Astronomy, space and time Books

Book SynopsisAn understanding of thermal physics is crucial to much of modern physics, chemistry and engineering. This book provides a modern introduction to the main principles that are foundational to thermal physics, thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. The key concepts are carefully presented in a clear way, and new ideas are illustrated with copious worked examples as well as a description of the historical background to their discovery. Applications are presented to subjects as diverse as stellar astrophysics, information and communication theory, condensed matter physics and climate change. Each chapter concludes with detailed exercises.The second edition of this popular textbook maintains the structure and lively style of the first edition but extends its coverage of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics to include several new topics, including osmosis, diffusion problems, Bayes theorem, radiative transfer, the Ising model and Monte Carlo methods. New examples and exercises have been added throughout.Trade ReviewThis is probably the best book I know of thermodynamics and statistical physics. The authors have done really a great job. [...] The contents of the book are organised in such way that it can be used for a standard undergraduate level course in thermodynamics and statistical mechanics, where it is also possible to make the appropriate selection of the topics depending on the level and duration of the course. It could also be very useful as a source reference for lecturers in thermodynamics and statistical physics. * M.A.F. Sanjuan, Contemporary Physics *Table of ContentsI: PRELIMINARIES; II: KINETIC THEORY OF GASES; III: TRANSPORT AND THERMAL DIFFUSION; IV: THE FIRST LAW; V: THE SECOND LAW; VI: THERMODYNAMICS IN ACTION; VII: STATISTICAL MECHANICS; VIII: BEYOND THE IDEAL GAS; IX: SPECIAL TOPICS

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Book Synopsis‘A highly readable, entertaining and mind-expanding read from a formidable scientist’ iNews ‘A highly informative survey of the current state of astrobiology’ Literary ReviewOver the last few decades, space exploration has revolutionised our understanding of our place in the cosmos. We now know that there are many habitable environments within our solar system. Yet a profound question remains: are we alone in the universe? Nathalie A. Cabrol, leading astrobiologist and director of the Carl Sagan Center at the SETI Institute, takes us to the frontiers of the search for life. This book’s odyssey begins by searching for how life began on Earth in order to understand what’s necessary for life to exist elsewhere. What role did our moon play? And could life on Mars, or another world, have seeded life on Earth? Cabrol continues this dazzling interplanetary tour, illuminati

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Book SynopsisA work of scientific and philosophical inquiry, in which, the authors track world myths to a common origin in early man's descriptions of cosmological activity, arguing that these remnants of ancient astronomy, suppressed by the Greeks and Romans and then forgotten, were really a form of pre-literate science.Trade Review"A book wonderful to read and startling to contemplate. If this theory is correct, both the history of science and the reinterpretation of myths have been enriched immensely." (Washington Post Book World)

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Book SynopsisA beautiful gift for anyone interested in the night sky.Follow the progress of constellations throughout the seasons with this beautiful companion to the night sky from Astronomy experts Collins.With the aid of easy-to-understand monthly calendars and maps, you will chart the rhythm of the lunar phases, discover events that light up the sky for brief periods, and explore the rich tapestry of characters that adorn the starry canvas overhead.never miss a night sky event wherever you are in the world with this month-by-month guidego meteor spotting, track the phases of the moon and explore the constellationsworldwide coverage with details for both the Northern and Southern hemispheresdiscover fascinating celestial facts and notable astronomical anniversariesWritten and illustrated by astronomical experts, Radmila Topalovic and Wil Tirion, and approved by the astronomers of Royal Observatory Greenwich.

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Book SynopsisFrom the years of design and manufacturing through launch and deployment to the extraordinary images and the new science they inform, Infinite Cosmos showcases the revelations coming from the James Webb Space Telescope - the sharpest planetary vistas and the deepest views of the cosmos humankind has ever seen.

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Book SynopsisThe definitive story of the making of 2001: A Space Odyssey, acclaimed today as one of the greatest films ever made, and of director Stanley Kubrick and writer Arthur C. Clarke—“a tremendous explication of a tremendous film….Breathtaking” (The Washington Post).Fifty years ago a strikingly original film had its premiere. Still acclaimed as one of the most remarkable and important motion pictures ever made, 2001: A Space Odyssey depicted the first contacts between humanity and extraterrestrial intelligence. The movie was the product of a singular collaboration between Stanley Kubrick and science fiction visionary Arthur C. Clarke. Fresh off the success of his cold war satire Dr. Strangelove, Kubrick wanted to make the first truly first-rate science fiction film. Drawing from Clarke’s ideas and with one of the author’s short stories as the initial inspiration, their bold vision benefited from pioTrade Review“At last! The dense, intense, detailed, and authoritative saga of the making of the greatest motion picture I’ve ever seen, 2001: A Space Odyssey. I now have reason to see Kubrick’s ‘proverbial “really good” science fiction movie’ another 200 times. Michael Benson has done the Cosmos a great service.” -- Tom Hanks"Over the years, so much has been written about 2001 and its creation that I thought we knew all that there was to know. And then, I received a copy of Michael Benson’s lively, exciting and exhaustively researched book, which further expands our understanding of what is truly one of the greatest films ever made." -- Martin Scorsese“Michael Benson’s Space Odyssey: Stanley Kubrick, Arthur C. Clarke and the Making of a Masterpiece is a masterpiece about a masterpiece—a passionately written, impeccably researched book about a great director’s pushing himself, his cast and crew beyond safety or sanity in a relentless quest for a non-verbal vision of the transcendent future of both space and film itself.” -- Scott Eyman, author of John Wayne: The Life and Legend and Hank and Jim: The Fifty-Year Friendship of Henry Fonda and James Stewart“Despite the attention Benson lavishes on the humans—Kubrick and Clarke—HAL-9000 would have been proud of this smart, fluent, and meticulously researched account of the making of a sci-fi classic.” -- Peter Biskind, author of Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex, Drugs, and Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood“A fascinating, detail-rich account of the long slog to make the science-fiction masterpiece 2001: A Space Odyssey. . . . [An] endlessly interesting narrative. Essential for students of film history, to say nothing of Kubrick's most successful movie.” * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *“If Kubrick’s masterpiece was a remarkable voyage into the future, Michael Benson’s book is a delightful voyage back in time. For those of us inspired by the film, this book provides a delicious peek into landmark collaboration of two creative geniuses and the lasting gift they provided for all of us.” -- Lawrence M. Krauss, Foundation Professor in the School of Earth and Space Exploration, Director of the Origins Project at Arizona State University, and author of The Physics of Star Trek, A Universe from Nothing, and The Greatest Story Ever Told.. So Far“A new and remarkably comprehensive look at the complex relationship between the two men whose collaboration led to one of the greatest films of all time. . . . This story about the making of 2001 is as compelling and eye-opening as the film itself.” * Booklist (starred review) *"[An] engrossing, immersive examination of the long path to Stanley Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke's masterpiece. . . . The pair's fraught but hugely successful relationship forms the backdrop of this astonishing tale of obsessive genius at work." -- Ben Dickinson * The New York Times Book Review *

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Book SynopsisTravelling from the edge of our Solar System, through the Milky Way and to the outer edges of the observable universe, Deep Space is a spectacular photographic guide to galaxies, nebulae, supernova, clusters, black holes and quasars. Learn about the birth of stars in our own galaxy, planets beyond our own solar system, when they were first discovered and how we have managed to photograph these places. Ranging from the Magellanic Clouds within the Milky Way to stellar life cycles, from other spiral galaxies such as the Andromeda Galaxy, to the Sombrero Galaxy, and from nebulae such as the Pillars of Creation to black and white dwarfs, this is accessibly written for the general reader to grasp the science and magnitude of deep space. Featuring 200 outstanding colour photographs and expert captions, Deep Space is most certainly out of this world.Table of ContentsIntroduction THE MILKY WAY Sagittarius A Monoceros Ring Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy Magellanic Clouds Large Magellanic Cloud Star Clusters Globular Clusters Interstellar Matter Dark Nebulae Starbirth Nebulae Reflection Nebulae Cat’s Eye Nebula OTHER SPIRAL GALAXIES Andromeda Galaxy Sunflower Galaxy Pinwheel Galaxy ELLIPTICAL GALAXIES M49 M59 M60 M87 Centaurus A Sombrero Galaxy DWARF GALAXIES Supernova Cassiopeia A Spitzer Spies Supernova Remnant HBH 3 NEBULAE Pillars of Creation Homunculus Nebula Horsehead Nebula Carina Nebula The Triangulum Emission Garren Nebula NGC 604 Dark Nebula Tycho Supernova STELLAR LIFE CYCLES Birth of a Star Star V838 Monocerotis Protostars T-Tauri Stars Brown Dwarfs The Main Sequence How Stars Shine Extrasolar Planets Wolf-Rayet Stars Red Giants Blue Supergiants Planetary Nebulae White and Black Dwarfs Supernova Supernova Remnants Neutron Stars Pulsars Black Holes OPEN CLUSTERS Pleiades Star Cluster

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Book SynopsisHow many days are there between full moons - think you know? Is there an ancient key to the calendar hidden in stone circles? What is the magical secret of the Sun-Moon-Earth system? If you have ever wondered about eclipses, tides or the seasons, this amazing little book by acknowledged time-lord Robin Heath will quickly introduce you to the astonishing beauty of the primary cycles around this planet. Advanced wizarding at its best! “Timeless” RESURGENCE. "Fascinating" FINANCIAL TIMES. "Beautiful" LONDON REVIEW OF BOOKS. "Rich and Artful" THE LANCET. "Genuinely mind-expanding" FORTEAN TIMES. "Excellent" NEW SCIENTIST. "Stunning" NEW YORK TIMES. Small books, big ideas.

