Popular astronomy and space Books

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Book SynopsisGaze at the stars no matter where you are with this breathtaking constellation magnet set!- Deluxe Wooden Magnets: This set includes 8 illustrated, glow-in-the-dark wooden magnets, each featuring popular constellations:* Ursa Major & Minor* Orion* Hercules* Pegasus* Leo* Taurus* Andromeda * Gemini- Fold-out, Double-sided Poster: Show off your love for the stars with this 6 3/8 x 7 1/4 inch illustrated, glow-in-the-dark fold-out poster that features both the night sky in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. - Book Included: Learn some fun facts and myths of some of the most popular constellations in the 48-page, fully-illustrated mini book.- A Unique Gift for Star and Astrology Lovers: Star and astrology lovers of all ages and abilities will love this unique gift set.

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Book SynopsisWith a blend of exciting discoveries and important scientific theory, this innovative and readable introduction to astronomy is ideal for anyone who wants to understand what we know about the universe, and how we know it. Each chapter starts with details of a method of jow astronomers over time have observed the world, and then uses this as a springboard to discuss what they discovered, and why this was important for understanding the cosmos. The last chapter, on dark matter, also focuses on the many things we don''t yet know - reminding us that astronomy, like this book, is a fast-paced and fascinating subject.

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Book SynopsisUpdated with a new introduction by the author for the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, For All Mankind is both an extraordinary adventure story and an important historical document.Between December 1968 and December 1972, twenty-four men captured the imagination of the world as they voyaged to the moon. In For All Mankind, Harry Hurt presents a dramatic, engrossing and expansive account of those journeys. Based on extensive research and exclusive interviews with the Apollo astronauts, For All Mankind remains one of the most comprehensive and revealing firsthand accounts of space travel ever assembled. In their own words, the astronauts share the sights, sounds, thoughts, fears, hopes and dreams they experienced during their incredible voyages. In a compelling narrative structured as one trip to the moon, Harry Hurt recounts all the drama and danger of the lunar voyages, from the anxiety of the astronauts' prelaunch procedures through the euphoria of touchdown on the lunar surface.

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Book SynopsisOur planet's elliptical orbit around the Sun and its billions-of-years existence are facts we take for granted, matters every literate high school student is expected to grasp. But humanity's struggle towards these scientific truths lasted millennia. Few of us have more than the faintest notion of the path we have travelled. Hubert Krivine tells the story of the thinkers and scientists whose work allowed our species to put an age to the planet and pinpoint our place in the solar system. It is a history of bold innovators, with a broad cast of contributors - not only Copernicus, Galileo and Kepler, but Halley, Kelvin, Darwin and Rutherford, among many others. Courage, iniquity, religious dogmatism, genius and blind luck all played a part. This was an epic struggle to free the mind from the constraints of cant, ideology and superstition. From this history, Krivine delineates an invaluable philosophy of science, one today under threat from irrationalism and the fundamentalist movements of East and West, which threaten both what we have attained at great cost and what we still have to learn. Scientific progress is not a sufficient condition for social progress; but it is a necessary one. The Earth is not merely a history of scientific learning, but a stirring defence of Enlightenment values in the quest for human advancement.Trade ReviewHubert Krivine's book is not only a fascinating history of how humanity came to understand the age and motion of the Earth - it is also an object lesson in the philosophy of science, which will upset religious fundamentalists and extreme-social-constructivist sociologists in equal measure. -- Alan Sokal, Professor of Physics at New York University and Professor of Mathematics at University College LondonKrivine's new book should be read, distributed, and defended: it outlines-allowing only for the uncertainties of science inquiry-how we know what we know about the earth. * Flavorwire *"An excellent book of popular science, written in a straightforward, accessible style." -- Jean Bricmont * Le Monde Diplomatique *Clear and fascinating. * La Quinzaine Litteraire *A wonderful reflection on science. * Mediapart *

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Book SynopsisThe scale of the cosmos can be baffling, with distances so vast and timescales to long that it's easy to dismiss them as being completely divorced from our everyday life. But in this new book Dr Marek Kukula, Public Astronomer at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, shows you the myriad ways we are intrinsically connected to the rest of the universe and how everything on Earth - from the ground beneath our feet to the technology in our pockets - has origins in space. Discover how rocks from space reveal what conditions are like at our planet's core, how the desolate surface of the moon holds ancient clues to Earth's earliest life forms, and how buried treasure in the Nile reveals the watery past of Mars. Discover how the atoms of your own body were forged in the heart of a star, how you can see the echo of creation on your TV, and the ways in which technology developed for observing the most far-flung corners of space is now used to diagnose potentially fatal human diseases. The Intimate Universe is a curated tour of the most fascinating phenomena and discoveries in astronomy, revealing how we are inextricably, inspirationally linked to the cosmos.Trade ReviewKukula's colourful writing paints pictures of its own that make this a wonderful and thought-provoking read. -- Paul Sutherland * BBC Sky at Night *[A] fascinating book ... crammed full of information about how the universe effects and is part of our everyday lives. * Erisea magazine *

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Book SynopsisLooking at the night sky, you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s all quiet up there in space. But you’d be wrong. Extreme events are forever unfolding: galaxies explode, cosmic debris hurtles through the heavens and our own Milky Way is on a collision course with the giant Andromeda galaxy. Mayhem moulded the cosmos, shaped life on Earth and at times threatened to end it. With an enduring sense of wonder, through cataclysms great and small, Bob Berman presents a destructive history of our universe.Trade Review‘Blithely engaging, a glittering planetarium that is…a stage for astonishing and unnerving spectacles… I greatly admire [Berman’s] ability to lucidly explain astrophysics to the nonscientist. The brio that he brings to cosmic havoc makes much of Boom! a delicious guilty pleasure.’ * Wall Street Journal *‘Fascinating, terrifying and entertaining in equal measure, this is an expert guide to the deadliest hazards in the universe, on Earth and beyond.’ -- Paul Parsons, science journalist and author‘This lively menagerie of astrophysical oddities will entertain any reader who’s ever wondered what the biggest, most dangerous “bangs” in the universe might be.’ * Publishers Weekly *‘Berman writes with verve and vigour…a pleasing excursion into the hows and whys of how the universe – our universe, anyway – took shape and how it works – except when it doesn’t.’ * Kirkus *

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Book SynopsisAn accessible, abridged edition with a new introduction. Renaissance Natural philosopher Nicolaus Copernicus's pioneering discovery of the heliocentric nature of the solar system is one of the few identifiable moments in history that define the understanding of the nature of all things. His great work was the consequence of long observation and resulted in the first stage of the Scientific Revolution by correctly positing that the earth and other planets of the solar system revolved around the sun. Not only did this promote further study to understand the place of humanity in the world and the universe, it questioned the authority of the organised Christian Church in the West to be the keeper of fundamental truths. Ultimately this would lead to the Enlightenment, and the separation of religion, government and science. The FLAME TREE Foundations series features core publications which together have shaped the cultural landscape of the modern world, with cutting-edge research distilled into pocket guides designed to be both accessible and informative.

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Book SynopsisFully illustrated with 400 of the most striking and up-to-date astronomical images and covering all the major constellations and landmarks of the night sky, The Stargazer's Handbook reveals the treasures of the cosmos - what they are, where they are, and how to see them, including month-by-month guides to the changing hemispheres and tips and guides on the best stargazing equipment. This new compact edition is perfect for browsing at home or accompanying you out at night under the stars. Filled with stunning photography, this book is all you need to start discovering the universe.

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Book SynopsisA fascinating photographic study of Star City and Baikonur which explores the reality of the space community first-hand; the physical and psychological space as well the lives of its residents offering new insight into the Cold War history.

