Astrophysics Books

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Book SynopsisEvery atom of our bodies has been part of a star. Our very own star, the Sun, is crucial to the development and sustainability of life on Earth. This Very Short Introduction presents a modern, authoritative examination of how stars live, producing all the chemical elements beyond helium, and how they die, sometimes spectacularly, to end as remnants such as black holes.Andrew King shows how understanding the stars is key to understanding the galaxies they inhabit, and thus the history of our entire Universe, as well as the existence of planets like our own. King presents a fascinating exploration of the science of stars, from the mechanisms that allow stars to form and the processes that allow them to shine, as well as the results of their inevitable death. 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 expeTrade ReviewPart of the extensive Very Short Introduction series, this volume by Andrew King provides an engaging overview of the science of stars. This pocket-sized book is an enjoyable read. * Dawn E. Leslie, Contemporary Physics *Table of ContentsPREFACE; FURTHER READING

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Book SynopsisAn eye-opening and accessible account of the latest as-yet-inexplicable phenomena of the universe oddities that could transform our understanding of the fundamental nature of reality.

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Book Synopsis'A gripping exploration of one of the most fundamental, but also perplexing aspects of existence.' PROF. LEWIS DARTNELL, author of Origins'Such an enjoyable read...full of delightful nuggets that you will want to impress your friends and family with.' PROF. JIM AL-KHALILI, NYT bestselling author of The World According to Physics'This is a lovely, fascinating book. It blends history, geology, chemistry, philosophy and, of course, physics in a way that's delightful to read.' - ABIGAIL BEALL, author of The Art of Urban Astronomy--------Discover the secrets of one of the biggest puzzles in our history - Time. As a subject, it has perplexed and fascinated generations of scientists, historians and more, and continues to spark the most intriguing questions being asked in science today. Can time be stopped? Is time travel possible? Does time even exist...? In these ten bite-sized essays, Colin Stuart delves into these big questions and uncovers the most awe-inspiring and revealing things we should all know about time. Perfect for readers of Carlo Rovelli and anyone fascinated by space and the universe, this is a must-read for those short on time, but not curiosity.Trade ReviewA gripping exploration of one of the most fundamental, but also perplexing aspects of existence. * Professor Lewis Dartnell, author of Origins *This little book was full of delightful nuggets about the nature of time that you will want to impress your friends and family with...such an enjoyable read, I got through it in one sitting. * Professor Jim Al-Khalili, NYT bestselling author of 'The World According to Physics' *This is a lovely, fascinating book. It blends history, geology, chemistry, philosophy and, of course, physics in a way that's delightful to read * Abigail Beall, author of 'The Art of Urban Astronomy' *

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Book Synopsis'If you feel you are in a black hole, don't give up. There's a way out'What is inside a black hole?Is time travel possible?Throughout his extraordinary career, Stephen Hawking expanded our understanding of the universe and unravelled some of its greatest mysteries. In What Is Inside a Black Hole? Hawking takes us on a journey to the outer reaches of our imaginations, exploring the science of time travel and black holes.'The best most mind-bending sort of physics' The TimesBrief Answers, Big Questions: this stunning paperback series offers electrifying essays from one of the greatest minds of our age, taken from the original text of the No. 1 bestselling Brief Answers to the Big Questions.

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Book SynopsisPacked with striking photography, Eyewitness Universe explores the incredible celestial bodies in our Solar System.Become an eyewitness to outer space and beyond, in this picture-led reference guide that will take you on a visual tour of the Universe. Children will be mesmerised by how past, present, and future space exploration has helped our understanding of the Sun, our Solar System, rocky planets, gas giants, and explosive stars.This beautifully illustrated guide for kids aged 9+ gives an insight into far-off galaxies and out-of-this-world objects captured by powerful space telescopes. Striking photographs and detailed illustrations help you learn the secrets of pulsars and black holes, and how they are created by dead stars.Throughout the pages of this newly-revised book on fossils, you can expect to find: - A fresh new look; new photographs, updated information, and a new eyewitness feature.- Amazing facts, updated diagr

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Book SynopsisThe mystery of gravity has captivated us for centuries. But what is gravity and how does it work? This engaging book delves into the bizarre and often counter-intuitive world of gravitational physics. Join distinguished astrophysicist Professor Luciano Rezzolla on this virtual journey into Einstein''s world of gravity, with each milestone presenting ever more fascinating aspects of gravitation. Through gentle exposure to concepts such as spacetime curvature and general relativity, you will discover some of the most curious consequences of gravitational physics, such as black holes, neutron stars and gravitational waves. The author presents and explains one of the most impressive scientific achievements of recent times: the first image of a supermassive black hole. Written by one of the key scientists involved in producing these results, you''ll get a behind-the-scenes view of how the image was captured and discover what happens to matter and light near a black hole.Trade Review'The compelling story of one of the most beautiful adventures in physics.' Carlo Rovelli, Université d'Aix-Marseille'Rezzolla's journey to discover black holes is a tour de force through the world of gravity, the single fundamental force that we perceive consciously every day. He is constantly looking for comparisons that will illustrate the unimaginable. This passion for commonplace explanations culminates in analyzing the image of the supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy M87. I think Rezzolla's book is extraordinary successful. It takes us on a wonderful journey through the fantastical world of gravitation, which is far wilder than our everyday experience can imagine.' Thomas Bührke, Physics in Our Time'Black holes are mysterious objects. Einstein's theory of relativity predicts their gravity is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape. The author expertly explains the basics of the field, but also gives a sense of how scientific work is done on these highly complex topics in practice. […] The book describes a journey that, of course, is not yet over. Black holes are far from having all their secrets revealed.' Claus Kiefer, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung'What happens in a black hole? Is it the key to everything? Physicist Luciano Rezzolla explains what people can know and where our imagination ends. He has dedicated his research career to gravity, the oldest and most enigmatic of known forces. It holds the world together and gives rise to the most exotic objects.' Robert Gast, Zeit Online'What are 'black holes' and do they exist in our Universe? In his well-written and easy to understand account Prof. Luciano Rezzolla explains to the non-expert reader the basic theoretical ideas and the evolution of the scientific research over the past century. He then reveals how in the last few years we have been able to actually identify these weird but fascinating objects through very high resolution imaging with radio waves, as well as the detection of gravitational waves. This is a good read from a top expert in the field.' Reinhard Genzel, Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics; Nobel laureate in Physics'In recent years there's been a real surge in our knowledge of black holes and their role in the cosmos. Luciano Rezzolla clearly explains the new results, their contexts and the future prospects for research. Having himself been involved in the intricate computer modelling and imaging, he conveys his enthusiasm to the reader through his personal perspective on what it's like to participate in these important discoveries.' Martin Rees, University of Cambridge; author of Gravity's Fatal Attraction'Luciano Rezzolla offers an engaging overview of the powerful role of gravity, as the weakest but most consequential interaction shaping our universe. The narrative is engaging and scientifically accurate, with up-to-date details at the forefront of astrophysics and fundamental physics. Overall, Rezzolla offers the unique gift of a comprehensive, yet pedagogical summary of the latest exciting developments, such as imaging black holes and the use of gravitational waves as a new messenger across the cosmos.' Avi Loeb, Harvard University; author of Extraterrestrial: The First Sign of Intelligent Life Beyond Earth'Black holes are mysterious objects. Some of their secrets have now been revealed, not least due to the work of this author. In his book, he describes this fascinating story in an understandable, even entertaining, yet scientifically exact way. You will not stop reading until you have reached the final page!' Claus Kiefer, University of Cologne; author of Quantum Gravity and Gravitation'Why do things fall? Starting from this simple question, Rezzolla takes us on a whirlwind tour of gravity, from Galileo and Newton at the birth of modern science, to Einstein's 1915 revolution of warped spacetime. We are brought right up-to-date with the latest news on gravitational waves and black hole imaging, covering a lot of ground in an engaging style. Rezzolla makes the most complex topics accessible to both non-experts and those wanting to become experts.' Geraint Lewis, Sydney Institute for Astronomy; author of The Cosmic Revolutionary's Handbook'A great insider's tale from a member of the team who produced an image hailed as 'the photo of the century'.' Sean Duke, Irish Times'For those interested in an introductory text on observable black hole physics, this is probably the best book on the market. … Highly Recommended.' A. Spero, ChoiceTable of ContentsThe Beginning of the Journey; 1. Gravity...Attracts!; 2. The Fathers of Gravity; 3. Spacetime, Curvature and Gravity; 4. How to Bend Spacetime; 5. Neutron Stars: Wonders of Physics; 6. Black Holes: Champions of Curvature; 7. The First Image of a Black Hole; 8. Gravitational Waves: Curvature in Motion; The End of the Journey; Notes; Index.

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Book SynopsisFrom the world-renowned physicist and bestselling author of The Elegant Universe and The Fabric of the Cosmos, a captivating exploration of deep time and humanity''s search for purposeIn both time and space, the cosmos is astoundingly vast, and yet is governed by simple, elegant, universal mathematical laws.On this cosmic timeline, our human era is spectacular but fleeting. Someday, we know, we will all die. And, we know, so too will the universe itself.Until the End of Time is Brian Greene''s breathtaking new exploration of the cosmos and our quest to understand it. Greene takes us on a journey across time, from our most refined understanding of the universe''s beginning, to the closest science can take us to the very end. He explores how life and mind emerged from the initial chaos, and how our minds, in coming to understand their own impermanence, seek in different ways to give meaning to experience: in story, myth, religion, creative expression, science, the quest for truth, and our longing for the timeless, or eternal. Through a series of nested stories that explain distinct but interwoven layers of reality-from the quantum mechanics to consciousness to black holes-Greene provides us with a clearer sense of how we came to be, a finer picture of where we are now, and a firmer understanding of where we are headed.Yet all this understanding, which arose with the emergence of life, will dissolve with its conclusion. Which leaves us with one realization: during our brief moment in the sun, we are tasked with the charge of finding our own meaning.Let us embark.Trade ReviewA cracking read...Greene serves up plenty of revelatory detail... If you want to know how everything got here and where it's going, read this book. -- Stephen Bleach * Sunday Times *Until the End of Time is encyclopaedic in its ambition and its erudition, often heartbreaking, stuffed with too many profundities that I wanted to quote, as well as anecdotes from Greene's own life - of which we should wish for more - that had me laughing ... A love letter to the ephemeral cosmic moment when everything is possible. -- Dennis Overbye * New York Times *It takes a storyteller to explain the sciences, and few are as gifted as Brian Greene. There's real wonder in his descriptions of galaxies and planets forming, and of life blooming after that. It is all part of a fleeting moment in the cosmos - one that will eventually end - yet Greene finds meaning and optimism in everything around us. -- Chris Schluep, Amazon Editor

