Best of
Astronomy

2006

Cosmos


Giles Sparrow - 2006
    "Cosmos" explores the celestial panorama one step at a time and by illustrating the planets, moons, stars, nebulae, white dwarfs, black holes and other exotica that populate the heavens with over 450 of the most spectacular and up-to-date photographs and illustrations.

Sky & Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas


Roger W. Sinnott - 2006
    Included are extra close-up charts of the Orion Nebula, Pleiades, Virgo Galaxy Cluster, and Large Magellanic Cloud.

The Illustrated Atlas Of The Universe


Mark A. Garlick - 2006
    Used Book in good condition. No missing/ torn pages. No stains. Note: The above used product classification has been solely undertaken by the seller. Amazon shall neither be liable nor responsible for any used product classification undertaken by the seller. A-to-Z Guarantee not applicable on used products.

Universe: A Journey from Earth to the Edge of the Cosmos


Nicolas Cheetham - 2006
    He leads us into a celestial panorama that extends for 130 billion trillion kilometres in every direction and allows us to explore nearly 200 of the astronomical views.

Death by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries


Neil deGrasse Tyson - 2006
    "One of today's best popularizers of science." —Kirkus Reviews.Loyal readers of the monthly "Universe" essays in Natural History magazine have long recognized Neil deGrasse Tyson's talent for guiding them through the mysteries of the cosmos with stunning clarity and almost childlike enthusiasm. Here, Tyson compiles his favorite essays across a myriad of cosmic topics. The title essay introduces readers to the physics of black holes by explaining the gory details of what would happen to your body if you fell into one. "Holy Wars" examines the needless friction between science and religion in the context of historical conflicts. "The Search for Life in the Universe" explores astral life from the frontiers of astrobiology. And "Hollywood Nights" assails the movie industry's feeble efforts to get its night skies right. Known for his ability to blend content, accessibility, and humor, Tyson is a natural teacher who simplifies some of the most complex concepts in astrophysics while simultaneously sharing his infectious excitement about our universe.

Taking Back Astronomy: The Heavens Declare Creation and Science Confirms It


Jason Lisle - 2006
    Jason Lisle is your guide to the universe beyond our world in this remarkable book. Step out among the stars and experience the truly awesome power of God through this glimpse of His vast creation.

The Electric Sky


Donald E. Scott - 2006
    The time to search for some realistic, intelligent, scientific answers has arrived. And those sensible answers are out there for those who are ready to listen - explanations of those answers are in this book. Astronomers have been ignoring electrical activity in space for years. Their inability to generate sensible explanations for many observations made by state-of-the-art astronomical instruments demonstrates they need to study the properties of electrical plasma in the cosmos. If, as we will claim, the causes of most of the observed phenomena of modern astronomy are electrical in nature, do you need a degree in electrical engineering before you can understand them? Indeed not. The average informed person can understand and make rational judgments about these ideas. All it requires is the time and patience to read and to think logically and critically about the issues. Some basic facts and a few new concepts will suffice. The main goal of this book is to convince you, the reader, that you really do have both the capability and responsibility to make informed, critical judgments about the pronouncements of establishment science. A careful reading of these pages will enable you to make an informed assessment of this new, simpler, plasma-based alternative cosmology.

The Planets: A Journey Through the Solar System


Giles Sparrow - 2006
    But only in the last 40 years have those wandering points of light in the night sky been revealed in all their glory, unmasked by a fleet of satellites and interplanetary probes. And the closer we look, the more wonderful they are. "The Planets" follows the tracks of robotic rovers over Mars, plunges through Titan's atmosphere on the back of the Hugyens probe, smashes into a comet with Deep Impact, and discovers the frozen planets that lurk at the edge of our solar system, beyond the orbit of Neptune

