Product Description
Over the centuries the starry night sky has inspired scientists and poets alike, and though the fruits of these inspirations take very different forms, they often enrich each other.Acclaimed science writer David Levy, codiscoverer of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 and science editor of "Parade" magazine, traces the works of great poets--Shakespeare, Milton, Keats, Shelley, and others--and shows how they were influenced not only by the beauty of the heavens but also by the discoveries of their times. ... Read more

Product Description

Spaceplanes From Airport to Spaceport presents a vision of the near future in which space vehicles can take off from an international airport, refuel in space, and fly regularly between the Earth and the Moon. The book is built on the solid engineering foundation prepared by David Ashford in his book Spaceflight Revolution, but develops the argument.

This is a coherent, lucid, and optimistic picture of the future – aimed directly at the reader as a future space passenger – which explains why the Space Tourist market could easily become the single most important factor in the mid-term future development of space transportation. In a few years it will be possible to board a spaceplane and fly into Earth orbit, and perhaps visit a space station. Later development could include refuelling in orbit to take a tour of cislunar space.

As the latest news has shown, the successful flight of SpaceShipOne and the imminent inauguration of Virgin Galactic’s sub-orbital rides from the New Mexico desert have already begun this process.

This book explains the technical details of precisely how all this can be accomplished within the next few decades.

Customer Reviews (4)

Spaceplanes for everything
The writer of this slim volume wants to convince you that a spaceplane is the way to go, not just for earth to orbit, but interplanetary space as well.

He correctly points out that current space launch technologies, whether dumb boosters or primitive space planes like teh Space Shuttle are costly, and very unsafe compared to commercial air transport.Costs are identified as being high due to poor reusability and few launches.Similarly, launching new hardware infrequently is not the way to improve reliability.From this he believes that only when launches are frequent and the vehicles reusable, will prices fall to sustainable levels.So far so good.

What will sustain high launch rates?Space tourism.This will generate a self reinforcing demand for higher volume and hence lower prices.Of course there are no operating SSTO spaceplanes today and they are very far off as well.Almost all require mixed cycle engines to improve their mass ratios.So far all very conventional thinking, even if dumb boosters are the current best way to deliver large payloads to orbit and beyond.

However the author strays off into fantasy when he then suggests that spaceplanes should become the interplanetary ships as well.We are presented with the idea that the spaceplane should be the vehicle for a trip around the moon.Now I know that I have difficulty staying on an aircraft for a few hours and a day is extremely uncomfortable.Now imagine seven days in possibly weightless conditions in a cramped cabin. And that is even before the radiation exposure.If you are dedicated enough to endure all that, what about his proposal for a multi-month mars trip in similar conditions?The author's logic is that the single vehicle is the reliable, safe way to go and that it's wings are needed to reduce propellant costs for reentry and that it's tanks could act as cargo containers for propellant to either the moon or back for refueling.
This is where his logic breaks down.It makes far more sense to have a reusable, dedicated space ship for interplanetary travel.This ship only needs fuel for changing orbits, not for launch, and can be large and protective of the passengers.

My sense is that the author sees all travel through the lens of commercial air travel, but fails to see that off world trips are more like sea voyages.If if are going to take a cruise that takes months, would you prefer to have the freedom of a big ship or be in the passenger cabin of an aircraft?

As to content, it is generally quite lightweight, and there is a lot of repetition between the chapters. The last chapter is a review of many of the private space companies paper spaceplanes.It is already outdated with claims that commercial operations will start in 2009, 2010.Virgin Galactic may not even start suborbital trips until 2014. Orbital trips are still the preserve of missile technology, with Boeing throwing its hat in the ring just this week.

Perhaps spaceplanes are really like the small airplanes of yesteryear, full of potential, but still unable to cross long distances and oceans like ships and airships.Unlike those times, we already have a good idea of the energies involved to reach orbit and the methods to achieve this.Air breathing, combined cycle spaceplanes might not be enough to achieve the goal.

Spaceplanes are a very elegant idea, and I really want to believe, but...

Shape of things to come
This book is a comprehensive review of winged rocket-planes, form the work of Robert Goddard, through present day proposals. It also offers useful equations, such as the Velocity increment. specific impulse ,the Rocket equation, et cetera. It is a very handy book for the prospective spacecraftengineer
One problem I have with this book is that some of the information is outdated. At least one of the projects, the Space-fleet SF-01 has been canceled. However, it is still very useful.

Must have for space enthusiasts
This is well written book that gives a good perspective on the historical development of spaceplanes, as well as where they are headed.It contains a lot of detailed information which is complemented by numerous photographs, and presented in a well written manner that is not difficult to understand.A great book for aero and space enthusiasts!

Fact-packed common-sense vision of our spaceplane future
This well-illustrated book (over 100 color and B/W photos and diagrams) explains clearly how spaceplanes will fly us into the future. It also details why they should replace one-time ballistic missiles as the way we enter and return from space. The appendices include a Glossary with 151 entries from "Accelerometer" to "Von Braun," a Chronology, and a section on spaceplane projects both past and present. The twelve chapters are entitled Rocketplanes at the Airport; Why Spaceplanes?; Rocket Science: Wings Added; Missiles and Modules; Crawling into Suborbit: the Baby Spaceplane; Going Ballistic; Piggyback to Orbit; Advanced Propulsion; Single Stage to Orbit: The Advanced Spaceplane; Destination Moon: The Lunar Spaceplane; Strategies for Success; and Spaceplanes at the Spaceport. There are sections on Projects Apollo and Constellation, historical background on early rocket scientists, information on both American and Russian spaceplanes, and an index. Ever wonder what CCCP really stands for? This book, on page 181, gives the accurate answer, in both Russian and English. Without getting overly technical, the author also provides an introduction to aerospace engineering, including the basics of aerodynamics and the rocket equation. ... Read more

Product Description

Galaxies are perhaps the most popular of all visual targets that are sought after by visual observers. At present the only way to get up-to-date information, is to query various (often highly technical) speciality books or digging deeply into the Internet. This can be a time consuming and often frustrating task, as the data aren’t often compatible. This book satisfies the need for a modern, comprehensive review in combining the three major aspects: the physical background on the nature and data of galaxies, the relevant instrumentation and viewing techniques, and finally the targets and their individual appearance in telescopes of various apertures. To illustrate the latter, a comprehensive sample of galaxies, including quasars, groups and clusters of galaxies is presented. This combination of theoretical knowledge and practical information guarantees successful observing sessions. The book could become a standard source on galaxy observing for all kinds of amateur observers, from the beginner to the experienced.

Customer Reviews (3)

A very good book
It is excellent writting, comprehensive, analytical and all subjects well presented and in the appropriate order.

most up-to-date, clearly structured reference book on galaxy observing
Wolfgang Steinicke was the leading author of the german "Praxishandbuch Deep Sky"(Kosmos 2004), which I like very much. So I started reading his new book on Galaxies with high expectations...and I was not disappointed :
I believe this is the most up-to-date, clearly structured reference book on galaxy observing - satisfying a very broad range of interests.
In three major sections, the authors not only address the needs of the most ambitious observers, but frequently add encouraging hints for beginners as well.
I recommend it A) as a reading book to gain a broader knowledge
and B) as an excellent planning guide when you want to observe MUCH MORE than the most commonly known galaxies.
SECTION I (70 pages) provides a basic understanding of the different types of galaxies and clusters, plus all those data that are important for visually observing them.
Chapter 1 explains different galaxy classification schemes, special cases and pecularities - then chapter 2 introduces pairs, groups and clusters of galaxies and shows their place within the hierarchy of the universe.
Chapter 3 presents a well structured overview for many different types of galaxy catalogs, containing galaxy data and nomenclatures. Advantages/disadvantages of these catalogs are discussed and their data quality is critically judged.
I strongly recommend to study this chapter 3 on catalogs first, because the same presentation structure is followed in the later SECTION III on observing programs.
SECTION II (33 pages) covers the Technical Aspects on observing galaxies.
Key technical instrumentation aspects are only summarized briefly (chap.4), but the Theory of Visual Observation (chap.5), together with practical recommendations on observing, star hopping and observing logs (chap.6) demonstrate the authors very broad experience in finding, identifying faint galaxies and documenting them.
SECTION III (110 pages) on "What to Observe? - The Objects" contains the largest, most valuable part of the book.
An instructive combination of "photo/textual" descriptions presents a large number of objects in the most "objective" way :
Not counting individual galaxies inside groups or clusters (though mentioned in the tables), a total of 500 objects are listed in data tables - following that same structure introduced in SECTION I. Each data table is immediately followed by a separate table with textual descriptions. Around 600 such descriptions are given, based on the visual appearance of each object with different instruments: 1. binocular (if possible),
2. medium aperture telescope(6-10"), 3. large telescope(13-20", sometimes larger).
All these observation descriptions in chapters 7 to 10 stem from renowned observers; e.g. Steve Gottlieb, Steve Coe, beside the authors.
Chapter 7 suggests a variety of Observing Programs, based on
a) M-, NGC/IC- or UGC- CATALOGS
b) Sky Areas and constellations
Chapter 8 suggests selection criteria which are dependent on the characteristics of the individual galaxy; i.e. by sorting them by their distance or by their appearance.
Chapter 9 concentrates on Groups and Clusters; i.e. by listing a) pairs and trios, b) small groups and chains, then c) clusters.
Chapter 10 finally suggests interesting targets "off the beaten path" or in the category of "ultimate challenge".
My reason for mentioning all these details is to demonstrate that this book is quite well organized - especially for all those readers with a minimal amount of patience and learning will.