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Book SynopsisAs seen in the major Netflix documentary `Mercury 13' In 1961, Wally Funk was among the Mercury 13, the first group of American pilots to pass the `Woman in Space' programme. Wally sailed through a series of rigorous physical and mental tests, with one of her scores beating all the male Mercury 7 astronauts', including John Glenn's, the first American in orbit. But just one week before the final phase of training, the programme was abruptly cancelled. A combination of politics and prejudice meant that none of the women ever flew into space. Undeterred, Wally went on to become America's first female aviation safety inspector, though her dream of being an astronaut never dimmed. In this offbeat odyssey, journalist and fellow space enthusiast Sue Nelson joins Wally, now approaching her eightieth birthday, as she races to make her own giant leap before it's too late. Covering their travels across the United States and Europe - taking in NASA's mission control in Houston, the European Space Agency's HQ in Paris and Spaceport America in New Mexico, where Wally's ride into space awaits - this is a uniquely intimate and entertaining portrait of a true aviation trailblazer.Trade Review`Extraordinary ... throws fascinating light on the story of female space travel' Daily Mail Book of the Week; `Wally Funk's character leaps off the page ... fantastic and so inspirational.' Naga Munchetty, BBC Breakfast; `A truly inspiring book about friendship, women's place in the history of aviation and space, and the cost of a dream.' BBC Sky at Night *****; `An odyssey of a friendship ... Wally's character shines through. ... As the 50th anniversary of the Moon landings approach, it's sobering to have a reminder of the astronauts who might have been.' New Statesman; `After the success of Hidden Figures, Wally Funk's Race for Space feels immensely important and timely - like the world is finally waking up to women's contributions to science and engineering.' Physics World; `A compelling portrait' Nature

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Book SynopsisToday's photographic equipment allows amateurs to take pictures of the stars that far surpass images taken just a few decades ago by the largest observatories-and this book will teach you how. Author and world-renowned astrophotographer Thierry Legault teaches the art and techniques of astrophotography-from simple camera-on-tripod night-scene imaging of constellations, star trails, eclipses, artificial satellites, and polar auroras to more intensive astrophotography using specialized equipment for lunar, planetary, solar, and deep-sky imaging. Legault shares advice about equipment and guides you through techniques for achieving excellent results. The first edition of this book received the jury special prize at the Astronomy Festival of Haute-Maurienne in France. Now in its second edition, Astrophotography provides the most thorough treatment of the topic available. This richly illustrated book is intended for all sky enthusiasts-newcomers and veterans alike. Learn how to: Select the most useful equipment: cameras, adapters, filters, focal reducers/extenders, field correctors, and guide telescopes Set up your camera (digital, video, or CCD) and your lens or telescope for optimal results Plan your observing sessions Mount the camera on your telescope and focus it for razor-sharp images Polar-align your equatorial mount and improve tracking for pin-point star images Make celestial time-lapse videos Calculate the shooting parameters: focal length and ratio, field of view, exposure time, etc. Combine multiples exposures to reveal faint galaxies, nebulae details, elusive planetary structures, and tiny lunar craters Adjust contrast, brightness, light curves, and colors Postprocess your images to fix defects such as vignetting, dust shadows, hot pixels, uneven background, and noise Identify problems with your images and improve your results

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Book SynopsisWe're on the cusp of new era in the great adventure of space exploration. More than a half-century ago, humanity first hurled objects into space, and almost 50 years ago, astronauts first walked on the moon. Since then, we have explored Earth's orbit with shuttles, capsules, and space stations; sent robots to Mars, Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus; sampled a comet; sent telescopes into orbit; and charted most of our own planet. What does the future hold? In Space 2.0, space historian Rod Pyle, in collaboration with the National Space Society, will give you an inside look at the next few decades of spaceflight and long-term plans for exploration, utilization, and settlement. No longer the exclusive domain of government entities such as NASA and other national agencies, space exploration is rapidly becoming privatized, with entrepreneurial startups building huge rocket boosters, satellites, rocket engines, asteroid probes, prospecting craft, and even commercial lunar cargo landers to open this new frontier. Research into ever more sophisticated propulsion and life support systems will soon enable the journey to Mars and destinations deeper in our solar system. As these technologies continue to move forward, there are virtually no limits to human spaceflight and robotic exploration. While the world has waited since the Apollo lunar program for the next "giant leap," these critical innovations, most of which are within our grasp with today's technology, will change the way we live, both in space and on Earth. A new space age—and with it, a new age of peace and prosperity on Earth, and settlement beyond our planet—can be ours. Speaking with key leaders of the latest space programs and innovations, Pyle shares the excitement and promise of this new era of exploration and economic development. From NASA and the Russian space agency Roscosmos, to emerging leaders in the private sector such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, Moon Express, Virgin Galactic, and many others, Space 2.0 examines the new partnerships that are revolutionizing spaceflight and changing the way we reach for the stars.Trade Review"For spaceflight fanatics like me, now—the dawn of the Second Age of Space Exploration—is the most exciting time to be alive since the moon missions of the late 1960s and early '70s . . . In Space 2.0, ace science writer Rod Pyle—an advisor to NASA and the National Space Society—provides an engaging and expertly-informed explanation of how we got this far, along with a factual yet inspiring intro to our around-the-corner new adventures in space. Strap yourself in tight. It's a fascinating ride!" —Geoffrey Notkin, member of the board of governors for the National Space Society and Emmy Award-winning host of Meteorite Men and STEM Journals "Space 2.0 offers a grand overview of everything happening in space from JPL's robots to Elon Musk's biggest ideas, and that is saying a lot! Pyle makes the complex technologies and intractable policy debates behind all this accessible to any reader without dumbing them down. It's a great read for those who already excited about our new future in space and a must read for those who do not yet get it.." —Director of the University of Southern California's Commercial Spaceflight Initiative and former NASA White House Liaison "Space 2.0 is just the right book at just the right time . . . This is a must-read for anyone interested in the future of space exploration and development in the 21st century, and gives excellent suggestions about how you can get involved in Space 2.0." —Daniel J. Rasky, PhD, chief of the Space Portal Office and senior scientist/engineer at the NASA Ames Research Center "As Elon Musk celebrates more than 50 successful launches and a plethora of successful landings of his Falcon rockets and as Jeff Bezos achieves the ninth successful launch and landing of his New Shepard rocket, the space game is about to change. Rapidly. Your indispensable guide to the new space race is Rod Pyle's Space 2.0." —Howard Bloom, author of The Lucifer Principle and Global BrainTable of ContentsContents Foreword by Buzz Aldrin Chapter 1: Space 1.0, the Final ActChapter 2: A Dark and Forbidding PlaceChapter 3: Why Space?Chapter 4: The First Space AgeChapter 5: DestinationsChapter 6: The Human FactorChapter 7: Space EntrepreneursChapter 8: Space Technologies Exploration Corp.Chapter 9: A New Space RaceChapter 10: Investing in SpaceChapter 11: The Space Between NationsChapter 12: The Russian JuggernautChapter 13: The China WildcardChapter 14: Truck Stops in SpaceChapter 15: Defending EarthChapter 16: Settling the Final FrontierChapter 17: A New Age DawnsChapter 18: Your Place in Space 2.0 AcknowledgmentsSpecial Thanks ToNotesGlossaryIndexAbout the AuthorJoin the National Space Society

