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This book assembles for the first time in a single text the full range of astronomical and engineering principles used in the design and construction of large telescopes. It aims to cover all aspects of the field, from the fundamentals of astronomical observation to optics, control systems, and structural, mechanical, and thermal engineering, as well as such specialized topics as site selection and program management. The book is the result of the collaboration of many leading astronomers, engineers, and project managers. Their contributions have been edited to provide a consistent approach and treatment: for example, ground- and space-based telescopes are treated from a common perspective.
Topics covered include:
- Design Methods and Project Management
- Telescope Optics
- Stray Light Control
- Structure and Mechanisms
- Pointing and Control
- Active and Adaptive Optics
- Thermal Control
- Integration and Verification
- Observatory Enclosure and Siting ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent book on large telescopes
Since I work for a privately held observatory engaged in the construction of a new telescope and facility, this book is extremely useful.I have found its treatment of all the subjects related to large telescopes very helpful and just the right level of depth for my situation. ... Read more

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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 It contains a wealth of previously unpublished biographical and anecdotal material, and an extended bibliography with notes incorporating much new scholarship.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

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Deep-Sky Video Astronomy is a concise guide to using modern integrating video cameras for deep-sky viewing and imaging with the kinds of modest telescopes available commercially to amateur astronomers. It includes an introduction and a brief history of the technology, camera types, etc. The authors then examine the pros and cons of this unrefrigerated yet highly efficient technology, which is already beginning to compete with expensive astronomical cooled-chip CCD cameras in quality and ease of use.

There is a thorough examination of accessories used to achieve particular results. Examples are focal reducers, Barlow lenses, and optical filters. However, the focus is mostly on the practical side of creating beautiful and detailed astronomical portraits using image-stacking software, enhancement tools like PhotoShop, and creating color images with a black-and-white camera.

Practical step-by-step examples supported by tried and trusted tips show how to achieve the best possible deep-sky video portrait!

Customer Reviews (2)

More of a software guide
The other reviewer hits the nail on the head. With only about 13 pages devoted to describing the various video cameras available this book leaves you with more questions than answers about camera selection. I tracked down websites for the various cameras mentioned and I was unable to make a sensible comparison of their features. The cameras mentioned range from $275 to $800 and they clearly feel this is the best bang-for-the-buck. There is a passing mention of webcams, but little more. There is no mention at all of Celestron's Celestron NexImage Solar System Imager.

That said, the bulk of the book is an in-depth step-by-step guide to manipulating the raw video you have captured and explains how to get the best possible images. The book is also filled with great photos, each listed with the telescope specs listed, but not always the camera model. There's also a nice little section on using a video camera for guiding.

If I ever buy a video camera this book will be invaluable; but I'll have to find another source of information to guide my camera selection.

Prescriptive astrophotgraphy
Massey and Quirk's (M&Q) latest book is largely a prescriptive guide to operating a monochrome frame-accumulation video camera with a telescope.It tells the user what to do and when to do it.It describes the GSTAR-EX camera sold by Massey, and the well-known Registax program, and spends a lot of time in describing the steps the operator must go through to get results from the astrophoto session.

M&Q spend most time on the GSTAR-EX camera sold by Massey, with only occasional mention of other competing products (StellaCam, Mintron, Watec, Imaging Source) and no mention at all of the Mallincam Hyper.This is not a criticism; if you use one of these other devices you will still find the book useful.

Careful reading is needed to tease out equipment configuration which will work with a given telescope.This is one area where M&Q could have spent more time, as it represents the greatest cost to the isolated amateur trying to get things right.The writers are also exclusively PC-centric, but if you use Macs you may still find the broad steps applicable to the software you do use.

The gallery at the end of the book is spellbinding, and shows M&Q's consummate abilities at the telescope.Enviable indeed.The section on "photographs from light polluted skies" gives some idea of what can be achieved with the GSTAR from suburbia using moderate telescopes (8 - 10" Newtonians and SCTs, 4" ED refractors, etc).

My verdict - the book is a worthwhile addition to the amateur's library.It will not provide as much background theory as the amateur might wish for, but in its stated aim of introducing the amateur astronomer to video astronomy, it does a very good job.

