Book Description

This Second Edition retains all the same primary objectives as the original text: First, to present basic combustion concepts using relatively simple and easy-to -understand analyses; and second, to introduce a wide variety of practical applications which motivate or relate to the various theoretical concepts. The overarching goal is to provide a textbook which is useful for both formal undergraduate study in mechanical engineering and in related fields, and informal study by practicing engineers. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Readable
This book is used at UCLA for a senior mechanical/aerospace engineering course. I would only recommend it to someone interested in pursuing graduate level course work in combustion. Suggested Prereq: Heat & MassX, Fluids, Chemistry, Thermodynamics, Differential Equations (ODE, PDE, CPU).

The good
It has good references to modern combustion sources/codes. good introduction to whats possible.

The bad
A lot of derivations are made, but the equations arent solved, except for the trivial or ultra-simplified cases. So its not too useful for a practicing engineer.

The ugly
He mispells prior as priori about 20 times, and refers to variable as rs. You dont know if it is r times s, or if it is multiple r's.

An Introduction to Combustion : Concepts and Applications
An excellent introductory book on combustion. Suitable for an undergraduate course or for self-study. Fundamental concepts are clearly explained with many calculation examples and problems to solve. The material is presented in a very attractive and easy to read way. Also, has numerous references to webpages with useful information, plus computer programmes to solve basic problems, like equilibrium composition. The overall approach is to provide tools to make practical calculations using computational tools.

a good cobustion course textbook
An appreciable attempt to cover the basics of all aspects of combustion science on a first comburtion-science course level, this book does manage to be very clear and structured, with good examples and clarifying illustrations, students of combustion science will find it a very helpful introduction. However, as many science books often are, it fails to present a synthetic view of this field, and the reader is left wondering if such a view is even possible, but the different chapters may serve those interested specifically in them.

Steve Turns makes Combustion easy
I think Steve has abilities to convey scientific ideas in a simple, easy to understand manner. His interaction with industrial clients, industrial applications and combustion equipment has given him an insight for explaining basics as applied to the real world. He also understands utilities of various combustion properties, parameters and correlations. He also knows how you can apply it for the maximim benefit for a given process. I recommend this book to any practicing engineer in the combustion field. Steve is a great communicator and a friend of combustion industry. At Air Liquide I have used this book to design burners, flames and combustion processes for steel, glass, chemical and process industries. Sincerely, Dr. Mike Joshi, Combustion Scientist, Air Liquide, Chicago Research Center, Countryside, IL 60525 ... Read more

Book Description

Written by one of the most succesful aerospace authors, this new book develops aircraft performance techniques from first principles and applies then to real airplanes.It also address a philosophy of, and techniques for aircraft design. By developing and discussing these two subjects in a single text, the author captures a degree of synergism not found in other texts.The book iswritten in a conversational style, a trademark of all of John Anderson's texts, to enhance the readers' understanding. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A better historical than analytical textbook.
Any student who has read through this textbook and tried to understand the derivations and derive the equations presented will realize that Anderson's forte is history more than engineering.The text is well written and interesting to read since Anderson gives a good historical background to each concept but Anderson's explanations are sometimes questionable and there are many conceptual and formula errors.The book does have good figures and presents a lot of good data but for students trying to learn aircraft performance for the first time, there are better textbooks out there.I am currently a PhD student in Aerospace Engineering at Georgia Tech studying for the qualifying exam.I was studying from this textbook but found that it was difficult to master the concepts to my professor's expectations based on what Anderson has presented.I recently aquired "Mechanics of Flight" by Warren Phillips which is much better at presenting the same material and is much more exhaustively researched from an analytical point of view.It is also much cheaper with twice the content so I would recommend it over Anderson's "Aircraft Performance and Design."

A great introduction to aircraft design
This is an excellent book and can be used as a continuation of Introduction to Flight by the same author.This book focuses on airplane design and performance, but also gives a very clear introduction to propulsion and aerodynamics of airplanes.I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in airplane design, as well as Daniel Raymer's book Aircraft Design: A Conceptual Approach.Both books I found to be extremely interesting and written in clear, easy to understand language.

This book was used in an upper level Aircraft Performance and Dynamics class that I recently took.I also found this book very helpful in my Aircraft Design class and my Aircraft Propulsion class.In short, a student of aeronautical engineering couldn't ask for a more well rounded book on aircraft design--covering all the aforementioned topics.

If only all engineering textbooks were so well written!

This book is now available.
This is just an announcement from the Author. This book is now available. Feb. 16, 1999. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

a little-known masterpiece
A physicist friend told me about this book, endorsing it as the best and most accurate treatment of the elucidation of the motions of the planets. When I picked it up, I found myself transported not just to the early Renaissance, but to Greece, where the story begins with Pythagoras and others. Koestler approached this as a lone intellectual, rather than an acacdemic, which means that he went back and read all the original sources to see things for himself rather than rely on secondary texts. That gave him a vivid feel for what these discoverers thought and did that is sadly absent from most survey histories available.

The result is a unique master work, in which you feel you get to know Copernicus, Kepler, and Galileo as well as their classical predecessors. The science is explained as are the dead ends, and some harsh judgements made: Koestler was not timid! He also succeeds is putting the discoveries into context, as the standard against which scientific discovery has come to be measured.

Though I studied this in high school physics, this is what truly made this period come alive for me. I will reread this for years to come.

Good History, but the Epilogue . . .
The book begins with an interesting account of the development of modern astronomy with particular emphasis on Copernicus and Kepler. The section on the trial of Galileo brought up valid points on Galileo's "martyrdom".

