Stephen Hawking’s phenomenal, multimillion-copy bestseller, A Brief History of Time, introduced the ideas of this brilliant theoretical physicist to readers all over the world.Now, in a major publishing event, Hawking returns with a lavishly illustrated sequel that unravels the mysteries of the major breakthroughs that have occurred in the years since the release of his acclaimed first book.

    Not until the nineteenth century would three men, armed with the best telescopes of their age, race to conquer this astronomical Everest. Parallax tells the fast-moving story of their contest, which ended in a dead heat. Against a sweeping backdrop filled with kidnappings, dramatic rescue, swordplay, madness, and bitter rivalry, Alan W. Hirshfeld brings to life the heroes -- and heroines -- of this remarkable chapter in history. Characters include the destitute boy plucked from a collapsed building who grew up to become the world's greatest telescope maker; the hot-tempered Dane whose nose was lopped off in a duel over mathematics; a merchant's apprentice forced to choose between the lure of money and his passion for astronomy; and the musician who astounded the world by discovering a new planet from his own backyard.Generously illustrated with period engravings and paintings, Parallax is an unforgettable ride through time and space.

    "Interface Design" traces these amazing developments and offers tested techniques and practical advice for constructing clear, dynamic GUIs that combine functionality with cutting-edge design. Readers will find an in-depth overview of the various graphic elements of an interface--including icons, galleries, color palettes, and dialogue boxes. Then, they'll find a comprehensive discussion on the interfaces used by popular animation and 3D software packages, and learn how to design interfaces that aid efficient navigation with links. Finally, hundreds of dazzling, full-color examples of the best in interface design offer a treasury of creative inspiration.

    It was once believed that to look into the heavens was to look into the face of God. These eerily luminous landscapes, splendid with color and motion, give a glimpse into the outermost reaches of the universe. Together the images in The Hand of God and the accompanying reflections encourage a sense of awe and, perhaps, purpose in an age often hostile to both.

    This giant volume, filled with the latest and most magnificent images to be sent back from Curiosity, will walk you in the footsteps of the NASA probes and rovers that have been surveying the planet from 1964 until the present day. Experience its other-worldly beauty as you hover over sinister dust devils, immense icecaps and textured rock formations. Mars charts an incredible course across this unfamiliar planet, depicting all sides, seasons, channels and chasms, from the North Pole to the Southern Highlands. Witness the soaring heights of Olympus Mons - the tallest volcano in the Solar System - watch a giant dust storm tear through the canyons of the Valles Marineris, and explore the broad valleys of Chryse Planitia, scarred from catastrophic floods. Detailed and accessible essays explain how Mars was formed, shedding light on its internal and external structure, weather systems and unique geographical features, as well as on the compelling evidence of water and microscopic life. Each image is accompanied by a caption that explains in unparalleled detail the abstract patterns and peculiar geology that form this majestic planet. Featuring over 200 spectacular photographs and informative colour diagrams, an atlas of the surface and details of the most recent scientific discoveries, Mars is the perfect introduction to the Red Planet. Ideal for: Perfect book for all astronomy enthusiasts. This hardback book has 224 pages and measures: 43 x 36 x 3cm

    Simply shine a light on the guide to illuminate the constellations and their names on the summer or winter star charts. Also includes descriptions of the meaning of each constellation and instructions on how to use your fingers to 'walk' between constellations to find prominent stars. Laminated for durability, this clever guide is an excellent source of portable information and ideal for field use by novices and experts alike. Over 250,000 sold.Made in the USA.

    The book explains the wide variety of physical, chemical and geological processes that govern the motions and properties of planets. Observations of the planets, moons, asteroids, comets and planetary rings in our Solar System, as well as extrasolar planets, are described, and the process of planetary formation is discussed.

    Special chapters are devoted to magnetic and radiation processes, supernovae, disks, black-hole candidacy, bipolar flows, cosmic rays, gamma-ray bursts, image distortions, and special sources. At the same time, planet earth is viewed as the arena for life, with plants and animals having evolved to homo sapiens during cosmic time. -- This text is unique in covering the basic qualitative and quantitative tools, formulae as well as numbers, needed for the precise interpretation of frontline phenomena. The author compares mainstream interpretations with new and even controversial ones he wishes to emphasize.