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Book SynopsisSie begeistern sich für Astronomie und Astrophysik? Tauchen Sie mit diesem Buch in die atemberaubenden Welten unserer kosmischen Nachbarschaft ein: Lassen Sie sich auf faszinierende Monde entführen, erfahren Sie, welche geologischen Mechanismen die Planeten unserer Nachbarschaft formen, finden Sie heraus, mit welchen Kräften Jupiter seine Monde durchknetet, wie Saturns Ringe gespeist werden und welche Geheimnisse die Zwergplaneten in unserem Sonnensystem bergen. Das Buch verfolgt das Sonnensystem vom Zentrum zu den äußersten Körpern, gibt dem Leser Einblicke in den aktuellen Stand der Sonnensystemforschung und verrät, welche heute nochungeklärten Rätsel unserer nächsten Nachbarn umgeben. Beschreibungen der wichtigsten Missionen und ihrer Ziele legen dar, wie man zum heutigen Bild unseres Sonnensystems gelangt. Überblickskästen veranschaulichen dem Leser wissenschaftliche Methoden wie die Spektroskopie ferner Welten oder der Altersbestimmung durch Kraterzählen. „Expedition zu fremden Welten“ fasziniert den Leser durch seine unglaubliche Detailfülle, atemberaubenden Fotos und informativen Abbildungen und eine allgemeinverständliche Darstellung der schwierigen Mechanismen, die in unserem Sonnensystem wirken. Ein Muss für alle Astrofans und solche die es werden wollen!Trade Review“... Es ist ein systematisches Buch mit aktuellsten Informationen ...” (Raumfahrt-Wirtschaft, Jg. 34, Heft 4, 15. Februar 2019)“... ist ein tolles Buch zum Schmökern, aber auch zum Nachschlagen, mit vielen interessanten Informationen und gut verständlichen Texten zu Planeten, Monden, Asterioden und anderen Objekten unseres Sonnensystems. Die Aufmachung ist sehr ansprechend und übersichtlich, mit reichlich farbigem Grafik- und Bildmaterial, das mitunter sehr zur Veranschaulichung und zum Verständnis beiträgt. Geeignet ist es für alle, die Spaß und Interesse an unserem Heimatplaneten und dessen Nachbarschaft haben.” (Michael Bahner, in: buchrezicenter.de, 2018)“… ein lesenswertes Buch gelungen. Es dürfte insbesondere für vorgebildete Laien oder Studenten in verwandten Fächern wertvoll sein.” (Thorsten Dambeck, in: Spektrum.de, 19. Januar 2018)“... die Stärke des Buchs sind ... deren kundige Analyse und die umfassende Schilderung des aktuellen Forschungsstands. In diesem Sinn ist den Autoren ein lesenwertes Buch gelungen. Es dürfte insbesondere für vorlegebildete Laien oder Studenten in verwandeten Fächern wertvoll sein.” (Thorsten Dambeck, in: Spektrum der Wissenschaft, Heft 3, 2018)Table of Contents

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Shindell describes his book as ‘the history of human ideas about Mars’, and he thoughtfully follows its winding path through religion, literature and pop culture. . . . [He] persuasively argues that Mars is most instructive when it sheds light on how we see ourselves.” * New York Times *“[Shindell’s] fascinating narrative details how today’s discussions have been conditioned by distant antecedents. The book is a compact yet expansive survey, delving judiciously into the histories of religion and science, mass culture and popular literature, the Cold War and the Space Race—highlighting past mistakes and commending new possibilities.” * Wall Street Journal *"Shindell crafts a human-centered history of an alien world. For the Love of Mars offers a readable history of speculation and exploration about Mars, beginning with the skywatchers of ancient Mayan, Chinese, and Babylonian civilizations and ending with the scientists and engineers who work on current robotic missions." * Science *“Armchair astronomers and history buffs alike will find this to be a fresh and engaging account.” * Booklist *"This insightful history will charm readers of popular science, science fiction, and history." * Library Journal *"Shindell describes efforts to understand a celestial body closer to home, tracing the red planet’s evolution in the popular imagination." * Publishers Weekly *“If you want to be surprised and inspired by humankind’s fascination with the Red Planet, For the Love of Mars is a great read.” * BBC Sky at Night Magazine *“This is the right voice to bring Mars vividly to life. Shindell’s history of what we know about the red planet goes beyond Western ideas, bringing valuable knowledge from many times, places, and cultures both into our view and into rich conversation. Its diverse perspectives and cast of characters make For the Love of Mars an essential read.” * Janet Vertesi, author of Shaping Science: Organizations, Decisions, and Culture on NASA’s Teams *“Through a wonderful combination of scholarly scientific research and thoughtful humanist perspective, Shindell’s For the Love of Mars provides a delightfully educational and entertaining history of our exploration of the red planet.” * Jim Bell, Mars researcher and coauthor of Discovering Mars: A History of Observation and Exploration of the Red Planet *“Shindell has done the impossible: setting out the long history of human engagement with the red planet over thousands of years in a single book. For the Love of Mars is compelling reading for anyone who has ever looked at, or even just wondered about, the fourth world from the sun and whether we'll set foot on it someday.” * Robert Massey, deputy executive director of the Royal Astronomical Society *"Humans are unsettled by incomplete data, unanswered questions. Show us objects in the night sky, and we create worlds. So it has been with Mars, conspicuous to us Earthbound gazers as one of the heavenly bodies that wanders from place to place against the backdrop of the stars. . . . a world that could share features with our own, as images of the known and unknown were both refashioned through intertwined changes in observation, understanding, exploration and belief. It’s that long evolution of ideas – not yet concluded – that Matthew Shindell relates in this compact survey." * The Arts Desk *"More than justifies itself as ‘another book about Mars’ in exploring the planet from a distinct and thought-provoking perspective." * E&T *"By focusing on the diverse human stories behind the telescopes and behind the robots we know and love, Shindell shows how Mars exploration has evolved in ways that have also expanded knowledge about other facets of the universe. Captained by an engaging and erudite expert, For the Love of Mars is a captivating voyage through time and space for anyone curious about Curiosity and the red planet." * Sandbox World *"Because of its visibility and striking color, everyone from Mayan priests to modern scientists have sought to center [Mars] in some way in human life. In this book, Shindell explores the ways our curiosity and subsequent exploration of the planet has led us to understanding the rest of our world as well." * Bookriot *"Historians of science are already well-acquainted with Mars’ centrality to science itself, as the Red Planet’s retrograde motion through the night sky led Renaissance and Enlightenment astronomers to toss out the wisdom of the Greeks and map out a series of laws of motion we now call physics. Science, though, is only part of this story: faith, fear, imperialism, and demonstrations of national prowess all figure in Shindell’s stories of Martian exploration, from the construction of telescopes to the landing of rovers on the Martian surface and preparations for future human settlement." * Quest *"By focusing on the diverse human stories behind the telescopes and behind the robots we know and love, the author shows how Mars exploration has evolved in ways that have also expanded knowledge about other facets of the universe. This book is a captivating voyage through time and space for anyone curious about Curiosity and the Red Planet." * LPIB *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Prologue: Mars in the Time of COVID-19 Introduction: Keeping Up with Mars 1 Mars and the Cosmic State 2 Mars in the Medieval Imagination 3 Restructuring the World 4 The Making of Modern Mars 5 Cold War Red Planet 6 Mars and the New Millennium Conclusion: The Human Future of Mars? Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisAn inside look at the experience of space travel and the destinations we may one day visit as space tourists.Trade ReviewThere is no other book for the popular reader that addresses the many serious challenges involved in deep space travel. Understanding these issues is essential for anyone with an interest in space exploration. The Traveler's Guide to Space does an excellent job at looking at the whole picture, from space tourists to one-way colonization; from physical to psychological challenges. -- Robert Geller, University of California, Santa Barbara The Traveler's Guide to Space takes you on an amazing adventure and gives you the perspective that only a seasoned scientist can. Neil Comins presents a thorough and timely account of the incredible sights that await any solar system traveler, as well as scientific insight into the sensations, pitfalls, and wonders both geological and astronomical that he or she will encounter along the way. -- Andrew West, astronomer Neil F. Comins has written the go-to book for anyone interested in space exploration. Uncovered Books This makes an excellent primer for anyone, especially astronomy enthusiasts and budding astronauts, who can't afford a ticket to space and wish to visit in spirit. Booklist The Traveler's Guide to Space is a delight... don't leave Earth without it. New Scientist Reading The Traveler's Guide to Space will help the reader have a better grasp on what is happening in current events. -- Steve Canipe National Science Teachers Association A listing of the book in Science Book News ([published weekly.) Science Book NewsTable of ContentsIntroduction Part I: Preparing for Space 1. Science and the Solar System Over Easy 2. Brief Descriptions of Journeys Through Space 3. Preparing for Your Trip 4. Training for Space Travel Part II: Adjusting to Space 5. Launch! 6. Adjustments During the First Few Days 7. Long-Term Physical Adjustments to Space 8. Getting Along in Space: Psychological and Sociological Aspects of Space Travel Part III: Making the Most of Experiences in Space 9. Experiences by Destination Part IV: Home! Sweet? Home? 10. Emigrating to Mars or Returning to Earth Appendix: Powers of Ten Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisBeyond dares to imagine a fantastic future for humans in spaceand then reminds us that we're already there.Trade Review"...Beyond is an irresistible, highly readable book." -- Monica Grady - Times Higher Education"...an engagingly written and stimulating thesis." -- Sky at Night"An astronomer and popular-science author, Impey makes an affable and generally even-handed guide to this fascinating subject, balancing rhetoric about humankind's restless curiosity with sober assessments of what is and is not possible." -- Physics World"Impey's engaging text is easy to read and comprehend, while offering a positive prognosis for humanity's future in space." -- Observatory Magazine"Beyond is a compelling book with great attention to detail and science that is awe-inspiring—it is a stellar read indeed." -- Astronomy Now