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Book Synopsis*Fully revised and updated for the 21st century*The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Astrophysics for People in a Hurry takes readers on an entertaining and edifying tour of the universe.In Neil deGrasse Tyson's delightful journey through the cosmos, his fictional character Merlin responds to popular questions asked by adults and children alike. Merlin, a timeless visitor from Planet Omniscia in the Andromeda Galaxy, has observed first-hand many of the major scientific events of Earth's history. Merlin's friends include the most important scientific figures and explorers of all time - da Vinci, Magellan, Newton, Einstein and Hubble. While Merlin occasionally recounts playful conversations with these luminaries, all questions are answered with authentic science, infused with wit, wisdom, and an occasional rhyme. With the help of intermittent humorous cartoons, Merlin clarifies the details of familiar phenomena like gravit

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Book SynopsisLong before GPS and Google Earth, humans traveled vast distances using environmental clues and simple instruments. What is lost when technology substitutes for our innate capacity to find our way? Illustrated with 200 drawings, this narrative—part treatise, part travelogue, and part navigational history—brings our own world into sharper view.Trade ReviewOne of the repeated themes of The Lost Art of Finding Our Way is that even the most confused of us can improve our navigational understanding by paying closer attention to the world around us… A learned and encyclopedic grab bag, packed with information drawn from study and Huth’s own experience. -- Michael Dirda * Washington Post *It’s a great reference, filled with personal and historical anecdotes and fascinating bits of physics, astronomy, oceanography, and meteorology. And that’s one of Huth’s central points: To find your way in a world without maps, you can’t rely on any single cue—you need to make the best of whatever combination of cues is available to you… With a little study, The Lost Art of Finding Our Way could be your guide to reconnecting with the navigational aids in the world around you. -- Greg Miller * Wired *John Huth’s The Lost Art of Finding Our Way is a book for anyone who’s ever cursed themselves for not being able to get home by way of the stars and winds. Or for anyone who wants to learn how the Vikings and others once managed to. -- Thomas Meaney * Times Literary Supplement *Full of wisdom that is fast disappearing in an age of satnav and GPS. -- Arthur Musgrave * The Guardian *[Huth’s] exuberance shines through: he makes gadgets in his garage and narrates adventures at sea. Huth’s is a book filled with joy about what we might term the everyday mathematics of living on the Earth… Huth is concerned that we have become desensitized to our physical environment because of technology such as smartphones and global positioning systems, which do the work of plotting and routefinding for us. To live in what Huth dubs ‘the bubble’ created by such devices is to lose not only our wonder at the world but also a bundle of precious survival skills. To be able to find our way in the world is to reconnect with its value in a virtuous spiral of environmental awareness. -- Robert J. Mayhew * Times Higher Education *The book offers a clear, comprehensive, and entertaining short course in navigation that draws on Earth science, history, anthropology, neuroscience, archaeology, and linguistics. It provides both a primer on navigational techniques and a tour through ‘the historical evolution of way finding.’ Huth punctuates instruction on celestial navigation and reading wind, weather, and currents with engaging stories and images. These are derived from sources as varied as the oral histories of Pacific Islanders and Inuit hunters, Homer’s Odyssey, Icelandic sagas, navigational tables from the medieval Islamic world, and contemporary news reports and sailing accounts. -- Deirdre Lockwood * Science *Humanity’s lust for exploring terra incognita shaped and tested our prodigious capacity for mental mapping. Now, with the advent of the Global Positioning System, wayfaring skills are on the wane. Physicist John Edward Huth turns explorer in this rich, wide-ranging and lucidly illustrated primer on how to find yourself in the middle of somewhere. Huth’s prescription for navigating fog, darkness, open ocean, thick forests or unknown terrain rests first on harnessing compass, Sun and stars; then on the subtleties of weather forecasting and decoding markers such as the wind, waves and tides. * Nature *[An] irresistible book… Huth has an affable, smart tone, as welcoming as a Billy Collins poem. His knowledge of way-finding and its history is rangy and detailed, but his enthusiasm never flickers, lifting the educational factor to higher ground: rewarding, artful, ably conveying what can be some fairly abstruse material, the finer points of navigation being among them. There are, by the way, many, many fine points regarding navigation, and if Huth gets a bit windy in pointing them out, well, let the wind blow. It’s refreshing. -- Peter Lewis * Barnes & Noble Review *Early humans learned to navigate on land and sea by watching the world around them… Huth recovers some of this history by looking at Norse legends, the records of Arab traders moving across the Indian Ocean and Pacific Islanders… Huth’s subject is fascinating… We have lost many of our innate abilities on the way to this technologically advanced moment in time. But John Edward Huth believes, and his book shows, that some of what was lost can still be found. We just need to relearn how to read the signs. -- Anthony Sattin * Literary Review *Lamenting the loss of navigational skills, [Huth] set out to collect in one volume the many schemes that kept our forebears alive. Ancient explorers could, through navigational nous, undertake voyages over great expanses of ocean and land to establish settlements and trade routes, and return home. -- Peter Monaghan * Chronicle of Higher Education *Just as we are said to have abandoned the art of memory when we started writing things down, so Huth says that we have lost our instinct for knowing how to get from here to there. Before the scientific revolution we had the ability to interpret environmental information that enabled us to navigate long distances. Huth surveys Pacific Islanders, medieval Arab traders, Vikings and early Western European travellers before examining techniques for navigators to look to the stars for astronomical beacons, as well as to the weather and the water. -- Iain Finlayson * The Times *

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Book SynopsisJonathan Ward takes the reader deep into the facilities at Kennedy Space Center to describe NASA’s first computer systems used for spacecraft and rocket checkout and explain how tests and launches proceeded. Descriptions of early operations include a harrowing account of the heroic efforts of pad workers during the Apollo 1 fire. A companion to the author’s book Countdown to a Moon Launch: Preparing Apollo for Its Historic Journey, this explores every facet of the facilities that served as the base for the Apollo/Saturn missions. Hundreds of illustrations complement the firsthand accounts of more than 70 Apollo program managers and engineers. The era of the Apollo/Saturn missions was perhaps the most exciting period in American space exploration history. Cape Canaveral and Kennedy Space Center were buzzing with activity. Thousands of workers came to town to build the facilities and launch the missions needed to put an American on the Moon before the end of the decade. Work at KSC involved much more than just launching rockets. It was a place like none other on Earth. Technicians performed intricate operations, and hazards abounded everywhere, including lightning, fire, highly-toxic fuels, snakes, heat, explosives, LOX spills, and even plutonium. The reward for months of 7-day workweeks under intense pressure was witnessing a Saturn V at liftoff.For anyone who ever wished they had worked at Kennedy Space Center during the Apollo era, this book is the next best thing. The only thing missing is the smell of rocket fuel in the morning.Trade Review“Ward … makes the inner workings of the Apollo and Saturn space missions very understandable. … He does a fantastic job of showing the behind-the-scenes work that allowed the Apollo and Saturn space missions to take place. All readers interested in the history of space exploration will enjoy this work. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readership levels.” (C. Charnaswskas-Jasionowicz, Choice, Vol. 53 (9), May, 2016)“Rocket Ranch is an enjoyable overview of the Kennedy Space Center during the 1960s and a once-over-lightly account of the Moon landing program. … Contained here is the best account I have seen of the computing efforts at KSC and the operational aspects of the Apollo program. There is also a lengthy chapter on the Apollo 1 fire that many will find of interest. Ward relies on more than seventy interviews that he personally conducted … .” (Roger Launius's Blog, launiusr.wordpress.com, March, 2016)“Rocket Ranch is the most recent attempt by memorabilia collectors to provide a technical description of Kennedy Space Center. Space Center enthusiasts and technophiles will love the detailed descriptions and the stories drawn from Ward’s interviews with employees, contractors, and associates of Kennedy Space Center during the Apollo era. … Kennedy Space Center technophiles will love Ward’s Rocket Ranch for providing them a more detailed and largely accurate description of Apollo-era technology infrastructure in a well-organized tour guide format.” (Orville Butler, Quest, Vol. 23 (2), 2016)Table of ContentsIntroduction.- Setting the Stage for Apollo/Saturn 1960-1966.- The Apollo 1 Fire.- The Spacecraft Assembly and Checkout Facilities.- The VAB and the Mobile Launcher.- The Launch Control Center and Firing Rooms.- Launch Pads 39A and 39B.- Life at the Launch Pad.- Epilogue: The End of an Era.