There is only one unfortunate omission : Springer printed the 1.edition of this unique reference book without a page index !!!
However, after I emailed the author, he swiftly produced an INDEX OF ALL OBJECTS (xls), which can easily be downloaded
from the (Homepage Wolfgang Steinicke).

A Wealth of Information, Poorly Organized
This book is filled with a lot of really interesting information on galaxies.However, it is extremely disorganized. My copy of this book is now full of bookmarks to help me find information later.Why?This book has no index.Let me repeat that--this book has NO INDEX.This is an unforgivable sin for any reference book!Furthermore, the subtitle is "and how to observe them."There is not a clue about how to observe galaxies.Instead, the pictures of galaxies are taken through large professional telescopes that for the most part are not even identified.There are observer's descriptions for some galaxies, but most of these are through 20" and larger telescopes.Only a few descriptions are for telescope sizes you might be likely to own.

On the plus side, there are a number of pointers to more information sources, but often these are given in large, undifferentiated lists, instead of the authors making specific recommendations.

Some of the descriptions of galactic structure and evolution are extremely sparse.You won't find a clear definition of Seyfert galaxies, for example.

If you're looking for a definitive work on galaxies, this isn't it.But if you want to learn some interesting facts, you might find this book a fun read.You'll probably come away with some observing ideas as well, but stock up on bookmarks! ... Read more

Product Description
[A] brilliant defense of science's place in the religious life (and vice versa).--Publisher's Weekly

Jesuit Brother Guy Consolmagno's moving and intellectually playful memoir of a life lived in the active interplay of science and religion is now available in a handsome paperback edition.

Blending memoir, science, history, and theology, Consolmagno takes us on a grand adventure. We revisit the infamous Galileo affair and see that it didn't unfold in quite the way we thought. We get a rare glimpse into the world of working scientists and see how scientific discoveries are proposed and advanced. We learn the inside story of the Mars meteorite: how can we be sure it's really from Mars, and why can't scientists agree on whether or not it contains evidence of life? Brother Astronomer memorably sets forth one scientist's conviction that the universe may be worth studying only if it is the work of a Creator God. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

A Review From a Minister, Teacher, and Amateur Astronomer

I like science, especially astronomy.I own a couple of small telescopes and am a member of the Astronomical League.Clear nights find me out under the stars learning about the heavens.I also like religion.I am an ordained minister and teach philosophy and religion on the college level.Usually those two worlds do not go together.Guy Consolmagno puts them together without dumbing down either.For that, I am glad I read the book.I have a feeling that parts of it will stay with me for a long time.It's not a perfect book.Parts are too technical for my simple mind.Other parts seem choppy.When the reader gets to the end, it merely stops, no pulling together of the various chapters, no nice tidy conclusions.Still, I liked this book.

A thoroughly entertaining author
I had the pleasure of meeting Brother Guy in the summer of 2001 during a visit to Castel Gandolfo where he was kind enough to take us on a guided tour of the observatories on the roof of the Papal residence. He is as entertaining and fascinating "in real life" as his books amply demonstrate to a reader.

"Science makes lousy religion and religion makes lousy science." What a great attitude!

Bottom line: "Brother Astronomer" is a well-crafted, entertaining book that may even teach you things about yourself.

The Desire for Truth and Understanding -- and Mars Rocks
Many of you have read - or have a copy of - Turn Left at Orion by Guy Consolmagno, an entertaining and instructive guide for amateur astronomers with small telescopes.No less entertaining is his book, Brother Astronomer:Adventures of a Vatican Scientist, in which Jesuit Brother Guy Consolmagno tells his life story in brief, and in more detail discusses Mars rocks, Antarctica adventures, and science/religion issues.

With grace and good humor he tells of his becoming curator of the Vatican's collection of meteorites, one of the oldest collections in the world, mostly amassed in the nineteenth century by French nobleman Marquis de Mauroy.Consolmagno and his associates devised a method to determine the mass, the density, and the porosity of meteorites, which lead to theories on where meteorites come from - asteroids and other planets.He calls them his outer space "aliens" at the Vatican.

His real adventures are recounted with good-natured wit in the section titled "Wide Wild Whiteness", a meteorite-hunting expedition with other scientists on the bottom of the world in Antarctica.He makes the vast, cold continent seem to come alive in its bleak expanse and extremes of cold and wind.The personal interaction among the small group of individuals forced to spend six weeks together in that harsh frigid environment is insightful, at times poignant and other times hilarious.Everyone on the team has a specialty, and he often wonders, "Why am I here?"They bring home a treasure trove of 390 meteorites.It is fascinating to learn how they go to great pains to preserve the pristine condition of the space rocks.To collect them without contaminating them is a real challenge, especially under subzero temperatures, where the cold dulls the mind and freezes the fingers.

Perhaps most enlightening and enjoyable are Consolmagno's discourses on science and religion.He reminds us that only recently, in our popular culture, has there been an apparent schism between science and religion; that indeed, the great thinkers of ages gone by were men of renown in the church, men of great religious faith.The search for truth is and always has been the goal of both good religion and good science. "God gave us brains; He expects us to use them," he says.

"To understand why" science and religion are thought to be opposed, says Consolmagno, "we need to look not at science, nor at religion, but at the popular culture."He explains that science in school is often a turn-off for kids, and many leave the church as teenagers, "before they are old enough to appreciate it."The result is a childish view of both science and religion.

The popular media - news, TV, movies - present a distorted view of both science and religion as well, he contends.If there is no action, no drama, no conflict, it doesn't make good copy or good video.Scientists are often portrayed as "mad", and preachers are stereotyped as extremists.Fear and confusion of the roles and relationships of science and faith are the result."It's a fundamental misconception of how both science and religion work."He goes on to say that Christianity does not start with faith, it starts with experience; and that science does not begin with experiment or logic, it begins with intuition.

He recounts the timeworn story of Galileo and the Church, and contends that that situation was largely a matter of pride and politics, not strictly religion and science.The ill-feeling produced by Galileo's trial set back science for years, and sparked the thinking that the church was anti-science, though the Church has since repeatedly admitted the mistakes it made there almost 400 years ago.

In his "Confession of a Vatican Scientist" section of the book, Consolmagno presents many wise arguments explaining the deep connections between science and religion.You'll have to read it to appreciate it.He says, "Good science is a very religious act.The search for Truth is the same as the search for God."Of the "unexplainable", he says, "Our theology prepared science to accept the seeming contradictions of quantum theory, for instance; just because something doesn't seem to make sense, is no proof that it must be false."

He sums it up by saying, "The desire for truth and understanding, including understanding the truth of the natural world, was given to us by God, in order to lead us to God.It is the desire for God.It is why I am a scientist; it is why the Vatican supports me."