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Book SynopsisThe Starflight Handbook A Pioneer's Guide to Interstellar Travel "The Starflight Handbook is an indispensable compendium of the many and varied methods for traversing the vast interstellar gulf--don't leave the Solar System without it!" --Robert Forward "Very sensible, very complete and useful.Table of ContentsIntroduction to Starflight. Objectives of Interstellar Missions. Rocket Propulsion for Interstellar Flight. Nuclear Pulse Propulsion. Beamed Energy Propulsion. Solar Sail Starships: Clipper Ships of the Galaxy. Fusion Ramjets. Interstellar Ion Scoops. Other Novel Advanced Propulsion Concepts. Interstellar Trajectories. The Interstellar Medium. Starship Navigation and Visual Effects in RelativisticFlight. Starflight between Fact and Fancy. Suspended Animation, Hibernation, and Hypothermia. Scientific Payloads. Detecting Extrasolar Planets. Appendices: Powers of Ten; Units, Constants, and Physical Data; Nearby Star Systems; Guide to Starflight Literature; The Twin ?Paradox;? Energy, Efficiency, and StarflightPropulsion; Realizing Starflight: A Plan for the Future. References. Index.

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Book SynopsisA companion to Welcome to the Universe, a ... bestseller that was inspired by the ... introductory astronomy course for non-science majors that Neil deGrasse Tyson, Michael A. Strauss, and J. Richard Gott taught together at Princeton. [It] features more than one hundred problems and exercises used in the original course--Amazon.com.Trade Review"This book provides a very valuable resource for anyone who wants to acquire a reasonably quantitative understanding of introductory astronomy. The questions cover a broad range of interesting topics, and the solutions are thorough and often enlightening, providing additional insights into the subject matter."—Alex Filippenko, University of California, Berkeley"The difference between a good astronomy course and a great astronomy course is great problems. This book is a gold mine of great problems for introductory astronomy, problems that can be solved with high school algebra and run the gamut from earth-smashing asteroids to neutron stars, black holes, the fate of the universe, and the search for life on other worlds. It will be a valuable resource for anyone teaching introductory astronomy and an exhilarating challenge for students who want to sharpen their wits against the cosmos."—David Weinberg, Ohio State University"A fantastic asset. The hardest part of teaching introductory astronomy courses is writing engaging, informative problems at the appropriate level. This book provides a treasure trove of wonderfully instructive material that is much better than anything else out there. I will be using Tyson, Strauss, and Gott for a long time to come."—James H. Applegate, Columbia University"A marvelous compendium. This companion book demonstrates in a playful manner how, with no more than high school algebra, we can obtain a deeper appreciation of the properties of the infinitely large and small, and deepen our conversation with the cosmos."—Trinh X. Thuan, University of Virginia"A wonderful collection of introductory problems that convey the wonders of the universe and fundamental concepts in astronomy through specific examples and numbers. A fantastic resource for the classroom and aspiring astronomers."—Abraham Loeb, Harvard University"Microorganisms on Europa, colliding black holes, cosmic inflation, and much more are covered in this expansive and thoughtfully selected collection of exciting problems in astrophysics—even a two-dimensional Tardis appears! Both students and experienced astronomers should come away enriched through study of these problems and the techniques presented to crack them."—W. Niel Brandt, Pennsylvania State University

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Winner of the 2017 PROSE Award in Cosmology & Astronomy, Association of American Publishers""One of Symmetry Magazine’s Physics Books of 2016""With an insider's insight and a storyteller's eye for detail. . . . Gott offers a thorough, vivid, and fascinating look at the cosmic web that makes up our universe." * Publishers Weekly *"The Cosmic Webis not just a well-told story about the frontiers of cosmological knowledge. It is also an inspiration to explore them further."---Michael Blanton, Nature"Weaving together personal anecdotes with physics and math, Princeton astrophysicist J. Richard Gott's The Cosmic Web chronicles the nearly 100-year quest to understand the anatomy of the universe. . . . Gott brings detailed insight to how our view of the cosmos has changed, providing a thorough accounting of how cosmologists arrived at these revelations."---Christopher Crockett, Science News"Provides an outstanding summation of [Gott's] search for understanding the spongy cosmic web that characterizes the universe at large scales. . . . [A] magnificent achievement."---David Eicher, Astronomy Magazine"With a style that's rich in fascinating detail, and bolstered by personal memories and anecdotes,The Cosmic Webdelivers everything we need in a book on this subject."---Alastair Gunn, BBC Sky at Night"An extraordinary book guiding the reader through the large scale of the Universe and the structure scientists encounter whilst looking at the Universe as a whole." * Read about Science *"I enjoyed this book hugely. It should be on the shelf of anyone who is intrigued by why the Universe looks the way it does."---Alan Longstaff, Astronomy Now"Full to the brim with wonderful analogies and genuinely interesting anecdotes that should be a component of all popular science books. If you've ever looked up at the night sky and wondered why it looks the way it does, this is one book you should really consider reading."---Amber Hornsby, Popular Astronomy"Fascinating. . . . I think it should be in every library which aims to cover astrophysics and cosmology."---G.W. Gibbons, Contemporary Physics

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Book SynopsisWas it a real star or an astrological event. Kidger reveals tools of modern science, historical research and inquiry to unravel the star of Bethlehem mystery. Illustrations throughout. 18 tables.Trade ReviewOne of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2000 "An easily accessible style permits readers with minimal scientific training to share in the excitement of Kidger's rare feat of scholarly sleuthing... Kidger will not only convince all doubters, but his book will reset the terms for future attempts to put the scriptural Star in scientific context."--Booklist "Plenty of new and old data about the night sky and more than a little ancient history inform Kidger's clear account of his own and other's theories about the portent that led the Magi to Judea."--Publisher's Weekly "Stunningly, incredibly wonderfully an astronomer is now claiming that the age old story we were told as children may be based on the truth... I am inclined to agree with him. [This is] the most compelling solution yet to the mystery."--Robert Matthew, The ExpressTable of ContentsPREFACE vii Chapter 1. Matthew's Star 3 Chapter 2. A Star over Bethlehem? 20 Chapter 3. The First Christmas 39 Chapter 4. Halley's Comet and Other Red Herrings 73 Chapter 5. Shooting Stars and Fiery Rains 110 Chapter 6. Supernova Bethlehem? 136 Chapter 7. We Three Kings 166 Chapter 8. Triple Conjunctions: A Key to Unlocking the Mystery? 198 Chapter 9. Is the Answer Written in Chinese? 219 Chapter 10. What Was the Star of Bethlehem? 247 Epilogue. Which Star Is the Star? 267 Appendix. The Heavens above Bethlehem 277 NOTES 289 BIBLIOGRAPHY 295 INDEX 301