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Book SynopsisFrom Stonehenge to atomic clocks, this is how we’ve used science to work out the time across the centuriesTrade Review‘Each day in 2019, Chad Orzel informs us, is nearly two milliseconds longer than days were in 1870. And they feel even longer. This entertaining and engrossing book takes us through our long struggle to measure time with precision. Filled with amazing devices, it’s ultimately a story of the triumph of human ingenuity.’ -- Sean Carroll, author of Something Deeply Hidden‘I came away from this brisk, chatty book feeling that the history of chronometry is a triumph of progress. With infectious enthusiasm [Orzel] catalogues the feats of skill and effort that have gone into marking time… Orzel dives deep into the nitty-gritty of physics, astronomy and engineering, but writes lucidly and leavens his material with jokes and anecdotes… ultimately, one comes away with a sense of awe at what human ingenuity can achieve… stimulating.’ -- Daily Telegraph‘A lively introduction to timekeeping, from the Newgrange passage-tomb to caesium-133 and its possible replacements… As a professor of physics and the author of several popular science books, Orzel is an experienced teacher of science to non-scientists… His account of relativity should be comprehensible even to the single-cultured humanist. Orzel’s research is impressive and he is able to debunk various myths… so much is on offer in Chad Orzel’s book.’ -- TLS‘In A Brief History of Timekeeping, Chad Orzel… turns his enthusiasm for time travel to something more tangible: how humans through the ages have measured the passage of time… Throughout the book, Orzel scoots backwards and forwards in time, treating us to illustrations of spectacular forgotten timepieces… The author’s enthusiasm doesn’t wane as he moves into the digital era, explaining how quartz-based wristwatches “democratised” time and serve as temporal “tuning forks” for the masses… As Orzel’s book makes clear, time, and its measurement, stands still for no one.’ -- George Bass, New Scientist'Full of history, physics and physicists... [a] varied book.’ * Nature *‘A deliciously detailed journey through the astonishing ticks and tocks of timekeeping, from neolithic henges and Mayan number systems to cinnamon-filled sandglasses, tuning fork wristwatches, and even the northern lights. Equal parts mesmerizing and fascinating, Orzel’s beautifully clear explanations of physics illuminate subjects from planets to quantum engineering. By the end it is clear that time may never be on our side, but keeping track of it has opened up the universe for us.’ -- Caleb Scharf, author of The Copernicus Complex‘As Chad Orzel shows in his informative new book, while the pace of modern life seems to march briskly in step with the rhythms of various clocks, keeping accurate time has been a mainstay of history – a driving force for astronomical measurements, and eventually classical and relativistic physics. A Brief History of Timekeeping offers the quintessential account of all the factors that make up ways we record time – from the relatively slow progression of daily and lunar cycles to the near-instantaneous speed of atomic transitions. Orzel’s fascinating chronicle of how we measure the seconds, days, and years that set the stride of our life’s journey is well worth making the time to read – and that literary adventure will fly by, no doubt.’ -- Paul Halpern, author of Flashes of Creation'An excellent book… [Orzel] has turned his gifts of clarity, logical exposition and gentle humour to explaining how different time systems have operated over the millennia… “Brief Histories of…” have multiplied ever since Stephen Hawking published his A Brief History of Time, but Orzel’s version is far more intelligible and entertaining that its bestselling predecessor… A Brief History of Timekeeping would be an ideal gift to satisfy anyone demanding to understand why clocks are such a perpetual source of fascination – and for those who are already convinced, it provides a succinct summary of the multiple ways in which time can be told.’ * Dr Patricia Fara, Antiquarian Horology *‘Today’s best atomic clocks can track time with a precision of one part in a billion – but getting to this point, as Chad Orzel’s entertaining new book shows, has been an incredible adventure. It’s a history of technology, of course, but we also learn about the underlying science, from the ancient astronomers who first made sense of the motions of the sun, moon, and stars to those who unveiled relativity and quantum mechanics in the last century. If you like science, history, and fun in equal measure, A Brief History of Timekeeping is for you.’ -- Dan Falk, science journalist, author and broadcaster‘A fascinating intersection of science, history, and theology. I never expected to lose track of time reading a book about time.’ -- James Breakwell, comedy writer, creator of @XplodingUnicorn on Twitter, and author of How to Be a Man (Whatever That Means)‘Orzel gives us the grand tour of something we all take for granted. It’s about time.’ -- Chris Ferrie, author of Where Did the Universe Come From?‘Fascinating… a page-turning popular science book which is full of quirky, unexpected turns.’ -- Fortean Times

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Book SynopsisFrom the ancient origins of astronomy to the Copernican revolution, and from Galileo to Hawking''s research into black holes, The Story of Astronomy charts the discoveries of some of the greatest minds in human history, and their attempts to unveil the secrets of the stars. Peter Aughton''s trademark narrative style is to the fore, demystifying some of the biggest breakthroughs in the history of science, and packed full of fascinating nuggets such as why we have 60 minutes in an hour, how the Romans bodged the invention of the leap year and when people really discovered the Earth wasn''t flat (a thousand years before Columbus). And explaining in the most straightforward and compelling of ways what Newton, Einstein, Hubble and Hawking really achieved. Richly informative and readable, The Story of Astronomy is a fascinating journey through 3000 years of stargazing. Included are chapters on: The Origins of Astronomy; From Babylon to Ancient Greece; The Almagest; PersianTable of ContentsIntroduction. The Origins of Astronomy. From Babylon to Ancient Greece. The Almagest. Astronomy in the Dark Ages. The Copernican Revolution. Chasing the Paths of the Planets. Galileo: The Great Telescope Maker. Jeremiah Horrocks: Father of English Astronomy. The Clockwork Universe. English and French Rivalry. Finding Longitude. William Herschel: Gazing Deeper into Space. Understanding the Forces of Nature. Albert Einstein: Relativity Redefines Astronomy. The Hubble Universe. From Microcosm to Macrocosm. Beyond the Visible Spectrum. Black Holes, Quasars and the Universe. Stephen Hawking: Exploring the Boundaries of Space. Astronomy in the Space Age. The Big Bang and the Creation of the Universe. Dark Matter and Dark Energy. Planets, Moons and the Search for Life. Glossary. Further Reading. Index.

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Book SynopsisAstrophysicist and NPR commentator Adam Frank reveals what the latest research on alien civilisations may tell us about our own.Trade Review"In this provocative new book, Adam Frank makes the case that one good way to think about life on Earth is to think about the prospect of life on other planets—and what it might have to teach us about how to be good Earthlings." -- Sean Carroll"Pleasingly, the findings here are more hopeful and proactive than has been the case elsewhere, encouraging us to take charge and create a better future. As far as messages go, it's not a bad one." -- How It Works"We may have no proof that aliens exist, but US astrophysicist Adam Frank is pretty convinced." -- Best Holiday Reading - New Scientist"With an easy-to follow writing style, Frank has thoughtfully tackled the concept of life beyond Earth, without resorting to fantasies of' little green men'. Light of the Stars is a concise and insightful read, which, aside from being very difficult to put down, will leave you wanting to learn more about the potential for life amongst the stars. So sit down and get comfortable, as you may be glued to this book for some time." -- BBC Sky at Night"The author makes the case that as the exploration of Venus and Mars helped humanity properly formulate the theory of the greenhouse effect, so can exoplanets and the search for exo-civilizations inform how we deal with the growing pains of a maturing civilization at odds with its own host planet." -- On our Bookshelf - Nature