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Book SynopsisLisa Randall is an American theoretical physicist and the Frank B. Baird, Jr. Professor of Science at Harvard University. She has received numerous awards and honors and is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, an Honorary Member of the Royal Irish Academy and an Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Physics. She is the author of several acclaimed books on physics.Trade ReviewA bold intellectual synthesis from one of the world’s leading theoretical physicists, blending cosmology, astronomy, particle physics and the history of life on Earth to suggest the existence of an entirely new force of nature. This book certainly ventures into the unknown, but that's where great physicists like to be. -- Professor Brian CoxFascinating… Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs is a sign that readers of popular science have finally grown up… A very grown-up quest… Randall’s writing is as laid back and unfussy as ever. If you appreciated her clear, straightforward style in Warped Passages and Knocking on Heaven’s Door, you won’t be disappointed by Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs. -- Michael Brooks * New Scientist *Weird and wonderful new book. -- Michael Hanlon * The Sunday Times *Splendid book. -- Clive Cookson * Financial Times *Only Lisa Randall can take us on such a thrilling scientific journey—from dinosaurs to DNA to comets to dark matter and to the past and future of our species. Randall’s research is so thorough, the story so powerful, and her storytelling so compelling that I could not put this book down. -- Siddhartha Mukherjee, author of The Emperor of All Maladies

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Book SynopsisWhat would happen if you fell into a Black Hole?Black holes are found throughout the universe. They can be microscopic. They can be billions of times larger than our Sun. They are dark on the outside but not on the inside. Anything that enters them can never escape, and yet they contain nothing at all.In Black Hole Survival Guide physicist and novelist Janna Levin takes you on a journey into a black hole, explaining what would happen to you and why. In the process you'll come to see how their mysteries contain answers to some of the most profound questions ever asked about the nature of our universe.'Astrophysics at its sexiest...hugely enjoyable' Sunday TimesTrade ReviewA superb storyteller * Financial Times *Just like its subject this book is a seemingly miraculous compression of a vast amount of material into an implausibly small space. It's packed with revelations ... hugely enjoyable * Sunday Times *Wonderful ... Janna Levin has a talent for explaining mind-boggling concepts ... the language is conversational and, in places, rather poetic ... Perhaps the book's greatest draw is the book's survival guide element ... This book will really get you thinking, scratching your head, and eventually understanding the nature of black holes * BBC Sky at Night Magazine *Gripping, heartbreaking, brilliant * Sunday Times (on Black Hole Blues) *Spectacular ... a near-perfect balance of science, storytelling and insight * New Statesman (on Black Hole Blues) *

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Book SynopsisHumanity has always looked up at the night sky and wondered what lies beyond our world. Now, we are on the precipice of stepping out among the stars, not just as lone astronauts or billionaire tech bros, but as a civilization. Our story is one of curiosity and an innate desire to explore and understand not only the world around us, but the world within us, and the worlds above us, from extremophiles to extraterrestrials, technosignatures to terraforming, DNA to Dyson Spheres. In this sweeping treatise on exploration, innovation and human ingenuity, theoretical physicist Adriana Marais explores the questions that stand at the heart of scientific endeavour: What are the building blocks of life and how does life emerge? Are we alone in the universe and if so, why? How did we get here - and where are we going next?

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Book SynopsisIn A Brief History of Black Holes, the award-winning University of Oxford researcher Dr Becky Smethurst charts five hundred years of scientific breakthroughs in astronomy and astrophysics.'A jaunt through space history . . . with charming wit and many pop-culture references' – BBC Sky At Night MagazineRight now, you are orbiting a black hole.The Earth orbits the Sun, and the Sun orbits the centre of the Milky Way: a supermassive black hole, the strangest and most misunderstood phenomenon in the galaxy.In this cosmic tale of discovery, Dr Becky will take you from the earliest observations of the universe and the collapse of massive stars, to the iconic first photographs of a black hole and her own published findings.She explains why black holes aren’t really ‘black’, that you never ever want to be ‘spaghettified’, how black holes are more like sofa cushions than hoovers and why, beyond the event horizon, the future is a direction in space rather than in time.Told with humour and wisdom, this captivating book describes the secrets behind the most profound questions about our universe – all hidden inside black holes.Trade ReviewA jaunt through space history . . . with charming wit and many pop culture references * BBC Sky At Night Magazine *A fantastic read . . . there's certainly a lot to suck you in (unlike black holes, of course) * Popular Mechanics *A lot of astrophysics is packed into this neat little book -- Jim Al-Khalili on Space: 10 Things You Should Know Bite-sized, cutting edge science delivered with enormous enthusiasm -- Chris Lintott on Space: 10 Things You Should Know

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Book SynopsisThis volume covers all aspects of cosmology and extragalactic astronomy at an advanced level. Topics are developed in a contemporary fashion, with emphasis on currently active research areas. Containing over one hundred exercises, this text is invaluable for researchers and graduate students of extragalactic astronomy, astrophysics and theoretical physics.Trade Review'The textbook develops all aspects of extragalactic astronomy and cosmology in a detailed and pedagogical way and will be invaluable to researchers and graduate students …'. OrionTable of Contents1. Overview: galaxies and cosmology; 2. Galactic structure and dynamics; 3. Friedmann model of the universe; 4. Thermal history of the universe; 5. Structure formation; 6. Cosmic microwave background radiation; 7. Formation of baryonic structures; 8. Active galactic nuclei; 9. Intergalactic medium and absorption systems; 10. Cosmological observations.

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Book SynopsisSTEPHEN HAWKING was a brilliant theoretical physicist and is generally considered to have been one of the world's greatest thinkers. He held the position of Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge for thirty years and is the author of A Brief History of Time which was an international bestseller. His other books for the general reader include A Briefer History of Time, the essay collection Black Holes and Baby Universe, The Universe in a Nutshell, The Grand Design, and Black Holes: The BBC Reith Lectures.He died on 14 March, 2018.Trade ReviewThis book marries a child's wonder to a genius's intellect. We journey into Hawking's universe, while marvelling at his mind * The Sunday Times *A Brief History of Time:'It is the publishing sensation of the past decade' * Spectator *

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Book Synopsis'Be brave, be curious, be determined, overcome the odds. It can be done'Will we survive on Earth?Should we colonise space?Throughout his extraordinary career, Stephen Hawking expanded our understanding of the universe and unravelled some of its greatest mysteries. In Will We Survive on Earth? the world-famous cosmologist and bestselling author of A Brief History of Time turns his attention to one of the most urgent issues for humankind and explores our options for survival.'Effortlessly instructive, absorbing and witty' GuardianBrief Answers, Big Questions: this stunning paperback series offers electrifying essays from one of the greatest minds of our age, taken from the original text of the No. 1 bestselling Brief Answers to the Big Questions.

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Book SynopsisFrom a star theoretical physicist, a journey into the world of particle physics and the cosmos -- and a call for a more just practice of science.In The Disordered Cosmos, Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein shares her love for physics, from the Standard Model of Particle Physics and what lies beyond it, to the physics of melanin in skin, to the latest theories of dark matter -- all with a new spin informed by history, politics, and the wisdom of Star Trek.One of the leading physicists of her generation, Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein is also one of fewer than one hundred Black American women to earn a PhD from a department of physics. Her vision of the cosmos is vibrant, buoyantly non-traditional, and grounded in Black feminist traditions.Prescod-Weinstein urges us to recognize how science, like most fields, is rife with racism, sexism, and other dehumanizing systems. She lays out a bold new approach to science and society that begins with the belief that we all have a fundamental right to know and love the night sky. The Disordered Cosmos dreams into existence a world that allows everyone to experience and understand the wonders of the universe.

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Book SynopsisThis textbook is a pedagogic introduction to a number of phenomena employing fluid mechanics. Beginning with basic concepts and conservation laws for neutral and charged fluids, the authors apply and develop them to understand aerodynamics, locomotion of micro-organisms, waves in air and water, shock waves, hydrodynamic and hydromagnetic instabilities, stars and black holes, blood flow in humans, and superfluids. The approach is to consider various striking topics on fluid mechanics, without losing necessary mathematical rigor. The book balances the qualitative explanations with formal treatment, in a compact manner. A special focus is given to the important and difficult subject of turbulence and the book ends with a discussion on turbulence in quantum fluids. The textbook is dotted by a number of illustrative examples, mostly from real life, and exercises. The textbook is designed for a one semester course and addresses students at undergraduate and graduate level in physics or engineering, who want to research in the fields as diverse as aeronautics, meteorology, cosmology, biomechanics, and mathematical physics. It is requested knowledge of an undergraduate level course on mathematical methods to better understand the topics presented here.Table of Contents