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Many space buffs, especially young ones, should find this a satisfying narrative."—Publishers Weekly"Ambassadors is written in an accessible and engaging style, introducing readers to behind-the-scenes players most of us have never heard of."—Russell Lewis, NPR"[Ambassadors from Earth] offers an accessible account of the U.S. and Soviet planetary missions of the Space Race era, as well as the more widespread efforts of more recent times."—Roger Launius, Air & Space Magazine"Utilising original interviews with key players, bolstered by never-before-seen photographs, journal excerpts, and primary source documents, Gallentine delivers a quirky and unforgettable look at the lives and legacy of the Americans and Soviets who conceived, built, and guided those unmanned missions to the planets and beyond."—Philip Corneille, Spaceflight"This book provides a wonderful way of renewing interest in the pioneering contributions of the robotic space programs pursued by the United States and the Soviet Union."—De Witt Douglas Kilgore, Quest"An intriguing and essential read on the history of unmanned space programs and especially the tug-of-war between the United States and the Soviety Union for space supremacy in the late 1950s and the decade of the 1960s."—Dale A. Stirling, Journal for the History of Discoveries Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Aboard the Glacier 2. Problem Child 3. The Convict 4. Light Fuse, GET AWAY 5. New Moon 6. Let's Make a Deal 7. The Creators and the Makers 8. Storming the Sea of Dreams 9. Moving at the Speed of Design 10. Job Number MA-11 11. The Science and the Cyclist 12. Get Off the Bus 13. Swing in Time 14. The Meeting and the Mechta 15. Think Like Gravity 16. Didn't They Get It? 17. The Death and the Funeral 18. One Hundred Percent Failure 19. Three-Problem Shipley 20. Pete and Al's Little Field Trip 21. Irradiated Plans 22. Embarking 23. Get It 24. Instant Science 25. Circles of Gold 26. Last Light 27. Continuum Sources Index

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“In his engaging chronicle. . . . Squeri argues, SETI amounted to more than just a scientific enterprise; it was a kind of ‘offbeat political movement,’ a utopian ideology and perhaps surrogate religion—with aliens serving as our more enlightened counterparts."New York Times"Chronicles the history of SETI: the people behind it, the search for signals from deep space, and the hopes for bettering Earth through alien contact."Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisTakes the reader on a journey to the far reaches of the universe - an exciting time travel that begins with the incredibly hot fireball of the Big Bang roughly 13.8 billion years ago and ends in distant aeons with its cold, dark demise. In between lie the times in which extensive structures, galaxies, stars, and planets form.

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Book SynopsisRoland Miller’s colour photographs document the NASA, air force, and army facilities across the US that once played a crucial role in the space race. The haunting images collected here impart artistic insight while preserving an important period in history.

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Book SynopsisAs command module pilot of Apollo 17, the last crewed flight to the moon, Ron Evans combined precision flying and painstaking geological observation with moments of delight and enthusiasm. On his way to the launchpad, he literally jumped for joy in his spacesuit. Emerging from the command module to conduct his crucial spacewalk, he exclaimed, Hot diggity dog! and waved a greeting to his family. As a patriotic American in charge of command module America, Evans was nicknamed Captain America by his fellow crew members. Born in 1933 in St. Francis, Kansas, Evans distinguished himself academically and athletically in school, earned degrees in electrical engineering and aeronautical engineering, and became a naval aviator and a combat flight instructor. He was one of the few astronauts who served in combat during the Vietnam War, flying more than a hundred missions off the deck of the USS Ticonderoga, the same aircraft carrier that would recover him and his fellow astronauts after the splashdown of Apollo 17. Evans's astronaut career spans the Apollo missions and beyond. He served on the support crews for 1, 7, and 11 and on the Apollo 14 backup crew before being selected for Apollo 17 and flying on the final moon missionin 1972. He next trained with Soviet cosmonauts as backup command module pilot for the 1975 Apollo-Soyuz mission and carried out early work on the space shuttle program. Evans then left NASA to pursue a business career. He died suddenly in 1990 at the age of fifty-six. Trade Review"At long last, those unfamiliar with Evans' life and career get to know the last person to perform a deep space EVA."—Emily Carney, National Space Society"This well-written, fascinating book provides a biography of Evans with a special focus on his role during Apollo 17."—J. Z. Kiss, Choice"Bowman's storytelling and lively, conversational prose make A Long Voyage to the Moon a commendable biography of Jan Evans's husband, who flew for the navy and conducted science beyond low earth orbit, for general audiences and anyone interested in astronauts who have not landed in the history books with one small step. . . . The story of Ron Evans points to the additional science that could be done on the moon and urges us to remember the partners and support systems who make the extraordinary possible and worth doing."—Kevin Castro, H-Sci-Med-Tech"This work will appeal to those who simply cannot read enough about the history of crewed space flight. We should all be thankful that Bowman has written this book and shined a light on this historic aviator and space traveller."—Dr. Brian Laslie, From Balloons to Drones“From a small town in Kansas to dodging enemy rockets in a jet fighter over North Vietnam to orbiting the moon on Apollo’s final lunar voyage, here is the extraordinary journey of Ron Evans. In this thoroughly detailed biography, Geoffrey Bowman captures a man of unflappable calm and easygoing warmth who met the final frontier with unabashed exuberance. In these pages, you’ll learn why Evans left countless people, myself included, feeling honored and glad to have known him.”—Andrew Chaikin, author of A Man on the Moon: The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts“Ron Evans is one of the unsung heroes of the Apollo program. . . . I am delighted that this book now tells the story of Ron’s remarkable life.”—Farouk El-Baz, geologist and trainer of Apollo astronauts in observation and photography“Ron Evans and I were selected as NASA astronauts in 1966. I enjoyed my time with Ron during our ‘rookie’ years through a variety of training before I was selected for Apollo 13 and Ron for Apollo 17. This very interesting and informative account of Ron’s life and career emphasizes how we shared with many others the immense privilege of having been a part of the Apollo program.”—Fred Haise, lunar module pilot on Apollo 13Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Foreword Preface Acknowledgments Prologue 1. Kansas Kid 2. Jayhawk 3. The Pilot and Miss Pollom 4. Wings 5. Fighting Falcon 6. Top Guns of Oriskany 7. Teachers and Pupils 8. Deke and Al 9. Screaming Eagle 10. Rolling Thunder 11. Per Ardua ad Astra 12. El Lago 13. Modules 14. “Go Fever” 15. Two Lives 16. Footprints in the Dust 17. Backups 18. The Rocky Road to Taurus-Littrow 19. Many a Slip 20. Captain America Sets Sail 21. Into the Shadow 22. The Big Picture 23. Spaceman 24. Return to Ticonderoga 25. End of an Era 26. Apollo-Soyuz and Beyond 27. The Most Alien World 28. Ad Astra Sources Index