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Book SynopsisWhat is time? The Janus Point offers a ground-breaking solution to one of the greatest mysteries in physics.For over a century, the greatest minds have sought to understand why time seems to flow in one direction, ever forward. In The Janus Point, Julian Barbour offers a radically new answer: it doesn't.At the heart of this book, Barbour provides a new vision of the Big Bang - the Janus Point - from which time flows in two directions, its currents driven by the expansion of the universe and the growth of order in the galaxies, planets and life itself. What emerges is not just a revolutionary new theory of time, but a hopeful argument about the destiny of our universe.'Both a work of literature and a masterpiece of scientific thought' Lee Smolin, author of The Trouble with Physics'Profound...original...accessible to anyone who has pondered the mysteries of space and time' Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal 'Takes on fundamental questions, offering a new perspective on how the Universe started and where it may be headed' Science MagazineTrade ReviewJulian Barbour is a profound and original thinker with the boldness to tackle some of nature's deepest problems. He is also a fine writer, and this renders his book - despite its conceptual depth - accessible to anyone who has pondered the mysteries of space and time -- Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal and former President of the Royal SocietyWith a rare humanity and a perspective based on a lifetime of study, Barbour writes a book that is both a work of literature and a masterpiece of scientific thought -- Lee Smolin, author of The Trouble with PhysicsThe origin of the arrow of time is arguably the most important conceptual problem in cosmology, and the prospect that it can be solved in a universe where time flows "backward" in the far past is as exciting as it is provocative. In this engaging book, Julian Barbour conveys this excitement admirably -- Sean Carroll, author of From Eternity to HereThe Janus Point shows history-in-the-making: a project to recast the foundations of all of cosmology, gravity, thermodynamics and the arrow of time. The book has given me a lot to ponder. As Gauss said of Riemann's habilitation lecture, '[it] exceeded my expectations' -- Bill Unruh, Professor of Physics at University of British ColumbiaJulian Barbour has no peer when it comes to explaining scientific ideas in a way that is accessible without being simplistic -- Neal Stephenson, author of Snow CrashJulian Barbour has discovered an unexpected and remarkably simple feature of Newtonian dynamics that is the basis of his seductive and eloquently presented explanation of the history of the universe, even time itself -- Michael Victor Berry, Professor of Physics (Emeritus) at Bristol UniversityThis delightful, provocative book is a cosmic physics adventure, enlivened with history and poetry -- Theodore A. Jacobson, Professor of Physics at University of MarylandJulian Barbour has a complete mastery of the history of ideas yet a remarkable lightness and clarity in explaining what are profound concepts. The Janus Point is controversial and gripping, an extraordinary introduction to his view of the universe -- Pedro G. Ferreira, author of The Perfect TheoryBarbour takes on fundamental questions, offering a new perspective - illustrated with lucid examples and poetically constructed prose - on how the Universe started (or more precisely, how it did not start) and where it may be headed. This book is an engaging read, which both taught me something new about meat-and-potatoes physics and reminded me why asking fundamental questions can be so fun -- Matthew Johnson * Science *A closely argued, substantive take on one of the biggest unsolved mysteries of physics, written by someone who has wrestled with not only the physics, but also the history and philosophy relevant to his subject. What's more, Barbour's approach, unlike many in the popular science game, is to publish only when he thinks he has something worth saying. That alone is enough to make him worth listening to -- Michael Brooks * Nautilus *Julian Barbour is one that rare breed, an optimistic scientist, and his engrossing The Janus Point not only turns accepted thinking about the universe on its head...but also suggests our very understanding of the nature of time needs to be reappraised * Choice *Any reader willing to engage with Barbour's ideas will come away enlightened -- Sidney Perkowitz * Physics World *

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Book SynopsisIntroduction by Professor Stephen Hawking.When Edwin Hubble looked into his telescope in the 1920s, he was shocked to find that nearly all of the galaxies he could see through it were flying away from one another. If these galaxies had always been travelling, he reasoned, then they must, at some point, have been on top of one another. This discovery transformed the debate about one of the most fundamental questions of human existence - how did the universe begin?Every society has stories about the origin of the cosmos and its inhabitants, but now, with the power to peer into the early universe and deploy the knowledge gleaned from archaeology, geology, evolutionary biology and cosmology, we are closer than ever to understanding where it all came from. In The Origin of (almost) Everything, New Scientist explores the modern origin stories of everything from the Big Bang, meteorites and dark energy, to dinosaurs, civilisation, timekeeping, belly-butTrade ReviewImportant... The Origin of (Almost) Everything doesn't look like a typical science book. It's friendly and colourful. Its blocks of text and ample images, makes it read more like a magazine than textbook. Unravelling dozens of life's biggest mysteries, Lawton and Daniel's irreverent storytelling approach answers nagging questions that have inspired centuries of scientific inquiry... Like The Origin of (Almost) Everything suggests, the best science writing and illustrations don't just answer your questions - they compel you to ask more. * WIRED *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Winner of the Chambliss Astronomical Writing Award, American Astronomical Society"

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Book SynopsisWhat happened before the primordial fire of the Big Bang: a theory about the ultimate origin of the universe.In the beginning was the Big Bang: an unimaginably hot fire almost fourteen billion years ago in which the first elements were forged. The physical theory of the hot nascent universe—the Big Bang—was one of the most consequential developments in twentieth-century science. And yet it leaves many questions unanswered: Why is the universe so big? Why is it so old? What is the origin of structure in the cosmos? In An Infinity of Worlds, physicist Will Kinney explains a more recent theory that may hold the answers to these questions and even explain the ultimate origins of the universe: cosmic inflation, before the primordial fire of the Big Bang.Kinney argues that cosmic inflation is a transformational idea in cosmology, changing our picture of the basic structure of the cosmos and raising unavoidable questions about what we mean by a scientific theory. He explains that inflation is a remarkable unification of inner space and outer space, in which the physics of the very large (the cosmos) meets the physics of the very small (elementary particles and fields), closing in a full circle at the first moment of time. With quantum uncertainty its fundamental feature, this new picture of cosmic origins introduces the possibility that the origin of the universe was of a quantum nature. Kinney considers the consequences of eternal cosmic inflation. Can we come to terms with the possibility that our entire observable universe is one of infinitely many, forever hidden from our view?

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Book SynopsisA 2025 Nautilus Book Awards Silver WinnerThe James Webb Space Telescope is transforming the universe right before our eyes—and here, for the first time, is the inside account of how the mission originated, how it performs its miracles of science, and what its revolutionary images are revealing.Pillars of Creation tells the story of one of the greatest scientific achievements in the history of civilization, a $10 billion instrument with a staggeringly ambitious goal: unlocking the secrets of the cosmos. Award-winning science writer Richard Panek stands us shoulder to shoulder with senior scientists as they conceive the mission, meet decades-long challenges to bring it to fruition, and, now, use its unprecedented technology to yield new discoveries about the origins of our solar system, to search for life on planets around other suns, and to trace the growth of hundreds of billions of galaxies all the way back to the birth of the first stars. The Webb telescope has captured the world’s imagination, and Pillars of Creation shows how and why—including through sixteen pages of awe-inspiring, full-color photos. At once a testament to human ingenuity and a celebration of mankind’s biggest leap yet into the cosmos, Panek’s eye-opening book reveals our universe as we’ve never seen it before—through the lens of the James Webb Space Telescope, a marvel that is itself a pillar of creation.

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Book SynopsisEric Chaisson received his Ph.D. in astrophysics from Harvard, where he spent 10 years on the faculty; after holding various professorships at Johns Hopkins and Tufts, Eric is back at Harvard teaching and doing research at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. He has written 12 books and received a number of literary awards along the way. Steve McMillan received his Ph.D. in astronomy from Harvard and is a professor of physics at Drexel University. He has published more than 100 articles and scientific papers.Table of Contents I. ASTRONOMY AND THE UNIVERSE 1. Charting the Heavens: The Foundations of Astronomy 2. The Copernican Revolution: The Birth of Modern Science 3. Radiation: Information from the Cosmos 4. Spectroscopy: The Inner Workings of Atoms 5. Telescopes: The Tools of Astronomy II. OUR PLANETARY SYSTEM 6. The Solar System: Comparative Planetology and Formation Models 7. Earth: Our Home in Space 8. The Moon and Mercury: Scorched and Battered Worlds 9. Venus: Earth’s Sister Planet 10. Mars: A Near Miss for Life? 11. Jupiter: Giant of the Solar System 12. Saturn: Spectacular Rings and Mysterious Moons 13. Uranus and Neptune: The Outer Worlds of the Solar System 14. Solar System Debris: Keys to Our Origin 15. Exoplanets: Planetary Systems Beyond Our Own. III. STARS AND STELLAR EVOLUTION 16. The Sun: Our Parent Star 17. The Stars: Giants, Dwarfs, and the Main Sequence 18. The Interstellar Medium: Gas and Dust among the Stars 19. Star Formation: A Traumatic Birth 20. Stellar Evolution: The Life and Death of a Star 21. Stellar Explosions: Novae, Supernovae, and the Formation of the Elements 22. Neutron Stars and Black Holes: Strange States of Matter IV. GALAXIES AND COSMOLOGY 23. The Milky Way Galaxy: A Spiral in Space 24. Galaxies: Building Blocks of the Universe 25. Galaxies and Dark Matter: The Large-Scale Structure of the Cosmos 26. Cosmology: The Big Bang and the Fate of the Universe 27. The Early Universe: Toward the Beginning of Time 28. Life in the Universe: Are We Alone?