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Book SynopsisSpace debris and asteroid impacts pose a very real, very near-term threat to Earth. In order to help study and mitigate these risks, the Stardust program was formed in 2013. This training and research network was devoted to developing and mastering techniques such as removal, deflection, exploitation, and tracking. This book is a collection of many of the topics addressed at the Final Stardust Conference, describing the latest in asteroid monitoring and how engineering efforts can help us reduce space debris. It is a selection of studies bringing together specialists from universities, research institutions, and industry, tasked with the mission of pushing the boundaries of space research with innovative ideas and visionary concepts.Topics covered by the Symposium: Orbital and Attitude Dynamics Modeling Long Term Orbit and Attitude Evolution Particle Cloud Modeling and Simulation Collision and Impact Modelling and Simulation, Re-entry Modeling and Simulation Asteroid Origins and Characterization Orbit and Attitude Determination Impact Prediction and Risk Analysis, Mission Analysis-Proximity Operations, Active Removal/Deflection Control Under Uncertainty, Active Removal/Deflection Technologies, and Asteroid Manipulation Table of ContentsPreface.- Section 1: Mission to Asteroids.- Chapter 1: Optimization of Asteroid Capture Missions using Earth Resonant Encounters.- Chapter 2: Evaluating Proximity Operations through High-fidelity Asteroid Deflection Evaluation Software (HADES).- Chapter 3: Prediction of Orbital Parameters for Undiscovered Potentially Hazardous Asteroids Using Machine Learning.- Section 2: Orbit and Uncertainty Propagation.- Chapter 4: Exploring Sensitivity of Orbital Dynamics with Respect to Model Truncation. The Frozen Orbits Approach.- Chapter 5: A Parametric Study of the Orbital Lifetime of Super GTO and SSTO Orbits Based on Semi-Analytical Integration.- Chapter 6: On the Use of Positive Polynomials for the Estimation of Upper and Lower Expectations in Orbital Dynamics.- Section 3: Space Debris Monitoring, Mitigation, and Removal.- Chapter 7: Trajectory Generation Method for Robotic Free-Floating Capture of a Non- Cooperative, Tumbling Target.- Chapter 8: Taxonomy of LEO Space Debris Population for ADR Capture Methods Selection.- Chapter 9: Remote Sensing for Planar Electrostatic Characterization using the Multi-Sphere Method.- Chapter 10: Active Debris Removal and Space Debris Mitigation using Hybrid Propulsion Solutions.- Chapter 11: The Puzzling Case of the Deep-Space Debris WT1190F: A Test Bed for Advanced SSA Techniques.- Chapter 12: Development of a Debris Index.- Section 4: Re-Entry Analysis and Design for Demise.- Chapter 13: A Multidisciplinary Approach of Demisable Tanks’ Re-Entry.- Chapter 14: Design-for-Demise Analysis using the SAM Destructive Re-Entry Model.- Chapter 15: Low-Fidelity Modelling for Aerodynamic Characteristics of Re-Entry Objects.- Chapter 16: Re-Entry Predictions of Potentially Dangerous Uncontrolled Satellites: Challenges and Civil Protection Applications.- Chapter 17: Uncertainty Quantification for Destructive Re-Entry Risk Analysis – JAXA Perspective.

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Book SynopsisIn A Brief History of Black Holes, award-winning University of Oxford researcher Dr Becky Smethurst charts five hundred years of scientific breakthroughs in astronomy and astrophysics.'A jaunt through space history . . . with charming wit and many pop-culture references' – BBC Sky At Night Magazine Right now, you are orbiting a black hole.The Earth orbits the Sun, and the Sun orbits the centre of the Milky Way: a supermassive black hole, the strangest and most misunderstood phenomenon in the galaxy.In this cosmic tale of discovery, Dr Becky Smethurst takes us from the earliest observations of the universe and the collapse of massive stars, to the iconic first photographs of a black hole and her own published findings.She explains why black holes aren’t really ‘black’, that you never ever want to be ‘spaghettified’, how black holes are more like sofa cushions than hoovers and why, beyond the event horizon, the future is a direction in space rather than in time.Told with humour and wisdom, this captivating book describes the secrets behind the most profound questions about our universe – all hidden inside black holes.Trade ReviewA jaunt through space history . . . with charming wit and many pop culture references * BBC Sky At Night Magazine *A lot of astrophysics is packed into this neat little book -- Jim Al-Khalili on Space: 10 Things You Should KnowBite-sized, cutting edge science delivered with enormous enthusiasm -- Chris Lintott on Space: 10 Things You Should KnowA fantastic read . . . there's certainly a lot to suck you in (unlike black holes, of course) * Popular Mechanics *

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

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Book SynopsisThis book is a simple, non-technical introduction to cosmology, explaining what it is and what cosmologists do. Peter Coles discusses the history of the subject, the development of the Big Bang theory, and more speculative modern issues like quantum cosmology, superstrings, and dark matter.Trade ReviewThere is an embarrassment of books about the universe for the general reader, but few manage to pack so much, so elegantly, into such a compact space as this does. The book is generously illustrated. * The Guardian 09/02/02/ *Coles takes you gently through everything from Blue Shift to parallel Universe in a thoroughly entertaining read * TNT Magazine *a pleasure to read * New Scientist, 29/09/01 *Table of Contents1. A Brief History ; 2. Einstein and All That ; 3. The Big Bang ; 4. In the Beginning ; 5. Cosmology by Numbers ; 6. What's the Matter? ; 7. The Emergence of Structure ; 8. The Future

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"James Peebles, Co-Winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics""Finalist for the PROSE Award in Cosmology and Astronomy, Association of American Publishers""It's hard to imagine anyone better placed to recount the inside story of modern cosmology. . . . For anyone seriously interested in the ways of science and how we came to understand our place in the Universe, this is essential reading."---Giles Sparrow, BBC Sky at Night Magazine"As expected, the quality is top-notch. . . . [Cosmology's Century] is also very well written. The book is essential reading for anyone interested in the first hundred years of modern cosmology."---Phillip Helbig, The Observatory

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Book SynopsisThe full inside story of the detection of gravitational waves at LIGO, one of the most ambitious feats in scientific history*Selected as a Book of the Year 2016 in the Sunday Times*''This is empirical poetry. A fascinating tale of human curiosity beautifully told, and with black holes and lasers too'' Robin InceIn 1916 Albert Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves: miniscule ripples in the very fabric of spacetime generated by unfathomably powerful events. If such vibrations could somehow be recorded, we could observe our universe for the first time through sound: the hissing of the Big Bang, the low tones of merging galaxies, the drumbeat of two black holes collapsing into one In 2016 a team of hundreds of scientists at work on a billion-dollar experiment made history when they announced the first ever detection of a gravitational wave, confirming Einstein's prediction a century ago. Based on complete access toTrade ReviewGripping ... very, very well written ... I reached the beautiful ending of this book with a little sob of gratitude ... heartbreaking ... brilliant -- Bryan Appleyard * Sunday Times *It is hard to imagine that a better narrative will ever be written about the behind-the-scenes heartbreak and hardship that goes with scientific discovery. Black Hole Blues is a spectacular feat – a near-perfect balance of science, storytelling and insight … It is as inevitable as gravity that this book will win a swath of awards -- Michael Brooks * New Statesman *Astonishing … superb … Ms Levin is able to tell the tale so soon, and so well, because she has had privileged access to the experiment. She has also known the experimenters for several years … Ms Levin is herself a scientist, which explains her access, but more than that she is a writer … readers feel as if they are sitting in on her interviews or watching over her shoulder as she describes two black holes colliding … A splendid book that I recommend to anyone with an interest in how science works and in the power of human imagination and ability -- John Gribbin * Wall Street Journal *A superb storyteller. This is the most vivid account I can remember of science policy in action … I’ll be surprised if anyone brings out a more readable book on gravitational waves in the near future -- Clive Cookson * Financial Times *The definitive account of how we completed the hundred-year hunt for gravitational waves … Punchy, witty, timely and deeply insightful; I haven’t read a better book on the realities of doing science -- Michael Brooks * New Statesman, Books of the Year *A remarkable achievement that potentially opens up a whole new chapter in our understanding of the cosmos and, with perfect timing, Janna Levin’s elegant and lucid book is here to tell us how it was done … the human drama is compelling … The main protagonists … comprise as fascinating a triumvirate as you will find anywhere in scientific literature. Levin, a distinguished astrophysicist in her own right, writes eloquently, sometimes even poetically, about the search for what she calls gravity’s music -- Simon Griffith * Mail on Sunday *Taking on the simultaneous roles of expert scientist, journalist, historian and storyteller of uncommon enchantment, Levin delivers pure signal from cover to cover … Levin harmonizes science and life with remarkable virtuosity … exposing the invisible, incremental processes that produce the final spark we call genius … As redemptive as the story of the countless trials and unlikely triumph may be, what makes the book most rewarding is Levin’s exquisite prose -- Maria Popova * The New York Times *The most important development in astronomy since the invention of the telescope ... [Levin] excels in conveying the personalities of the scientists and their professional and personal struggles ... With the success of Ligo, we stand at the dawn of a new era in astronomy, Levin says in her excellent book -- Marcus Chown * Times Higher Education *Brilliant and timely -- James GleickExplains in clear terms the scientific heart of this achievement and the deep and personal fascination that pursuing it has held for several generations of scientists. She also captures the cost of getting to this point, both financial – this is big science in its truest sense – and, in many cases, personal … the plot is too compelling … genuinely painful to read in places … illuminating ... interesting * Nature *A beautifully written account of the quest to open the ‘gravitational-wave window’ onto our universe. As a participant in this wonderful quest, I applaud Janna Levin for capturing so well our vision, our struggles, and the ethos and spirit of our torturous route toward success -- Kip Thorne, co-founder of LIGORiveting. Janna Levin immerses us in the heady world of scientists straining to detect gravitational waves, the faintest whispers in the universe. Keenly observed and lyrically written, her account of this quest will move you -- Steven Strogatz, author of The Joy of xIf Hunter Thompson had taken a break to get a PhD in physics and then become obsessed with gravitational waves, he might have written a book like this -- Alan Lightman, author of The Accidental UniverseLevin is a master of storytelling […] this book […]keeps the reader hooked in awe page after page. Black Hole Blues is a captivating study of the process of scientific discovery. -- Brad Davies * Independent *Levin brilliant captures the immense challenges of today’s big science, from the clash of huge egos to the final triumphant proof of a century-old theory -- PD Smith * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisWater dominates the surface of Earth and is vital to life on our planet. It is a remarkable liquid which shows anomalous behaviour. In this Very Short Introduction John Finney introduces the science of water, and explores how the structure of water molecules gives rise to its physical and chemical properties. Considering water in all three of its states as ice and steam as well as liquid, Finney explains the great importance of an understanding of its structure and behaviour to a range of fields including chemistry, astrophysics, and earth and environmental sciences. Finney describes the role of water in biology, and ends with a discussion of the outstanding controversies concerning water, and some of the ''magical'' properties which have been claimed for it.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.Trade Reviewa wake-up call to those who only think about it when their holiday's are washed out or their water bills arrive. * Northern Echo, Stephen Craggs *Table of Contents1. Water, water everywhere... ; 2. The water molecule and its interactions ; 3. Water as ice(s) ; 4. Water as a liquid - and as glas(ses) ; 5. The anomalies explained. ; 6. Water as a biomolecule ; 7. Some past and current controversies ; Further reading ; Index