Bang!: The Complete History of the Universe


Brian May - 2006
    He's certainly been thinking about it lately. May, a freshly minted astrophysics Ph.D., joins forces with legendary astronomer Patrick Moore and astrophysicist Chris Lintott in Bang! to consider the history of the universe from the Big Bang to Heat Death.Space, time, and matter were birthed 13.7 billion years ago and will continue on longer than we are able to comprehend. Infinitesimally small at first, the Universe is immense and ever expanding. Bang! explains how it all started, takes you on a tour of what is known about the evolution of the Universe, and posits how the end of time will come about.This fascinating book includes photographs, short biographies of key figures, an at-a-glance timeline, a glossary of terms, and suggested resources for further exploration.Based on the work of history’s most brilliant scientific minds, this amazing story features clear, straightforward discussions of the most perplexing and compelling aspects of existence—from the formation of stars, planets, and other galactic bodies to black holes, quasars, anti-matter, and dark matter to the emergence of life and the possibility that it could exist elsewhere.Pick up a copy of Bang! It will, it will rock you.

Hubble: 15 Years of Discovery


Lars Lindberg Christensen - 2006
    It consistently delivers super-sharp images and clean, uncontaminated spectra over the entire near-infrared and ultraviolet regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. This has opened up new scientific territory and resulted in many paradigm-breaking discoveries.To mark the 15th anniversary on 24 April 2005, the European Space Agency presented a series of unique activities in collaboration with partners all over Europe. This included an exclusive, full-length DVD film (one of the most widely distributed documentary films ever); please see the link to info about the film below:ttp: //www.spacetelescope.org/projects/anniv...

Kennedy Space Center: Gateway to Space


David West-Reynolds - 2006
    Kennedy Space Center set the stage for the American adventure in space. Sprawled across 140,000 acres on Florida's Atlantic coast, the center has hosted the succession of rocket launches that have rewritten our knowledge of aeronautics and our very understanding of the nature of the universe.Chosen because of its perfect location, with the wide Atlantic providing a buffer, Kennedy Space Center is now a major tourist attraction appealing to visitors of all ages.This spaceport has served as the departure gate for every American space flight mission and the launching point of hundreds of other advanced scientific spacecraft. Kennedy Space Center will continue to make history as NASA embarks on new adventures in space exploration.The book includes detailed information on:The earliest development of rockets in the United States and Germany The development of rockets and their launch facilities The missile race and U.S.-Soviet rivalry to be first in space The great Apollo program and the race to the moon The shuttle program, the Space Station and the Hubble Telescope The future of space exploration. Clearly written, meticulously researched and packed with more than 150 spectacular images, Kennedy Space Center is the only complete history of this important site.

Astronomy: The Definitive Guide to the Universe


Duncan John - 2006
    It inlcudes the most recent images from the Hubble telescope and Cassini probe, and thus provides and authoritative but accessible overview of the latest exciting developments in space research.

Galaxy Formation and Evolution


Houjun Mo - 2006
    Covering diverse topics from these disciplines, all of which are needed to understand how galaxies form and evolve, this book is ideal for researchers entering the field. Individual chapters explore the evolution of the Universe as a whole and its particle and radiation content; linear and nonlinear growth of cosmic structure; processes affecting the gaseous and dark matter components of galaxies and their stellar populations; the formation of spiral and elliptical galaxies; central supermassive black holes and the activity associated with them; galaxy interactions; and the intergalactic medium. Emphasizing both observational and theoretical aspects, this book provides a coherent introduction for astronomers, cosmologists, and astroparticle physicists to the broad range of science underlying the formation and evolution of galaxies.

Deep-Sky Companions: Hidden Treasures


Stephen James O'Meara - 2006
    His 'hidden treasures' include a wonderful assortment of galaxies, open clusters, planetary nebulae and more, all of which have been carefully chosen based on their popularity and ease of observing. None of these objects are included in either the Messier or the Caldwell catalogs, and all are visible in a 4-inch telescope under dark skies. Stunning photographs and beautiful drawings accompany detailed visual descriptions of the objects, which include their rich histories and astrophysical significance. The author's original finder charts are designed to help observers get to their targets fast and efficiently.

The Universe


Leo Marriott - 2006
    The awe inspiring images from the Hubble Telescope turn this into a "must have" for even those with the most casual interest in astronomy.