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Book SynopsisExplore the star-studded cosmos with this fully updated, user-friendly skywatcher's guide, filled with charts, graphics, photographs, and expert tips for viewing -- and understanding -- the wonders of space. Stargazing's too much fun to leave to astronomers. In these inviting pages, 'Night Sky Guy' Andrew Fazekas takes an expert but easygoing approach that will delight would-be astronomers of all levels. Essential information, organized logically, brings the solar system, stars, and planets to life in your own backyard. Start with the easiest constellations and then 'star-hop' across the night sky to find others nearby. Learn about the dark side of the moon, how to pick Mars out of a planetary lineup, and which kinds of stars twinkle in your favorite constellations. Hands-on tips and techniques for observing with the naked eye, binoculars, or a telescope help make the most out of sightings and astronomical phenomena such as eclipses and meteor showers. Photographs aTrade Review“This guide is beautifully illustrated. It’s a nice size to throw in a purse or bag for taking to your local observatory or up into the treehouse…There’s even a section on stargazing with your children.” –Just a Secular Homeschooler “Chock full of photographs, graphics, tips, and information - this book is THE book to read if you want to learn about watching the night sky and what's in it. You can find out about what telescope to use and the various star patterns that make up the constellations. Its so interesting, you can't help but get lost in the pages of this book - learning so much about the beautiful night sky that mesmerizes us. I found myself completely engaged in this book - it was so much fun to read. I loved it!” –A Bookish Way of Life “I have to get this book, star gazing is one of my favorite summertime activities.” –Instagram: createexploreread “If you have any interest at all in ordering the stars when you look up this book will be a perfect start.” –Broken Teepee “It is a great educational tool, beautifully illustrated, and jam packed with information on anything you could see up in the night sky…The book itself is the perfect size to throw in a bag, or even keep in the car if you are going on a road trip or somewhere to stare up at the sky.” –Diary of a Stay at Home Mom “The book is an easy read, and very interesting. It’s not just about star constellations, but about many heavenly bodies (like asteroids). After reading the book, it’s easier to know what to look for in the night sky – even for an amateur.” –Man of La Book “If you are even just casually thinking about stargazing this summer, this guide is a MUST HAVE. We (my husband and I) know just enough to seem like experts to our children – though it could now be argued that my older son knows more astronomy facts than I do. But now I have this book.” –Sarah Reads Too Much

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Book SynopsisFor twenty-five years following the Voyager mission, scientists speculated about Saturn's largest moon, a mysterious orb clouded in orange haze. This book reveals the startling discoveries that have been made since the arrival of the Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn and Titan.Trade Review"[A]n enjoyable mix: a very accessible summary of current knowledge about Titan is combined with a firsthand account that gives a flavour of what it has been like to be part of this grand, bold, international collaboration that is the Cassini-Huygens project."--Times Higher Education "Titan Unveiled describes how most of what we once hypothesized about Titan has been proved wrong. The story of how we gained our current knowledge is fascinating; even more intriguing is what remains to be learned."--Henry Roe, Nature Ralph Lorenz ... has teamed with veteran science journalist Jaqueline Mitton to convey both the human and scientific drama of remote robotic space exploration."--Laurence A. Marschall, Natural History "Lorenz, a planetary scientist, and Mitton, a science writer, vividly describe this encounter with an alien landscape; excerpts from Lorenz's log convey what it was like to be involved with the mission."--Scientific American "[A]n engrossing firsthand account of one of humankind's greatest adventures of recent years. It will take decades to prepare a new mission and then an additional seven years for another spacecraft to reach titan. In the meantime, Titan Unveiled provides the general reader with a lively narrative that combines a reliable, nontechnical account of the Cassini-Huygens mission with personal and often intimate insights into these efforts to explore a fascinating planetary analogue to the Earth."--Fred Taylor, American Scientist "An insider's look behind the headlines, focusing on the thought processes and instrumentation tricks involved. Lorenz's bloglike entries liven up the prose, but the star is Titan."--Richard Lovett, New Scientist "Titan's allure seems only to increase the more scientists learn about it...Obscured by haze, the landscape has been exposed by radar, special optical cameras, and the Huygens lander. The authors cover in detail the information gathered by these and other instruments, which impart a practical sense of how scientists work from raw data toward finished interpretations...Including amazing photographs of Titan's evident geological dynamism, Lorenz and Mitton's work has a high 'wow' factor that will thrill buffs and may spur students toward a planetary science career."--Gilbert Taylor, Booklist "Lorenz, the author of this popular account of Titan, is intimately involved in the Cassini-Huygens mission as a planetary scientist, and he contributes personal anecdotes as well as a thorough treatment of the science and technology of missions to Saturn and its moons."--M. Dickinson, Choice "Lorenz provides an intimate account of this unique adventure... Anyone with an interest in science, astronomy, planetary science and exploration, engineering or the evolution of our own planet will find this book captivating and uplifting."--Agustin Chicarro, Physics World "This fantastic book shines a light on the truth of the matter: that science is about a sense of wonder, awe, the joy of finding stuff."--Nature Geoscience "[W]hile expert readers in the science and engineering community will find much of interest here, it is the book's less technical target audience that will benefit the most. Apart from unveiling the mysteries of an alien world, it opens a window on the mostly hidden world of the planetary scientist, which is equally fascinating."--Mark Williamson, Space Times "Illustrated with many stunning images, Titan Unveiled is essential reading for anyone interested in space exploration, planetary science, or astronomy."--Lunar and Planetary Information Bulletin "A fascinating read."--David Tytell, Sky & Telescope "Titan Unveiled is a great read. It also may well prepare the reader for more adventures to Titan in the future."--Coalition for Space Exploration "Titan Unveiled unveils not only this remarkable moon but also the way that science is done, at least with large scale planetary science. High-school and college students would benefit from following the twists and turns, and the evolving thought, of the scientists involved. And the general reader will enjoy seeing scientific progress revealed as well as the coverage of excellent and interesting results."--Jay Pasachoff, Key Reporter "Lorenz was one of the researchers on the Cassini-Huygens mission which first successfully explored beyond the hazy atmosphere (and arguably, most intriguing) moon. In Titan Unveiled, he, with Mitton, an astronomer and writer, provides an insider's perspective of this first encounter with an alien landscape... Recommended to lovers of cosmology and planetary science, both professional and amateur."--Cosmos "[T]he delight of reading about a mission that has boldly gone where no man has gone ... yet make[s] Titan Unveiled and enticing read."--Ray Bert, Civil EngineeringTable of ContentsList of Illustrations and Tables vii Preface xi Chapter 1: The Lure of Titan 1 Chapter 2: Waiting for Cassini 21 Chapter 3: Cassini Arrives 67 Chapter 4: Cassini's First Taste of Titan 101 Chapter 5: Landing on Titan 132 Chapter 6: The Mission Goes On 174 Chapter 7: Where We Are and Where We Are Going 211 Afterword to the Paperback Edition 233 Appendix: Summary of Dynamical and Physical Data 255 Further Reading 257 Index 261

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Book SynopsisNow expanded and in full color, and useful to 2060! This tremendous new edition of a classic book (previously published only in black-and-white) contains star charts and pictures, for all those who observe the night sky with unaided eyes, binoculars or telescopes. It is equally useful for beginners and experienced old hands at astronomy.