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Book SynopsisFrom the big bang to black holes, from dark matter to dark energy, from the origins of the universe to its ultimate destiny, The Edge of the Sky tells the story of the most important discoveries and mysteries in modern cosmology,with a twist. The book''s lexicon is limited to the thousand most common words in the English language, excluding physics , energy , galaxy , or even universe . Through the eyes of a fictional scientist (Student-People) hunting for dark matter with one of the biggest telescopes (Big-Seers) on Earth (Home-World), cosmologist Roberto Trotta explores the most important ideas about our universe (All-there-is) in language simple enough for anyone to understand.A unique blend of literary experimentation and science popularization, this delightful book is a perfect gift for any aspiring astronomer. The Edge of the Sky tells the story of the universe on a human scale, and the result is out of this world.Trade Review"A delightful little gem for adults and children alike that leads you on a unique journey with its hypnotic, disarming prose. There are many books that attempt to creatively explain the universe in simple terms; this is one of the few that succeeds." --Bruce Bassett, Head of Cosmology at the African Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Professor of Applied Mathematics at the University of Cape Town, and author of Introducing Relativity "The Edge of the Sky ranges from exoplanets, through dark matter and dark energy and even supersymmetry... without any technical words. Speaking as someone who works on the "Big Ring" in the "city in a land full of safe places to put your money in": this is big fun, and amazing that so much can be said in so few words." --Jonathan Butterworth, Professor of Physics, University College London "The Edge of the Sky is a highly original book, which explains the foundations and the latest discoveries and ideas in astronomy: from planets and life elsewhere in the universe to dark energy and the multiverse. Roberto Trotta, a leading cosmologist from Imperial College London, has managed to achieve this by only using fewer than the 1,000 most common words of the English language. This is an inspiring book for everyone." --Ofer Lahav, Perren Professor of Astronomy, University College London "Cosmology and astrophysics are confusing at the best of times. But, against all the quantum odds, Dr. Roberto Trotta has managed to explain the topics using just 1,000 unique words. Readers of The Edge Of The Sky will be treated to a delightful, poetic journey into our world, other worlds and beyond without ever feeling like their vocabulary is holding them back. And yet that is not this book's greatest achievement. More impressive than the linguistic poetry and more profound that the hard science herein is the overwhelming sense of awe and wonder this book gifts the reader. This book will appeal to any adult who as eight year child looked up to the stars and wondered about the universe. Best of all, the eight year olds of today don't have to wait until they are adults to discover it for themselves." --Stephen Follows, Writer and Film Producer "Cosmology and astrophysics are confusing at the best of times. But, against all the quantum odds, Dr. Roberto Trotta has managed to explain the topics using just 1,000 unique words. Readers of The Edge Of The Sky will be treated to a delightful, poetic journey into our world, other worlds and beyond without ever feeling like their vocabulary is holding them back. And yet that is not this book's greatest achievement. More impressive than the linguistic poetry and more profound that the hard science herein is the overwhelming sense of awe and wonder this book gifts the reader. This book will appeal to any adult who as eight year child looked up to the stars and wondered about the universe. Best of all, the eight year olds of today don't have to wait until they are adults to discover it for themselves." --Stephen Follows, Writer and Film Producer "Jargon is a perpetual problem in communicating frontier science to a general audience: everyday specialists are so immersed in their specialized argot that we cease to be aware of the barrier it creates. I therefore applaud this attempt to describe the current state of cosmology in the most stripped-down language possible. The result is transparent, and also full of marvelously vivid turns of phrase, such as "Mr. Einstein's Dark Push." Definitely an original and distinctive addition to the literature in this area." --John Peacock FRS, Professor of Cosmology, University of Edinburgh "A tale as beautiful as the great spiritual stories - with the difference that this one is built on a solid foundation of fact." --David J Hand, Emeritus Professor of Mathematics, Imperial College London, and author of The Improbability Principle "A delightful little gem for adults and children alike that leads you on a unique journey with its hypnotic, disarming prose. There are many books that attempt to creatively explain the universe in simple terms; this is one of the few that succeeds." --Bruce Bassett, Head of Cosmology at the African Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Professor of Applied Mathematics at the University of Cape Town, and author of Introducing Relativity "Never before did we know so much about our universe, the All-There-Is. But are we getting any closer to understanding essential components of its true nature, dark matter and dark energy, which dominate by far over the visible, familiar matter? With rare candor and true learning, Roberto Trotta takes us on an intimate adventure in search of possible answers, as he charts the story of our universe from a tiny fraction of a second after the Big Bang to the present - while conveying at the same time the very human, at once exhilarating and humbling experience of this search. All this by using merely seven hundred and seven out of the thousand most common words of the English language, charmingly arranged to shake off the familiar, leaving us to marvel at our Home-World and at the mysteries that lie beyond its edge." --Laura Baudis, Professor of Physics, University of Zurich "Roberto Trotta's clever metaphors illuminate dark matter and dark energy. This book is a delightful, poetic, and informative read about all there is in the Universe." --Edward Frenkel, Professor of Mathematics, University of California, Berkeley, and author of Love and Math "The Edge of the Sky is an enthralling read that turns on its head the conventional (and in my view thoroughly misguided) wisdom that complicated scientific ideas can only be described using complicated language. Roberto Trotta takes the reader on a fascinating and entertaining journey through the very latest discoveries in astrophysics and cosmology, using only the 1000 most common English words, but never compromising on the clarity and detail of his scientific descriptions. The Edge of the Sky captures with child-like wonder the mysteries of the cosmos in language accessible to everyone, making it eminently suitable for children of all ages!" --Martin Hendry, Professor of Astrophysics, University of Glasgow "A wonder-full not-afraid story-telling try-it-and-see, about big-sky-study of today with only the ten-hundred most used words. Very not-usual, most good. Fun, too. Buy now!" --Ian Stewart, Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at the University of Warwick, and author of Visions of Infinity "A simplified but by no means simplistic introduction to modern cosmology and physics -- the flagship sciences of the 'All-There-Is.'... An entertaining exercise...for those student-people who like to ponder the All-There-Is while testing the always-inadequate limits of language." --Kirkus Reviews "Trotta's deft word choices quickly draw the reader into a surprisingly vivid alternate reality where student-persons (scientists) strive to pierce the mysteries of the All-There-Is: the universe... [T]he spare writing is elegant, even poetic. Literary experiments tend either to work or to flail with awkwardness; in Trotta's hands, this beautifully written book, with its limited vocabulary, soars." --Publishers Weekly, starred review "[A] surprisingly clear, and often poetic, primer on such complicated topics as the big bang, dark energy and the possibility of multiverses." --Scientific American "[A] poetic primer on the universe... The Edge of the Sky: All You Need to Know About the All-There-Is is one part children's book for grownups, one part imaginative exercise in economical yet lyrical language, and wholly wonderful." --Brain Pickings "Our Universe is described by only six numbers. In this entertaining and enjoyable book, Trotta recounts our knowledge of the cosmos with only the most 700-odd used words in the English dictionary. His extremely original approach conveys all the information with the most minimalistic use of language. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about the latest discoveries about our Universe within the framework of an "avant-garde" and experimental writing style." --Raul Jimenez, Professor of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics, University of Barcelona "How many different chords must you know before you can appreciate a symphony? How many different brush strokes must you master before you can appreciate a painting? How many different words do you need to use to appreciate the wonders of the universe? Roberto Trotta claims just 1,000, and bravely put pen to paper to try and prove it in this enjoyable short volume." --Lawrence M. Krauss, Foundation Professor and Director of the Origins Project at Arizona State University, and the author A Universe from Nothing and The Physics of Star Trek. "Our Universe is described by only six numbers. In this entertaining and enjoyable book, Trotta recounts our knowledge of the cosmos with only the most 700-odd used words in the English dictionary. His extremely original approach conveys all the information with the most minimalistic use of language. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about the latest discoveries about our Universe within the framework of an "avant-garde" and experimental writing style." --Raul Jimenez, Professor of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics, University of Barcelona "How many different chords must you know before you can appreciate a symphony? How many different brush strokes must you master before you can appreciate a painting? How many different words do you need to use to appreciate the wonders of the universe? Roberto Trotta claims just 1,000, and bravely put pen to paper to try and prove it in this enjoyable short volume." --Lawrence M. Krauss, Foundation Professor and Director of the Origins Project at Arizona State University, and the author A Universe from Nothing and The Physics of Star Trek "The extraordinary story of the Universe and our journey to understand it is not an easy one to tell to the general public. But because it is the story that binds us all together, it is important to tell it in myriad ways to reach as many people as possible. The Edge of the Sky is an inventive, enjoyable and thought-provoking contribution to that effort." --Nature "The Edge of the Sky... is probably the strangest and most poetic popular science book I've ever read. [Trotta] limits himself to using the 1,000 most common words in English... the effect is to produce a strangely hypnotic, poetic quality that reminded me of Longfellow attempting a science prose poem." --Brian Clegg, Huffington Post blog "A remarkable feat."--Vocabulary.com "If you are puzzled by the reports from the telescopes (Far-Seers) moving through space finding new things, then this book will satisfy the scientist (Student-Person) in you."--Roanoke Times "This charmingly accessible book is ideal for someone just dipping a toe into astrophysics and cosmology for the first time, with an interesting gimmick that lends his prose the flavor of folklore or myth."--Jennifer Ouellette, Scientif American's Cocktail Party Physics blog