God Star


Dwardu Cardona - 2006
     God Star sets out to show that the sky that ancient man remembers was entirely different from the one that now stretches above us. This is demonstrated through ancient texts from all over the world which deal with the astronomical lore of our forebears. As if with a single voice, these texts proclaim that the present planet we know as Saturn once shone as a sun in Earth's primordial sky. This claim receives credence through the fact that astronomers now view the planet Saturn as the remnant of what had once been a brown dwarf star. It also goes a long way in explaining why Saturn was considered the "ruler of the planets in mythology,"* and why the god of that planet is found at the head of every ancient pantheon on earth. Astronomically, it is then deduced that Earth used to be the satellite of this proto-Saturnian sun, which mini-system then invaded the present Solar System, and that this transpired during the age of man. As bizarre as this scenario appears, it is lent credibility by the hard sciences through the unmistakable signs encountered here on Earth and also by what is constantly being discovered out in space. In fact, the likelihood that such an interloping planetary system might have been captured by the Sun is even now acknowledged by a new class of trailblazing astronomers. Thus, apart from the mytho-historical record, the theory presented within the pages of this book includes evidence from geology, palaeontology, astrophysics, and plasma cosmology. It also serves to elucidatevarious dilemmas that presently encumber these and other disciplines. What might be seen by some as of greater importance, the reconstruction of the primeval events that took place beneath the proto-Saturnian sun, goes a long way in disclosing the origins of religion, including the very concept of deity. While, for the sake of scholarship, the book includes the odd technical tract, it is nevertheless written in a manner that will be readily understood by the intelligent layperson. In fact, it almost reads like a detective novel. * Astronomy (January 2006 Special Issue), p. 60

Postcards from Mars: The First Photographer on the Red Planet


Jim Bell - 2006
    These photographs take readers from the launch of the robots to the alien landscape they discovered and the mysteries of the Red Planet they have helped to solve.

Galileo's Journal, 1609 - 1610


Jeanne Pettenati - 2006
    Turning his new "spyglass" to the night sky, he sees things that no one has ever seen before. He discovers that the Milky Way is made of stars, and that the moon has mountains. He also notices a strange formation of "stars" that will eventually turn people's understanding of the world upside down. Fictional journal accounts capture the famous Italian scientist's curiosity and wonder as he makes some of the most amazing discoveries in history.

The Cosmic Century: A History of Astrophysics and Cosmology


Malcolm S. Longair - 2006
    In this book Malcolm Longair reviews the historical development of the key areas of modern astrophysics, linking the strands together to show how they have led to the extraordinarily rich panorama of modern astrophysics and cosmology. While many of the great discoveries were derived from pioneering observations, the emphasis is upon the development of theoretical concepts and how they came to be accepted. These advances have led astrophysicists and cosmologists to ask some of the deepest questions about the nature of our Universe and have pushed astronomical observations to the very limit. This is a fantastic story, and one which would have defied the imaginations of even the greatest story-tellers.

The Night Sky: Discovering the Universe from Alpha Centauri to Quasars


Giles Sparrow - 2006
    In Night Sky, readers are treated to an amazing adventure unlocking the secrets of the universe. This wonderful book features the following.• You can track a meteor shower or observe a lunar eclipse. Join a team of astronomers and scientists for an educational and entertaining trip into the cosmos where you'll explore the solar system up close.• Everything you need to know to be able to explore the solar system is provided, including using a telescope, the various types of telescopes available and how to use them.• Students of the sky can learn how to use star atlases, planispheres and astrolabes to uncover the mysteries of the dark.• Unique spreads contain detailed descriptions, important data tables, intriguing graphics and stunning illustrations of key constellations, planets and telescopes.

The Cycle of Cosmic Catastrophes: How a Stone-Age Comet Changed the Course of World Culture


Richard Firestone - 2006
    Eyewitness accounts of these events are chronicled in rich oral traditions handed down through generations of native peoples. The authors’ recent scientific discoveries link all these events to a single cause.In The Cycle of Cosmic Catastrophes Richard Firestone, Allen West, and Simon Warwick-Smith present new scientific evidence about a series of prehistoric cosmic events that explains why the last Ice Age ended so abruptly. Their findings validate the ubiquitous legends and myths of floods, fires, and weather extremes passed down by our ancestors and show how these legendary events relate to each other. Their findings also support the idea that we are entering a thousand-year cycle of increasing danger and possibly a new cycle of extinctions.