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Book SynopsisGalileo (1564-1642) is one of the most important and controversial figures in the history of science. Tackling Galileo as astronomer, engineer and author, the author places him at the centre of Renaissance culture. He traces Galileo through his early rebellious years onwards.Trade Review"In a quiverful of publications, David Wootton has made it his mission to help us view the Renaissance thought-world in new ways, and this elegant biography does not disappoint. The Galileo he portrays is no saint, either Catholic or secular, but is the more fascinating for revealing the great scientist's selfishness, anxiety and political ineptitude, together with all the intellectual blind alleys taken in struggles towards his eventual goal. Wootton vividly contrasts the religious and political claustrophobia of seventeenth-century Italy with the abstract beauty of the mathematics and geometry which so delighted his subject. This is an absorbing study worthy of the life-story it tells.”—Diarmaid MacCulloch -- Diarmaid MacCulloch"Wootton’s Galileo is many things: private unbeliever, reluctant empiricist and impetuous thinker. This brilliant book traces Galileo’s difficult negotiations of academic jealousies, court politics and ecclesiastical scrutiny, allows us to imagine the excitement and danger of looking through a telescope in Venice, and gives fresh insights into the mind and the man as father and son. A remarkable achievement."—Justin Champion -- Justin Champion"Wootton's biography has much to recommend it. It is engagingly written and offers fresh insights into Galileo's intellectual development."—James Hannam, Standpoint Magazine * Standpoint Magazine *"Wootton. . . argues persuasively in this well researched, intellectual biography that Galileo was a Copernican long before his discovery of the moons of Jupiter proved that not all heavenly bodies revolved around the Earth."—Manjit Kumar, Sunday Telegraph * Telegraph *"Urgent. . . will garner. . . immediate interest and controversy."—Literary Review * Literary Review *"Wittily challenging... Wootton boldly presents his book as an intellectual biography which cannot be isolated from contemporary attitudes to tradition and innovation, and which cannot focus on Galileo's ideas without considering his personality and personal relations."—Claudio Vita-Finzi, Times Literary Supplement -- Claudio Vita-Finzi * Times Literary Supplement *"Wootton [is] a deeply erudite historian by trade and a passionate revisionist by temperament...Read Wooton to meet a Galileo who was always estranged froom vital aspects of his social and cultural world--and used that estrangement, as great intellectuals do, to fuel his intellectual progress."—Anthony Grafton, Bookforum -- Anthony Grafton * Bookforum *"Fascinating reading. . . . With this highly adventurous portrayal of Galileo's inner world, Wootton assures himself a high rank among the most radical recent Galileo interpreters. . . . Undoubtedly Wootton makes an important contribution to Galileo scholarship."—John F. Haught, America -- John F. Haught * America *"A deeply erudite historian by trade and a passionate revisionist by temperament. . . . Read Wootton to meet a Galileo who was always estranged from vital aspects of his social and cultural world-and used that estrangement, as a great intellectuals do, to fuel his intellectual progress."—Anthony Grafton, Bookforum -- Anthony Grafton * Bookforum *"I heartily recommend [this book]…. Wootton aims at an intellectual biography and the results are often magnificent, especially when it comes to explaining the science."—Jonathon Wright, Catholic Herald -- Jonathon Wright * Catholic Herald *"...vivid and compelling… [An] engaging subtle and arresting story."—Eileen Reeves, Times Higher Education -- Eileen Reeves * Times Higher Education *"Engaging and accessible."—James Wilsdon, Financial Times -- James Wilsdon * Financial Times *"Wootton writes a fascinating book…. As a whole, the book is absolutely first rate, and well worth reading and re-reading."—Revd Jeremy Craddock, Church Times -- Revd Jeremy Craddock * Church Times *“Wootton has written a thoughtful biography full of Renaissance detail in which he shows Galileo as a towering figure of genius, a man whose science was conditioned by his character, and who character enabled him to formulate a unique view of the Universe and man’s place in it…..This must be the definitive Galileo biography for the general reader.”—Barry Kent, The Observatory Magazine Vol.131 -- Barry Kent * The Observatory Magazine Vol.131 *“This book is not just a superb biography of Galileo but a good introduction to the centuries-old debate over religious and scientific views of truth.”—Contemporary Review * Contemporary Review *“Wootton’s insights are unnervingly convincing…”—Nick Wilding, London Review of Books -- Nick Wilding * London Review of Books *"[This book] demonstrates an awesome command of the vast Galileo literature. . . . Wootton excels in boldly speculating about Galileo's motives and the overall trajectory of his life. . . . [An] engaging account."—Owen Gingerich, The New York Times Book Review -- Owen Gingerich * The New York Times Book Review *"Wootton has written a lively book that is interesting to read, and one can concentrate on the fascinating details from the extensive research."—Noel M. Swerdlow, American Scientist -- Noel M. Swerdlow * American Scientist *"[This book] demonstrates an awesome command of the vast Galileo literature. . . . Wootton excels in boldly speculating about Galileo's motives and the overall trajectory of his life. . . . [An] engaging account."—Owen Gingerich, The New York Times Book Review -- John Derbyshire * The New Criterion *"[This book] demonstrates awesome command of the vast Galileo literature. . . . Wootton excels in speculating about Galileo's motives and in the overall trajectory of his life. . . . [An] engaging account."—The New York Times Book Review * The New York Times Book Review *" . . . a thought-provoking picture of him [Galileo]. . . . To read this account of how his ideas clashed witht he accepted ones is to appreciate that he is one of the world's great secular heroes."—Rob Hardy, The Commercial Dispatch -- Rob Hardy * The Commercial Dispatch *Selected as a Choice Outstanding Academic Title for 2011 in the Astronautics and Astronomy category -- Choice Outstanding Academic Title * Choice *“Wootton’s writing achieves its goals well and a thorough examination and understanding of the large number of Galileo’s papers that have survived has allowed the author to deliver an absorbing account. . .Containing exhaustive notes and an excellent bibliography, Watcher of the Skies is a highly readable account of the life and career of the controversial, impulsive, often rebellious and ever-ambitious astronomer, author and scientist.”—Brian Jones, BBC Sky at Night Magazine -- Brian Jones * BBC Sky at Night Magazine *

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Book SynopsisThis classic star atlas is ideal for both beginning astronomers and more experienced observers worldwide. As well as showing the stars, clusters and galaxies visible with binoculars or a small telescope, this fourth edition contains a new Moon map and enhanced charts.Trade Review'An easy to use book, clear, from an authoritative expert, not to be missed. Perhaps the ideal reference for all beginner or proficient observer in both amateur and professional capacity.' Ciel et Terre'… ideal for both beginning astronomers and more experienced observers worldwide. … This new edition features a clearer map of the Moon's surface, showing craters and features; a second Moon map, mirror-reversed for users of telescopes with star diagonals; enhanced index charts showing the constellations more clearly; and a new data table listing starts hosting planetary systems. It is now spiral bound, making it ideal for use at the telescope.' Spaceflight'The fourth edition of The Cambridge Star Atlas continues in the tradition of its predecessors in that the star charts are well drawn and clearly labelled. However this new edition also includes some new features not seen in previous editions. Including, a number of large scale charts showing the distribution of the Messier as well as a key to the main charts.' Astronomy Now'The real beauty of this book is that the format for the main chart pages is so user friendly! First, the charts tend to cover fairly large sections of sky, and they tend to present ONLY targets that are what I would call 'excellent' targets. By this I mean that these charts tend to focus on the brighter targets in the sky. To me, the BEST part is that on the page across from each chart is a set of tables [that] identify the best Variables, Doubles, Open Clusters, Planetary Nebulae, Nebulae, and Galaxies that appear on the chart! It is a wonderful observing companion for just about any level of observer.' Ed Moreno, AstroMart.com'… should prove popular with a wide readership.' The ObservatoryTable of ContentsPreface; The Moon; The seasonal sky maps; The index maps; The main star charts; The all-sky maps; Sources and references.

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Book SynopsisA look up at the night sky reveals a treasury of wonders. Even to the naked eye, the Moon, stars, planets, the Milky Way and even a few star clusters and nebulae illuminate the heavens. For millennia, humans struggled to make sense of what's out there in the Universe, from all we can see to that which lies beyond the limits of even our most powerful telescopes. Beyond the Galaxy traces our journey from an ancient, Earth-centered Universe all the way to our modern, 21st century understanding of the cosmos. Touching on not only what we know but also how we know it, Ethan Siegel takes us to the very frontiers of modern astrophysics and cosmology, from the birth of our Universe to its ultimate fate, and everything in between.Table of ContentsSo Far, So Good: The Universe at the Start of the 20th Century; A Relatively Different Story: How Einstein's Relativity Revolutionized Space, Time, and the Universe; Beyond the Milky Way: A Giant Leap into an Expanding Universe; The Great Leap Backwards: Theories on Where It All Came From; An Element-ary Story: How the Stars Gave Life to the Universe; All the Way Back: It Started with a Bang; What Does It Matter: Why There's More Matter Than Antimatter in the Universe; Before the Big Bang: How the Entire Universe Began; Dancing in the Dark: Dark Matter and the Great Cosmic Web; The Ultimate End: Dark Energy and the Fate of the Universe; Past, Present and Future: All We Know About All There Is;

