Popular astronomy and space Books

Book Synopsis'Extremely authoritative. The best book I have read on space travel since Arthur C. Clarke's classic, The Promise of Space.' Marcus ChownIn an era of rapidly developing technology and renewed ambition, the twenty-first century has ushered in an exciting new age of space flight. But what has brought us to this point in our exploration of the universe? And what does the future of space travel hold? From the amazing technology that has enabled us to look beyond the clouds to the possibilities of space tourism, 10 Short Lessons in Space Travel takes a timely look at the essential lessons learned from our voyages into outer space.About the series: The Pocket Einstein series is a collection of essential pocket-sized guides for anyone looking to understand a little more about some of the most relevant science that affects us all in the twenty-first century. Broken down into ten simple lessons and written by leading experts in their field, discover the ten most important takeaways from those areas of science we should all know more about.Trade ReviewA nice, easily digestible read to making your own giant leap into the future. -- Nicholas Booth, co-author of The Search for Life on Mars: The Greatest Scientific Detective Story of All TimeCompact, informative and entertaining – essential reading for any budding astronaut. -- Giles Sparrow, author of Hubble: Window on the UniverseSoon space travel will open itself up to paying members of the public. Parsons' guide is essential reading for would-be astronauts young and old. -- Colin Stuart, author of How to Live in Space

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Book SynopsisThe development of science has been an ideological struggle that lasted over three millennia. At and after the times of the Babylonian Empire, however, the pace of scientific evolution was painfully slow. This situation changed after Copernicus kick-started the Scientific Revolution with his heliocentric theory. Newton’s law of universal gravitation transformed natural philosophy, previously focused on mythology and abstract philosophical thinking, into an orderly and rational physical science. Einstein’s redefinition of space and time revealed a new and central principle of the Universe, paving the way for the huge amounts of energy held deep inside physical matter to be released. To this day, many of the our known physical theories represent an accumulation of changing knowledge over the long course of scientific history. But what kind of changes did the scientists see? What questions did they address? What methods did they use? What difficulties did they encounter? And what kind of persecution might they have faced on the road to discovering these beautiful, sometimes almost mystical, ideas? This book’s purpose is to investigate these questions. It leads the reader through the stories behind major scientific advancements and their theories, as well as explaining associated examples and hypotheses. Over the course of the journey, readers will come to understand the way scientists explore nature and how scientific theories are applied to natural phenomena and every-day technology.Table of Contents Prologue: Our Universe.- Ancient Wisdom and Natural Philosophers.- The Heyday of Greek Astronomy.- The Tumultuous Astronomical Revolution.- The Well-Ordered Newtonian Mechanics.- Special Relativity: Fusing Space and Time.- General Relativity: Describing A Curved Spacetime.- The Course of Scientific Development: Evolution of Thought Across a Millennium.- Further Reading

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Book SynopsisMichael Swanson’s online discussions with literally thousands of NexStar owners made it clear that there was a desperate need for a book such as this – one that provides a complete, detailed guide to buying, using and maintaining NexStar telescopes. Although this book is highly comprehensive, it is suitable for beginners – there is a chapter on "Astronomy Basics" – and experts alike.Celestron’s NexStar telescopes were introduced in 1999, beginning with their first computer controlled "go to" model, a 5-inch. More models appeared in quick succession, and Celestron’s new range made it one of the two dominant manufacturers of affordable "go to" telescopes. Trade ReviewFrom the reviews of the first edition: “Swanson includes thorough, model-specific descriptions of the all the telescope functions, care and maintenance, accessories, and numerous advanced topics. You’ll find advice on how to fine-tune your alignment so that a new target will fall within the eyepiece’s field of view every time you slew. I used to be pleased if that happened two or three times in a night. … I was surprised by the difference these small improvements made in the pleasure of my observing experience. … true advantage comes from its friendly approach and sound advice based on the personal experiences of the author and other avid NexStar users.” (Sky & Telescope, December, 2004)Table of ContentsChapter 1 - Introduction.- Chapter 2 - Astronomy Basics.- Chapter 3 - Overview of Celestron's Alt-Az Computerized Telescopes.- Chapter 4 - Alignment.- Chapter 5 - NexStar and StarSense Hand Control Operation.- Chapter 6 - SkyPortal Operation.- Chapter 7 - Connecting a PC, Mac, Tablet, or Smartphone to Your 'Scope.- Chapter 8- Expanding Your Horizons - Choosing Objects to View.- Chapter 9 - accessories for Your Telescope.- Chapter 10 - Firmware Updates.- Chapter 11.- Collimation, Maintenance, Care, and Cleaning.- Chapter 12 - Tips, Solutions, and Troubleshooting Common problems.- Appendix A - Internet Resources.- Appendix B - Glossary.- Index.

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Book SynopsisNow is the time to fly to space! New technological developments, commercialisation of spaceflight and advances in space medicine have made human space travel more attainable than ever before.This entertaining but nevertheless authoritative book gives a practical introduction to space travel from a number of viewpoints: How spacecraft are built, how to steer and navigate them, instructions for a comfortable everyday life in space and a guide to remain healthy and strong in weightlessness. The Spacefarer's Handbook is full of advice, tips and anecdotes to prepare the reader for their own trip to space. At the same time, it does not lose the scientific perspective on spaceflight. The authors, a physicist and a space medicine specialist, explain the underlying concepts rigorously and include recent research findings. From the operating principles of rocket engines, via bone loss in weightlessness to the methane lakes of Titan, this book contains everything aspiring spacefarers need to know! It also serves as a very good resource, beyond general space enthusiasts, for science fiction readers & writers who are looking for a better foundation in space flight."Highly recommended for everyone who wants to fly to space and all passengers of our mothership Earth!"Hans Schlegel, ESA AstronautTrade Review“This book is intended as a general introduction to space travel for anyone contemplating such an adventure. Each chapter provides a general summary of the main topics that any non-professional astronaut might want to learn more about. … this is a well-written, useful — and sometimes light-hearted — introduction for anyone who wants to know more about humanity’s efforts to leave planet Earth.” (Peter Bond, The Observatory, Vol. 141 (1284), October, 2021)“Their book is presented in a breezy, refreshing style, and is an acceptable read even for knowledgeable people. … The book also has some interesting anecdotes.” (‪John Silvester, Spaceflight, Vol. 63, August, 2021)“If you have a question about going into space, and surviving once you’re there, then this book needs to be on your shelf as soon as possible.” (Stuart Atkinson, Popular Astronomy, popastro.com, July-August 2021)“I can’t remember when a book exceeded my expectations quite as much as this one did. … the book has an affordable, far from academic-level price tag – so it’s highly recommended for anyone with an interest in the finer points of human spaceflight.” (Popular Science, popsciencebooks.blogspot.com, May 5, 2021)Table of Contents1. How to Become a Spacefarer.- 2. Building Spacecraft.- 3. How to Fly a Spacecraft.- 4. Daily Life in Space.- 5. Space Medicine.- 6. Exploration and Colonisation.

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