Total Solar Eclipses and How to Observe Them


Martin Mobberley - 2006
    However, as we all age and have to be realistic, earn money, become serious and responsible adults (yawn!) and accept that life is short and no one is immortal, those magical events fade and die. We accept that the worlds of make-believe are simply a product of the vivid imagi- tions of great story tellers, and that we are all very similar human beings; just sl- ging away at the tedious day job, and hoping for a win on the lottery. However, there are still a few events which are truly magical and, for me, total solar eclipses (TSEs) are about as magical an event as you can ever experience. Our Earth and Sun are, by a ludicrously lucky coincidence (or, some would argue, by a cosmic architect) almost the same apparent size in the sky. Thus, seventy times a century, the Moon's shadow passes over a narrow band on the Earth's surface and, for those on the track, with clear skies, a truly awe-inspiring sight can be seen. But be warned, eclipse chasing is an addictive drug. Once you have seen tot- ity, you will crave more of the same. The sight of an eclipsed Sun is the stuff of science ?ction, but, for the cost of a plane ?ight or an organized holiday, it can be yours, albeit for a few ?eeting minutes.

The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Stars


James B. Kaler - 2006
    The book begins by telling the story of astronomy, from ancient constellations and star names to the modern coordinate system. Further chapters explain magnitudes, distances, star motions and the Galaxy at large. Double stars, clusters and variables are introduced and once the different kinds of stars are in place, later chapters examine stellar evolution, beginning with the interstellar medium and star formation, proceeding to our Sun and its characteristics and then the ageing process of solar-type and high mass stars. The book ends by showing how this information can be combined into a grand synthesis. Detailed cross-referencing enables the reader to explore topics in depth and makes this an invaluable work both for beginners and those with a more advanced interest in stars and stellar evolution.

Collins Star Finder Pack: All You Need To Get The Most Out Of Observing The Night Sky


Storm Dunlop - 2006
    The star finder is accompanies by a 32-page booklet explaining the best way to observe the night sky and also shows the positions of the planets for the next five years. The large star finder is simple to use: just dial in the date and time by rotating the inner plastic disk until it lines up with the relevant day of the year calibrated on the outer ring. The portion of sky shown on the planisphere will show the arrangement of the stars above you. The color wall chart contains a map of the night sky, plus details of all the other features you can find-galaxies, comets, asteroids, and planets. It also contains a seasonal guide on how to find your way around the night sky, allowing even beginners to quickly understand where to look for Polaris or the Pleisades.

Calibrating the Cosmos: How Cosmology Explains Our Big Bang Universe


Frank Levin - 2006
    Theoretical concepts are emphasized, but no other book for the layman explains how model universes are generated, and how they function as the templates against which ours is compared and analyzed. Background material is provided in the first four chapters; the current picture and how it was attained are discussed in the next four chapters; and some unsolved problems and conjectured solutions are explored in the final chapter.

Numerical Methods in Astrophysics: An Introduction [With CDROM]


Peter H. Bodenheimer - 2006
    This resource indicates which methods are most suitable for particular problems, demonstrates what the accuracy requirements are in numerical simulations, and suggests ways to test for and reduce the inevitable negative effects. After an introduction to the basic equations and derivations, the book focuses on practical applications of the numerical methods. It explores hydrodynamic problems in one dimension, "N"-body particle dynamics, smoothed particle hydrodynamics, and stellar structure and evolution. The authors also examine advanced techniques in grid-based hydrodynamics, evaluate the methods for calculating the gravitational forces in an astrophysical system, and discuss specific problems in grid-based methods for radiation transfer. The book incorporates brief user instructions and a CD-ROM of the numerical codes, allowing readers to experiment with the codes to suit their own needs.With numerous examples and sample problems that cover a wide range of current research topics, this highly practical guide illustrates how to solve key astrophysics problems, providing a clear introduction for graduate and undergraduate students as well as researchers and professionals.

