Kategoria BISAC: Science >> Physics - Astrophysics

This book gives an accessible account of the history of the Universe; not only what happened, but why it happened. An author of textbooks on the early Universe and inflation, David Lyth now explains both cosmology and the underlying physics to the general reader. The book includes a detailed account of the almost imperceptible structure in the early Universe, and its probable origin as a quantum fluctuation during an early epoch known as the epoch of inflation. It also explains how that early structure is visible now in the cosmic microwave radiation which is our main source of information...

Bob Mizon, one of the world's best known campaigners against the veil of light pollution that has taken away the starry sky from most of the world's population, takes readers to a hundred places in the UK and the USA where the wonders of the night sky might still be enjoyed in perfect or near-perfect night skies. Visiting small hotels and simple campsites, and savoring vast dark-sky reserves where the night sky is actively protected, The Million-Star Hotel celebrates the black skies of yesteryear - which may become a reality for more and more of us as modern technology reins in...

This book takes the reader on a journey through the history of extremely ambitious, large and complex space missions that never happened. What were the dreams and expectations of the visionaries behind these plans, and why were they not successful in bringing their projects to reality thus far?

As spaceflight development progressed, new technologies and ideas led to pushing the boundaries of engineering and technology though still grounded in real scientific possibilities. Examples are space colonies, nuclear-propelled interplanetary spacecraft, space telescopes consisting of multiple...

In Space Rescue: Ensuring the Safety of Manned Spacecraft, author David J. Shayler reviews the development of crew survival and escape methods from the earliest designs of manned spacecraft to the current discussions of systems for ISS and on to the future prospect of sending men and women out towards Mars.

David Shayler reviews the numerous proposed systems of crew rescue and also analyses the adopted systems of ejection seats, escape towers and abort profiles during the ascent from Earth to space, including the safety requirements and contingency procedures available during...

From the reviews:

..".I enjoyed the historical descriptions of the contributions of the early rocket pioneers Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, Robert Goddard, and Wernher von Braun, as well as the American and Russian manned programs...The book is aimed at the science-literate public, although the material varies in level of detail." (George D. Nelson, PHYSICS TODAY, June 2005)

To commemorate the momentous 50^th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin s pioneering journey into space on 12^th April 2011, a series of five books to be published annually until 2011 will explore this half century, decade by decade, to discover how humanity s knowledge of flying, working and living in space has changed. Each volume will focus not only upon the individual missions within its decade, but also upon the key challenges facing human space exploration at specific points within those 50 years: from the simple problems of breathing and eating in space to the challenges...

A Spectroscopic Atlas of the Stars: A Pocket Field Guide is a standard reference book for all amateur astronomers interested in practical spectroscopy or spectrography. For the first time in one place, it identifies more than 70 (northern hemisphere) bright stars that are suitable observational targets for both amateurs and astronomy students.

Finder charts are provided for locating these sometimes-familiar stars. Data for each star includes labelled stellar spectra, a spectral profile with spectral lines identified. These are conveniently laid out on a single page,...

Meteor showers are among the most spectacular celestial events that may be observed by the naked eye, and have been the object of fascination throughout human history. In "Meteor Showers: An Annotated Catalog," the interested observer can access detailed research on over 100 annual and periodic meteor streams in order to capitalize on these majestic spectacles. Each meteor shower entry includes details of their discovery, important observations and orbits, and gives a full picture of duration, location in the sky, and expected hourly rates. Armed with a fuller understanding, the amateur...