Astronomy, space and time Books, bestsellers and new releases

Amicus Ink Venus

10 in stock

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10 in stock

£9.49

Thames & Hudson The Secret Life of Stars Astrophysics for

10 in stock

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10 in stock

£19.51

Archaeopress Professor Challenger and his Lost Neolithic

2 in stock

Book SynopsisProfessor Challenger and his Lost Neolithic World combines the two great passions of the author’s life: reconstructing the Neolithic mind and constructively challenging consensus in his professional domain. The book is semi-autobiographical, charting the author’s investigation of Alexander Thom’s theories, in particular regarding the alignment of prehistoric monuments in the landscape, across a number of key Neolithic sites from Kintraw to Stonehenge and finally Orkney. It maps his own perspective of the changing reception to Thom’s ideas by the archaeological profession from initial curiosity and acceptance to increasing scepticism. The text presents historical summaries of the various strands of evidence from key Neolithic sites across the UK and Ireland with the compelling evidence from the Ness of Brodgar added as an appendix in final justification of his approach to the subject.Trade Review'...a richly illustrated account of an important, but much marginalised debate within archaeology and, as such, of great historiographical value.'—Kenneth Brophy (2021): Journal of Skyscape Archaeology, DOI:https://doi.org/10.1558/jsa.22278Table of ContentsForeword – Dr Doug MacKie ; Preface ; Chapter 1 The origins of the controversy ; Chapter 2 Early hypothesis-testing in western Scotland ; Chapter 3 Decisive tests in Orkney and Ireland ; Chapter 4 Research into Alexander Thom’s fieldwork ; Chapter 5 The probable astronomy and geometry of Stonehenge ; Chapter 6 The Neolithic solar calendar, as seen on a kerb stone at Knowth, Ireland ; Chapter 7 Current aspects of the research situation ; Appendix Is there plausible evidence that the Ness of Brodgar priesthood had any esoteric knowledge? ; Bibliography

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2 in stock

£43.43

Icon Books Astroquizzical: A Beginner’s Journey Through the

7 in stock

Book SynopsisFinalist for the 2023 AAAS/Subaru prize for Excellence in Science Writing In this enthralling cosmic journey through space and time, astrophysicist Jillian Scudder locates our home planet within its own 'family tree'. Our parent the Earth and its sibling planets in our solar system formed within the same gas cloud. Without our grandparent the Sun, we would not exist, and the Sun in turn relies on the Milky Way as its home. The Milky Way rests in a larger web of galaxies that traces its origins right back to tiny fluctuations in the very early universe.Following these cosmic connections, we discover the many ties that bind us to our universe. Based around readers' questions from the author's popular blog 'Astroquizzical', the book provides a quirky guide to how things work in the universe and why things are the way they are, from shooting stars on Earth, to black holes, to entire galaxies.For anyone interested in the 'big picture' of how the cosmos functions and how it is all connected, Jillian Scudder is the perfect guide.Trade ReviewA wonderful jaunt through the universe at every scale, and a great way to fill in every gap in knowledge you have about astronomy. -- Zach Weinersmith, creator of SMBC, and co-author of the NYT bestselling book, Soonish.Astroquizzical from Dr Jillian Scudder is a superb astronomy book, written with a distinctive tone which is both pragmatic and poetic at the same time. It's perfectly attuned to the kind of awestruck curiosity we feel whilst taking in the majesty of a clear, starlit night sky. This book intelligently decodes those profound astronomical topics without swamping us in confusion. It also explains the intriguing importance of many astro and space exploration matters we might have underestimated or never even considered before. Dr Scudder's book brings the perfect blend of fact and fascination to help us feel a greater sense of our place within the clockwork of the universe. Astroquizzical is a most informative and highly engaging astronomy book. -- Jon CulshawScudder's mission is to provide the lay reader with a thorough grounding in the basics of astronomical knowledge. ... The writing is fluid and direct with the subject material brought vibrantly to life. ... For astro novices this book ... will bring a welcome depth to their appreciation of the night sky and the wonders it holds. -- BBC Sky at Night magazinegenuinely entertaining ... well-written ... fascinating ... quirky ... an excellent balance of enthusiasm and facts ... a good balance of illustrations ... Scudder is particularly good at explaining how the stunning colour images are multi-layered black and white images from different coloured filters. This is the kind of book that would be excellent to get either a teenage reader or an adult with limited exposure to astronomy interested in the field. It reads well and gives basic details without being patronising. It's a cosmic journey that I enjoyed. -- popularscience.co.ukScudder is an astrophysicist who studies star formation in very distant galaxies but takes time out to passionately engage in outreach, getting into schools and the community as often as she can. This, her first introductory book on astronomy, benefits from that outreach. ... The narrative form that Scudder employs is an imaginary cosmic journey that begins on our home planet and takes us in seven steps to the furthest galaxies. This simple format has been tried countless times before by big-name astronomers. What's different here is an intense level of engagement between writer and reader. Vivid storytelling explains the physics without equations. ... Her aim is to get people to think issues through for themselves, and that works. The clarity of Scudder's writing is impressive. -- Simon Mitton, Times Higher Education[Jillian Scudder's] excellent debut book is all about making complex concepts, if not exactly easy to understand, then at least a little easier to grasp. ... In her enthralling cosmic journey through space and time, astrophysicist Jillian Scudder discusses our home planet's place in the universe. ... The result is a highly readable primer for a basic understanding of phenomena such as shooting stars, black holes, galaxies and the origins of the universe. Beyond the flawless presentation of known facts and current thinking, Scudder explores further by positing counterfactuals and thought experiments. ... The real triumph of Scudder's Astroquizzical is that it brings high-altitude, notionally abstract ideas to the general reader, presented in an entertaining and accessible way. For those more familiar with the universe it will also help to fill some of the knowledge gaps created by advancements in current thinking. In short, it should be required reading for every engineer and technologist. -- Engineering & Technology magazineAstroquizzical approaches astronomy at a unique angle. It begins by stating that we are all distantly related to the stars; everything we're made of can be traced back to when they explode. By making this comparison at the start of the book, you instantly become intrigued and involved and from then on, the author ¬- Jillian Scudder - does a fine job of covering a variety of topics and interests in space science. The book starts at our home planet and the universe expands as the story unfolds, explaining the intricacies of our Solar System, the variety and evolution of stars, galaxies and finally the broader universe. These areas are well explained and accompanied by a series of illustrations, thought experiments and images. This is a welcome element to the book, particularly when it comes to explaining difficult concepts such as the behaviour of particles travelling at the speed of light and other more in depth, complicated topics. -- All About Space

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7 in stock

£13.93