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Book SynopsisSupported by groundbreaking, original research and many declassified documents, Sputnik offers a fascinating profile of the early American and Soviet space programs and a strikingly revised picture of the politics and personalities behind the facade of America's fledgling efforts to get into space.Trade Review“A fascinating slice of useful social history.”—USA Today “Captures the excitement and angst of the dawning of the Space Age.”—Dallas Morning News “A terrific book.”—Bulletin of Atomic Scientists “Paul Dickson’s indefatigable research and reportorial lucidity have given us a fascinating history of the event that forever changed our world.”—Walter Cronkite “Entertaining, admirably straightforward.”—Wilson Quarterly “[Dickson’s] research is painstaking, his attention to detail exemplary. . . . It flows smoothly and clearly—an admirable quality in writing.”—Philadelphia Inquirer “An ominous foreign presence suddenly seems to take control of the skies—‘Another Pearl Harbor!’ some shout. Initial fears are replaced by a determination to meet the challenge, and America declares that life has changed forever. Sounds familiar, but the transforming event of Paul Dickson’s book is not the crash of hijacked airliners [on] September 11; it is the Soviet Union’s launch in October 1957 of Sputnik.”—Washington Post Book World “A superbly detailed account of the people and events that first took us off the surface of the Earth.”—Col. Chris Hadfield, Canadian Space Agency Astronaut “American arrogance, trumped by the Soviet surprise, led to an unparalleled time of national flagellation and self-doubt. Out of it all came the triumph of Apollo as American determination and spirit responded to the wake-up call of Sputnik. This book vividly reminded me of the powerful events that led me from an impressionable kid to an Apollo 9 astronaut.”—Rusty Schweickart, Apollo 9 astronaut“Space exploration is often portrayed as a U.S.-U.S.S.R. race, with the Soviet Union winning the initial lap by launching Sputnik, the earth's first artificial satellite. Yet as Dickson reveals, for the United States, the race was also an internal competition, with the military (particularly Wernher von Braun’s rocket team) and the Eisenhower administration grappling for control of the national space program. Eisenhower, who sought to demilitarize space and thereby open the skies to U.S. espionage satellites, eventually triumphed, establishing NASA as a civilian agency and successfully testing a clandestine satellite launch.”—Library Journal Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Sputnik Night 2. Gravity Fighters 3. Vengeance Rocket 4. An Open Sky 5. The Birth of Sputnik 6. Red Monday 7. Dog Days 8. American Birds 9. Ike Scores 10. Sputnik’s Legacy Epilogue Appendix: Sputnik’s Long, Lexical Orbit Author’s Note, Acknowledgments, and Dedication Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisFrom the age of ten, looking up at the stars, Jerry Ross knew that he wanted to journey into space. This autobiography tells the story of how he came not only to achieve that goal, but to become the most-launched astronaut in history, as well as a NASA veteran whose career spanned the entire US Space Shuttle program. From his childhood in rural Indiana, through education at Purdue University, and a career in the US Air Force, Ross charted a path to NASA after overcoming many setbacks—from failing to qualify for Air Force pilot training because of “bad” eyesight, to an initial failure to be selected into the astronaut program.The majority of the book is an insider’s account of the US Space Shuttle program, including the unforgettable experience of launch, the delights of weightless living, and the challenges of constructing the International Space Station. Ross is a uniquely qualified narrator. During seven spaceflights, he spent 1,393 hours in space, including 58 hours and 18 minutes on nine space walks. Life on the ground is also described, including the devastating experiences of the Challenger and Columbia disasters.For readers who have followed the space program from Mercury through the International Space Station and wonder what comes next, this book provides fascination; for young people interested in space exploration and reaching for their dreams, whatever they might be, this book provides inspiration. Full of stories of spaceflight that few humans have ever experienced, told with humor and honesty, Spacewalker presents a unique perspective on the hard work, determination, and faith necessary to travel beyond this world.Key Points: An insider’s account of the US Space Shuttle program, from before its first launch through the final landing, and the building of the International Space Station. A firsthand account of life in space from the first human to fly seven missions. An inspirational story of a personal journey from rural Indiana to outer space, powered by a deep Christian faith. Trade ReviewSpacewalker is the book for anyone who ever dreamed of flying in space." —Neil Armstrong"This book is the story of a common man from the Midwest who became an American hero . . . a model for the youth of our nation and for those who will accept the challenge to follow in his footsteps.” —Gene Kranz, NASA Flight Director for Gemini and Apollo

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Book SynopsisWe all know the names: Grissom, Armstrong, Cernan—legends of the space age whose names resonate with people around the world and whose deeds need no introduction. We know less about the men who led the organization that planned and began the US exploration of space: the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).Thomas O. Paine grew up an ordinary boy in northern California during the Great Depression of the 1930s. He would go on to serve as NASA’s third administrator, leading the space agency through the first historic missions that sent astronauts on voyages away from Earth. On his watch, seven Apollo flights orbited our planet and five reached our moon. From those missions came the first of twelve men to walk on the moon.Years later, in 1985, the Reagan administration would call on Paine again to chair the nation’s first-ever National Commission on Space. The Paine Commission Report of 1986 challenged twenty-first-century America to “lead the exploration and development of the space frontier, advancing science, technology, and enterprise, and building institutions and systems that make accessible vast new resources and support human settlements beyond Earth orbit, from the highlands of the Moon to the plains of Mars.”In Piercing the Horizon, Sunny Tsiao masterfully delivers new insights into the behind-the-scenes drama of the space race. Tsiao examines how Paine’s days as a World War II submariner fighting in the Pacific shaped his vision for the future of humankind in space. The book tells how Paine honed his skills as a pioneering materials engineer at the fabled postwar General Electric Company in the 1950s, to his dealings inside the halls of NASA and with Johnson, Nixon, and later, the Reagan and Bush administrations.As robotic missions begin leaving the earth, Tsiao invites the reader to take another look at the plans that Paine articulated regarding how America could have had humans on Mars by the year 2000 as the first step to the exploration of deep space. Piercing the Horizon provides provocative context to current conversations on the case for reaching Mars, settling our solar system, and continuing the exploration of space.

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Book SynopsisIn the span of a single lifetime, light pollution stemming from Artificial Light At Night (ALAN) has severed our connection with the stars that we've had since the dawn of time. With the nocturnal biosphere significantly altered, light's anthropogenic influence has compelled millions of people to seek out the last remaining dark skies.This book explores the burgeoning growth of the astrotourism market, identifies star seeker trends, how the stars have shaped civilizations, and the budding space tourism industry.Discover ways to develop a destination for those who will cater to the astrotourist, share the night with guests, how to find customers, and the 2024 Great North American Eclipse. Meteor storms, eclipses, auroras, and other celestial phenomena have lured travellers for years. Here, the author expands the field of astrotourism with the inclusion of astronomical clocks, megaliths, and sundials, which are used to track the movement of the stars.

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Book SynopsisHoneysuckle Creek reveals the pivotal role that the tracking station at Honeysuckle Creek, near Canberra, played in the first moon landing. Andrew Tink gives a gripping account of the role of its director Tom Reid and his colleagues in transmitting some of the most-watched images in human history as Neil Armstrong took his first step.Part biography and part personal history, this book makes a significant contribution to Australia’s role in space exploration and reveals a story little known until now.As Christopher Columbus Kraft Jr, the director of flight operations for Apollo 11, acknowledged: ‘The name Honeysuckle Creek and the excellence which is implied by that name will always be remembered and recorded in the annals of manned space flight’.

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Book SynopsisAstronomers are on the verge of answering one of the most profound questions ever asked: are we alone in the universe? The ability to detect life in remote solar systems is at last within sight. Its discovery, even if only in microbial form, would revolutionize our self-image. Planet Hunters tells a delightful tale of smart-alec nerds, the search for extraterrestrial life and the history of an academic discipline. Professional astronomer Lucas Ellerbroek takes readers on a fantastic voyage through space, time, history and the future. He describes the field of exoplanet research in its proper historical perspective, from the early ideas of sixteenth-century heretic Giordano Bruno and the rise of science fiction to the discovery of the first exoplanet in 1995 and the invention of the Kepler space telescope. He travels the world to talk to leading scientists in the field, including first exoplanet discoverer Michel Mayor, NASA Kepler mission scientist Bill Borucki and MIT astrophysicist Sara Seager. Presenting cutting-edge research in a dynamic, fun and accessible way, this book will appeal to everyone with an interest in astronomy and space.