A delightful romp
Brother Astronomer is a delightful romp into the life of a joyful and spirit-filled man. Brother Guy exemplifies the bridging of the purported gap between faith and science; in his writing and his life and his combination of these two vocations he belies the simplistic and all-too glib pronouncements so many trot out about the rift between science and religion.Whether you come to this book from the religous or scientific side, read it with an open mind and heart, the way it was written.

Brother Guy writes with considerable insight and frankness, and will certainly make some people most uncomfortable as he demonstrates some convincing parallels betweeen science and religion.Those who quickly dismiss his comments on this similarity simply reveal that they were ready to do so a priori, even before opening the pages of this book.He handles science and religion in an even-handed, balanced and refreshingly gentle manner, and I admire his intellectual and spiritual integrity, how he never forgets there is one truth underlying everything, and that this truth will be what it is, and not simply what we want it to be.

His book is undoubted going to be equally unacceptable to both scientific as well as religious fundamentalists, two groups which possess in common a remarkable ignorance of both religion and science.

As a professional academic scientist and believer in God who has never had any problem reconciling the two equally profound sides of my life, I may be prejudiced in my approach to this book.But I don't think so.So set your judgementalness aside when you pick up Brother Astronomer.Read it, enjoy it, go with the flow of the book and take delight in the time you spend with this delightful man.

Interesting Book from an Interesting Man
In "Brother Astronomer", Br. Guy Consolmagno describes his life and views as a Jesuit brother who is also aprofessional astronomer. In this book, the author (who is also the author of "Turn Left at Orion", a highly regarded handbook for amateur astronomers) covers a number of topics: how science is done, the interaction between science and religion, the often-positive role the Cathollic Church has played in the history of science, and an expedition the author made to Antarctics to gather meteriorites. The parts do not always mesh well, which is why I gave it only four of five stars; however, individual chapters are quite good. For example, the opening chapter, which traces a problem in planetary science as a case study of how science is done, would be well worth showing to any teenager who is interested in science; while the chapter on religion and science will be of interest to anyone who has an open mind on the issue of whether "Jerusalem" can have anything to do with "Athens". Well worth reading; highly recommended.

By the way, my wife and I have had the pleasure of hearing Br. Guy speak at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago on several occasions; if you get a chance to hear him speak in person, you won't be disappointed. ... Read more

Product Description
Organized around such topics as the sun, the origin of the universe, the solar system, telescopes and star gazing, and strange sightings, "The Astronomy Cafe" enables readers to quickly find a question similar to their own and get an answer--without having to wade through long, technical essays. Color photos. Illustrations. Glossary. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

The Astronomy Cafe: 365 Q's and A's
Item was received in a timely manner and in good condition; however, I don't know how accurate the information is as of this year!

A Great Cosmic Companion
The cosmos are very perplexing, as well as awe-inspiring, and its wonderful how this book packages this very scientific information in a friendly and approachable way. Many people like myself, who are not scientists but who yearn to learn the basic theories, look up at the night sky and wonder how planets, stars and galaxies came to be and exist. This book is a great Cosmic Companion which guides you through the stars in a comprehesible fashion: although space terminology can get complex, it is easy to follow along with Dr. Odenwald's voice of the book. If you love interesting details about the heavens, then this book is perfect for you: you'll ingest this neat info so quickly, that your mind will be like a miniature black-hole, and the details will be unable to escape from your mind's event horizon. It's a wonderful book that I feel can be used to teach younger students many important and fascinating facts; I say this as an experienced teacher and journalist. It helps us to understand the ever chaotic cosmos a whole lot better.

Enjoyable way to learn astronomy
This reference consists of 365 questions submitted by the public and Odenwald's answers, taken from the author's "Ask the Astronomer" internet website. These questions cover topics from the solar system to galaxies to the Big Bang. The general reader may find this easy to read reference an enjoyable way to learn about these topics.

Very interesting, but kept easy
I am only 11, and I thought this book was very easy to understand, but he kept it interesting. I recomend this to kids my age, as well as adults. (My Gramma found this and liked what it was, so she got it for me.)

A FAQ lacking organization but having great content
In his frequently asked questions book, Odenwald doe s an excellent job at answering technical and rather pseudoscience sorts of questions.However, while Odenwald does show he knows what he's talking about, his writingstyle and organization leave much to be desired. ... Read more

Product Description

This book looks at answers to the biggest questions in astronomy – the questions of how the planets, stars, galaxies and the universe were formed. Over the last decade, a revolution in observational astronomy has produced possible answers to three of these questions. This book describes this revolution. The one question for which we still do not have an answer is the question of the origin of the universe. In the final chapter, the author looks at the connection between science and philosophy and shows how new scientific results have laid the groundwork for the first serious scientific studies of the origin of the universe.

Customer Reviews (2)

Difficult concepts made easy!
I read a lot of science literature and can say without a doubt that this is one of the best pieces of Science writing I've come across. Dr. Eales does an INCREDIBLE job of taking very complicated concepts and processes and making them seem oh-so-simple and enjoyable. If this is how he runs his classes his students are VERY fortunate.

If you are interested in space - from any planet in our solar system to stars we can't even see - this book is for you.

Origins: How the Planets, Stars, Galaxies, and the Universe Began (Astronomers' Universe)
I have reviewed this book and have found it to contain very good written and pictorial information about the wonderful universe. ... Read more

Product Description
This is the essential guide that shows you how to get the most from your observations. For thousands of years observers have gazed up at the night sky and wondered at the celestial bodies that occupy the vastness of space. If you have ever wanted to learn more about such phenomena or just how to locate the major constellations and the planets this practical and accessible guide will provide all the information you need. This is a complete guide to the night sky. Covering comets, aurora, asteroids and nebulae as well as the moon stars and planets "New Astronomer" is fully illustrated with drawings and photographs. Detailed sky charts help you to navigate around the heavens and locate the major constellations stellar objects and the planets. For each of the planets there is a specially prepared map to help you pinpoint the exact location of each one up to the year 2010. A Planisphere is included that shows you the entire sky above your head for any time of night and for any time of the year. This title discusses what to use and how to use it."New Astronomer" offers comprehensively detailed yet straightforward advice on choosing and using the very latest equipment including binoculars telescopes and accessories. It also shows you how to take photographs of celestial objects using an ordinary SLR camera linked to your astronomical equipment. For the real enthusiast this book features state-of-the-art technology such as computer-linked digital imaging. Whether you are already an experienced astronomer or just starting out this essential guide contains all you need to know. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Stars & More
This was a great book for me to start my quest of the stars and planets with my new telescope.It is easy to read, has loads of pictures, and gave me more than enough information to have fun and learn about our physical universe. I don't remember who recommended it as a starting point for me but the recommendation was right on.It's now part of my library and I refer to it on a regular basis when I am "star-gazing".

Up, up and away!
Carole Stott's 'New Astronomer: The Practical Guide to the Skills and Techniques of Skywatching' is a wonderful and useful guide for actually getting into the experience of astronomy. Astronomy is one of the most egalitarian of sciences; true, the mathematical constructs of theoretical cosmology and particle physics etc. are beyond the ability of most to perform (who has the education, or the cyclotrons, to do such?). But each of us can walk into the back yard (or, if in a city, drive out to the countryside) and stand in awe and wonder at the sky above, and then begin our own searches, for comets, meteors, and other phenomena.

Astronomy remains one of the few sciences left where the average person with average ability can still make a wondrous contribution. Astronomy in fact depends upon the amateur ranks scouring the skies, for there aren't enough professionals and hours of darkness for it to be held in professional exclusivity.

This book can help get you started. It is a good, basic primer of what to do as a backyard astronomer and develop some respectable skills at it. But this book isn't only for beginners-I use this book as a reference for techniques and equipment, and as a guide for observation.

The first part of the book covers basic ideas about the sky, and how and what to observe, introducing the idea of star movement and sky maps, so that coordinates make sense.

Then it gets into the nitty-gritty (just 20 picture-filled pages into the book) of what you need to begin. From compass and planisphere (included with the book) to dressing appropriately for comfort and making a make-shift, star-viewing-friendly torch (flashlight), this book covers the bases. It introduces how the observational distances are discussed (finger width, hand width, angles, etc.), and gives the merits and proper of use of binoculars, telescopes, photographic equipment, and digital/computerised equipment.