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Book SynopsisTHE DEFINITIVE INTRODUCTION TO ROCKET PROPULSION THEORY AND APPLICATIONS The recent upsurge in global government and private spending and in space flight events has resulted in many novel applications of rocket propulsion technology.Table of ContentsPreface xvii 1 Classification 1 1.1. Duct Jet Propulsion 2 1.2. Rocket Propulsion 4 Chemical Rocket Propulsion 5 Combinations of Ducted Jet Engines and Rocket Engines 9 Nuclear Rocket Engines 10 Electric Rocket Propulsion 10 Other Rocket Propulsion Concepts 12 International Rocket Propulsion Effort 13 1.3. Applications of Rocket Propulsion 14 Space Launch Vehicles 14 Spacecraft 20 Military and Other Applications 21 References 24 2 Definitions and Fundamentals 26 2.1. Definitions 26 2.2. Thrust 31 2.3. Exhaust Velocity 33 2.4. Energy and Efficiencies 35 2.5. Multiple Propulsion Systems 38 2.6. Typical Performance Values 39 2.7. Variable Thrust 40 Symbols 41 Problems 42 References 44 3 Nozzle Theory and Thermodynamic Relations 45 3.1. Ideal Rocket Propulsion Systems 45 3.2. Summary of Thermodynamic Relations 47 3.3. Isentropic Flow through Nozzles 51 Velocity 52 Nozzle Flow and Throat Condition 57 Thrust and Thrust Coefficient 61 Characteristic Velocity and Specific Impulse 63 Under- and Overexpanded Nozzles 67 Influence of Chamber Geometry 72 3.4. Nozzle Configurations 73 Cone- and Bell-Shaped Nozzles 75 3.5. Real Nozzles 81 Boundary Layers 82 Multiphase Flow 83 Other Phenomena and Losses 85 Performance Correction Factors 85 Four Performance Parameters 89 3.6. Nozzle Alignment 91 Symbols 93 Problems 94 References 97 4 Flight Performance 99 4.1. Gravity-Free Drag-Free Space Flight 99 4.2. Forces Acting on a Vehicle in the Atmosphere 104 4.3. Basic Relations of Motion 106 4.4. Space Flight 113 Elliptical Orbits 116 Deep Space 120 Perturbations 121 Mission Velocity 125 4.5. Space Flight Maneuvers 127 Reaction Control System 131 4.6. Effect of Propulsion System on Vehicle Performance 133 4.7. Flight Vehicles 136 Multistage Vehicles 136 Stage Separation 138 Launch Vehicles 141 4.8. Military Missiles 144 4.9. Flight Stability 147 Symbols 149 Problems 150 References 152 5 Chemical Rocket Propellant Performance Analysis 154 5.1. Background and Fundamentals 156 5.2. Analysis of Chamber or Motor Case Conditions 161 5.3. Analysis of Nozzle Expansion Processes 166 5.4. Computer-Assisted Analysis 171 5.5. Results of Thermochemical Calculations 172 Symbols 185 Problems 186 References 187 6 Liquid Propellant Rocket Engine Fundamentals 189 6.1. Types of Propellants 192 6.2. Propellant Tanks 196 6.3. Propellant Feed Systems 203 Local Pressures and Flows 203 6.4. Gas Pressure Feed Systems 205 6.5. Tank Pressurization 212 Factors Influencing the Required Mass of Pressurizing Gas 214 Simplified Analysis for the Mass of Pressurizing Gas 215 6.6. Turbopump Feed Systems and Engine Cycles 217 Engine Cycles 218 6.7. Rocket Engines for Maneuvering, Orbit Adjustments, or Attitude Control 229 6.8. Engine Families 232 6.9. Valves and Pipelines 233 6.10. Engine Support Structure 239 Symbols 239 Problems 240 References 242 7 Liquid Propellants 244 7.1. Propellant Properties 245 Economic Factors 245 Performance of Propellants 246 Common Physical Hazards 250 Desirable Physical Properties 252 Ignition, Combustion, and Flame Properties 254 Property Variations and Specifications 254 Additives 255 7.2. Liquid Oxidizers 255 Liquid Oxygen (O2) (LOX) 255 Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) 256 Nitric Acid (HNO3) 257 Nitrogen Tetroxide (N2O4) (NTO) 258 Nitrous Oxide (N2O) 259 Oxidizer Cleaning Process 259 7.3. Liquid Fuels 259 Hydrocarbon Fuels 260 Liquid Hydrogen 261 Hydrazine (N2H4) 262 Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine [(CH3)2NNH2] 263 Monomethylhydrazine (CH3NHNH2) 263 7.4. Liquid Monopropellants 264 Hydrazine as a Monopropellant 264 7.5. Gaseous Propellants 266 7.6. Safety and Environmental Concerns 267 Symbols 268 Problems 268 References 269 8 Thrust Chambers 271 8.1. Injectors 276 Injector Flow Characteristics 280 Factors Influencing Injector Behavior 283 8.2. Combustion Chamber and Nozzle 285 Volume and Shape 285 Heat Transfer Distribution 288 Cooling of Thrust Chambers 289 Hydraulic Losses in the Cooling Passage 295 Thrust Chamber Wall Loads and Stresses 296 8.3. Low-Thrust Rocket Thrust Chambers or Thrusters 300 8.4. Materials and Fabrication 304 8.5. Heat Transfer Analysis 310 General Steady-State Heat Transfer Relations 311 Transient Heat Transfer Analysis 315 Steady-State Transfer to Liquids in Cooling Jacket 317 Radiation 321 8.6. Starting and Ignition 322 8.7. Useful Life of Thrust Chambers 325 8.8. Random Variable Thrust 326 8.9. Sample Thrust Chamber Design Analysis 328 Symbols 338 Problems 339 References 342 9 Liquid Propellant Combustion and Its Stability 344 9.1. Combustion Process 344 Injection/Atomization Zone 346 Rapid Combustion Zone 347 Streamtube Combustion Zone 348 9.2. Analysis and Simulation 348 9.3. Combustion Instability 349 Rating Techniques 357 Control of Instabilities 358 Problems 362 References 362 10 Turbopumps and Their Gas Supplies 365 10.1. Introduction 365 10.2. Descriptions of Several Turbopumps 366 10.3. Selection of Turbopump Configuration 371 10.4. Flow, Shaft Speeds, Power, and Pressure Balances 376 10.5. Pumps 378 Classification and Description 378 Pump Parameters 379 Influence of Propellants 385 10.6. Turbines 387 Classification and Description 387 Turbine Performance and Design Considerations 389 10.7. Approach to Turbopump Preliminary Design 390 10.8. Gas Generators and Preburners 393 Symbols 395 Problems 396 References 397 11 Engine Systems, Controls, and Integration 399 11.1. Propellant Budget 399 11.2. Performance of Complete or Multiple Rocket Propulsion Systems 401 11.3. Engine Design 403 11.4. Engine Controls 412 Control of Engine Starting and Thrust Buildup 413 Automatic Controls 419 Control by Computer 421 11.5. Engine System Calibration 423 Engine Health Monitoring System 428 11.6. System Integration and Engine Optimization 430 Symbols 431 Problems 432 References 433 12 Solid Propellant Rocket Motor Fundamentals 434 12.1. Basic Relations and Propellant Burning Rate 439 Mass Flow Relations 444 Burning Rate Relation with Pressure 445 Burning Rate Relation with Ambient Temperature (Tb) 449 Variable Burning Rate Exponent n 452 Burning Enhancement by Erosion 453 Other Burning Rate Enhancements 455 12.2. Other Performance Issues 457 12.3. Propellant Grain and Grain Configuration 462 Slivers 471 12.4. Propellant Grain Stress and Strain 472 Material Characterization 473 Structural Design 476 12.5. Attitude Control and Side Maneuvers with Solid Propellant Rocket Motors 483 Symbols 485 Problems 486 References 488 13 Solid Propellants 491 13.1. Classification 491 13.2. Propellant Characteristics 497 13.3. Hazards 505 Inadvertent Ignition 505 Aging and Useful Life 506 Case Overpressure and Failure 506 Insensitive Munitions 508 Upper Pressure Limit 510 Toxicity 510 Safety Rules 510 13.4. Propellant Ingredients 511 Inorganic Oxidizers 513 Fuels 516 Binders 516 Burning-Rate Modifiers 517 Plasticizers 518 Curing Agents or Crosslinkers 518 Energetic Binders and Plasticizers 518 Organic Oxidizers or Explosives 518 Additives 519 Particle-Size Parameters 520 13.5. Other Propellant Categories 522 Gas Generator Propellants 522 Smokeless or Low-Smoke Propellant 523 Igniter Propellants 524 13.6. Liners, Insulators, and Inhibitors 525 13.7. Propellant Processing and Manufacture 528 Problems 531 References 534 14 Solid Propellant Combustion and Its Stability 536 14.1. Physical and Chemical Processes 536 14.2. Ignition Process 540 14.3. Extinction or Thrust Termination 541 14.4. Combustion Instability 543 Acoustic Instabilities 544 Analytical Models and Simulation of Combustion Stability 548 Combustion Stability Assessment, Remedy, and Design 548 Vortex-Shedding Instability 551 Problems 552 References 553 15 Solid Rocket Motor Components and Design 555 15.1. Rocket Motor Case 555 Metal Cases 559 Wound-Filament-Reinforced Plastic Cases 561 15.2. Nozzles 563 Classification 564 Design and Construction 566 Heat Absorption and Nozzle Materials 571 15.3. Igniter Hardware 577 Pyrotechnic Igniters 578 Pyrogen Igniters 579 Igniter Analysis and Design 581 15.4. Rocket Motor Design Approach 581 Problems 589 References 591 16 Hybrid Propellants Rocket Propulsion 593 16.1. Applications and Propellants 594 16.2. Interior Hybrid Motor Ballistics 599 16.3. Performance Analysis and Grain Configuration 602 Dynamic Behavior 605 16.4. Design Example 607 16.5. Combustion Instability 611 Symbols 615 Problems 617 References 618 17 Electric Propulsion 620 17.1. Ideal Flight Performance 626 17.2. Electrothermal Thrusters 631 Resistojets 631 Arcjets 634 17.3. Nonthermal Electrical Thrusters 638 Electrostatic Devices 638 Basic Relationships for Electrostatic Thrusters 640 Electromagnetic Thrusters 646 17.4. Optimum Flight Performance 654 17.5. Mission Applications 658 17.6. Electric Space-Power Supplies and Power-Conditioning Systems 661 Power Generation Units 661 Power-Conditioning Equipment (PCU or PPU) 664 Symbols 665 Problems 666 References 668 18 Thrust Vector Control 671 18.1. TVC Mechanisms with a Single Nozzle 673 18.2. TVC with Multiple Thrust Chambers or Nozzles 683 18.3. Testing 686 18.4. Integration with Vehicle 687 Problems 688 References 688 19 Selection of Rocket Propulsion Systems 690 19.1. Selection Process 692 19.2. Criteria for Selection 697 19.3. Interfaces 699 19.4. Cost Reduction 700 References 702 20 Rocket Exhaust Plumes 703 20.1. Plume Appearance and Flow Behavior 705 Spectral Distribution of Radiation 711 Multiple Nozzles 714 Plume Signature 714 Vehicle Base Geometry and Recirculation 715 Compression and Expansion Waves 716 20.2. Plume Effects 717 Smoke and Vapor Trails 717 Toxicity 718 Noise 719 Spacecraft Surface Contamination 720 Radio Signal Attenuation 720 Plume Impingement on Structures 722 Heat Transfer to Clusters of Liquid Propellant Rocket Engines 722 20.3. Analysis and Mathematical Simulation 723 Problems 724 References 724 21 Rocket Testing 726 21.1. Types of Tests 726 21.2. Test Facilities and Safeguards 728 Monitoring the Environment and Controlling Toxic Materials 731 21.3. Instrumentation and Data Management 735 Measurement System Terminology 736 Test Measurements 737 Health Monitoring System (HMS) 738 21.4. Flight Testing 739 21.5. Postaccident Procedures 740 References 741 Appendix 1 Conversion Factors and Constants 743 Conversion Factors (arranged alphabetically) 743 Constants 746 Appendix 2 Properties of the Earth’s Standard Atmosphere 747 Appendix 3 Summary of Key equations for Ideal Chemical Rockets 749 Index 751