    With Space Odyssey, National Geographic presents the most comprehensive and far-reaching book on the subject to date, encompassing the origins of the universe, the space program in the new century, and everything in between. Written with his trademark humor and expertise, astronomer and space program insider Stephen P. Maran presents the mind-boggling complexities of the cosmos and space science in a straightforward way.In rich, fascinating detail, Maran describes what's out there, where the universe came from and where it's going, and examines how we might actually get to places that so far have only been navigated in science fiction. In addition, Maran lays out the truths and myths about solar sails, beanstalks, inertial drives, antigravity catapults, and other alternative technologies. Throughout, Space Odyssey is elegantly designed and lavishly illustrated with the most up-to-date, full-color photographs of the cosmos, from sources including the Hubble and Chandra telescopes.

    Raymo's commentaries amplify the maps, offering intriguing details and tips on identifying stars, planets, and constellations.On another level, Chet Raymo challenges our imagination-to see what is unseeable in the universe, to perceive distance and size and shape that is inconceivable, to appreciate ever more fully our extraordinary place in the cosmos. His elegant essays on the heavens blend science and history, mythology and religion, making clear why he is one of the most insightful and passionate science writers of our time.

    It's just a matter of knowing where to look. Fifteen constellations are portrayed in this fun guide to astronomy, from easily recognizable Ursa Major, the big bear, to the distinct stars of Orion, the famous hunter. Each constellation features a pronunciation guide, a myth to explain the constellation, and sure-fire instructions on how to find each group of stars. This ultimate guide to stargazing is the perfect bedtime book -- just don't expect to get much sleep!

    is privileged to bring to press the stunning "Next Edition" of the world-famous Uranometria 2000.0. The most comprehensive stellar/deep sky atlas and data resource we have seen, the three volumes of Uranometria 2000.0 are so much more than a "Second Edition," they can only be considered the fulfillment of that process to which the first edition was but prologue. Years in development, this massive achievement affords astronomers, astrophotographersand CCD imagers the finest roadmap to the heavens yet produced at such a modest price . More than 280,000 stars and over 30,000 deep sky non-stellar objects are located with a degree of accuracy heretofore unavailable in one resource. Encyclopedic in nature, with beautifully redrawn maps, a host of efficient navigation tools, and more accurate catalog data for three times the number of deep sky objects shown in the preceding work, Uranometria 2000.0 is clearly an atlas and guide every telescope user, whatever their aperture, will want to own.

    is privileged to bring to press the stunning "Next Edition" of the world-famous Uranometria 2000.0. The most comprehensive stellar/deep sky atlas and data resource we have seen, the three volumes of Uranometria 2000.0 are so much more than a "Second Edition," they can only be considered the fulfillment of that process to which the first edition was but prologue. Years in development, this massive achievement affords astronomers, astrophotographersand CCD imagers the finest roadmap to the heavens yet produced at such a modest price . More than 280,000 stars and over 30,000 deep sky non-stellar objects are located with a degree of accuracy heretofore unavailable in one resource. Encyclopedic in nature, with beautifully redrawn maps, a host of efficient navigation tools, and more accurate catalog data for three times the number of deep sky objects shown in the preceding work, Uranometria 2000.0 is clearly an atlas and guide every telescope user, whatever their aperture, will want to own.