Then, you're off!

Finding and viewing the planets are the first task.Scale and distance are discussed, as are motion and location. There is a handy chart for each planet that shows position relative to a starry backdrop for dates through to the year 2010. Relatively closer planets, such as Mercury, can be difficult to discern due to the sun's overpowering brilliance (the discussion of transit of Mercury and Venus is interesting). Discussion of phases (for Venus especially), satellites and moons, rings and colours all adds to the observational experience.

Next up-the Moon. Our closest neighbour in space, it is fascinating to experience anew by close observation with even low-powered binoculars. Here you will find out why the full moon is not the best time to view (contrary to what one might thing), and become acquainted with the various features of the moon, and which features are best observed during which phase of the moon. Lunar eclipses are explained. Of course, we never see from the earth more than one side of the moon, but because of the moon's wobble, we do in fact see periodically about 60% of the moon's surface.

The Sun is then discussed, with careful guidance on how one might safely observe phenomena on the sun. Galileo went blind by looking at the sun through a telescope. Don't make the same mistake! The sun is powerful enough to defeat many filters (sunglasses are insufficient), and it only takes a brief time for permanent damage to be done to the eyes. Don't cut short a promising astronomical interest! Projection techniques are shown, and these are by far the safest ways to observe the sun. You will often see sunspot activity from projections.

Aurorae are also interesting displays. These occur in the most northern and southern latitudes of earth. Charged particles from the sun interact with earth's magnetic field and atmosphere to create dazzling displays. Meteors, comets, and asteroids are also discussed among the solar system phenomena.

The final section deals with the stars, which, even with the most high-powered telescopes, rarely show up as anything other than points of light. However, some `stars' are in fact galaxies, nebulae, and other items of interest, but for the typical home-astronomer, these are too distant to resolve interesting detail. But, the patterns and movements of the stars, the subtle colourations and brightness/size differences make for interesting study. Figuring out the pattern and composition of the Milky Way is fascinating. The final third of the book consists primarily of star maps and charts, for seasons and constellations, as well as what other points of interest have come into view.

Beautiful photography, durable pages (made for outdoor use), easy-to-follow guidelines will all serve to make your observational experiences very rich indeed. Stott was a professional astronomer at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich (from which our time zone basis derives-Greenwich Mean Time is centred on the observatory); she is now a full-time science writer.

I look forward to her continuing work.

An excellent read.
This beginners book for amateurs has information in it you simply won't find in most other astronomy books (ie: a complete list of all the constellations). A great reference volume and a fine addition to most libraries. Don't miss.

An excellent astronomy beginners book
This book is fantastic for those who either just bought their first telescope or just want to learn more about the stars by looking through binoculars. I am 37 years old and it did not seem too elementary for me. This book will gently guide you through the heavens in a way that doesn't insult your intelligence. It shows you in a simple way how to find planets and teaches you how to read star charts, all while giving you a basic education in astronomy. Great book! ... Read more

Product Description
A chance event in 1939 changed the young Bernard Lovell's life and led him to become one of the pioneers of radio astronomy. From an idea that radar used for detecting enemy aircraft might have larger potential, he developed a telescope capable of investigating the distant regions of the universe. His famous telescopes at Jodrell Bank have played a critical role in the discovery of unknown objects in the universe and led to questions that lie at the heart of contemporary astronomy and astrophysics. Bernard Lovell's story is one of chance, tenacity and infinite resourcefulness in the face of technical and bureaucratic difficulties. To read his account is also to see how the image and reality of science have changed in his lifetime, partly through his own work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Radar, Radar Astronomy, and Radio Astronomy - Fascinating Account
Astronomer By Chance is an especially apt title. Living in the small, isolated village of Oldland Common midway between Bath and Bristol, the twin pursuits of the young Bernard Lovell, playing the church organ and playing cricket, gave no indication of the key role he would play in the development of radar, radar astronomy, and radio astronomy.

Lovell briefly traces his interest in physics to his hours tinkering with primitive radios as a boy, a visiting Methodist preacher's comments on Einstein's theory of relativity, and perhaps, most importantly, an incidental visit to a physics lab at University of Bristol.His early years in physics - research in electrical conductivity of thin layers of alkali metals and the measurement of energies of cosmic ray particles in a cloud chamber - were abruptly terminated in late July, 1939.

Lovell was immediately assigned to secret radar research as bombing attacks by Germany were considered inevitable. Lovell's account of the war years is riveting. Radar capability was primitive, inadequate for airborne use in fighters, and useless for RAF bombers as not even major cities could be identified at night by radar. The young Lovell was soon managing the H2S project, the centimeter navigational and blind bombing radar system developed for night bombers of the RAF.With the stakesincalculable, research and development projects were transformed into operational capability in impossibly short time frames. This behind the scenes effort was not without risk as the Germans repeatedly targeted radar stations and R&D sites.

In the years immediately after the war, everything was in short supply and rationing continued. Nonetheless, Lovell was able to revitalize a project to conduct radio observations of meteor showers by acquiring surplus radio and radar equipment through his war connections.With spade and shovel Lovell and colleagues installed radio antennas and receivers on a University of Manchester property used for botanical studies.This inauspicious beginning eventually resulted in design and construction of one of the world's foremost radio telescopes.

The long, costly, controversial construction of the Jodrell Bank radio telescope (plus discussions of various research projects) comprise the bulk of Bernard Lovell's fascinating biography.The Jodrell Bank project far exceeded original cost estimates.Were it not for the tenacity of Lovell and a good deal of serendipity, Jodrell Bank would never have been completed.

Astronomer By Chance will appeal to a wide audience. Bernard Lovell's story is one of drama and suspense, and additionally, it offers a fascinating look at the development of modern science from the war years through the 1980s.The technical discussions target the layman; the more technical reader will find these sections more interesting for their historical perspective. I quite enjoyed Lovell's biography and I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Product Description

This is the ultimate, easy-to-read guide for "eclipse-chasers".

Eclipse chasers are now numbered in the tens of thousands. Every total solar eclipse sees dozens of cruise ships, each with about a thousand people on board, steaming along the track of the eclipse. Tens of thousands of observers travel to the eclipse track on land, to witness these rare astronomical events.

There are some important eclipses coming up in the years ahead: in 2008 August across Siberia, and then through the Gobi Desert. In 2009, there is a 6 minute 38 second eclipse (very long) in China, south of Japan, and the Pacific Ocean. There will be two more big ones in the south Pacific in 2010 and 2012, then in 2017 there is a solar eclipse that will be visible right across the USA.

The technology available to amateur astronomers is improving fast. Recent additions are low-cost white-light solar binoculars, and the new generation of affordable H-Alpha telescopes. These can of course be used to view prominences without an eclipse taking place, and the book includes something of this too.

This new book will in fact include everything an eclipse chaser needs. It will make it possible to prevent expensive equipment/set-up errors thousands of miles from home, and avoid problems that have to be fixed with only minutes to spare. It advises on the right equipment to buy for observing and for imaging [digital only]. It provides "eclipse virgins" with a good feeling for what a trip abroad to an eclipse is like – including a humorous look at all the things that can go wrong, and in previous expeditions, have.

Travel details are included, essential in these days of high-security and when equipment has to be carried in a standard 20kg suitcase and 5kg cabin bag.

And of course the first part of the book contains a wealth of information about solar eclipses: how and why they happen, the physics of the Sun and solar system, and what can be observed only during a total eclipse.

Product Description
This clear easy-to-understand book helps "new" amateur astronomers by answering the most frequently asked questions. The idea is to quickly take the reader to a level of expertise significantly higher than that provided by general books. Each chapter is on a different subject, from what to buy through to how to use it and what to look at. The tips and techniques are applicable to all telescope users. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

good but not great
thinner than I thought it would be.
good info for a beginner...
over all a good book to
have around for a quick
reminder...