Disclaimer:- the author does not have a GSTAR-EX nor is affiliated with M&Q. ... Read more

Product Description
Interstellar dust grains catalyse chemical reactions, absorb, scatter, polarise and re-radiate starlight and constitute the building blocks for the formation of planets. Understanding this interstellar component is therefore of primary importance in many areas of astronomy & astrophysics. For example, observers need to understand how dust effects light passing through molecular clouds. Astrophysicists wish to comprehend how dust enables the collapse of clouds or how it determines the spectral behaviour of protostars, star forming regions or whole galaxies. This book gives a thorough theoretical description of the fundamental physics of interstellar dust: its composition, morphology, size distribution, dynamics, optical and thermal properties, alignment, polarisation, scattering, radiation and spectral features.

This encyclopedic book provides the basic physics towards understanding the solid matter in interstellar space. It includes all the necessary physics, including solid state physics, radiative transport, optical properties, thermodynamics, statistical mechanics and quantum mechanics. It then uses all of this basic physics in the specific case of dust grains in the interstellar medium.

Interstellar dust clouds catalyze simple chemical reactions, absorbs, scatters, polarizes and re-radiates starlight and forms the building blocks for planet and stellar formation. Understanding this interstellar medium is then of primary importance in many areas of astronomy & astrophysics. For example observers need to understand how it effects light passing through dust and molecular clouds, astrophysicists need to comprehend the formation and structure of dust clouds and how it collapses to form stars and planets.

Written in an accessible and descriptive manner, this will be essential supplementary reading for advanced undergraduate and graduate students taking courses on the interstellar medium and active researchers in need of a single source of well illustrated and detailed information. ... Read more

Product Description
Contains graduate-level problems with presented solutions and covers topics in radio astronomy. Examples from all branches of radio astronomy throughout. Softcover. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Not really useful
I bought this book together with Tools of Radio Astronomy Fifth Edition, and I must say I am a bit disappointed. Roughly one half of the exercises in this book are also at the end of each chapter in "Tools", and the latter provides some new exercises as well that have not been included in this book. Moreover, references to formulae and figures have not been updated to the 5th edition of "Tools", so that when you read "Use eq. (4.5) of Tools" you are not sure where to look at.

Sure, unlike "Tools" this book includes the solutions of every problem, but the exercises are either plain applications of formulae (like e.g. "Given eq. NNN in Tools, calculate the temperature of...") or derivations of well-known models and formulae (like Planck's derivation of the blackbody's brightness) which can be found in a lot of other textbooks (and with more detail!). I would have been happy to see more exercises on "real" data, like e.g. asking the user to retrieve some published paper and justify the results reported in it.

Given the small size of the book (roughly 160 pages) and its relatively high price, I would *not* advise peoply to buy it -- it is enough to have the 5th edition of "Tools". ... Read more

Product Description
In the last two decades, cosmology, particle physics, high energy astrophysics and gravitational physics have become increasingly interwoven. The intense activity taking place at the intersection of these disciplines is constantly progressing, with the advent of major cosmic ray, neutrino, gamma ray and gravitational wave observatories for studying cosmic sources, along with the construction of particle physics experiments using beams and signals of cosmic origin. This book provides an up-to-date overview of the recent advances and potential future developments in this area, discussing both the main theoretical ideas and experimental results. It conveys the challenges but also the excitement associated with this field. Written in a concise yet accessible style, explaining technical details with examples drawn from everyday life, it will be suitable for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as other readers interested in the subject. Colour versions of a selection of the figures are available at www.cambridge.org/9780521517003. ... Read more

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For every galaxy in the field or in clusters, there are about three galaxies in groups. The Milky Way itself resides in a group. Groups in the local universe offer the chance to study galaxies in environments characterized by strong interactions. In the cosmological context, groups trace large-scale structures better than clusters; the evolution of groups and clusters appears to be related. All these aspects of research are summarized in this book.