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Book SynopsisThe story of the Universe is written in the light that travels through it – light that we can capture. Nearly everything we know about how the Universe works on its grandest scale comes from the analysis of the light – photons – that may have travelled nearly fourteen billion years from the Big Bang itself to reach us. Have you ever wondered what is the most distant source of light we can see, or how a star shines? Did you know that black holes can blaze like cosmic beacons across intergalactic space, and that ancient radio waves might herald the ignition of the very first stars? Have you ever thought about what light really is? Five Photons explains all with the tales of five fascinating astrophysical processes through the journeys of light across space and time. They are tales of quantum physics and general relativity, stars and black holes, dark matter and dark energy. Let yourself be swept away on a journey of discovery towards a deeper understanding of the Universe.Trade Review`With his elegant, supremely clear writing, Geach has succeeded at creating both a state-of-the-art cosmic overview and a rather wonderful meditation on the nature of our reality.’ – Caleb Scharf, author of The Zoomable Universe; `Geach’s beautiful cosmic biography takes readers on a sweeping tour of all that was, is, and ever will be. Five Photons is as elegant as it is enlightening.’ – Lee Billings, author of Five Billion Years of Solitude

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Book SynopsisWhy was the mission to the Moon named after the God of the Sun, and not after a Moon Goddess or God? In this unconventional work, Philippe Sibaud explores the symbolism behind the 1969 landing on the Moon. More than fifty years after this seminal event, and whilst the Moon is attracting renewed interest, the author offers a bold new interpretation of the iconic Apollo mission. Was the Apollo landing the ultimate triumph of solar consciousness over the ancient lunar ways, a concrete enactment of the god Apollo mythically slaying the mother dragon at Delphi, or can the whole venture be seen as the sacred union of Sun and Moon, birthing a new vision at a time of great need? By weaving his own personal story with a greater cultural and symbolic narrative, Philippe Sibaud invites us to reflect on the importance of myths and the power of the Imagination to unlock the deeper meaning of our individual and collective experiences. You will never look at the Moon with the same eyes again.

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Book SynopsisThirty years ago the only planets we knew were the ones orbiting our own sun; we now know of thousands of other worlds orbiting distant stars. In this book astronomer Niall Deacon journeys to twenty of these globes: from giant, blisteringly hot planets orbiting close to their parent stars to frozen planets that float through space alone, and from dead stars shredding asteroids to worlds made of diamond and even planets that may be similar to the Earth. Deacon also takes in the latest exoplanet discoveries, and explains how astronomers have come to learn so much about these strange and distant worlds. Twenty Worlds tells a sweeping story, of real planets around other stars, and appeals to the wide audience for popular science and astronomy.Trade Review"This is the perfect book to introduce exoplanet science. . . . But Twenty Worlds is not really for those who want to find out more about any one of the planets covered. Rather it reveals what each of them represents to the field in general. Its real value is in the analogies that Deacon uses to clarify difficult and complex exoplanetary scientific methods to the reader. Nowhere will you find a more descriptive book to understand the processes used to learn about the existence of these worlds. Five stars." * BBC Sky at Night Magazine *"With thousands of exoplanets currently known, it must be a daunting task to choose twenty of them to highlight. Yet, that is exactly what Deacon sets out to do. The book, rather than presenting a cornucopia of bizarre exoplanets (and there are many of them out there), uses a curated sample of twenty exoplanets to tell a story about how these systems are detected, studied and what they can tell us about the birth, evolution and even death of planets, as well as their interaction with their host stars. The sheer diversity of the exoplanets detected poses a fascinating challenge to planet-formation theorists and exoplanet observers alike." * Nature Astronomy *“This is an attractive, well-produced book providing much information about new and exciting discoveries being achieved by good old-fashioned astronomical methods, albeit highly sophisticated. It is refreshingly free from the dilemmas existing in other areas of cosmology—wave/particle duality, string theory, multiverses, et cetera—and I recommend it as well worth reading by any interested layman (who doesn’t feel too strongly about Pluto).” * Observatory Magazine *"This is a truly entertaining and informative book, but the reason I’m giving it the full five stars has as much to do with the refreshing novelty of the author’s style as anything else. There’s novelty in the subject-matter too—the wide variety of recently discovered exoplanets orbiting other stars. . . . He’s a professional astronomer too, though you wouldn’t guess that from his writing style, which is as straightforward and lucid as science writing gets." * PopularScience.co.uk *"Twenty Worlds describes planets beyond our solar system. Though long imagined in science fiction novels and films, these 'exoplanets' have only been discovered since the 1990s. Author Deacon, an expert on this topic affiliated at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg, writes in a conversational manner that is far different from the stiff exposition of a science textbook. Yet he conveys as much about how astronomers deduce the physical and chemical properties of exoplanets as he does about the planets themselves. While thousands of exoplanets are now known, Deacon's text comprises only twenty short chapters, each devoted to a single planet, or to a solar system of planets orbiting around their own sun. These are not necessarily the most interesting or unusual planets, but each one is exploited to introduce one method or another by which researchers have deduced the nature of objects of its type, such as their size, mass, and orbit, or whether they are rocky, gaseous, atmosphere-bearing, aqueous, possibly habitable, or even perhaps composed of diamond. The reader who sets out to enjoy a popular account may end up with a serious understanding . . . of these alien worlds. Recommended." * Choice *"With Deacon's book we not only see that there are a multitude of worlds out there, but the variety and conditions in which they were born are as strange as we could hope to imagine. They all have individual characteristics, some similar to our own family, others bizarrely different. His choice of worlds, I feel, has been carefully done, to show the known variety in the family of discovered planets. . . . Deacon's style of writing is easy to follow and keeps the reader interested throughout. . . . The book was very enjoyable to read and the 200 pages kept the reader wanting more, I genuinely felt I was both entertained and informed." * Physics Education *"A wonderfully enjoyable tour of twenty diverse worlds that orbit distant stars. Deacon uses simple ideas from science to show us how each world has its own personality—its own story. Twenty Worlds is an accessible introduction to some of the most exciting discoveries in astronomy." -- Michael E. Summers, professor of planetary sciences and astronomy, George Mason University

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Book SynopsisCovering both homemade and commercial products, this book provides the reader with simple and straightforward information about the modeling, building, and use of binoscopes. Binoscopes can be thought of as binoculars enlarged to the size of telescopes - essentially, a combination of the two. Constructing a binoscope is easier than most people think, but it still demands attention to detail and proper background knowledge. The author goes on to provide additional information about the products currently on the market, should the reader choose to purchase one instead of building it. Lastly, the book also compares binoscopes with telescopes in great detail, outlining the differences the reader can expect to see in the night sky from using both. The celestial views obtained with a binoscope, compared to a single telescope of the same aperture, are a very different experience.The new edition emphasizes the obvious advantages of viewing celestial objects through a binoscope. There are also many new photos and additional information on the latest equipment and some very special and rare equipment a collector might be interested in. Newly added cartoons and additional images of beautiful deep sky objects in each of the chapters makes reading the book a more enjoyable experience. Finally, there is a new comet discovery form and guide to follow for such discoveries, and a complete list of Messier objects for those interested in searching for these.Table of ContentsAbout the Author.- Why Binoscopes?- Optical Designs.- Binoculars Are Binoscopes.- Riverside Telescope Makers Conference (RTMC).- Homemade Binoscopes.- One of a Kind.- Odds and Ends.- Equatorial Drive Platforms.- Equatorial versus Altazimuth.- Binoculars of the Third Kind.- Appendix 1: Astronomical Formulae.- Appendix 2: Glossary.- Index.