Highly concentrated facts
Fantastic!! Just the book that I've been looking for - it has an enormous amount of information concentrated into relatively few pages. The format, similar to an internet FAQ, makes it easy to navigate. Whilst nothing is covered in great depth, the book serves its purpose of giving enough information to get a new astronomer up and running. I refer to this book a lot and expect to keep doing so. ... Read more

Product Description
This is the first book to look in detail at amateur astronomy in Victorian Britain. It deals with the technical issues that were active in Victorian astronomy, and reviews the problems of finance, patronage and the dissemination of scientific ideas. It also examines the relationship between the amateur and professional in Britain. It contains a wealth of previously unpublished biographical and anecdotal material, and an extended bibliography with notes incorporating much new scholarship. In The Victorian Amateur Astronomer, Allan Chapman shows that while on the continent astronomical research was lavishly supported by the state, in Britain such research was paid for out of the pockets of highly educated, wealthy gentlemen — the so-called ‘Grand Amateurs. It was these powerful individuals who commissioned the telescopes, built the observatories, ran the learned societies, and often stole discoveries from their state-employed colleagues abroad. In addition to the ‘Grand Amateurs, Victorian Britain also contained many self-taught amateurs. Although they belonged to no learned societies, these people provide a barometer of the popularity of astronomy in that age. In the late 19th century, the comfortable middle classes — clergymen, lawyers, physicians and retired military officers — took to astronomy as a serious hobby. They formed societies which focused on observation, lectures and discussions, and it was through this medium that women first came to play a significant role in British astronomy. Readership: Undergraduate and postgraduate students studying the history of science or humanities, professional historians of science, engineering and technology, particularly those with an interest in astronomy, the development of astronomical ideas, scientific instrument makers, and amateur astronomers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

How Space Exploration began at the Amateur Level!
This book lays out in some detail the contributions of early amateur astonomers. This book is an excellent source for information on a very interesting subject that almost every can enjoy because of its shear excitment. It is like the gold rush in America where everyone made an attempt at fame. This book digs deep aiming at the bottom of the iceberg where often most research looks only at the tip of the iceberg. You come to understand exactly the situation faced by "earlier eyes". It is a wonderful book on a subject that draws you closer by its clear presentation and well defined thought. It is a true testament to a modern genius and rennassiance man...

Enjoy!! ... Read more

Product Description
Which is larger, Sirius or Vega? What is the luminosity of Rigel? When will Mira come up to full brightness? Here’s one simple-to-use reference which quickly answers these questions and many more. This handy star catalog gives the characteristics of over 2,000 stars to a brightness of 5.25 visual magnitude (plus many dimmer exceptions) updated with Epoch 2000 data. The book brings together information not available in any other single source. Employing a unique, easy-to-use constellation-by-constellation format, StarList 2000 gives you all these properties for each star: location, visual and absolute magnitude, spectra, distance in light years, proper motion, spatial and radial velocity, parallax, size, and luminosity. Notes compare discrepancies in data from well-known sources and point out additional interesting facts and figures about selected stars and deep sky objects, such as nearby nebulae. There are special sections on binaries and variables. Rapid-motion binaries are covered in detail, giving exact locations at January 1, 2000. There is also a collection of drawn orbits and a listing of orbital elements of selected binaries. Data on variable stars include type of variability, maximum and minimum visual magnitude, epoch, and period of variability. The author also offers a unique feature—"Most Favorable Viewing Date"—that tells readers when variables are expected to be at their brightest. StarList 2000 includes an appendix of computer programs for calculating such information as the Julian Date, the date of midnight transit for any star, and the azimuth and altitude of any star viewed from your own backyard. Indexes list stars by right ascension, popular name, and constellation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent for Astronomy buffs and Science Fiction buffs
This book has three parts: the Starlist, the visual binary stars (includes drawn orbits), and the variable stars (includes graphs of maxima/minima). Excellent ephemerides.

The first part, the Starlist, has been an indispensable source of information. Stars are listed by constellation and includes: RA/Dec, spectral classification, absolute magnitude, apparent magnitude, distance (in light years), parallax, proper motion, direction of apparent motion (disregarding precession), space velocity, radial velocity (where known), size (in solar diameters), luminosity, and Henry Draper Catalogue star reference number (HD). There are many remarks/comments throughout, on various stars. These remarks are concise and helpful, and show Mr. Dibon-Smith's love for the field. Think of it as a one volume condensed Burnham's Celestial Handbook.

The second section of this book, visual binaries, includes the combined magnitude, apparent magnitude of each component (with a few exceptions, only the brightest pair of a multiple system), PA/Sep, and orbital information. At the end of the section is a graphic representation of the orbits of binaries with periods of 300 years or less.

The third section, variable stars. They are listed by subgroup: pulsating, eruptive, rotating, peculiar, eclipsing, and type uncertain. The first part has graphs of the maxima/minima of Mira type stars, and some semiregular variable stars. Part three also lists type of variable, maximum range, epoch, period, and best viewing dates.

That's not all this book offers. There is a section on computer programs (in BASIC) to find: day of the week (given the Julian date), Julian date (given the calendar date), calendar date/day of the week (given the Julian date), position of a star (given the RA/Dec and latitude/longitude of the observer), RA on the meridian (given the calendar date), midnight transit of a star (given the RA), and the approximate date of maxima of a long-period variable. Another section lists stars by RA. Another section identifies star names (fun if you had no idea where Zubenalgubi is...it's Sigma Librae). The bibliography and indices are also helpful.

I learned that this book is also tons-o-fun for the science fiction buff, too. So, the space ninja chased the nasty asteroid pirates all the way to Phi Eridani, did they? Well, now you'll know that Phi Eridani is a B8 V, and 180 light years away.

Seriously, this book has been indispensable. It's fun to browse though for kicks, and it's extremely helpful if you're into Astronomy. ... Read more

Product Description

This new series is designed especially for practical amateur astronomers who not only want to observe, but want to know the details of exactly what they are looking at. Saturn is the second largest planet in the solar system, and the only one with a spectacular ring system that is easily visible from Earth. Saturn is a gas-giant, a huge world dominated by its rings and a retinue of moons. It is probably the most commonly observed and imaged planet for amateur astronomers, because it is always changing - the moons move visibly in the course of an hour, the weather systems on the planet change, and the orientation of the ring alters this way and that.

The concept of the book - and the series - is to present an up-to-date detailed description (part one); and then (part two) to consider how best to observe and record the planet, its moons and its ring system successfully.

"Saturn and How to Observe It" is a mine of information for all levels of amateur observers, from the beginner to the experienced.

Customer Reviews (1)

Julius's book on how to observe the Jewel of the Night "Saturn"!
Saturn was the 3rd object I tried to view after the moon and the stars. I have always been fascinated by the planet and those rings; but nothing could have prepared me for the first time I viewed it with the Telescope; it was a moment that I will never forget. Suspended out there in the darkness of space was a Jewel that even with my Small 76mm Reflector Telescope was a breath taking scene.I was hooked for ever in its beauty; which is way I wanted to know more about viewing and observing this planet and looked for a book on the subject.
I have mixed feeling about this book. The technical content is Wonderful, Saturn's history, and the Rings, Oh those rings; full details about them, Saturn's atmospheric bands and key satellites are discussed in the most intricate details. Diagrams and some nice colour pictures help put the dots on the i's in some instances but are lacking in others. As an example, some of the rings pictures are in Black and White and do not clearly mark the edges and thus leaves it to interpretation of the text or a sketch on the following pages to show their boundary. Some of the technical material may be overkill for an amateur who is not versed with the technical lingo and aspects of astronomy.
The review of the equipment, eyepieces and the filters is good and relevant to Saturn rather than being there just to fill in papers, but they need a bit more organization specifically the filters usage table and a major update on the equipment on general and specifically astrophotography and imaging equipment as the book was written [according to the author] in 2003 even though it was published in Dec. 2005.
The Observation Notes and how to make your observations count is truly valuable and will help organize and make your observations more meaningful and reliable and maybe give you the chance to contribute to the science evolving around this superb planet and others.

Pros:
*Very Good coverage of Saturn's features.
*Helpful forms on how to record your observations.
*Some very good colour images.
*Helpful but outdated equipment review.

Cons:
*Needs an update as it was written in 2003.
*The style is not easy to comprehend, too technical and even boring sometimes.
*Needs a bit of organizing.
*Loose the BW images and have more detailed Colour Images and Diagrams.
*Update the Astrophotography and Imaging chapter and equipment.