Product Description
The subject areas of astronomy and astrophysics have grown tremendously during the last few decades. New developments in radio astronomy and recent data retrieved from NASA s Hubble Space Telescope have resulted in many discoveries and created new interest in the study of the universe. Using four-color throughout, Astronomy & Astrophysics describes the different techniques and instruments employed in the study of the universe and the results obtained with discussion on both theory and observation. The book begins by building the fundamental concepts, theories of creation of the universe, formation of stars and galaxies, mysterious objects of the sky etc. Simultaneously it elaborates the instrumentation and observational schemes in both radio and optical. Finally, the current and future scopes of radio astronomy, new instrumental developments and supporting instrumentations like radio frequency interference monitoring setup and analysis have been explained in details which are rarely found in other texts. A CD-ROM with color figures and simulations accompanies the book. FEATURES Uses spectacular four-color photos throughout the book. Includes several chapters on radio astronomy and covers additional equipment for supporting radio astronomy like spectrum monitoring & data analysis, and some new instrumental developments for broadening the spectrum of the radio telescopes. Covers minor planets, the Big-Bang theory, black holes, the Einstein effect, and more. Accompanied by a CD-ROM containing simulations, color figures, and more. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Astronomical Universe & Basic Techniques of Radio Astronomy. 2. The Solar System. 3. The Atmospheres of Planets. 4. Origin of the Earth and the Solar System. 5. The Stars in the Sky. 6. The Sun as a Star. 7. Astronomical Telescopes. 8. How to Observe the Sun. 9. Observing the Sun with the Coronagraph. 10. Solar Eclipses and Studying the Corona. 11. Measurement of Solar Flux Density. 12. Measurement of Solar ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Humanity's current understanding of the Universe
The Universe is infinite and always expanding, as is mankind's understanding of it. "Astronomy and Astrophysics" is a scholarly, informed and informative look at humanity's current understanding of the Universe. Chapters focus on radio astronomy, optical astronomy, minor planets, the Big Bang theory, Einstein's theories, and many other topics that those in the field will find fascinating. Accompanied by a bonus CD ROM featuring NASA simulations, figures, and much more, "Astronomy and Astrophysics" is a complete a text on the subject as one can find in today's world, and highly recommended for college library physics collections.
... Read more

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Beginning with basic facts about the observable universe, this book reviews the complete range of topics that make up a degree course in cosmology and particle astrophysics. The book is self-contained - no specialised knowledge is required on the part of the reader, apart from undergraduate math and physics. This paperback edition targets students of physics, astrophysics and cosmology from advanced undergraduate to early graduate level.

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This book offers an authoritative collection of papers incorporating the latest results and understanding about supernovae, including SN1987A. There are several chapters reviewing all the radio through infrared, visible, and ultraviolet to X-rays and gamma-rays but also neutrinos. Other chapters deal with the classification of supernovae, depending on their spectra and light curves. Three chapters treat supernovae theory, including a novel idea of a `fractal' burning front and another on the behavior of neutron stars. This thorough review of supernovae observations and theory will appeal to observers as well as theorists in astronomy and astrophysics. ... Read more

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Now in its 4th edition, this classic text presents a quantitative understanding of a range of astrophysical concepts. Emphasizing physical concepts, the book outlines cosmic events but does not portray them in detail. Instead, it provides a series of astrophysical sketches showing how to obtain quantitative insights into the structure and evolution of stars, the dynamics of cosmic gases, the large-scale behavior of the universe, and the origins of life. Nearly every part of the text has been reconsidered and rewritten for the new edition; new sections cover recent developments, and the remainder has been revised and brought up to date.

Customer Reviews (2)

too vague
too vague, its not bad...its alright

Comprehensive and interesting
I'm currently teaching a topics class on astrophysics to a collection of (mostly) senior level non-physics majors (engineers, math majors, computer scientists, etc) and had a lot of trouble trying to find an appropriatebook.There are not many which are both (a) detailed, (b) broad, and (c)at the appropriate level.Most books for undergraduates are either toofocused (i.e. on cosmology) or too elementary.Most of the comprehensivebooks are too advanced.

