Best of
Space

2002

Miles Errant


Lois McMaster Bujold - 2002
    Contains: The Borders of InfinityBrothers in Arms Mirror DanceMiles Naismith--in the person of his two alter-egos Admiral Naismith and Lieutenant Lord Vorkosigan--embarks on a perilous series of adventures, from the liberation of Barrayaran allies from a Cetagandan POW camp to the rescue of clone children scheduled to be murdered for their bodies.

If the Universe Is Teeming with Aliens ... Where Is Everybody?: Fifty Solutions to the Fermi Paradox and the Problem of Extraterrestrial Life


Stephen Webb - 2002
    He provides readers with non-trivial insights into research fields they may not have encountered previously . . . I think everyone who has ever considered the possibility that other intelligent civilizations exist elsewhere within our galaxy will enjoy Where Is Everybody? They will find much to agree with, and much to argue about, in this very accessible volume.� �SCIENCE During a Los Alamos lunchtime conversation that took place more than 50 years ago, four world-class scientists agreed, given the size and age of the Universe, that advanced extraterrestrial civilizations simply had to exist. The sheer numbers demanded it. But one of the four, the renowned physicist and back-of-the-envelope calculator Enrico Fermi, asked the telling question: If the extraterrestrial life proposition is true, he wondered, "Where IS everybody?" In this lively and thought-provoking book, Stephen Webb presents a detailed discussion of the 50 most cogent and intriguing answers to Fermi's famous question, divided into three distinct groups: - Aliens are already here among us. Here are answers ranging from Leo Szilard's suggestion that they are already here, and we know them as Hungarians, to the theorists who claim that aliens built Stonehenge and the Easter Island statues. - Aliens exist, but have not yet communicated. The theories in this camp range widely, from those who believe we simply don't have the technologies to receive their signals, to those who believe the enormities of space and time work against communication, to those who believe they're hiding from us. - Aliens do not exist. Here are the doubters' arguments, from the Rare Earth theory to the author's own closely argued and cogently stated skepticism. The proposed solutions run the gamut from the crackpot to the highly serious, but all deserve our consideration. The varieties of arguments -- from first-rate scientists, philosophers and historians, and science fiction authors -- turn out to be astonishing, entertaining, and vigorous intellectual exercises for any reader interested in science and the sheer pleasure of speculative thinking. Stephen Webb is a physicist working at the Open University in England and the author of Measuring the Universe.

A Smile as Big as the Moon: A Special Education Teacher, His Class, and Their Inspiring Journey Through U.S. Space Camp


Mike Kersjes - 2002
    There was only one problem: this program had been specifically designed for gifted and talented students, the best and the brightest from America's most privileged high schools.Kersjes believed that, given a chance, his kids could do as well as anybody, and with remarkable persistence broke down one barrier after another, from his own principal's office to the inner sanctum of NASA, until Space Camp opened its doors, on an experimental basis, to special ed students. After nine months of rigorous preparation, during which the class molded itself into a working team, they arrived at Space Camp, where they turned in a performance so startling, so surprising, that it will leave the reader breathless. A truly triumphant story of the power of the human spirit.

Born with a Bang: The Universe Tells Our Cosmic Story


Jennifer Morgan - 2002
    Learning Magazine Teacher's Choice Award National Gold Ink Awards Silver Award Children's Books Endorsed by astronaut Edgar Mitchell, Nobel prize winner Leon Lederman, cosmologist Brian Swimme, and others.

Bad Astronomy


Philip Plait - 2002
    Plait created his popular web site: http://www.badastronomy.com/index.html, to debunk bad astronomy in popular culture. This website proved popular, which led to this first book by Plait, that carries on from the website and in a detailed and clear fashion criticises and disproves popular myths and misconceptions relating to astronomy, and promotes science as a means of explaining the skies. The work describes 24 common astronomical fallacies, including the beliefs that the Coriolis effect determines the direction that water drains in a bathtub, and that planetary alignments can cause disaster on Earth. The author sharply and convincingly dismisses astrology, creationism, and UFO sightings, and explains the principles behind basic general concepts (the Big Bang, why the sky is blue, etc.).

Introduction to Cosmology


Barbara Ryden - 2002
    The book is designed for advanced undergraduates or beginning graduate students and assumes no prior knowledge of general relativity. An emphasis is placed on developing the readers' physical insight rather than losing them with complex math. An approachable writing style and wealth of fresh and imaginative analogies from "everyday" physics are used to make the concepts of cosmology more accessible. The book is unique in that it not only includes recent major developments in cosmology, like the cosmological constant and accelerating universe, but also anticipates key developments expected in the next few years, such as detailed results on the cosmic microwave background.