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Book SynopsisWhen scientists peer through a telescope at the distant stars in outer space or use a particle-accelerator to analyze the smallest components of matter, they discover that the same laws of physics govern the whole universe at all times and all places. Physicists call the eternal, ubiquitous constancy of the laws of physics symmetry. Symmetry is the basic underlying principle that defines the laws of nature and hence controls the universe. This all-important insight is one of the great conceptual breakthroughs in modern physics and is the basis of contemporary efforts to discover a grand unified theory to explain all the laws of physics. Nobel Laureate Leon M. Lederman and physicist Christopher T. Hill explain the supremely elegant concept of symmetry and all its profound ramifications to life on Earth and the universe at large in this eloquent, accessible popular science book. They not only clearly describe concepts normally reserved only for physicists and mathematicians, but they also instill an appreciation for the profound beauty of the universe's inherent design. Central to the story of symmetry is an obscure, unpretentious, but extremely gifted German mathematician named Emmy Noether. Though still little known to the world, she impressed no less a scientist than Albert Einstein, who praised her "penetrating mathematical thinking." In some of her earliest work she proved that the law of the conservation of energy was connected to the idea of symmetry and thus laid the mathematical groundwork for what may be the most important concept of modern physics. Lederman and Hill reveal concepts about the universe, based on Noether's work, that are largely unknown to the public and have wide-reaching implications in connection with the Big Bang, Einstein's theory of relativity, quantum mechanics, and many other areas of physics. Through ingenious analogies and illustrations, they bring these astounding notions to life. This book will open your eyes to a universe you never knew existed.Table of ContentsIntroduction: What is Symmetry?; Children of the Titans; Time & Energy; Emmy Noether; Symmetry, Space & Time; Noether's Theorem; Inertia; Relativity; Reflections; Broken Symmetry; Quantum Mechanics; The Hidden Symmetry of Light; Quarks & Leptons; An Epilogue for Educators; Notes; Index.

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Book SynopsisIn 1963 Stephen Hawking was given two years to live. Defying all the odds, he died in March 2018 at age seventy-six as the most celebrated scientist in the world. This carefully researched and updated biography and tribute gives a rich picture of Hawking's remarkable life - his childhood, the heart-rending beginning of his struggle with motor neurone disease, his ever-increasing international fame, and his long personal battle for survival in pursuit of a scientific understanding of the universe. From more recent years, Kitty Ferguson describes his inspiring leadership at the London Paralympic Games, the release of the film The Theory of Everything, his continuing work on black holes and the origin of the universe, the discovery of 'supertranslations', and the astounding 'Starshot' program. Here also are his intense concern for the future of the Earth and his use of his celebrity to fight for environmental and humanitarian causes, and, finally, a ground-breaking paper he was working on at the time of his death, in which he took issue with some of his own earlier theories. Throughout, Ferguson summarizes and explains the cutting-edge science in which Hawking was engaged and offers vivid first-hand descriptions of his funeral in Cambridge and the interment of his ashes in Westminster Abbey. This is an amazing and revealing tribute, assessing Hawking's legacy in and out of science.

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Book SynopsisForeword.- 2. Physics and Cognizance.- 3. Measured Values - Magnitudes.- 4. A Short Trip to the World of Elementary Particles.- 5. Beginning and End of Time and Space.- 6. The Inflationary Universe.- 7. Nucleosynthesis in the Early Universe.- 8. The Microwave Background Radiation.- 9. Late Nucleosynthesis and Supernovae.- 10. Relativity.- 11. Neutron Stars, Inertial Systems, Black Holes.- 12. Cosmic Messengers.- 13. Escape to the Future.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"[A] lovely, utterly original book. . . . This intimate account of the life and thought of a physicist is one of the nicest scientific books I have ever read—personal and honest, clear and informative, entertaining and difficult to put down."---Alejandro Gangui, American Scientist"Gorgeously written."---Mary Carmichael, Newsweek"Highly original. . . . Few scientists are capable of putting their understanding and experiences into words as effectively."---Peter Coles, Nature"Science as it is lived. . . . [Levin's] book is a gift."---Corey S. Powell, Discover"Gives a personal resonance to scientists’ attempts to understand the mysteries of the universe." * Washington Post *"Levin not only tours the wilder reaches of cosmology, but she also bares her soul." * New Scientist *"If the universe is infinite, then its possibilities are infinite as well. But in How the Universe Got Its Spots, the astrophysicist Janna Levin insists that infinity works as a hypothetical concept only, and that it is not found in nature."---Lauren Porcaro, New Yorker"Levin unpacks the technicalities with a skill honed from giving many lectures on the subject, and it is fascinating to read. . . . A book to be applauded."---Andrew Crumey, The Scotsman"[A] touchingly personal account."---Jim McClean, The Herald (Glasgow)"Levin interweaves enlightening insights into the most profound enigmas of space, time and infinity with reflections on her struggle to balance her personal and professional lives. The result suggests a blend of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and The History of Time."---Dan Kincaid, Arizona Republic "The intellectual-emotional balance, and the finely tuned prose, are what makes this different from the very many other books on cosmology. And Levin has found an interesting way to do this; the book is in the form of letters to her mother." * Globe and Mail *"How the Universe Got Its Spots is a genuine attempt to break down barriers, both intellectual and emotional, between scientists and their wished-for audience."---Ken Grimes and Alison Boyle, Astronomy

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Book Synopsis‘If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe’ - Carl SaganInspired by Sagan’s famous line, How To Make An Apple Pie From Scratch sets out on a journey to unearth everything we know about our universe: how it started, how we found out, and what we still have left to discover . . .‘Witty, approachable and captivating’ - Robin Ince‘A fascinating exploration of how we learned what matter really is’ - Sean CarrollWill we ever be able to understand the very first moments of the world we inhabit? What is matter really made of? How did anything survive the fearsome heat of the Big Bang?In pursuit of answers, we meet the scientists, astronomers and philosophers who brought us to our present understanding of the world – offering readers a front-row seat to the most dramatic journey human beings have ever embarked on.TED Talk speaker and academic Harry Cliff's How To Make An Apple Pie From Scratch is an essential, fresh and funny guide to how we got to where we are now – and what we have to come.‘A delightfully fresh and accessible approach to one of the great quests of science’ - Graham Farmelo‘Lays out not just what we know, but how we found out (and what is left to be discovered’ - Katie MackTrade ReviewCliff's engaging and personable writing style, along with his infectious enthusiasm, follows in the best traditions of Feynman and Sagan . . . a page-turner. -- Jim Al-KhaliliWitty, approachable and captivating . . . Every time you eat a pie, you'll find yourself contemplating the universe and why exactly there is one in the first place - a wild ride through the remarkable adventures and thoughts that have led to a species beginning to work out why it is and why everything else is too. -- Robin InceA fascinating exploration of how we learned what matter really is, and the journey matter takes from the Big Bang, through exploding stars, ultimately to you and me. -- Sean Carroll, author of Something Deeply Hidden: Quantum Worlds and the Emergence of SpacetimeA delightfully fresh and accessible approach to one of the great quests of science . . . Harry Cliff has found a recipe for an easily digestible approach to this subject, and the results go down a treat. -- Graham Farmelo, author of The Strangest ManScience is all about successful recipes and here’s a mouthwateringly good one for life, the universe and everything. The cosmic detail in chef Cliff’s climactic de novo apple pie makes the efforts of celebrity cooks seem thin and insubstantial. -- Roger Highfield, Science Director at the Science MuseumCovers a vast amount of ground whilst remaining easy to read: from the birth of modern chemistry through to the very latest ideas in particle physics. All done with a light-hearted rigour . . . Brilliant. -- Jeff Forshaw, Professor of Particle Physics, University of ManchesterHow to Make an Apple Pie from Scratch lays out not just what we know, but how we found out (and what is left to be discovered), and gives us intriguing glimpses into the lives of the thinkers and tinkerers who put all the pieces together for us. -- Katie Mack, author of The End of Everything[An] outstanding book, sometimes as funny as The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy * Kirkus *Cliff is an expert writer who artfully takes on a complex subject in a comprehensible, entertaining, and humorous manner . . . Highly recommended. * Library Journal *

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Book SynopsisA re-issued edition of this well-known modern astrophysics textbook. Designed for astronomy and physics majors, the Second Edition covers every major area of modern astrophysics, from the solar system and stellar astronomy to galactic and extragalactic astrophysics and cosmology, in one comprehensive and engaging volume.Table of ContentsPreface; Part I. The Tools of Astronomy: 1. The celestial sphere; 2. Celestial mechanics; 3. The continuous spectrum of light; 4. The theory of special relativity; 5. The interaction of light and matter; 6. Telescopes; Part II. The Nature of Stars: 7. Binary systems and stellar parameters; 8. The classification of stellar spectra; 9. Stellar atmospheres; 10. The interiors of stars; 11. The Sun; 12. The interstellar medium and star formation; 13. Main sequence and post-main-sequence stellar evolution; 14. Stellar pulsation; 15. The fate of massive stars; 16. The degenerate remnants of stars; 17. General relativity and black holes; 18. Close binary star systems; Part III. The Solar System: 19. Physical processes in the solar system; 20. The terrestrial planets; 21. The realms of the giant planets; 22. Minor bodies of the solar system; 23. Formation of planetary systems; Part IV. Galaxies and the Universe: 24. The Milky Way Galaxy; 25. The nature of galaxies; 26. Galactic evolution; 27. The structure of the Universe; 28. Active galaxies; 29. Cosmology; 30. The early Universe; Appendix A. Astronomical and physical constants; Appendix B. Unit conversions; Appendix C. Solar system data; Appendix D. The constellations; Appendix E. The brightest stars; Appendix F. The nearest stars; Appendix G. Stellar data; Appendix H. The Messier catalog; Appendix I. Constants, a programming module; Appendix J. Orbit, a planetary orbit code; Appendix K. TwoStars, a binary star code; Appendix L. StatStar, a stellar structure code; Appendix M. Galaxy, a tidal interaction code; Appendix N. WMAP Data; Suggested reading; Index.