This book strikes a nice balance betweenmathematical sophistication and generality, but it can be a littledifficult to read in places, particularly for someone without a strongphysics background.Since my class consists mostly of interested,advanced, non-physics majors I didn't feel that the book meshed well withmy class goals.However, the book did suit *me* very well and I'm using itextensively as a source of examples, additional problems and lecturepreparation.

I selected "Modern Astrophysics" by Carroll andOstlie as the class text because it was a little more wordy and explanitoryand because the "astrophysical sketch" approach taken inHarwitt'sbook is fine for someone who has a strong background in physics(which is, after all, the intended audience) but not "userfriendly" enough for advanced students from other fields.

It was atough choice though - this is an excellent book. ... Read more

Product Description
This unique book provides a clear and lucid description of several aspects of astrophysics and cosmology in a language understandable to a physicist or beginner in astrophysics. It presents the key topics in all branches of astrophysics and cosmology in a simple and concise language. The emphasis is on currently active research areas and exciting new frontiers rather than on more pedantic topics. Many complicated results are introduced with simple, novel derivations which strengthen the conceptual understanding of the subject. The book also contains over one hundred exercises which will help students in their self study.Undergraduate and graduate students in physics and astrophysics as well as all physicists who are interested in obtaining a quick grasp of astrophysical concepts will find this book useful. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

An Invitation to Astrophysics
I have been trying to find a book like this for years because I want a deeper understanding of the many exciting contemporary issues of astrophysics.Older, classic texts were of little help, but Prof. Padmanabhan's book has become the perfect companion and guide to my more fully appreciating today's technical papers, ranging from solar system physics to cosmology, published in journals like Science and Nature.

But you must be facile with theoretical physics at the advanced undergraduate or beginning graduate level and be willing to fill in the missing, but usually obvious,algebraic steps between formulae to get the most from this book.The book is hard, but not dry and Prof. Padmanabhan accompanies you with many personal comments as if you were in his class.

Even if you can only work through a few pages at a time, the rewards are high.I will leave with two personal experiences: (1) in the spirit of Feynman, Prof. Padmanabhan gives a physically intuitive development of the classical radiation field in two or three pages that I wished I had seen as a student many years ago, and (2) in one and a half pages, he cogently discusses Lagrangian points and the Roche limit that, in the former is relevant to LISA, the orbiting gravitational intevferometer, and in the latter quantifies the iconic picture of a white dwarf capturing gas from its bloated red giant companion.
Michael Bozoian, Ph.D.

Twinkle, twinkle, little equations...
This book, while an introduction to astrophysics, really is an introduction for those already at a fairly high level of sophistication with theoretical physics and mathematics.According to the preface, Padmanabhan states, `I expect the reader to know the basics of classical and quantum mechanics, special relativity, electrodynamics, etc.'The algebra and calculus requirements are at the very least to the advanced undergraduate level - I've had calculus through differential equations, statistics and abstract algebra, and still found this a very challenging text.The development of the subject is carried forward as much by mathematical equations as it is through narrative description - this is very far from being a text for the popular press; Stephen Hawking made the comment in his book, `A Brief History of Time,' that his publisher warned against equations, stating that for every equation one loses half the readership - by that calculation, the readership here becomes very small.I do not say this as a criticism of the text or its contents, but simply to advise those expecting a more layperson-friendly text that this is not that book.

For those with education and background in physics and mathematics who might want a rigourous introduction to astrophysics, this might well be the book to use.The development of topics is sound.There are occasional flourishes of creativity in the text, but for the most part, this is a straight-forward presentation.General relativity is introduced early, along with other issues of gravitation, radiative processes and topics dealing with matter.These set the stage for the more familiar astrophysical topics of stellar evolution and star structures, star remnants (black holes, white dwarves, supernova, etc.), cosmology and early universe (including the early minutes and earlier, in which so much work has been done in the past few decades), large scale structures such as galaxies, and how galaxies can evolve and demonstrate activity.