Seeing in the Dark: How Amateur Astronomers Are Discovering the Wonders of the Universe


Timothy Ferris - 2002
    He recounts his own experiences as an enthralled lifelong amateur astronomer and reports from around the globe -- from England and Italy to the Florida Keys and the Chilean Andes -- on the revolution that's putting millions in touch with the night sky. In addition, Ferris offers an authoritative and engaging report on what's out there to be seen -- what Saturn, the Ring nebula, the Silver Coin galaxy, and the Virgo supercluster really are and how to find them. The appendix includes star charts, observing lists, and a guide on how to get involved in astronomy. Ferris takes us inside a major revolution sweeping astronomy, as lone amateur astronomers, in global networks linked by the Internet, make important discoveries that are the envy of the professionals. His ability to describe the wonders of the universe is simply magical, and his enthusiasm for his subject is irresistible.

Twin Spica, Volume: 01


Kou Yaginuma - 2002
    And yet, every time she looks up to the stars there is a sense of melancholy in her heart. A sadness surrounds Asumi, as space exploration itself has profoundly impacted her life for as long as she can remember. But she is not alone...A young man wearing a lion's mask is always beside her. He speaks of the constellations and galaxies as if he they were like home. He knows what it is like to love the stars--slightly bitter and yet always so warm and inviting. Truth is he has gone through much of Asumi is just experiencing. And now in spirit he will forever be with Asumi guiding her on her path to space.

Apollo: The Epic Journey to the Moon, 1963-1972


David West Reynolds - 2002
    From the adventurous astronauts to the scientists and engineers who designed and built the state-of-the-art spacecraft, Reynolds covers every aspect of this epic voyage. Through concise description, he introduces the uninitiated to this thrilling episode in U.S. history while also providing engaging details for the space aficionado. All of the key events and personalities are presented, creating a clear picture of how we got to the moon and what happened along the way. The detailed and meticulously labeled diagrams and maps give the reader an in-depth understanding of the technology that carried the astronauts to the moon and what they accomplished while they were there. In addition, the book includes a foreword by Wally Schirra, the only astronaut to fly in all three of the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs, and an afterword by Gene Cernan, the last man to walk on the moon. Apollo: The Epic Journey to the Moon, 1963-1972 is truly the most comprehensive account of the Apollo program ever written.

Man on the Moon (A Day in the Life of Bob)


Simon Bartram - 2002
    But who's that in the background making faces at him? Kids will laugh along at this strikingly illustrated tongue-in-cheek tale. 6:00 a.m. Wake up. Have two eggs for breakfast.8:00 a.m. Arrive at launchpad. Change into special man-on-the-moon suit.8:45 a.m. Blast off.8:58 a.m. Arrive on Moon.9:00 a.m. Start work. This is how Bob, the Man on the Moon, begins his day. It's Bob's job to entertain the tourists (handstands and high moon jumps are a hit), conduct Moon seminars (how long does it take to walk around the Moon on stilts?), sell souvenirs (pens, postcards - the usual), and keep the Moon clean and neat. Some people say that aliens are the ones who leave all the trash, but Bob tells them aliens don't exist, and he would know . . . wouldn't he?

On The Shoulders of Titans: A History of Project Gemini


Barton C. Hacker - 2002
    Because of its position between these two other efforts, Gemini is probably less remembered. Still, it more than had its place in man's progress into this new frontier. Gemini accomplishments were manyfold. They included many firsts: first astronaut-controlled maneuvering in space; first rendezvous in space of one spacecraft with another; first docking of one spacecraft with a propulsive stage and use of that stage to transfer man to high altitude; first traverse of man into the Earth's radiation belts; first extended manned flights of a week or more in duration; first extended stays of man outside his spacecraft; first controlled reentry and precision landing; and many more. These achievements were significant in ways one cannot truly evaluate even today, but two things stand out: (1) it was the time when America caught up and surpassed the Soviet Union in manned space flight, and (2) these demonstrations of capability were an absolute prerequisite to the phenomenal Apollo accomplishments then yet to come. PROJECT Gemini is now little remembered, having vanished into that special limbo reserved for the successful intermediate steps in a fast-moving technological advance. Conceived and approved in 1961, the second major project in the American manned space flight program carried men into orbit in 1965 and 1966. Gemini thus kept Americans in space between the path-breaking but limited Earth-orbital missions of Project Mercury and the far more ambitious Project Apollo, which climaxed in 1969 when two men first set foot on the Moon. This book is a detailed history of the failures and victories of the Gemini program. This version of the book includes an overview of Project Gemini and a number of photos from NASA’s project files. 596 pages, color illustrations and photos.

Life in the Universe


Jeffrey O. Bennett - 2002
    It has been developed specifically for emerging courses in astrobiology, though it can also be used for introductory astronomy.

Space


Andrew Chaikin - 2002
    A photographic survey of space exploration captures the major firsts of this extraordinary chapter in human history, from Sputnik I through landings on the Moon and Mars, in some three hundred dramatic images.

Living in Space


Katie Daynes - 2002
    Living in space is part of an exciting new series of books for children who are beginning to read on their own. The easy-to-read text has been specially written with the help of a reading expert.