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Book SynopsisVery Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring Almost everything we know about the Universe has come from studying the messages carried by light from outer space. Until only a handful of decades ago, this meant observing optical photons in the narrow visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. However, recent technological developments have now enabled us to extend this range and explore the Universe at radio, infrared, ultraviolet, X-ray, and gamma-ray wavelengths. The observations reveal a plethora of exotic phenomena such as young galaxies at the edge of the visible Universe, quasars, pulsars, colliding galaxies, and exploding stars, often at great distances. We have discovered that the Universe is expanding and that the expansion itself is accelerating. Closer to our home planet, we track killer asteroids and comets. Working closely together, observational astronomy and astrophysics have shown us how stars produce their energy, where the chemical elements come Table of ContentsList of illustrations Preface 1: The observable Universe 2: The life and death of stars 3: Big telescopes 4: The radio Universe 5: Observations from space 6: The transient Universe 7: Multi-messenger astronomy 8: A bigger picture Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisIn this Very Short Introduction, Katherine Blundell looks at the seemingly paradoxical, mysterious, and intriguing phenomena of astrophysical black holes. Outlining what a black hole actually is and how they are characterised, she separates the scientific fact from science fiction, and demonstrates the interesting role they play in the cosmos.Trade Reviewwhereas black holes are notorious for not letting go of their contents, Blundell's book makes it as easy to extract information without ever making the subject simplistic. * Andy Sawyers, Astronomy Now *Black holes have to be amongst the most fascinating phenomena of astronomy/cosmology and as such make a perfect topic for a new addition to OUP's vast collection of pocket guides, the 'very short introduction' books. I read my copy on a couple of 45 minute train journeys - it's long enough to give a good grounding in the basics of black holes, without being heavy or over-technical. * Brain Clegg, Popular Science *Table of Contents1. What is a black hole? ; 2. Characterising black holes ; 3. Black holes discovered ; 4. Falling into a black hole... ; 5. How are black holes formed? ; 6. Growing bigger and smaller ; 7. Black holes don't just suck ; References and further reading

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Book SynopsisA rip-roaring tour of the cosmos with the Bad Astronomer, revealing the sky as never seen before—from everywhere but EarthTrade Review"A terrific guide to our spectacular universe...Plait is a skilled, resourceful and, on occasion, downright visionary guide to the far reaches of outer space. " -- Simon Ings - New Scientist"Plait has a well-deserved reputation as a lively and accurate communicator of cutting-edge science, and this universal tour guide offers a great opportunity for him to flex his explanatory muscles... this is a hugely enjoyable read that brings a new perspective to the cosmos. " -- Giles Sparrow - BBC Sky at Night Magazine"Vivid and tangible… Even a visit to the Moon, our closest and most familiar heavenly body, gave me fresh insights under Philip Plait’s guidance" -- Clive Cookson - Financial Times"Phil Plait takes us to nearby worlds and star systems far, far away, where we do plenty of exploration, a bit of astronomical science, and a lot of marveling. But it’s the descriptions of your spaceships and suits that will keep you strapped in and reading on. His flights of science fiction fantasy are scientific—and absolutely spectacular. Enjoy the rides." -- Bill Nye, CEO, The Planetary Society"A rollicking, wondrous, and awe-inspiring introduction to the universe. Phil Plait’s writing transports us to other worlds and in the process helps us to appreciate our own world." -- John Green, author of The Fault in Our Stars and The Anthropocene Reviewed"Plait takes us on a cosmic journey—a vivid guidebook for space tourists in the distant future." -- Clive Cookson - Financial Times