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Book SynopsisEinstein said that the most incomprehensible thing about the universe is that it is comprehensible. But was he right? Can the quantum theory of fields and Einstein's general theory of relativity, the two most accurate and successful theories in all of physics, be united into a single quantum theory of gravity? Can quantum and cosmos ever be combineTrade Review"This elegant little volume provides a clear account of two approaches to some of the greatest unsolved problems of gravitation and cosmology."--John Barrow, New Scientist "A debate between Hawking and Penrose ... raises the reader's expectations of a lively interaction, and this is fully bourne in the transcribed discussion... Hawking's effervescent sense of humour frequently enlivens the text."--Joseph Silk, Times Higher Education Praise for Princeton's previous editions:: "If there were such a thing as the World Professional Heavyweight Theory Debating Society, this would be the title bout."--Christopher Dornan, Toronto Globe & Mail Praise for Princeton's previous editions: "This is a very courteous and intellectually stimulating exchange between two first-rate minds."--Library Journal Praise for Princeton's previous editions: "This is an interesting book to read now, but it promises to become an even more interesting book for future generations of physicists."--Robert M. Wald, Science Praise for Princeton's previous editions: "As well as providing an accurate scientific record of the lectures, the text has lost none of the drama of the original occasion, which stemmed from the almost antithetical views of the two protagonists on almost everything except the classical theory of general relativity."--Gary Gibbons, Physics World Praise for Princeton's previous editions: "I found great satisfaction and not inconsiderable benefit from my efforts... The clarity and brilliance of Hawking's logic would break through in simple straightforward terms... This provided a real thrill."--Lucy Horwitz, Boston Book ReviewTable of ContentsForeword by Michael Atiyah vii Acknowledgments ix CHAPTER ONE Classical Theory, Stephen Hawking 3 CHAPTER TWO Structure of Spacetime Singularities, Roger Penrose 27 CHAPTER THREE Quantum Black Holes, Stephen Hawking 37 CHAPTER FOUR Quantum Theory and Spacetime, Roger Penrose 61 CHAPTER FIVE Quantum Cosmololgy, Stephen Hawking 75 CHAPTER SIX The Twistor View of Spacetime, Roger Penrose 105 CHAPTER SEVEN The Debate, Stephen Hawking and Roger Penrose 121 AFTERWORD TO THE 2010 EDITION The Debate Continues, Stephen Hawking and Roger Penrose 139 References 143