Encyclopedia of the Solar System


Lucy-Ann McFadden - 2006
    That interest continues today, and scientists are making new discoveries at an astounding rate. Ancient lake beds on Mars, robotic spacecraft missions, and new definitions of planets now dominate the news. How can you take it all in? Start with the new Encyclopedia of the Solar System, Second Edition.This self-contained reference follows the trail blazed by the bestselling first edition. It provides a framework for understanding the origin and evolution of the solar system, historical discoveries, and details about planetary bodies and how they interact—and has jumped light years ahead in terms of new information and visual impact. Offering more than 50% new material, the Encyclopedia includes the latest explorations and observations, hundreds of new color digital images and illustrations, and more than 1,000 pages. It stands alone as the definitive work in this field, and will serve as a modern messenger of scientific discovery and provide a look into the future of our solar system.· Forty-seven chapters from 75+ eminent authors review fundamental topics as well as new models, theories, and discussions· Each entry is detailed and scientifically rigorous, yet accessible to undergraduate students and amateur astronomers· More than 700 full-color digital images and diagrams from current space missions and observatories amplify the chapters· Thematic chapters provide up-to-date coverage, including a discussion on the new International Astronomical Union (IAU) vote on the definition of a planet· Information is easily accessible with numerous cross-references and a full glossary and index

Astronomy: 365 Days


Jerry T. Bonnell - 2006
    This is a collection of photographs of space and sky, drawn from Jerry Bonnell and Robert Nemiroff's enormously popular website, Astronomy Picture of the Day.

Patterns in the Sky: An Introduction to Stargazing


Ken Hewitt-white - 2006
    After depicting how the ?celestial sphere? is organized, Patterns in the Sky takes you on a sightseeing tour of the constellations. The book includes: ? An overview of the universe and the Milky Way Galaxy ? The layout and basic motions of the night sky ? Descriptions of nearly 50 constellations, large and small ? Clear, easy-to-read star charts ? Celestial ?signposts? to help you find lesser sky groups ? Colorful mythology and star lore ? Identification of bright stars and other stars of special interest ? The finest southern-hemisphere star patterns visible from the southern US ? One dozen ?showpiece? deep-space objects visible to the naked eye ? Observing hints and helpful advice Patterns in the Sky emphasizes what anyone can see from a typical suburban backyard and concentrates on just-for-fun, naked-eye stargazing ? no optical aid required!

Space Weather: Physics and Effects


Volker Bothmer - 2006
    It opens with a general introduction on the subject, followed by a historical review on the major developments in the field of solar terrestrial relationships leading to its development into the up-to-date field of space weather. Specific emphasis is placed on the technological effects that have impacted society in the past century at times of major solar activity. Chapter 2 summarizes key milestones, starting from the base of solar observations with classic telescopes up to recent space observations and new mission developments with EUV and X-ray telescopes (e.g., STEREO), yielding an unprecedented view of the sun-earth system. Chapter 3 provides a scientific summary of the present understanding of the physics of the sun-earth system based on the latest results from spacecraft designed to observe the Sun, the interplanetary medium and geospace. Chapter 4 describes how the plasma and magnetic field structure of the earth's magnetosphere is impacted by the variation of the solar and interplanetary conditions, providing the necessary science and technology background for missions in low and near earth's orbit. Chapter 5 elaborates the physics of the layer of the earth's upper atmosphere that is the cause of disruptions in radio-wave communications and GPS (Global Positioning System) errors, which is of crucial importance for projects like Galileo. In Chapters 6-10, the impacts of technology used up to now in space, on earth and on life are reviewed.

Night Sky Tracker: Backyard Astronomer's Logbook


Leslie A. Horvitz - 2006
    It also offers novice astronomers a primer that explains sky-watching basics. A clear night sky has limitless objects to study, and the view changes constantly with passing hours and changing seasons. Whether backyard astronomers study the heavens with binoculars, a telescope, or the naked eye, they’re likely to see objects they’ll want to note down and remember. The Night Sky Tracker’s extensive logbook is set up to help users list date, time, their viewing location, light conditions, and weather conditions over a period of 100 evenings. It also provides spaces to list observed constellations, phases of the Moon, visible planets, meteors, and special sightings, such as comets or earth-launched satellites. This handy astronomers’ helper is specially designed for outdoor use at night, featuring a rubberized PCV cover with wraparound flap and snap for protection against nighttime dew, and a hidden spiral binding. The cover has glow-in-the dark markings, so it won’t get lost in the night shadows. Here’s a great gift item for giving to amateur astronomers—if they haven’t already picked up a copy for themselves. Printed in two colors, with maps and illustrations.