Space Shuttle


Tony Reichhardt - 2002
    The editors of Air & Space/Smithsonian magazine wrote all of the people who have flown on the Space Shuttle since 1981 with a simple request: Tell us your best stories. The astronauts' fascinating and candid responses reveal the drama of the Shuttle experience, from launch to landing, like no other book has to date. More than 300 stunning pictures selected from deep in the NASA archives, most have never been published. Personal anecdotes drawn from written submissions or original interviews with 77 Shuttle astronauts. Historical section highlights in words and pictures the greatest accomplishments of the Shuttle's first two decades. Complete with brief descriptions of all 103 flights from April 1981 to April 2001, Space Shuttle includes a foreword written by astronaut Jim Lovell, who was portrayed by Tom Hanks in the film Apollo 13.

Moon Lore: Lunar Themes of Wisdom and Magic


Elizabeth Pepper - 2002
    All hail to thee, Queen of heaven!Thou showest two horns to mark six days,And on the seventh will divide thy crown in two.On the fourteenth day, turn thy full face unto us.Seven is the Moon's mystic number, because each one of its four phases is completed in seven days.Nineteen is a sacred number in Old Irish and Celtic lore, for the sequence of Moon phases within a single zodiac sign is repeated every 19 years.As both the largest and the brightest object in the night sky, and the only one to appear in phases, the Moon has been a rich source of myth for as long as there have been myth-makers.Elizabeth Pepper's Moon Lore is a compendium of lunar tales, charms, chants, and curses from ancient time to the present.

Mission to Mars


Franklyn Mansfield Branley - 2002
    In this century, we will go to the planet to learn more about it. It will become our outpost in space—our space colony. This nonfiction picture book is an excellent choice to share during homeschooling, in particular for children ages 5 to 7. It’s a fun way to learn to read and as a supplement for activity books for children.The author-illustrator pair who brought us THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION, FLOATING IN SPACE, and WHAT THE MOON IS LIKE tackle the new hot topic in space—a mission to the red planet.This is a Level 2 Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Science title, which means the book explores more challenging concepts for children in the primary grades and supports the Common Core Learning Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) standards. Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out is the winner of the American Association for the Advancement of Science/Subaru Science Books & Films Prize for Outstanding Science Series.

The Way The Universe Works


Robin Kerrod - 2002
    In this interactive volume, difficult subjects are clearly explained using cutting-edge visuals and the latest in space photography. More than 60 home-based experiments demonstrate key concepts for kids, encouraging learning and better understanding through doing.

The Glow In The Dark Book Of Space


Nicholas Harris - 2002
    Full of facts about our solar system with illustrations that glow in the dark.

To Reach the High Frontier: A History of U.S. Launch Vehicles


Roger D. Launius - 2002
    Every participant in space activities-civil, military, scientific, or commercial-needs affordable, reliable, frequent, and flexible access to space. To Reach the High Frontier details the histories of the various space access vehicles developed in the United States since the birth of the space age in 1957. Each case study has been written by a specialist knowledgeable about the vehicle descr

The Astronomy Encyclopedia


Patrick Moore - 2002
    There are more than three thousand alphabetically organized articles accompanied by five hundred stunning color and black and white photographs, star maps, and diagrams, The Encyclopedia is aimed at both the researcher and general enthusiast who wants to. More than one hundred astronomers from leading universities and observatories, each an expert in a specialized area of the field, wrote and reviewed the entries to ensure their accuracy. Sir Patrick Moore, distinguished astronomer and longtime host of the popular BBC television program The Sky at Night, served as the general editor.

Star Wars: Attack of the Clones


John Whitman - 2002
    Now, the Lucasfilm creative team is back with Attack of the Clones, the second movie in the prequel series. And Chronicle Books has captured the newest story in the pages of our mighty big little book. Attack of the Clones follows the story of the beautiful Senator Padme Amidala and the passionate and powerful young Jedi Anakin Skywalker, whose impulsive nature leads him astray. With enough action, romance, exotic locales, and epic battles to satisfy every Star Wars fan, this Mighty Chronicles edition faithfully captures Lucas's newest legend with 150 two-color illustrations and an adaptation of the script. Mighty Chronicles keep the Star Wars adventure alive long after the credits roll.

Space Shuttle: The First 20 Years


Chuck Wills - 2002
    In this collection of personal stories, 77 space shuttle astronauts share their recollections of living and working on board the world's only reusable spaceship.

Creating the International Space Station


David M. Harland - 2002
    Richly illustrated with around 100 figures this is the first book to describe the technical aspects of its design and construction and details of its day-to-day operation. The text relates the orbital assembly on a flight-by-flight basis, listing all the experiments in NASA's laboratory and explains their objectives. By offering a comprehensive mix of operational work, microgravity, science and future plans, it will satisfy both the space enthusiast, eager for a detailed review of the missions, and the specialist wishing to learn more about this science programme.

Space


Eileen O'Brien - 2002
    -- Vividly illustrated guides get up-close and personal with animals from around the world, the vast reaches of space and the world's fastest trains-- Discover amazing facts about birds' nest building habits, learn what drives sharks into 'feeding frenzies', and more!