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Book SynopsisInterweaving physics, astronomy, chemistry, geology, and biology, this book tells Earth's complete story, from the synthesis of chemical elements in stars, to the formation of the Solar System, to the evolution of a habitable climate on Earth, to the origin of life and humankind.Trade ReviewHonorable Mention for the 2012 Award for Best Professional/Scholarly Book in Earth Sciences, Association of American Publishers "[T]his classic history of our common home with the latest discoveries in planetary science ... is a cutting-edge exploration of the Earth's evolution from the Big Bang to the advent of human civilization."--Barnes & Noble Review "To be worth being this unwieldy, a book ought to do something pretty remarkable. And that's just what How to Build ... does, as you can tell from its subtitle, The Story of Earth from the Big Bang to Humankind. Now that's what you call a large canvas."--Brian Clegg, Popular Science "Like any good story, the tale that Langmuir and Broecker tell is a complex, weaving narrative that would be ideally placed on your bookcase between James Kasting's How to Find a Habitable Planet and Peter Ward and Donald Brownlee's Rare Earth... As non-astronomers they cover the initial cosmological and astronomical sections adequately, but as the book develops towards explaining the processes that make Earth habitable, the authors' expertise really comes to the fore... How to Build a Habitable Planet is Earth's story, but Langmuir and Broecker conclude with a nod to exoplanets and the search for alien life. Could it one day also become another planet's story?"--Astronomy Now "The authors ... have taken on a mighty task. You cannot underestimate the accuracy of their scholarship, or its thoroughness."--Heather Couper, BBC Sky at Night "This is a completely different book, wholly updated but also more detailed and more comprehensive. Yet, it keeps the bright flavour of the old version, and remains accessible without compromising on accuracy... How to Build a Habitable Planet is an accurate and enjoyable read."--Euan G. Nisbet, Nature Geoscience "Enormous advances have been made in the Earth sciences in the years since the original volume appeared. In addition, climate change has become a much more urgent topic. The revised version aims to bring the science up to date and to give a current environmental perspective. In this undertaking, Broecker has been joined by Langmuir, who now becomes first author. Their approach of providing each chapter with a clear introduction and summary will help greatly in accommodating the lay reader... We can be grateful to the authors that they had the initiative and energy to undertake a scientific synthesis of such broad scope... All who are concerned with the global environment and who wish to be scientifically well-informed in relation to it will find the book a worthwhile and inspirational challenge."--Ray Bates, Irish Times "[Langmuir and Broecker] strike a nice balance with roughly an equal number of chapters devoted to life, earth, and extraterrestrial processes... What makes it work is the authors' admirable job of focusing tightly on how the many processes they outline feed into life's makeup or systems needed to support it."--Choice "Although this 718 page book is over twice as long compared to the first edition, it is still a comfortable read both for earth scientists as well as nonspecialists. The diverse topics dealt with have been skillfully stitched together and each chapter provides lucid descriptions, logical discussions and a nice summary. This book could be an useful text for undergraduate students in earth sciences and with necessary supplements, could also be used for advanced courses in earth sciences."--Ramananda Chakrabarti, Current Science "I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a well-informed exploration of the theories behind building a habitable planet. Although complex in some places, it is still accessible to many and is overall a very useful addition to any astrobiologist's library."--Samantha Rolfe, Astrobiology Society of GB "This classic account of how our habitable planet was assembled from the stuff of stars introduced readers to planetary, Earth, and climate science by way of a fascinating narrative. Now it has been made even better."--Lunar and Planetary Information Bulletin "Generally speaking, the book by Langmuir & Broecker is very reader friendly... It can become an essential reading for both beginners and professionals in geology, palaeontology, and other natural sciences. Geoscience educators will also praise it... This book is a very good addition to the conventional textbooks on general geology, and it can be recommended for students as advanced reading."--Dmitry A. Ruban, Palaontologie AllgemeinTable of ContentsPreface xv Chapter 1. Introduction: Earth and Life as Natural Systems 1 Introduction 2 The Power and Limitations of Scientific Reductionism 4 Chaos 7 "Systems" 13 Characteristics of "Natural Systems" 15 Natural Systems Are Out of Equilibrium 15 Natural Systems Are Maintained by External Energy Sources 17 "Steady-State Disequilibrium" Is Maintained by Feedbacks and Cycles 17 Summary 24 Supplementary Readings 25 Chapter 2. The Setting: The Big Bang and Galaxy Formation 27 Introduction 28 The Big Bang 28 The Red Shift: Measuring Velocity 31 Measuring Distance 34 The Velocity-Distance Relationship: Dating the Beginning 41 Added Support for the Big Bang Hypothesis 43 An Expanding Universe and Dark Energy 47 Aftermath of the Big Bang 48 Summary 49 Supplementary Readings 49 Chapter 3. The Raw Material: Synthesis of Elements in Stars 51 Introduction 52 The Chemical Composition of the Sun 52 Hydrogen, Helium, Galaxies, Stars 54 Descriptive Atomic Physics 55 Element Production during the Big Bang 61 Element Formation in Stars 62 Element Synthesis by Neutron Capture 66 Evidence Supporting the Stellar Hypothesis 71 Summary 77 Supplementary Readings 81 Chapter 4. Preliminary Fabrication: Formation of Organic and Inorganic Molecules 83 Introduction 84 Molecules 88 States of Matter 90 Volatility 92 Density 94 The Two Great Classes of Molecules: Inorganic and Organic 95 Minerals 96 Organic Molecules 104 Environments of Molecular Construction 107 Summary 110 Chapter 5. The Heavy Construction: The Formation of Planets and Moons from a Solar Nebula 113 Introduction 114 Planetary Vital Statistics 117 Planetary Mass 117 Planetary Densities 119 Planetary Composition 120 Evidence from Meteorites 122 Scenario for Solar System Creation 128 Understanding the Chemical Compositions of the Terrestrial Planets 132 Summary 139 Supplementary Readings 139 Chapter 6. The Schedule: Quantifying the Timescale with Radionuclides 141 Introduction 142 Measuring Time with Radioactive Decay 145 The Isochron Technique of Radioactive Dating 150 Age of the Chondrites and Earth 154 Age of the Elements 157 Unlocking the Secrets of Ancient Short-lived Processes with Extinct Radionuclides 164 26Al and the Presence of Supernovas in the Vicinity of the Solar Nebula 165 Summary 168 Supplementary Reading 169 Chapter 7. Interior Modifications: Segregation into Core, Mantle, Crust, Ocean, and Atmosphere 171 Introduction 172 Earth Structure 173 Chemical Composition of Earth's Layers 180 Chemical Affinities of the Elements 183 Origin of Earth's Layers 188 Separation of Core from Mantle 189 Timing of Core Formation 191 Origin of the Crust 194 Origin of the Atmosphere and Ocean 204 Summary 206 Chapter 8. Contending with the Neighbors: Moons, Asteroids, Comets, and Impacts 209 Introduction 210 The Diversity of Objects in the Solar System 212 Origin of the Moon 218 Using Impacts to Date Planetary Surfaces 223 Lunar Interior Modifications 230 History of Impacts in the Solar System 236 Implications for the Earth 239 Future Impacts 245 Summary 246 Supplementary Readings 247 Chapter 9. Making It Comfortable: Running Water, Temperature Control, and Sun Protection 249 Introduction 250 The Planetary Volatile Budget 251 Evidence for Liquid Water before 4.0 Ga 253 Stable Isotope Fractionation 255 Controls on Volatiles at the Surface 257 Atmospheric Loss to Space 258 Cycling of Volatiles between the Surface and Earth's Interior 264 Surface Temperature 265 Earth's Long-Term Thermostat 271 A Lesson from Venus 276 Snowball Earth 278 Sun Protection 280 Summary 282 Supplementary Readings 282 Chapter 10. Establishing the Circulation: Plate Tectonics 285 Introduction 286 The Static Earth Viewpoint 287 Continental Drift Theory 289 New Data from the Ocean Floor 291 Evidence from Paleomagnetism 293 Global Distribution of Seismicity 298 The Theory of Plate Tectonics 301 The Plate Tectonic Revolution 306 Movements through Time 309 Summary 311 Supplementary Readings 312 Chapter 11. Internal Circulation: Mantle Convection and Its Relationship to the Surface 315 Introduction 316 Movement of Earth's Interior 317 Earth's Topography and Mantle Flow 319 Mantle Convection 322 Must the Mantle Convect? 325 Does Plate Geometry Correspond to Mantle Convection Cells? 328 Active Mantle Upwelling: Plume Heads and Tails 335 Formation of the Ocean Crust at Spreading Centers 342 Summary 347 Supplementary Readings 347 Chapter 12. Linking the Layers: Solid Earth, Liquid Ocean, and Gaseous Atmosphere 349 Introduction 350 The Global System of Ocean Ridges 351 Hydrothermal Circulation at Spreading Centers 354 Ocean Ridges and Habitability 362 The Puzzle of Seawater Composition 362 Element Transport to the Subduction Zone 366 Geochemical Processing at Convergent Margins 369 Cause of Melting and Volcanism at Convergent Margins 369 Element Transport to the Continental Crust 375 Final Consequences of Plate Recirculation 377 Summary 379 Supplementary Readings 381 Chapter 13. Colonizing the Surface: The Origin of Life as a Planetary Process 383 Introduction 384 Life and the Universe 385 The Unity of Life 390 Life Is Cellular 390 All Life Uses the Same Groups of Molecules 391 All Life Uses the Same Chemical Machinery 396 Earliest Life 398 When Did Life Begin? 401 Life's Origin 406 Steps in the Path to Life 408 Elemental and Simple Molecular Building Blocks 409 Making the Essential Biochemical Ingredients 410 Building Complex Molecules 412 A Cellular Container 415 The Missing Links 417 Some General Considerations on the Origin of Life 420 Summary 424 Supplementary Readings 424 Chapter 14. Dealing with the Competition: The Roles of Evolution and Extinction in Creating the Diversity of Life 427 Introduction 428 History of Life and Earth Revealed through the Rock Record 432 Relating Fossils to Present-Day Life: The Theory of Evolution 438 The DNA Revolution 441 The Extinction Half of Evolution 447 Summary 450 Supplementary Readings 451 Chapter 15. Energizing the Surface: Coevolution of Life and Planet to Create a Planetary Fuel Cell 453 Introduction 454 Life as an Electrical Current 455 A Reduced Early Earth 457 The First Three Energy Revolutions 463 The Planetary Fuel Cell 469 Summary 472 Chapter 16. Exterior Modifications: The Record of Oxidation of the Planetary Surface 475 Introduction 476 Earth and Oxygen 477 Carbon: The Record of Oxygen Production 480 Carbon: Evidence from the Rock Record 483 Iron and Sulfur: The Record of Oxygen Consumption 486 Iron: Evidence from the Rock Record 488 Sulfur: Evidence from the Rock Record 493 Evidence for High O2 in the Phanerozoic 497 Oxygen from 2.0 Ga to 0.6 Ga 498 Global Oxygen Mass Balance 502 Summary 506 Supplementary Readings 507 Chapter 17. Planetary Evolution: The Importance of Catastrophes and the Question of Directionality 509 Introduction 510 Planetary Evolution during the Phanerozoic 511 Causes of Extinction Events 516 The Cretaceous/Tertiary Extinction 517 The Permo-Triassic Extinction 521 Plate Tectonics and Evolution 526 Principles of Planetary Evolution? 527 Increased Relationship and Complexity 527 Change in Energy Utilization with Time 529 Speculations on the Possibility of Directionality to Evolution 531 Evolution of Habitability 534 Summary 536 Supplementary Readings 537 Chapter 18. Coping with the Weather: Causes and Consequences of Naturally Induced Climate Change 539 Introduction 540 Intermediate Term Climate Variations: Ice Ages 541 Orbital Cycles 544 Abrupt Climate Change 555 The Great Ocean Conveyor 560 Human Impacts 564 Summary 565 Supplementary Readings 565 Chapter 19. The Rise of Homo Sapiens: Access to Earth's Treasure Chest Permits a Planetary Takeover 567 Introduction 568 Dawn of the Human Era 569 The Human Energy Revolution 573 Earth's Treasure Chest 575 Classes of Resources 580 Resources with Short Recycling Times: Air and Water 580 Vast Resources with Recycling Potential: Metals 586 Finite Resources with No Recycling 589 Fossil Fuels 589 Soils 593 Biodiversity 593 Summary 594 Chapter 20. Mankind at the Helm: Human Civilization in a Planetary Context 597 Introduction 599 Human Impacts on the Earth 600 Climate 600 Ocean Acidification 611 Biodiversity 614 Future Prospects 620 Historical Perspectives on the Future 628 Possible Solutions 632 Solving Greenhouse Gas Accumulation 635 Energy from the Sun, Wind, and Atom 635 Carbon Capture and Sequestration 637 The Broader Problem 643 An Anthropozoic Era? 644 Summary 646 Supplementary Readings 646 Chapter 21. Are We Alone? The Question of Habitability in the Universe 649 Introduction 650 Comparative Planetology--Lessons from Venus and Mars 652 Planet Finding 654 New Results from Kepler 659 The Number of Other Inhabited Planets in the Galaxy: A Probabilistic Approach 661 Human Civilization in the Context of Planetary Evolution and Life in the Universe 665 Summary 667 Supplementary Readings 668 Glossary 669 Index 687

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Book SynopsisThis second edition astrophysics book covers a wide range of topics, including stellar phenomena, galaxies, clusters, and more. It incorporates recent advancements in Astronomy and Astrophysics, such as L and T dwarfs, solar models, cosmic background radiation, and more. Each chapter ends with problems and suggested readings.

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Book SynopsisA radical, yet accessible, new theory of the origins and future of the universe by two of the world's leading cosmologistsTrade ReviewA very readable tale of scientific investigation * DAILY EXPRESS *

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Book SynopsisWe live in a world of waves. The Earth shakes to its foundations, the seas and oceans tremble incessantly, sounds reverberate through land, sea, and air. Beneath the skin, our brains and bodies are awash with waves of their own, and the Universe is filled by a vast spectrum of electromagnetic radiation, of which visible light is the narrowest sliver. Casting the net even wider, there are mechanical waves, quantum wave phenomena, and the now clearly detected gravitational waves. Look closer and deeper and more kinds of waves appear, down to the most fundamental level of reality. This Very Short Introduction looks at all the main kinds of wave, their sources, effects, and uses. Mike Goldsmith discusses how wave motion results in a range of phenomena, from reflection, diffraction, interference, and polarization in the case of light waves to beats and echoes for sound. All waves, however different, share many of the same features, and, as Goldsmith shows, for all their complexities many of their behaviours are fundamentally simple.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Table of Contents1: Waves in essence2: Water waves3: Sound waves4: Seismic waves5: Biological waves6: Electromagnetic waves7: Gravitational waves8: Quantum wavesFurther readingIndex

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