In the Grip of the Distant Universe: The Science of Inertia


Peter Graneau - 2006
    Nobody denies the existence of the forces of inertia, but they are branded as “fictitious” because they do not fit smoothly into modern physics. Named by Kepler and given mathematical form by Newton, the force of inertia remains aloof because it has no obvious local cause. At the end of the 19th century, Ernst Mach bravely claimed that the inertia of an object was the result of its instantaneous interaction with all matter in the universe.Many other well-known physicists, including Aristotle, Galileo, Descartes and Einstein, are shown to have tackled this difficult subject. The book also concentrates on inertia research in the 20th century, taking place under the shadow of general relativity, which is seen as uncomfortable with Mach's principle. A Newtonian paradigm, based on action-at-a-distance forces, is discussed throughout the book, allowing the revival of Mach's principle as the only coherent explanation of the inertia forces which play such an important role in the laboratory and in the cosmos.

Encyclopedia of Space and Astronomy


Joseph A. Angelo Jr. - 2006
    Offering a complete presentation of the main concepts, terms, facilities, and people in astronomy, the encyclopedia pays special attention to space-based astronomy and space exploration. Broad coverage includes terms such as astrophysics, planetary science, and cosmology, as well as both American and international astronomy and space technology. Containing 600-700 entries, 10-15 essays, 75-100 line illustrations, and 75-100 black-and-white photographs, this authoritative reference provides students and teachers with a visually stimulating learning experience.Encyclopedia of Space and Astronomy focuses mainly on modern astronomy and space achievements but also includes the most important accomplishments of classical astronomy.

Distant Worlds: Milestones in Planetary Exploration


Peter Bond - 2006
    For the first time, human eyes revolving around it. The planets themselves were merely have been able to see towering cliffs, dust devils, erupting points of light that drifted across the stellar constellations.

Space-Time, Relativity, and Cosmology


Jose Wudka - 2006
    The topics are presented in a non-mathematical manner, with the emphasis on the ideas that underlie each theory rather than their detailed quantitative consequences. A significant part of the book focuses on the Special and General theories of relativity. The tests and experimental evidence supporting the theories are explained together with their predictions and their confirmation. Other topics include a discussion of modern relativistic cosmology, the consequences of Hubble's observations leading to the Big Bang hypothesis, and an overview of the most exciting research topics in relativistic cosmology. This textbook is intended for introductory undergraduate courses on the foundations of modern physics. It is also accessible to advanced high school students, as well as non-science majors who are concerned with science issues.

Human Vision and the Night Sky: How to Improve Your Observing Skills


Michael P. Borgia - 2006
    They are the magni?cent full-color photographs returned by the Hubble Space Telescope and 1 its sister Great Observatories of the grand depths of the cosmos.From the "pillars of creation,"considered to be Hubble's signature image, to the incomprehensible depths of the Hubble Deep Fields to the intricate details imaged in the surface and cloud tops of Mars or Jupiter, the power of the Hubble Telescope to turn on the public to science is unparalled in the history of modern culture. They also have spurred new telescope sales to unimagined highs.And after years of watching the heavens through the eyes of NASA, you've decided it's time to see it for yourself. You make the trip to the department store and pick up that shiny new "500�"te- scope, set it up and soon you're in business. Unfortunately, the high initial expectations usually give way to disappointment. Instead of seeing the magni?cent swirling clouds of gas in the Orion Nebula, you see a pale green-gray cloud with a couple of nondescript stars lurking nearby.The swirling red, yellow and brown storms of Jupiter are nowhere to be seen; only varying shades of gray in the planet's cloud bands, assuming you can see bands at all! And Mars? After waiting all night for the red planet to rise up over the morning horizon, you are greeted by nothing more than a featureless reddish-orange dot.