For those who find mathematics an impediment, this is not the right text.For those who have a solid background in physics and mathematics, this book will be a good choice.Padmanabhan is author of a much larger series on astrophysics, a three-volume set published through Cambridge - it is clear that he knows his topic, but as a self-study, this is a not a cake-walk for most.
... Read more

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Designed for students who have a basic understanding of physics and mathematics, this text provides a fundamental, three-in-one introduction to astronomy, astrophysics, and cosmology. The astronomy section explores fundamental topics such as the celestial coordinate system, stellar classification schemes, H-R diagrams, and the masses and radii of stars. The astrophysics section addresses stellar structure, stellar atmospheres, energy generation in stars, and nucleosynthesis. Also covering galactic structure and rotation, the cosmology section introduces the Robertson-Walker metric and Friedman models of the universe and discusses the present status of the Hubble constant along with problems associated with the age of the universe.

Numerous problems, diagrams, and up-to-date references make this an ideal introductory text for graduate courses in physics, mathematics, space physics, or any program for which astronomy is an option. ... Read more

Product Description

The second edition of Electronic Imaging in Astronomy: Detectors and Instrumentation describes the remarkable developments that have taken place in astronomical detectors and instrumentation in recent years – from the invention of the charge-coupled device (CCD) in 1970 to the current era of very large telescopes, such as the Keck 10-meter telescopes in Hawaii with their laser guide-star adaptive optics which rival the image quality of the Hubble Space Telescope.

Authored by one of the world’s foremost experts on the design and development of electronic imaging systems for astronomy, this book has been written on several levels to appeal to a broad readership. Mathematical expositions are designed to encourage a wider audience, especially among the growing community of amateur astronomers with small telescopes with CCD cameras. The book can be used at the college level for an introductory course on modern astronomical detectors and instruments, and as a supplement for a practical or laboratory class.

Customer Reviews (5)

Excellent book on instrumental astronomy
A very comprehensive text on contemporary observational astronomy with a specific focus on instruments, detectors, and their host telescope technologies. The book reflects the deep insights of the author and his extensive practical experience in this area at leading telescope facilities and institutions. The book is detailed, and covers important auxiliary material, such as data reduction methodologies required for the instruments and detectors described, and important chapters on instrument design as well as leading-edge science examples in contemporary observational astronomy. The book is at a senior undergraduate, specialist, or graduate student level, but provides a lot of supporting material so can be read at different levels of technical interest. It is a deep technical view of observational astronomy, but I highly recommend it, especially to those who wish to understand the instruments and detectors of modern observational astronomy. The book covers radio, O/UV/IR, and high-energy photon astronomy.

Outstanding, Simply Outstanding!
If you have even a little bit of interest in learning about imaging technology in the field of Astronomy then this is definitely the first book you should be grabbing. What really separates this book from others like it is how its meticulously set up for all levels of experience and interest. In other words whether your a seasoned professional, a college student, or just an amateur backyard astronomer, this book has something to offer you.

If there was ever a time for a book like this its now as imaging technology in general has seen just massive breakthroughs in recent years and astronomy is one of the fields that has really benefited the most from such breakthroughs. In fact one could argue that astronomy has actually benefited more from such breakthroughs than photography itself. Of course photography is a huge part of astronomy so such arguments are pretty much futile. The bottom line is that imaging in astronomy is light years ahead of where it was even 20 years ago and this book will bring you up to date in regards to those technologies. It covers everything from the invention of CCD's right up to the use of adaptive optics. Overall Its extremely well written and is packed with a lot of great diagrams and mathematical equations.

I am actually an architectural photographer but I have been getting into astrophotography more and more in recent years and its now to the point where its one of my main focuses in regards to my personal work. A little while back I just really started getting the urge to learn about this technology from the ground up and I have been doing just that ever since. I have now read 4 different books on CCD's and imaging technology and this book is easily the best one I have read yet. If you want to take your understanding of such technologies to the next level then this is without a single doubt the place to start. Even if you already have a good understanding of such material, this book will still have plenty to offer you. In fact, anyone even half serious about imaging technology should have this on their bookshelf, period!

The bottom line - This is one book that anyone even remotely interested in imaging technology should have!!