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsIntroduction 1 About This Book 2 Foolish Assumptions 2 Icons Used in This Book 3 Beyond the Book 3 Where to Go from Here 4 Part 1: Getting Started with Astronomy 5 Chapter 1: Seeing the Light: The Art and Science of Astronomy 7 Astronomy: The Science of Observation 8 What You See: The Language of Light 10 They wondered as they wandered: Understanding planets versus stars 10 If you see a Great Bear, start worrying: Naming stars and constellations 12 The smaller, the brighter: Getting to the root of magnitudes 19 What do I spy? Spotting the Messier Catalog and other sky objects 20 Looking back on light-years 22 Keep on moving: Figuring the positions of the stars 23 Gravity: A Force to Be Reckoned With 26 Space: A Commotion of Motion 27 Chapter 2: Join the Crowd: Skywatching Activities and Resources 29 You’re Not Alone: Astronomy Clubs, Websites, Smartphone Apps, and More 30 Joining an astronomy club for star-studded company 30 Checking websites, magazines, software, and apps 31 Visiting Observatories and Planetariums 35 Ogling the observatories 35 Popping in on planetariums 39 Vacationing with the Stars: Star Parties, Eclipse Trips, Dark Sky Parks, and More 39 Party on! Attending star parties 40 Getting festive at an astro fest 42 Tapping into Astronomy on Tap 42 To the path of totality: Taking eclipse cruises and tours 42 Motoring to telescope motels 44 Chapter 3: Terrific Tools for Observing the Skies 47 Seeing Stars: A Sky Geography Primer 48 As Earth turns 48 keep an eye on the North Star 51 Beginning with Naked-Eye Observations 53 Using Binoculars or a Telescope for a Better View 56 Binoculars: Sweeping the night sky 56 Telescopes: When closeness counts 60 Planning Your First Steps into Astronomy 70 Chapter 4: Just Passing Through: Meteors, Comets, and Artificial Satellites 73 Meteors: Wishing on a Shooting Star 74 Spotting sporadic meteors, fireballs, and bolides 75 Watching meteor showers: No umbrella needed 77 Comets: Dirty Ice Balls or Icy Dirt Balls? 81 Making heads and tails of a comet’s structure 82 Waiting for the “comets of the century” 86 Hunting for the next great comet 87 Artificial Satellites: Enduring a Love–Hate Relationship 90 Skywatching for artificial satellites 91 Finding satellite viewing predictions 92 UFOs: Could some be aliens? 94 Part 2: Going Once Around the Solar System 95 Chapter 5: A Matched Pair: Earth and Its Moon 97 Putting Earth under the Astronomical Microscope 98 One of a kind: Earth’s unique characteristics 98 Spheres of influence: Earth’s distinct regions 100 Examining Earth’s Time, Seasons, and Age 102 Orbiting for all time 102 Tilting toward the seasons 104 Estimating Earth’s age 106 Making Sense of the Moon 107 Get ready to howl: Identifying phases of the Moon 108 In the shadows: Watching lunar eclipses 110 Cultivating an interest in the occult(ations) 112 Hard rock: Surveying lunar geology 113 Quite an impact: Considering a theory about the Moon’s origin 119 Chapter 6: Earth’s Near Neighbors: Mercury, Venus, and Mars 121 Mercury: Weird, Hot, and Mostly Metal 122 Dry, Acidic, and Hilly: Piercing the Veil of Venus 123 Dropping the ball: Probing Venus with DAVINCI+ and EnVision 125 Something in the air: Life in Venus’s clouds? 125 Red, Cold, and Barren: Uncovering the Mysteries of Mars 125 Where have almost all the air and water gone? (Long time passing) 126 Does Mars support life? 128 Differentiating Earth through Comparative Planetology 131 Observing the Terrestrial Planets with Ease 132 Understanding elongation, opposition, and conjunction 133 Viewing Venus and its phases 135 Watching Mars as it loops around 137 Outdoing Copernicus by observing Mercury 139 Chapter 7: Rock On: The Asteroid Belt and Near-Earth Objects 141 Taking a Brief Tour of the Asteroid Belt 141 Getting the Dirt on (and off) Asteroids 145 Understanding the Threat That Near-Earth Objects Pose 146 When push comes to shove: Nudging an asteroid 148 Forewarned is forearmed: Surveying NEAs to protect Earth 149 Searching for Small Points of Light 150 Helping to track an occultation 151 Timing an asteroidal occultation 152 Chapter 8: Great Balls of Gas: Jupiter and Saturn 153 The Pressure’s On: Journeying Inside Jupiter and Saturn 153 Almost a Star: Gazing at Jupiter 154 Scanning for the Great Red Spot 156 Shooting for Galileo’s moons 157 Our Main Planetary Attraction: Setting Your Sights on Saturn 161 Ringing around the planet 162 Storm chasing across Saturn 164 Monitoring a moon of major proportions 164 Venting about geysers on Enceladus 166 Chapter 9: Far Out! Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and Beyond 169 Breaking the Ice with Uranus and Neptune 169 Bull’s-eye! Tilted Uranus and its features 170 Against the grain: Neptune and its biggest moon 171 Meeting Pluto, the Amazing Dwarf Planet 173 Defining Pluto the geophysical way 174 Getting to the heart of Pluto 174 Looking at Pluto’s makeup 177 The moon chip doesn’t float far from the planet 177 Buckling Down to the Kuiper Belt 178 Viewing the Outer Planets 180 Sighting Uranus 180 Distinguishing Neptune from a star 180 Straining to see Pluto 181 Hunting New Planet Number Nine 182 Part 3: Starting with Old Sol: Meeting Stars And Galaxies 185 Chapter 10: The Sun: Star of Earth 187 Surveying the Sunscape 188 The Sun’s size and shape: A great bundle of gas 189 The Sun’s regions: Caught between the core and the corona 189 Solar activity: What’s going on out there? 192 Solar wind: Playing with magnets 196 Solar CSI: The mystery of the missing solar neutrinos 197 Four billion and counting: The life expectancy of the Sun 198 Don’t Make a Blinding Mistake: Safe Techniques for Solar Viewing 199 Viewing the Sun by projection 199 Viewing the Sun through front-end filters 204 Fun with the Sun: Solar Observation 206 Tracking sunspots 206 Experiencing solar eclipses 208 Surfing solar observatories 212 Chapter 11: Taking a Trip to the Stars 215 Life Cycles of the Hot and Massive 216 Young stellar objects: Taking baby steps 217 Main sequence stars: Enjoying a long adulthood 218 Red giants and supergiants: Big and bigger 219 Closing time: Coming up on the tail end of stellar evolution 220 Star Color, Brightness, and Mass 226 Spectral types: What color is my star? 227 Star light, star bright: Luminosity classifications 228 The brighter they burn, the bigger they swell: Mass determines class 229 Making sense of the H-R diagram 230 Eternal Partners: Binary and Multiple Stars 232 Binary stars and the Doppler effect 232 Two stars are binary, but three’s a crowd: Multiple stars 234 Change Is Good: Variable Stars 235 Go the distance: Pulsating stars 236 Explosive neighbors: Flare stars 238 Nice to nova: Exploding stars 238 Stellar hide-and-seek: Eclipsing binary stars 241 Hog the starlight: Microlensing events 242 Your Stellar Neighbors 242 How to Help Scientists by Observing the Stars 245 Chapter 12: Galaxies: The Milky Way and Beyond 247 Unwrapping the Milky Way 248 How and when did the Milky Way form? 249 What shape is the Milky Way? 249 Where can you find the Milky Way? 251 Star Clusters: Meeting Galactic Associates 252 A loose fit: Open clusters 253 A tight squeeze: Globular clusters 255 Fun while it lasted: OB associations 256 Taking a Shine to Nebulas 257 Picking out planetary nebulas 259 Breezing through supernova remnants 261 Enjoying Earth’s best nebular views 261 Getting a Grip on Galaxies 264 Surveying spiral, barred spiral, and lenticular galaxies 265 Examining elliptical galaxies 266 Looking at irregular, dwarf, and low surface brightness galaxies 267 Gawking at great galaxies 268 Discovering the Local Group of galaxies 271 Checking out clusters of galaxies 272 Sizing up superclusters, cosmic voids, and great walls 272 Chapter 13: Falling for Black Holes and Quasars 275 Black Holes: Keeping Your Distance 275 Looking over the black hole roster 276 Poking around the black hole interior 277 Surveying a black hole’s surroundings 280 Warping space and time 281 Detecting black hole collisions 283 Watching stars get swallowed by black holes 284 Quasars: Defying Definitions 285 Measuring the size of a quasar 286 Getting up to speed on jets 287 Exploring quasar spectra 287 Active Galactic Nuclei: Welcome to the Quasar Family 288 Sifting through different types of AGN 288 Examining the power behind AGN 290 Questioning what ORCs are 291 Part 4: Pondering the Remarkable Universe 293 Chapter 14: Planets of Other Suns: Is Anybody Out There? 295 Discovering Alien Worlds 296 Changing ideas on exoplanets 296 Finding exoplanets 298 Meeting the (exo)planets 302 Catching Proxima fever: Focusing on red dwarfs 305 Finding Earth-class planets orbiting TRAPPIST-1 307 Checking out planets for fun and science 308 Astrobiology: How’s Life on Other Worlds? 309 Extremophiles: Living the hard way 309 Seeking life in the solar system 310 Using Drake’s Equation to Discuss SETI 313 SETI Projects: Listening for E.T. 316 The flight of Project Phoenix 317 Space scanning with other SETI projects 318 Hot targets for SETI 320 SETI@home 321 Chapter 15: Delving into Dark Matter and Antimatter 323 Dark Matter: Understanding the Universal Glue 323 Gathering the evidence for dark matter 324 Debating the makeup of dark matter 328 Taking a Shot in the Dark: Searching for Dark Matter 329 Looking for WIMPs and other microscopic dark matter 329 MACHOs: Making a brighter image 331 Mapping dark matter with gravitational lensing 331 Dueling Antimatter: Proving That Opposites Attract 333 Chapter 16: The Big Bang and the Evolution of the Universe 335 Evidence for the Big Bang 336 Inflation: A Swell Time in the Universe 337 Something from nothing: Inflation and the vacuum 339 Falling flat: Inflation and the shape of the universe 339 Dark Energy: The Universal Accelerator 340 Universal Info Pulled from the Cosmic Microwave Background 341 Finding the lumps in the cosmic microwave background 342 Mapping the universe with the cosmic microwave background 342 In a Galaxy Far Away: Standard Candles and the Hubble Constant 344 Standard candles: How do scientists measure galaxy distances? 344 The Hubble constant: How fast do galaxies really move? 345 The Fate of the Universe 346 Part 5: the Part of Tens 347 Chapter 17: Ten Strange Facts about Astronomy and Space 349 You Have Tiny Meteorites in Your Hair 349 A Comet’s Tail Often Leads the Way 350 Earth Is Made of Rare and Unusual Matter 350 High Tide Comes on Both Sides of Earth at the Same Time 350 On Venus, the Rain Never Falls on the Plain 350 Rocks from Mars Dot Earth 351 Pluto Was Discovered from the Predictions of a Wrong Theory 351 Sunspots Aren’t Dark 351 A Star in Plain View May Have Exploded, But No One Knows 352 The Same Supernova or Quasar May Be Seen in Different Places 352 Chapter 18: Ten Common Errors about Astronomy and Space 353 “The Light from That Star Took 1,000 Light-Years to Reach Earth” 353 There’s No Gravity in Space 354 Summer Comes When Earth Is Closest to the Sun 354 The Back of the Moon Is Dark 354 The “Morning Star” or “Evening Star” Is a Star 355 The Asteroid Belt Is Crowded 355 Nuking a “Killer Asteroid” on a Collision Course for Earth Will Save Us 355 The Sun Is an Average Star 356 The Hubble Space Telescope Gets Up Close and Personal 356 The Big Bang Is Dead 356 Part 6: Appendixes 357 Appendix A: Star Maps 359 Appendix B: Glossary 367 Index 373

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Book SynopsisThe cryosphere encompasses all regions of the planet that experiences water in ice form for some portion of the year. In this book, authors Melody Sandells and Daniela Flocco deliver an introduction to the physics of the cryosphere. This includes the Arctic, Antarctic, large parts of North America, Eurasia, and some parts of the Southern Hemisphere. Frozen soil, permafrost, snow, glaciers, ice sheet and ice shelves; river, lake and sea ice are all features of the Earth’s surface in the cryosphere, with snow and sea ice being among the most dynamic.Researchers in this and related fields can use this book as a quick introduction or refresher to the topic of the physics of the cryosphere.

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Book Synopsis'The first two editions of this textbook have received well-deserved high acclaims, and this — the third edition — deserves no less. Its explanations of the whole gamut of atomic and molecular spectroscopy provide a solid grasp of the theory as well as how to understand such spectra in practice. It thus makes an ideal companion to books that start from the observational aspect of spectroscopy, whether in the lab or at the telescope … This new edition of Tennyson’s book ought to be in the library of every astronomical department.'The Observatory Magazine'It closely follows the course given to third year UCL undergraduates, and the worked examples have surely been tested on students … The last two chapters serve as an effective appendix on more specialised topics in atomic and molecular theory.'Contemporary PhysicsThe third edition of Astronomical Spectroscopy examines the physics necessary to understand and interpret astronomical spectra. It offers a step-by-step guide to the atomic and molecular physics involved in providing astronomical spectra starting from the relatively simple hydrogen atom and working its way to the spectroscopy of small molecules.Based on UCL course material, this book uses actual astronomical spectra to illustrate the theoretical aspects of the book to give the reader a feel for such spectra as well as an awareness of what information can be retrieved from them. It also provides comprehensive exercises, with answers given, to aid understanding.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"James Peebles, Co-Winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics""Finalist for the PROSE Award in Cosmology and Astronomy, Association of American Publishers""It's hard to imagine anyone better placed to recount the inside story of modern cosmology. . . . For anyone seriously interested in the ways of science and how we came to understand our place in the Universe, this is essential reading."---Giles Sparrow, BBC Sky at Night Magazine"As expected, the quality is top-notch. . . . [Cosmology's Century] is also very well written. The book is essential reading for anyone interested in the first hundred years of modern cosmology."---Phillip Helbig, The Observatory

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Longlisted for the AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books, Hands-On category""Welcome to the Universe in 3D, the ideal gift for star gazers of all ages, brings readers a built-in stereo viewer...that enables a 3D tour of the universe. Armchair astronomers can peer through the stereo viewer, page through nearly 60 double images of the solar system and take in three-dimensional images from as far away as 13.8 billion light years .... Cheaper than a telescope, this is a marvelous introduction to astronomy" * Shelf Awareness *

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Book SynopsisAre the physical laws of our universe finely tuned, such that life can exist? What does this imply about how our universe formed? Questions like these are examined in Nature''s Balancing Act, presented for a wide audience. From the Big Bang to present-day research, ranging from gravitational waves to experiments on antimatter, our physical laws are shown to be slightly off balance, allowing life to exist. In its opening chapters, the following is asked: What would happen if the strong nuclear force, which binds protons and neutrons together, were slightly stronger or weaker? Would life still be possible? We know today that pushing the nuclear force off balance by just a few percent would create a different universe, unlike our own. Also, for life to exist, there must be a slight imbalance in the way matter and antimatter were created in the Big Bang. If matter and antimatter were exactly in balance, then our universe would not exist. These are just two examples of the fine tuning of physical laws that must happen for the cosmological conditions to be right for life to exist. If the universe wasn''t just so, you wouldn''t be here to read about it!Even with a favorable universe, how did life on Earth begin? How did it survive all this time without being wiped out by a cosmic event? Can human life continue to exist for millions of years, or will we cause our own extinction? These topics are considered in the latter chapters of the book and provide a fascinating look at our existence on Earth and the possibility of life elsewhere.

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