My score is in between 3 & 4 stars.
... Read more

Product Description
The works of Edgard Varèse (1883-1965) represent the most radical expression of 20th-century modernism in music. A friend of Debussy, Strauss, and Busoni, he lived to become the conscience of modern American music and a colleague of Cage, Boulez, and Xenakis. This intensive study of Varèse's music comprises a series of descriptive analyses of all Varèse's available works, addressing the ideas, both aesthetic and scientific, which underlie the composer's boldly original view of sound and musical structure. Also discussed is Varèse's conception of music as influenced by both 20th-century humanities' expanding consciousness of its place in the universe and the esoteric philosophies of late 19th-century Paris. As much of Varèse's oeuvre has been tragically destroyed, MacDonald demonstrates the possibility of inferring much of his lost early works, such as the unachieved choral symphony Espace, designed to be performed simultaneously in various capitals around the world, enlarging listeners' appreciation of his works that survive. Also explored for the first time in print are the previously unpublished scores Tuning Up and Dance for Burgess and the reinstated original version of Amériques, released for performance in 1998 by Varèse's executor Chou Wen Chung. ... Read more

Product Description
How much do you know about women astronomers? Besides Sally Ride, the first woman astronaut in space, probably not much. Women Astronomers: Reaching for the Stars by Mabel Armstrong, features short biographies of the key female scientists in this area. Women Astronomers: Reaching for the Stars is one of the few books on women in astronomy specifically targeted to young women in high school---but it's a great read for any age!

You'll read about:

* Hypatia of Egypt, who worked in the famed Library at Alexandria, and invented the astrolabe around 400 B.C. She created it to locate and track the movement of the stars, and also labored to produce a detailed table of her observations. Sailors used the astrolabe and Hypatia's tables for navigation for the next 1200 years.

* America's First Lady of Astronomy was Maria Mitchell, of Nantucket, Massachusetts. She found her first comet in 1847, 61 years after Caroline Herschel of Hanover Germany--the first recorded modern female astronomer.

* Women were used as "computers," doing calculations necessary for astronomy and astrophysics from the 19th to the early 20th century. Females were employed because they could be paid less than male clerks, traditionally hired for such work. Many of America's greatest women astronomers got their start in this occupation.

* Two exceptional women led to the creation of the Hubble Space Telescope: Nashville's Nancy Grace Roman--frequently called the "Mother of the Hubble Space Telescope"--and Margaret Peachy Burbidge of the U.K.

* Women Astronomers: Reaching for the Stars describes these women and many more throughout history.

* Plus an important feature about today's "Rising Stars"! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Great: But Hardback Offer Is a Rip-Off
Women Astronomers: Reaching for the Stars is a wonderful book, providing interesting and illuminating bios of women astronomers throughout history. The book starts with ancient times, tracing the evolution of our understanding of the heavens, as well as our technology. Women have always been a big part of these discoveries. Women Astronomers goes further, by highlighting up-and-coming "rising stars" - women who will make an impact on astronomy in the future. A terrific, enaging read for young people - and us older "young people"! Lots of side-bars explainging key concepts, so you won't get lost.

You wouldn't think, in the 21st century, that we would still have problems getting girls to consider careers in the sciences, but we do. By age 14, studies show that young women's science test scores fall off the map. Maybe it's something to do with discovering boys, or harder math, or society discouraging women from sciences (still) - I don't know. But books like this make a difference. If you have a girl interested in astronomy, you must buy this book!

Also, please make note of the fake "hardback" offerings of this book. Women Astronomers has never been offered in hardback. These are paperback books that have been laminated and either have been sold-off by libraries or anticipated sales were not made. Please do not buy these - or patronize the sellers of - these modified books.

[Disclosure: I am the distributor for this book - but also a real fan!]

an inspiring corrective
It's really a shame that in this day and age a book like this should be necessary, but even a quick glance through the contents will open readers' eyes to just how many female astronomers have been neglected by standard history. The book is well-written and interesting, as well as inspiring, with numerous sidebars explaining various scientific and historical concepts and offering many brief bios of women astronomers who aren't given a full chapter. Highly recommended.

Outlines how the fairer sex has made significant contributions to the science of astronomy
Over five thousand years ago, ancient Babylonian priestesses correctly anticipated solar eclipses and arrivals of comets. "Women Astronomers: Reaching for the Stars" is a part of Stone Pine Presses' Discovering Women in Science Series, and outlines how the fairer sex has made significant contributions to the science of astronomy, focusing on the past hundred years with references to such ancient contributions such as the Babylonian priestesses above. Author Mabel Armstrong, a teacher of science for over a quarter of a century, speaks of her own obstacles in the field and gives advice to other aspiring female astronomers. "Women Astronomers: Reaching for the Stars" is highly recommended for women's studies and science shelves everywhere and for any girl astronomer-to-be.

Inspiring tales of science
Reviewed by Avery Largent (9) for Reader Views (5/08)

"Women Astronomers: Reaching for the Stars" is an exciting book of many tales of (yeah, you guessed it!) amazing women astronomers throughout time. Starting with EnHeduanna, born 2350 BC, and ending with Jill Cornell Tarter, born 1944, this book leads you through an exciting track of those historic women who became astronomers, despite what troubles come in their way.

At first glance, "Women Astronomers: Reaching for the Stars" seems like a boring old science book.But if you take a closer look, you'll see it's an exciting and inspiring book.I think all girls who hope to be scientists or astronomers should read it.In the stories, it doesn't just talk about the women and about how they did certain things, it also explains the science behind their discoveries. In one spot, it shows how astronomers use physical constants.The speed of light is one constant astronomers use, and I found that part a very interesting read.When the author explains things, you feel like you're a scientist yourself, sitting in a science lab and learning to be an astronomer alongside these other great women.

Author Mabel Armstrong is obviously an expert in science.She knows so much about each astronomer, you might have thought she had been friends with every one of these fantastic women.Beside her knowledge, her musical, descriptive words tell inspiring stories. The women in the story show spirit, bravery, and determination.Most of the women in the stories are unsupported by their families just because they are women.They were not taken seriously.When the astronomers were interviewed in their time periods, they were asked silly and personal questions that sometimes didn't even relate to space, like, "Do you cry when you get angry?"However, the women always just ignored their skeptics, and they worked hard to become what they had aimed to be.Anyone who reads this book will be inspired to follow the lead of these amazing women.

I would recommend "Women Astronomers: Reaching for the Stars" to my friends, and I am excited to reread the book.It's a real page-turner; the exciting tales keep you reading for hours on end. I hope every girl who wants to be an astronomer at least once reads these engrossing stories. I'm looking forward to reading whatever Mabel Armstrong comes out with next.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too
In this comprehensive study of the life and contributions of women astronomers throughout the ages, author Mabel Armstrong shows that she has truly done her research.Filled with great photographs, interesting sidebars, and fun timelines, WOMEN ASTRONOMERS: REACHING FOR THE STARS gives information on twenty-one influential female astronomers.

Included are:

EnHeduanna: Chief Astronomer of the Moon Goddess of the City
Hypatia of Alexandria: Astronomer, Engineer, Physicist, Inventor
Hildegard of Bingen: Heard the music of the spheres
Caroline Herschel: She and her brother revolutionized the study of astronomy
Marla Mitchell: The most famous American astronomer of her time
Williamina Stevens Fleming: Founding mother of the Harvard women astronomers
Annie Jump Cannon: Built a star catalog of more than 350,000 stars
Henrietta Swan Leavitt: Discovered a way to measure distances between stars
Antonia Caetana Maury: Developed a new system for classifying stars
Cecilia Payne Gaposchkin: Called the most brilliant astronomer of her generation
Helen Sawyer Hogg: Canada's favorite astronomer for fifty years
Margaret Burbidge: Described the way chemical elements form in stars
Nancy Roman: Pioneered radio astronomy and orbiting observatories
Beatrice Tinsley: A brilliant career cut tragically short
Jocelyn Bell Burnell: Discovered quasars
Margaret Geller: Found structure in the Universe
Carolyn Shoemaker: Looks for comets that threaten Earth
Sally Ride: Astrophysicist and first U.S. woman in space
Jill Tartar: Searches for extra-terrestrial life
Wendy Freedman:Builds big telescopes and settles Hubble Constant

Spanning in time from around 2350 BCE to the present, this is a book that's perfect for anyone interested in astronomy, but especially young girls.They'll be sure to find plenty of wonderful information and inspiration within the pages of this book, which can only be a good thing.