Pattern Asterisms: A New Way to Chart the Stars


John Chiravalle - 2006
    The fact that the constellations are still used to day reflects not their historical origins, but their usefulness in identifying bright stars in the rotating dome of the sky. Most people (and all astronomers) are familiar with, for example, the constellation of Orion and can thus easily point to Betelguese and Bellatrix as being Orion s "shoulders." It is the pattern made by the constellation that makes them easy to identify.What applies to big groups of stars can also be applied to smaller ones, and this book provides a set of memorable mini-constellations to help in identifying and remembering stars in the binocular or low magnification telescopic field.Suitable for observers using binoculars and medium size telescopes, this catalog includes star pictures, dot-to-dot outlines of the objects ( on a negative photograph for clarity ), and an artistic image next to the star patterns. Size, stellar magnitudes, and coordinates are provided, along with north direction, star-hopping instructions & Sky Atlas 2000 references.There are sixty-seven "pattern asterisms" in this catalog. Most are easy to see in sixty millimetre binoculars, and few are what observers describe as "challenging."The imaginative observer will surely begin to develop a new insight into star patterns, and will start seeing patterns of his own, under this catalog's influence!"

Space Shuttle Challenger: Ten Journeys Into the Unknown


Ben Evans - 2006
    I was nine years old. My parents were, at the time, midway through moving house and, luckily, the TV was one of the few domestic items still to be packed. I watched the entire horror unfold live on all of the network stations. Admittedly, my fascination with rockets and astronauts, stars and planets had begun several years earlier, but Challenger's destruction turned it from an occasional hobby to a fascination which has remained with me ever since. In September 1988, aged 11,1 came home from school to watch STS-26 return the Shuttle fleet to orbital operations. Five years later, I gave a speech on the STS-51L disaster to my teacher as part of my GCSE English assessment. Another decade passed and, now a teacher myself, I returned to my school one cold Monday morning to explain to my pupils what had happened to Challenger's sister ship, Columbia, a few days earlier. In some ways, the loss of Columbia affected me more deeply than Challenger.

300 Astronomical Objects: A Visual Reference to the Universe


Jamie Wilkins - 2006
    An annotated cross-section of the object enhances this information, and a full-page photograph brings the object to life.Additional spreads bring together and explain related objects or phenomena. For example, the corresponding pages for the sun include solar power, sunspots and solar flares. Others examples include:Mercury: Mercury's surface The asteroid belt: Eros 433 Jupiter's moons: 10, Europa, Callista Uranus: Uranus' rings, Ariel and Titania Outer belts and comets: Halley's comet; Deep Impact Space telescopes: International Space Station. 300 Astronomical Objects is a handy reference for the amateur astronomer.

Black Holes: And Other Bizarre Space Objects


David Jefferis - 2006
    

Measuring Heaven: Pythagoras and His Influence on Thought and Art in Antiquity and the Middle Ages


Christiane L. Joost-Gaugier - 2006
    570 BCE) gave rise to a growing set of legends about this famous sage and his followers, whose reputations throughout Antiquity and the Middle Ages have never before been studied systematically. This book is the first to examine the unified concepts of harmony, proportion, form, and order that were attributed to Pythagoras in the millennium after his death and the important developments to which they led in art, architecture, mathematics, astronomy, music, medicine, morals, religion, law, alchemy, and the occult sciences. In this profusely illustrated book, Christiane L. Joost-Gaugier sets out the panorama of Pythagoras's influence and that of Christian and Jewish thinkers who followed his ideas in the Greek, Roman, early Christian, and medieval worlds. In illuminating this tradition of thought, Joost-Gaugier shows how the influence of Pythagoreanism was far broader than is usually realized, and that it affected the development of ancient and medieval art and architecture from Greek and Roman temples to Gothic cathedrals.Joost-Gaugier demonstrates that Pythagoreanism--centered on the dim memory of a single person that endured for centuries and grew ever-greater--inspired a new language for artists and architects, enabling them to be modern.