton University, New JerseyPraise for the first edition: 'Perryman's book is truly a major achievement: it is an astonishingly complete overview of everything we know about exoplanets. The Exoplanet Handbook will serve as the seminal reference in this field for many years. I would (and will) strongly encourage any graduate students interested in doing serious research in exoplanets to buy a copy of this book.' B. Scott Gaudi, Ohio State UniversityPraise for the first edition: 'Michael Perryman's new book provides not only a thorough discussion of what we have learnt about extrasolar planets since the first discoveries over 15 years ago, but also a clear and comprehensive review of the wide range of observational and theoretical techniques that have been employed to find and characterise them. This volume is a must-have for serious researchers in the field, and will be an invaluable reference for many years to come.' I. Neill Reid, Space Telescope Science InstituteTable of ContentsPreface; 1. Introduction; 2. Radial velocities; 3. Astrometry; 4. Timing; 5. Microlensing; 6. Transits; 7. Imaging; 8. Host stars; 9. Brown dwarfs and free-floating planets; 10. Formation and evolution; 11. Interiors and atmospheres; 12. The Solar System; Appendix A. Numerical quantities; Appendix B. Notation and acronyms; Appendix C. Radial velocity exoplanets; Appendix D. Transiting exoplanets; Appendix E. Lensing exoplanets; Appendix F. Imaging exoplanets; References; Subject index; Object index.

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Book SynopsisAll the winning and shortlisted images from the 2013 Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition, which is organized by the Royal Observatory, Greenwich.Trade Review"a magnificent treat for astronomers everywhere" Good Book Guide “This is an ideal gift for lovers of photography, astronomy and the natural world.” The Irish News "A truly stunning collection of images from some of the world's top amateur astrophotographers" – Will Gater (Astronomer) “a useful guide for anyone hoping to develop their astrophotography skills.” Outdoor Photography

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Book Synopsis

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