    From seeing myriad dots of different brightnesses, we haved moved on to measure their distances, temperatures, sizes, chemical compositions, and even ages, finding both young and ancient stars that dwarf our Sun and are dwarfed by it. Unique in its approach, Extreme Stars describes the lives of stars from a new perspective by examining their amazing features. The result is a refreshing, up-to-date, and engaging overview of stellar evolution, suitable for everyone interested in viewing or studying the stars. Ten chapters, generously illustrated throughout, explain the natures of the brightest, the largest, the hottest, and the youngest, among other kinds of stars, ending with a selection of the strangest stars the Universe has to offer. Extreme Stars shows how stars develop and die and how each extreme turns into another under the inexorable twin forces of time and gravity. James B. Kaler is Professor of Astronomy at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. He has held Fulbright and Guggenheim Fellowships, has been awarded medals for his work from the University of Liege in Belgium and the University of Mexico, and most recently was selected to give the Armand Spitz lecture by the Great Lakes Planetarium Association. His research area, in which he has published over 100 papers, involves dying stars. Kaler has also written for a variety of popular magazines, including Astronomy, Sky & Telescope, and Scientific American. His previous books include The Ever-Changing Sky (Cambridge, 1996), Stars and their Spectra (Cambridge, 1997), Cosmic Clouds (Scientific American Library Paperback, 1998), and The Little Book of Stars (Copernicus, 2000). He is a current member of the Board of Directors of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific and is a frequent guest on radio and television shows.

    Your head tilts back, your eyes rise up, and you find yourself gazing at the stars . . . WOW! From the beginning of time, people have admired the night sky's beauty.The night sky is our oldest picture book, and Wishing on a Star retells some of these stories from around the world in simple language that kids can understand.

    Each is anonymous in the vast sweep of the heavens. It's impossible to distinguish one bright star from another, one constellation from the next, without help.Here it is. The product of 20 years face-to-face with the sky in all latitudes of this blue planet, The Great Atlas of the Stars was created to give the lay-person and amateur astronomer a map of the principal constellations and grand stars seen in the whole Northern Hemisphere. It covers the 30 most important constellations of the 88 visible from Earth.These 30 constellations are the most rich and beautiful. Here you will find the most brilliant (and pretty) stars and remarkable nebulas and galaxies, that are the most interesting to observe. Each receives a full-page "identity card" which features the known characteristics: distance, luminosity, dimensions. For each of the constellations, 3 to 6 principal stars are shown in detail and located in a map of their sector of the sky.Opposite the "identity card" page is a magnificent full color photograph of the constellation and its background of starry sky. Between the two is an overlay of clear mylar. Printed on the mylar overlay are the names of the elements of the constellation, and the connections between them.Lastly, numerous photographs of staggeringly beautiful nebulae and starscapes, retrieved with the latest telescopes and space technology, put the individual constellations in the larger perspective of the night sky.As authoritative as it is beautiful, The Great Atlas of the Stars will be consulted again and again by students, amateur astronomers, teachers and anyone who wants to know more about the stars.

    The discovery of the nucleus transformed the past century and will revolutionize this one. Though many persons associate nuclear physics with weapons of mass destruction, it is an exciting, cutting-edge science that has helped to save lives through innovative medical technologies, such as the MRI. In nuclear astrophysics, state-of-the-art theoretical and computer models help to explain the powerful stellar explosions known as supernovas, to account for how stars shine, and to describe how the chemical elements in the universe were formed.Nucleus: A Trip into the Heart of Matter by Ray Mackintosh, Jim Al-Khalili, Bjorn Jonsen, and Theresa Penae is a lavishly illustrated book filled with lively prose and captivating details that describe the evolution of our understanding of this phenomenon. The authors, who include expert nuclear physicists and acclaimed science journalists, tell the story of the nucleus from the early experimental work of the quiet New Zealander Lord Rutherford to the huge atom-smashing machines of today and beyond. Nucleus tells of the protons and neutrons of which the nucleus is made, why some nuclei crumble and are radioactive, and how scientists came up with the "standard model," which shows the nucleus composed of quarks held together by gluons. Nucleus is also the tale of the people behind the struggle to understand this fascinating subject more fully, and of how a vibrant research community uses the power of the nucleus to probe unanswered scientific questions while others seek to harness the nucleus as a tool of twenty-first-century medicine.Intended for a general audience, this bookunravels the scientific mysteries that surround the subject of the nucleus. Anyone with a passing interest in science will delight in this guide to the nuclear age.