5 Stars!!

Excellent book for beginner and expert
I have worked most of my career in scientific detectors for astronomy, for both ground and space, and my career includes positions at some of the major ground-based astronomical observatories (European Southern Observatory, W.M. Keck Observatory), and I now work at a leading detector manufacturer. I am a collector of books on technology for astronomical imaging, and Ian McLean's book is the best introduction and reference I have found for electronic imaging in astronomy. Ian McLean's book provides an excellent introduction to those who wish to learn about electronic imaging and it is a very good reference for those working in astronomy and other fields that require high performance imaging. The information on instrumentation and detectors is both broad and deep, with excellent compilation of references for those who seek more detail.I have ordered 3 copies of this book for my colleagues at work, and this book is often referenced in our discussions.I strongly recommend Professor McLean's book.

James W. Beletic, Ph.D.
Director of Astronomy & Civil Space
Teledyne Imaging Sensors

Very nice book!
I just wanted to mention how much I enjoy this book, Electronic Imaging in Astronomy (2nd ed.). I am nowhere near a professional in this field (I'm a mathematician, but do astronomical spectroscopy for fun), but the book's friendly writing style, wide scope, and clear explanations make the topics engaging and completely accessible. A work like this bespeaks a wide and deep knowledge of the field, as well as, I am sure, no small amount of perseverence! So kudos to the author from a layman for a really nice book!

best for the CCD ultra-enthusiast
An odd combination of the most detailed description of CCD and infrared arrays (their history,use, calibration, optical and electronic properties, drive waveforms, etc.), plus a shallow and general coverage of generaloptics, software (including a flow chart for software development plus afew screen shots!), telescopes, and adaptive optics.

It is hard toimagine someone who would get something useful out of every chapter; theultra beginner could learn the basics better elsewhere, but would find thetechnical chapters hard slogging, while the CCD enthusiast will make thecomplementary choices.

Exercises suggest the author may have imaginedthis to be a text book, but the poor general coverage and excellenttechnical coverage make this instead a reference for techies. ... Read more

Product Description
This introduction to basic practical tools, methods and phenomena in quantitative astronomy covers topics across a wide range of areas, from radio to gamma-ray wavelengths. Clear presentations of the topics are accompanied by diagrams and problem sets. Written for undergraduates and graduate students, the book will introduce them to the practice and study of quantitative and analytical astronomy and astrophysics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Not very detailed
I was using this book for an undergraduate course in observational astronomy, and I found it almost worthless. Bradt seemingly explains a lot of details, but he derives nothing, often offering numbers that only work in limited cases, or offering general relations, instead of actual equations. I think the book would be far over the head of any casual observer, and I know it was useless for someone looking to actually learn the science behind observational astronomy.

current methods of taking observations
The focus [pun intended] is on observational astronomy. Rather than the astrophysics of exotic objects like black holes. Bradt goes through the electromagnetic spectrum. In various regions of this, like the Xray or the visible, he explains the most common methods of taking observations. This is a function of our current technology.

Though, and this is important to note, the technology is continually improving. Hence the book can also be usefully read as a projection into the near future of logically improved capabilities. Maybe the most exciting of which is better images of extrasolar stars and planetary systems. Especially visible images.

The text is detailed enough to be useful to an undergrad astronomy or physics major. Some elements might be too advanced for a lay reader. ... Read more

Product Description

Today, the Sun is observed using different techniques that provide an almost instantaneous 3-D mapping of its structure. Of particular interest is the study of its variability characterised by the 11-year cycle. However, solar activity also varies on longer time scales, as has been attested through indirect methods as the number of sunspots and the records of cosmogenic isotopes, such as ¹⁴C and ¹⁰Be.

The reconstruction of past solar activity may be also complemented by the study of historical accounts. In this book we will describe how these events can be used to obtain information on parameters as solar rotation (sunspot drawings), coronal structure (aurorae and total eclipses) and radius determinations (total eclipses).

Product Description

This volume deals specifically with recent original research in the history of Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Islamic, and Indian astronomy. It strikes a balance between landmarks in the history of ancient and medieval astronomy in the Orient on one hand, and on the other the transmission of European astronomy into the countries of the Orient. Most contributions are based on research by experts in this field.

The book also indicates the status of astronomy research in non-European cultural areas of the world. It will be of interest to historians of astronomy and science, and students of cultural heritage.