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Book SynopsisDie Erforschung des Weltalls und die Suche nach anderen Planeten entwickeln sich in den letzten Jahren rasant. Trotz begrenzter technischer Möglichkeiten wurden schon über 450 extrasolare Planeten entdeckt. Diese Einführung in die Forschung gibt detaillierte Einblicke in die Methodik, Missionen und Ergebnisse der Thematik sowie einen Ausblick auf zukünftige Fortschritte, wie die Entdeckung erdähnlicher Planeten binnen weniger als einem Jahrzehnt. Weltführende Experten kommentieren allgemeinverständlich und fundiert die Entwicklungen. Für die zweite Auflage hat der Autor einige Teile des Buches erweitert und überarbeitet sowie aktualisiert.Table of ContentsGeschichte der Planetensuche.- Die Entdeckung der ersten extrasolaren Planeten.- Die Techniken für die Jagd nach Exoplaneten.- Teleskope und Missionen für die Suche nach Exoplaneten.- Das erste Bild einer fremden Welt.- Biosignaturen und die Schwierigkeiten bei der Suche nach Exoplaneten.- Welche Typen von Exoplaneten gibt es?- Die interessantesten Exoplaneten.- Zukünftige Entwicklungen.- Leben im Universum.- Die Suche nach auβerirdischen Intelligenzen.

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Book SynopsisWir können sie mit bloßem Auge oder mit Teleskopen über den Himmel wandern sehen - aber kennen wir unsere kosmische Nachbarschaft wirklich? Wie viel wissen wir von den gewaltigen Vulkanen, den Klüften in ewiger Finsternis, den rasenden Stürmen und eisigen Ozeanen? Und wer weiß zu sagen, wer eigentlich der Gott Mars war, der dem roten Planeten seinen Namen lieh? Welche Mythen erzählt man sich von Venus und Merkur - und wer sind eigentlich Sedna und Makemake?Durch dieses Buch werden Sie die Planeten des Sonnensystems mit neuen Augen sehen. Von der Venus über den ringgeschmückten Saturn und bis hinaus zu den einsamen Zwergplaneten jenseits der Neptunbahn begeben sich die Autoren auf eine spannende Reise. In übersichtlichen Kapiteln entsteht so ein eindrucksvoller, packender und klar verständlicher Einstieg in die Astronomie und den aktuellen Stand der Planetenforschung. Jedem astronomischen Kapitel folgt ein Kapitel zu den Mythen der Göttergestalten, die den Himmelskörpern ihre Namen geben. Von Mesopotamien und Ägypten über die griechisch-römische Antike bis zu nordischen und weltweiten Mythen begibt sich der Leser dabei auf eine spannende Reise in die Vergangenheit.Die besondere Stärke von 'Wanderer am Himmel' liegt in der Begeisterung der Autoren für Ihr Gebiet, die sich in den unzähligen liebevoll zusammengetragenen Details, klugen Erläuterungen und mitreißenden Beschreibungen wiederfindet. Die Krönung des Buches sind nicht zuletzt die einzigartigen und speziell für dieses Buch angefertigten Zeichnungen der bekannten und beliebten Illustratorin Caryad. In der erfolgreichen Reihe, in der bereits 'Universum für alle' und 'Faszinierende Physik' erschienen sind, ist mit 'Wanderer am Himmel' erneut ein Lesebuch entstanden, das zum Blättern und Entdecken einlädt, zum Lesen und Träumen – ein gemütliches, aber auch kluges Sachbuch, fürs Bett, für den Couchtisch, zum Genießen, Verlieben und Verschenken."Auf gekonnte Art - unterstützt durch beeindruckende Bilder, interessante Fakten und unterhaltsame Anekdoten - werden dem Leser zwei spannende Welten nahegelegt: Die Planeten unseres Sonnensystems und die Mythologie, die sich hinter ihren Namen verbirgt. Definitiv lesenswert!"Boris Lemmer, Deutscher Meister im Science SlamDie AutorenThomas Römer hat Physik und Astronomie studiert und ist Redakteur für Phantastische Medien sowie erfolgreicher Entwickler von Fantasy-Rollenspielen. Seine kreative Begeisterung hat er in diesem Buch zur Entfaltung gebracht. Vera Zingsem studierte Theologie, befasste sich aber später mit dem Gebiet der Spiritualität im umfassenderen Sinn, wobei sie ein besonderes Augenmerk auf die weiblichen Aspekte legt. Sie hat mittlerweile mehrere erfolgreiche Bücher zu mythologischen Themen verfasst. Caryad ist eine weithin bekannte Illustratorin. Mit Ihren einzigartigen Handzeichnungen gibt sie den mythologischen Figuren eine unvergessliche Eigenart.Trade Review“... Übersichtlich, mit zahlreichen Fotos und Grafiken aufbereitete und leicht verständliche Fakten, angenehm geschriebene Geschichten aus der Mythologie verschiedener Kulturen ... zu einer leicht verdaulichen und optisch schön gestalteten populärwissenschaftlichen Lektüre.” (Michael Bahner, in: Buchrezicenter.de, 2. Oktober 2015)“... "Wanderer am Himmel" bietet eine umfassende Zusammenstellung der Astronomie und der Mythologie. ... Das Buch lädt zum Lesen ein, ist aber auch ein Nachschlagewerk. Wer hineinliest und sich faszinieren lässt, der wird beim nächsten Blick in den nächtlichen Himmel eine ganz andere Sicht auf die Sternenwelt und insbesondere auf die Planeten unserer kosmischen Nachbarschaft gewinnen und genießen.“ (E. Weiß, in: Mittelbayerische Zeitung, 22. Dezember 2014)“… Die vielen herausragenden Bilder und Fotografien, die anwendungsfreundlichen astronomischen Erklärungen zu den Gestirnen unseres Sonnensystems und auch die mythologischen. ... Mit einfacher Sprache, tollen Bildern und einer gesunden Mischung aus Wissenschaft und Mythendeutung ...“ (Ragan Tanger, in: webcritics.de, 27.November 2014) "… ein Buch fürs Leben." (Susanne Veil, in: Stuttgarter Zeitung, 19. Dezember 2014)Table of ContentsMensch und Kosmos.- Keplers Uhrwerk: Was sind und woher kommen die Planeten?- Das Sonnensystem.- Sonne.- Merkur.- Venus.- Erde.- Luna.- Mars.- Asteroidengürtel.- Jupiter.- Saturn.- Uranus.- Neptun.- Kuipergürtel.-Literaturverzeichnis und Buchempfehlungen.- Index

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Book SynopsisIst Gott, wie ihn der christliche Glaube bekennt, vereinbar mit dem naturwissenschaftlichen Weltbild? Physiker sind sich weitgehend darin einig, dass ihre auf Experimenten in der Energie-Materie-Welt beruhende Wissenschaft in Sachen Religion nichts widerlegen oder beweisen kann. Und dennoch wird die Frage weiterhin viel diskutiert. Reiner Kümmel, Professor der theoretischen Physik, beschreibt in diesem Buch das Naturverständnis der modernen Physik, das von Relativitätstheorie und Quantenmechanik geprägt wird. Demgemäß ist die Zeit die vierte Dimension der Welt. Zusammen mit den drei räumlichen Dimensionen ist sie im Urknall aus Energie entstanden. Ihr Fließen macht sich durch die Produktion von Entropie, sprich Unordnung, bemerkbar, die unsere Gesellschaft in Krise und Umbruch treibt. Beobachtete natürliche Ereignisse und Strukturen zeigen uns eine Welt, in der Gegegensätze zusammenfallen. Der Autor weist darauf hin, dass diese "Coincidentia Oppositorum" auch Gott eignet. Sie führt zur "Creatio Continua", in der Gott, überzeitlich und jederzeit, die gesamte Schöpfung von ihrem Anfang bis zum Ende schafft und sieht. Das Buch versucht eine Darstellung des Sehens in die Zeit, an dem vielleicht auch wir einst teilhaben dürfen. Es wendet sich an alle, die sich fragen, woher wir kommen und wohin wir gehen und eröffnet eine Sicht auf Gott und die Welt, in der Glaube und Naturwissenschaft gut zusammen passen.Table of Contents1. Vorschau: Zeitreise mit Walther.- 2. Gott.- 3. Natur.- 4. Brückenschlag - von der Physik zum Glauben an Gott.- 5. Nachlese - Kern und Beiwerk kirchlicher Lehre

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