Reviewed by:Jennifer Wardrip, aka "The Genius" ... Read more

Product Description

The focus of this book is to introduce the novice to the art of meteor observing. It explains in straightforward language how best to view meteor activity under a variety of conditions, regardless of the observer’s location. Instead of focusing on just one region in the world, the book includes observing conditions for four different regions; high northern latitudes, low northern latitudes, equatorial regions, and low southern latitudes. The observing conditions for each meteor shower are vastly different from these regions and this book would be valuable to any potential observer from Australia to Alaska. This will be a valuable tool for all observers, regardless of their experience level – and even those located in the southern hemisphere and the tropical areas of the world.

The calendar chapters list activity as it occurs throughout the year. The list is limited to showers that the amateur observer can actually see (some sources list radiants that are impossible to observe without photographic or video methods). Not only are the annual showers discussed, but the random sporadic meteor activity is also included for each region. This is important, as there are many more nights throughout the year when the sporadic background will provide more activity than that provided by the annual showers!

Meteors, and How to Observe them contains many pictures of actual meteors against the stellar background, instead of (often-confusing) star charts. It presents meteor shower activity throughout the year in an appealing calendar-like format.

Since fireballs are often the first experience many have with meteors (or even astronomy), this topic is discussed in detail, and includes fireball activity as it occurs throughout the year. While much of this activity is unpredictable, there are certain periods when the observer has a much better chance of seeing one of these spectacular events.

Finally, the ultimate goal of this book is to kindle (or re-kindle) an interest in viewing meteor activity up to a level where the observer can effectively contribute to our knowledge of the subject by holding systematic observing sessions that accurately list the meteor activity observed in a particular night.

Customer Reviews (3)

Review of Meteors and How to Observe Them - Book
This is a very good book on how to observe meteors. The book contains some technical information about the meteor phenomenon and has detailed tables of annual meteor showers. These tables are much more comprehensive than tables that you would find in publications like the "Farmer's Alamanac."

A must buy for meteor lovers!

Brilliant Guide to "Mother Nature's fascinating Fireworks"
Meteors are Mother Nature's fascinating Fireworks, I enjoy them when driving in the countryside away from city lights, and I even plan my flights during Moonless nights and spend the whole flight observing them from the airplane's little window. As for this book, it's simply enjoyable and well presented for amateur astronomers who want to observe Meteors or just read about them. It provides a "summary" of the various types of Meteors and their activities supported by maps and pictures of what to expect; gathered in one little book. References for more complete sources are included at the end of each chapter for those who want more. It's not a book for a novice as it assumes that you have the basic knowledge of how to locate the constellations and navigate your way around the stars. Visual observations of Meteors are fun, a good pair of binoculars for clearer viewing is recommended, many tips exist in the book for an enjoyable experience. With the multitude of books about stars and deep sky objects out there, this one stands out as one of the few references for amateurs about Meteors. Enjoy!!

Best publicly available book on the subject
METEORS AND HOW TO OBSERVE THEM is a treasure trove of information that provides the most up-to-date and complete volume of information a meteor shower observer/enthusiast could want.You won't find a better book on this subject on Amazon, guaranteed.

For example, the book starts with a very short introduction - from what meteors are to the definitions of Sporadic Meteors (e.g., random, antihellion, hellion, apex, etc.).

The next several sections cover Major Annual Showers (9), Minor Annual Showers (17), Variable Showers (11) and Daytime/Radio Showers (12).

If that wasn't enough, the latest information & research is presented on potentially new showers - a whopping 19 - that need more study and confirmation.

There is also a chapter on monthly meteor activity (sporadic/random meteors do typically vary month-by-month).

If I were to make one small complaint - and it's very, very minor - it would be that Chapter 8 (of 10 chapters) covers "how to observe" meteors.In my humble opinion, this chapter should have been in the beginning of the book - maybe after the definitions & types of meteors and before the detailed descriptions of individual meteor showers.For inexperienced observers, it seems to me they would want to know "how" to observe before learning "what" to observe.But the bottom-line: all of the information you could ever want or need is here, albeit in a slightly different order than I would have organized it.

Last but not least, the author is quite possibly the most respected American expert on meteors.He is the Coordinator of THE ASSOCIATION OF LUNAR AND PLANETARY OBSERVERS (A.L.P.O.) - METEORS SECTION (check the web site for the latest news & information).

If you are interested in observing meteors - and you're a hobbyist or amateur astronomer - this is the one and only book you need to own.

Note: Serious Meteor Observers, like those who submit detailed observations as scientific data to the AMS or IMO (American & International organizations, respectively), have journals & handbooks that would be a "step-up" from this publication.However, like my title indicates - this book is by far the best publicly available book that I have ever seen on the subject.It's one of, if not the best, title in Springer's "ASTRONOMERS' OBSERVING GUIDE" Series. ... Read more

Product Description
Charge-Coupled Devices (CCDs) are the state-of-the-art detector in many fields of observational science. Updated to include all of the latest developments in CCDs, this second edition of the Handbook of CCD Astronomy is a concise and accessible reference on all practical aspects of using CCDs. Starting with their electronic workings, it discusses their basic characteristics and then gives methods and examples of how to determine these values. While the book focuses on the use of CCDs in professional observational astronomy, advanced amateur astronomers, and researchers in physics, chemistry, medical imaging, and remote sensing will also find it very valuable. Tables of useful and hard-to-find data, key practical equations, and new exercises round off the book and ensure that it provides an ideal introduction to the practical use of CCDs for graduate students, and a handy reference for more experienced users. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

CCD Astronomy book condition
The book arrived in the condition stated.It took a little longer than I expected for it to arrive, but it did arrive in good condition.

every thing about learning CCDs
I loved it,... i though me EVERY thing about CCDs,...how do they work...and how to understand the results....

a very valuable book, entertaining too
For a graduate student who has not had an observational astronomy course, the process of self-teaching the essentials of CCD astronomy is not a smooth one.You really don't know what kind of things you have to worry about before going to a telescope!

Though this book does not cover comprehensively the topic of detection techniques in scientific contexts (too much for such a small book), it has an excellent, totally readable introduction to the basics of CCD detection in astronomy.The author obviously has been in the field for a long time, so his numerous anecdotes from his rich, past expericnes are entertaining as well as enlightening.It is such a short book but very satisfying, which is rare for a technical science book.

This book would make a perfect textbook or supplement reading for any decent undergraduate observational astronomy course.Highly recommended as the first reading for observers.

An essential reference
Steve is the master of the art of CCD photometry.This is an essential book for professional astronomers and amateurs alike. ... Read more

Product Description
How old is the universe? This engrossing book recounts how scientists have achieved the definitive answer to one of the great scientific mysteries of our time. Research astronomer John Gribbin tells the story of the struggle to determine the age of the universe and offers an insider's view of the thrilling breakthrough of the 1990s, when Hubble Space Telescope data revealed that the universe is between 13 and 16 billion years old—older by at least one billion years than the oldest stars. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Interesting
This book is quite interesting compared to many other books on science I have looked at. The book builds on itself with each chapter. The first part of the book is about the earth and how we learned it's age/size. The rest of the book describes, in thourough detail, how scientists were able to find the age of the universe through various means. Gribbin does a great job captivating the reader with a sense of importance behind each scientific discovery.

The only bad part about this novel is the fact that Gribbin often times explains theories that I can not begin to comprehend. Astronomy is relatively new to me, yet Gribbin will often go out on a tangent explaining how something works. There were a few times where I would not be able to understand anything because Gribbin, as one reviewer pointed out, did not put diagrams in his novel.

Pick this novel up if you really want to comprehend how much time has gone into pin-pointing the age of the universe.

Well written, badly illustrated
All-in-all an excellent and well written book that is enthralling and informative for anybody interested in modern astronomy and cosmology. However, I must agree with the previous reviewer, Mr. Michael Wischmeyer, that it sorely lacks in the illustration department. Indeed, I shared that reviewers particular frustration with Gribbin's description of the HR Diagram.