    Its most enigmatic element was the competition. The Soviets seemed less technologically sophisticated (at least from the American perspective) but in fact won many of the races: first satellite to orbit the earth; first man in space; first unmanned landings on Mars, Venus, and the Moon; first woman in space; most powerful rockets; and, until its recent fiery death, the most long-lived space station to name but a few. The inherent contradictions of the age--the mixture of technologies high and low, of nostalgia and progress, of pathos and promise--are revealed in Kosmos, Adam Bartos's astonishing photographic survey of the Soviet space program. Bartos' fascination with this subject led him to seek out places like the bedroom where Yuri Gagarian slept the night before his history-making flight into space, located in the Baiknour Cosmodrome, the one-time top-secret space complex in the Kazakh desert. Bartos also takes us inside the cockpit of the Merkur space capsule, used to ferry crew members and supplies to the super-secret Almaz orbital space stations, and behind the changing screens cosmonauts used before being fitted for their space suits at Zvezda, the chief manufacturer of Soviet life-support systems. In total, Kosmos presents over 100 of Bartos's photographs, rich with the incongruities of the history, science, culture, and politics of the Space Age. Professor Svetlana Boym's insightful introduction to the technological and cultural aspects of Soviet space exploration provides a fitting context for the photographs. For anyone interested in the space age, Kosmos is an essential and fascinating portrait.

    Examples include the appearance of anti-light pollution legislation in various countries, new departures in lighting design, human health implications, and the growing realization among the general public that lighting is not always a good thing.In this title, author Bob Mizon discusses the various ways in which wasted artificial light has damaged the quality of modern life, and suggest solutions. This book is for anyone who has experienced glare, discomfort, or nuisance from poorly directed lights; has wondered why we waste so much money lighting the sky; or anyone who simply wants to see the stars instead of a baleful urban glow."Light Pollution, 2nd Edition" offers practical and inexpensive solutions to the world-wide problem of wasted artificial light, and emphasizes that light pollution is not just an astronomers' problem, but affects everyone in various ways.

    There have now been space probes to all the major planets of the Earth's Solar System -- the only worlds that are likely to be physically explored in our lifetime. Beyond the Solar System, across the final frontier of space, however, astronomers are now able to explore the Universe by proxy, using evidence from light, radio waves, x-ray, and other information gathered by telescopes on the Earth's surface and by orbiting satellites. Astronomers can now work out the life cycles of stars, the evolution of galaxies, the location of other solar systems, and the fate of the Universe itself. Hyperspace: Our Final Frontier provides a compelling insight into the way that astronomers work, explaining how they make the discoveries that make headlines, as well as the stories behind those headlines. From the first steps which measured the distances to the nearest stars, to the latest discovery that the Universe is expanding at an ever faster rate, John Gribbin puts deep space into perspective with the aid of specially commissioned illustrations and revealing photographs from the latest generation of astronomical telescopes.

    Turning philosophical and metaphysical problems into problems that physics can treat, and hopefully solve, has been an achievement of the twentieth century. Modern Cosmology brings together contributions from a number of outstanding scientists currently working in various research fields in cosmology. Topics covered range over several different aspects of modern cosmology, from observational matters to advanced theoretical speculations.

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    They knew that a large X-ray observatory must be created if they were ever to understand such astonishing phenomena as neutron stars, supernovas, black holes, and dark matter. What they could not know was how monumental in time, money, and effort this undertaking would be. Revealing the Universe tells the story of the Chandra X-ray Observatory.From the first proposal for a large X-ray telescope in 1970 to the deployment of Chandra by the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1999, this book chronicles the technical feats, political struggles, and personal dramas that transformed an inspired vision into the world's supreme X-ray observatory. With an insider's knowledge and a storyteller's instincts, Wallace and Karen Tucker describe the immense challenges that this project posed for such high-tech industry giants as TRW, Eastman Kodak, and Hughes Danbury Optical Systems (now Raytheon Optical Systems). Their portrayal of the role of NASA is itself an extraordinary case study of multibillion-dollar government decisionmaking, and a cautionary tale for future large space astronomy missions.Revealing the Universe is primarily the story of the men and women whose discoveries, skills, failures, and successes made the Chandra X-ray Observatory possible.