All is not lost. May I recommend that anybody thinking of reading Gribbin's book first turn to Donald Goldsmith's book "Einstein's Greatest Blunder...". I only discovered I had this book on my bookshelf immediately after completing Gibbin's book. I had been mislead by its title (which is applling) and had not bothered to open it. It poses the same basic question as "The Birth of Time" but was written a few years before Gribbin's book and sets the scene admirably. Goldsmith's book is not at all about what its title implies but is about the same problem covered in Gribbin's book, i.e. the age of the universe, and includes the well needed diagrams and a lot of prequel discussion of other related issues - e.g. a much simpler description of how the Cepheid distance measure works. Unfortunately, Goldsmith's book does seem to be hindered by a fair few typos, especially in relating the text to specific figures, but with a little thought it is possible to see what is meant.

I strongly recommend these two books as companions but begin with Goldsmith's first to avoid those "oh, that's what Gribbin was talking about!" moments I experienced when reading it after having completed "Birth of Time".

Goldsmith's book truly poses the question of the age of the universe (and a few others beside) before the answer was known and gives a good explanation about what exactly underlies the question. After reading Goldsmith you will simply have to read Gribbin for the answer to this one question posed in Goldsmith's book.

Gribbin provides the history behind the solving of the problem of the age of the universe and describes the actual solution and his own part played in its derivation. And that is probably where the rub lies: Gribbin's personal involvement adds a definite spark of passion but it probably clouds him to providing some explanations that are required by the outsider. Although he often refers to his other books for background in certain issues I am not convinced they cover the full spectrum required by this book. Also, it is not fair to expect the reader to own Gribbin's entire library of publications - although this is not a bad idea.

Yet again, an excellent book from John Gribbin!

Fascinating book on how we learned to measure the universe
John Gribbin is a treasure.He not only has the ability to explain complex scientific concepts to general readers (like me), but he can also explain the controversies surrounding them in a way that the reader can appreciate what issue caused each alternative to arise and what needs to be resolved between them.This wonderful book takes on the topic the techniques used by astronomers to measure the age of the Universe.

Deciding the age of the Universe is not simple, nor is measuring the motion and distance of stars and galaxies.It is fascinating to read how the present conclusions were derived and the role wonderful technology, such as the Hubble telescope, played in opening new areas of the sky to our understanding.

The book has some black and white pictures that do add to the reading of the book, but there are books with truly amazing images from Hubble that are also available.

I highly recommend this book to everyone.

Measuring the Universe
Overall. I like the book.It had some short comings, and I get to those, but it did make approachable some of what astronomers do and how they do it.The book is basically a historical narrative of the science of astronomy and cosmology, and how they are continuously striving to answer some basic questions:How old is the Earth and consequently the Universe?;What is the nature of that Universe?

In this regard, the book does very well.It introduces historical figures, what they did, how they did it, who they influenced, and a few interesting side trips to historical oddities that later proved prescient.There are historically significant people, and people significant only to the field in the book.The book however, is not so much about people as the questions asked (fundamentally remaining unchanged), the answers each generation uncovered (constantly changing with new insight and new precision of the fundamental technology), and the politics of the scientific community.

The author makes approachable aspects of the theories of Einstein, Newton, Quantum Mechanics, the inner workings of stars and how this influenced astronomy.This is were the author is strongest.

The weak areas are primarily in the paucity if figures, diagrams, and pictures to highlight and illustrate key techniques, theories, and technologies.

What impressed me the most is how the science of astronomy and cosmology are built on estimates, built on assumptions, tied to just a few laws of nature or knowns.The answers the participants in the field devine from their work is constantly being refined as the estimates and assumptions are better understood or tossed out.

Measuring the Age and Size of the Universe
Questions about the age of the universe are tightly coupled to understanding the size and structure of the universe. John Gribbin, a research astronomer as well as a popular writer, tells the story of how astronomers and physicists gradually recognized that the universe was both very large and very old.

We all know today that the universe is immense, that the Milky Way is one of many galaxies, the age of the universe is measured in billions of years, and it began with a big bang. This fundamental understanding is actually quite new. In 1920 the scientific community was deeply divided over whether the Milky Way was essentially the entire universe or whether other large galaxies existed. The age of the universe was significantly underestimated. The Big Bang Theory was first considered seriously in the 1940s.

The Birth of Time is a 200-page detailed look at how this remarkable story unfolded. Gribbin writes well and his explanations are quite lucid. We learn not only about major breakthroughs, but we also explore blind alleys and dead ends. It is an exciting, intriguing story, one that definitely warrants reading.

Nonetheless, this book has one major drawback. Gribbin fails to use explanatory drawings or graphs. For example, he describes the Hertzsprung-Russell (H-R) diagram entirely in words. We laboriously read: So in a diagram (a kind of graph) where the brightness of each star (its absolute brightness, after allowing for how far away it is) is plotted against its colour, all hydrogen-burning stars lie along a single band in the diagram, a band which is called the main sequence, running roughly diagonally from top left to bottom right.

Likewise, without any diagrams or graphs, or equations, Gribbin discusses parallax measurements, the redshift-distance relation, Hubble's Constant, gravitational lensing, spectral lines, and the Cepheid period-luminosity relation. (There were eight black and white full page astronomical photos that were indeed helpful.)

I hope John Gribbin updates his work to include recent findings regarding dark matter and dark energy, and the now highly precise age (13.7 billion years) assigned to the universe.

I reviewed the 2000 edition published by Universities Press. ... Read more

Product Description
Heidi Hammel is an out-of-this world explorer. With her feet planted firmly on Earth, she takes trips millions of miles out into space. How does she do this?

Heidi Hammel is a planetary astronomer, a scientist who uses the world’s most powerful telescopes to learn about planets. By making remarkable discoveries in the furthest reaches of our solar system, Heidi also helps us better understand the planet we call home.

The giant planets Neptune and Uranus are Heidi’s specialties. She was on the team that first spotted Neptune’s Great Dark Spot, a raging storm as big as Earth. Heidi also led a team of astronomers tracking the Great Comet Crash, a spectacular event in which a fragmented comet pounded Jupiter for an entire week. There’s no telling what Heidi will find when she peers into a telescope. That’s what makes her work exciting.

Beyond Jupiter is the fascinating story of a scientist and her science. To tell this true tale of adventure, author Fred Bortz drew on firsthand accounts from Heidi and her friends, family, and colleagues. How did a down-to-earth girl grow up to be one of the world’s most highly respected astronomers? The life story of Heidi Hammel will intrigue and inspire readers of all ages. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Scientists are real people too
Women can do anything, but in some fields such as science and engineering, there are still relatively few role models for women. You could point to woman astronauts like Eileen Collins and Peggy Whitson, but there are very few astronaut jobs for men or women. There are many women in non-astronaut space and astronomy roles, as Emily Lakdawalla pointed out in a recent Planetary Society blog post about an all-female team of NASA Mars Rover scientists, engineers, planners, and operators. Women are doing all these things and more in science and engineering, but how can girls find out about these possibilities?

There's a new series of books and a web site from the National Academy of Sciences, iwaswondering.org, that addresses this issue. The book series is Women's Adventures in Science, and I just bought and read one of them, Beyond Jupiter: The Story of Planetary Astronomer Heidi Hammel by Fred Bortz. Dr. Hammel has specialized mainly in the outer planets, especially Uranus and Neptune, though she also was the team leader for Hubble observations of Jupiter for the "Great Comet Crash" in 1994. The nice thing about this book is that it is not only about her science accomplishments, but it also talks about Heidi Hammel as a regular person. She was a smart girl who didn't really know what she wanted to do, was encouraged to apply to MIT, got accepted, struggled with physics classes there, got interested in astronomy, and went on to get a Ph.D. in astronomy. She has done breakthrough work and has received many awards. But she has also been a musician and a Grateful Dead fan and later a wife and mother of three children. The book includes quite a bit of information on planetary astronomy to help explain the work she has done.

This is a really good book, and I strongly recommend it to parents or teachers to share with their daughters and students.

Excellent, moving biography
This is a moving, intimate biography of an important scientist.Very
inspirational. ... Read more