Unfortunately, the epilogue drew some questionable conclusions. First, Koestler cast doubt on quantum theory and compared it to the epicycles of the Ptolemaic and Copernican theories. He seems to have ignored some of the lessons pointed out earlier in the book. It was the careful and systematic observations of Tycho Brahe that provided crucial data in the development of Newtonian gravity. Likewise, quantum theory is based on numerous careful and systematic measurements on many different systems. This was true even back when the book was written. I would say that he sounds like the Aristotelian looking at Kepler's ellipses and asserting, "This is not what a good theory looks like."

Second, Koestler seems to have believed strongly in ESP and similar psychic phenomena. He claims that evidence exists validating these beliefs. He did not provide any references, probably because real trials just can't find any such thing.

In spite of these problems, the book is worth reading for the historical points that he brings up.

Everyone should read it
Fascinating account of the history of astronomy through the discovery of classical mechanics by Kepler, Galileo and Newton. We may see it as the history of the replacement of religious-based dogmatism by what physicists today call the Galilean approach: the discovery and consequent mathematical description of nature throughy repeated, identical experiments or observations. This is the book that wheted my appetite for the history of physics. For the serious reader, there are also Julian Barbour's Absolute or Relative Motion and Fred Hoyle's history of Copernicus's contribution. Of interest as well, if less exciting, are Galileo's Dialogues.

Koestler is brilliant
Arthur Koestler was one of the most remarkable intellects of the twentieth century. In the course of his life and career he experienced and wrote about most of the great movements and changes of his times. Typically, he perceived patterns long before others, inevitably with a truly unique understanding, and wrote about them beautifully.

In The Sleepwalkers, Koestler traced what he thought to be the mainstream of the development of science through exquisitely researched and written biographies of some of science's leading figures. There's no part of the book that isn't well worth reading, but I think that his treatments of Copernicus and Kepler are hair-raisingly insightful.

Readers can confidently expect to put down The Sleepwalkers with increased knowledge and new insights about the history of science and the stellar figures Koestler describes. Still, don't expect a quick read. Koestler thinks and writes in depth, and takes the time to guide readers where he wants to take them.

Robert Adler
Science Writer
Author of Science Firsts: From the Creation of Science to the Science of Creation (John Wiley & Sons, 2002, ISBN 0471401749).

A definitive history of Cosmology
This is book on the history of cosmology - make no mistake. It tries to illustrate Koestlers masterly thesis in the epilogue on the nature of genius and creativity, and the path of scientific progress. The example he uses is the history of cosmology. Having begun his book so, and paying attention to this mode of thought in the introduction, Koestler soon sets down to business

He begins with the Pythagorean brotherhood and delves a little into the man that Pythagoras was, and speaks of the contributions of Plato and Aristotle in this arena. So rigid is Koestlers focus, that this is perhaps the first book which speaks of Plato and Aristotle with reference to only their works in astronomy and completely ignores Socrates, who had no contribution to this field. The book neglects more ancient theories and incorrect faiths. Rather it concentrates with laserlike intensity on the people who made the Science what it is, namely Copernicus, Tycho Brahe, Kepler and Galileo. Once we are through with the Greeks and the intermittent period, the book rapidly moves into a breathtaking narrative, almost biographical, about these giants, on whose shoulder Newton stood and saw further.

Koestler also brings to the reader correspondence and definitive evidence that debunks most of scientific history into the realm of folklore, and shows how different a path cosmological studies have taken. He debunks many old viewpoints and theories and shows the true history of science to be very different. He ends with Newtons arrival on the scene, and leaves us begging for more

In his epilogue, Koestler returns to his construct on sleepwalking and the nature of genius, and in a masterly flourish, the book suddenly picks up pace like never before, and ends leaving the reader wanting to read it all again!

Quite simply a must read, and a must-have book for any book lover ... Read more

Book Description

In the 1960s and 1970s deep space missions were dispatched in pairs in case one was lost in launch or failed during its journey. Following the triumphs of the Viking landings on Mars in 1976 and both Voyagers spacecraft successfully surveying the outer giant planets of the Solar System, it was decided by NASA to cut costs and send out just a single probe. Although Magellan successfully mapped Venus by radar, it suffered from problems during the flight. Then came the loss of Mars Observer, whose engine exploded as it was preparing to enter Mars’ orbit because it was using technology designed for Earth’s satellites and the engine was not suited to spending several months in space. Later came the high-profile losses of Mars Climate Observer and Mars Polar Lander - a consequence of the faster, better, cheaper philosophy introduced by Dan Goldin in 1993. Even the highly successful Galileo mission suffered a major setback when its high-gain antenna (also based on satellite mission suffered a major setback when its high-gain antenna (also based on satellite communication technology) failed to deploy fully, greatly diminishing the craft’s radio transmission capabilities, forcing the ground crew to re-programme the on-board computer to enable it to fulfil its mission and provide stunning images of Jupiter and its moons. In Space Systems Failures, David Harland (here working with co-author Ralph Lorenz) describes the many quite fascinating tales of woe involving failures of rockets, satellites and deep space missions in his inimitable style, providing a unique insight into the trials and tribulations of exploration at the high frontier. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Everything you could possibly want to know.
I've only read a few of the papers, but they are very good.If you know lots of phyics, this book is everything you want to know about Venus and then some.Most papers are using the Magellion data. ... Read more

Book Description

This newly expanded and thoroughly updated third edition examines accretion as a source of energy in both binary star systems containing compact objects, and in active galactic nuclei. Assuming a basic knowledge of physics, the authors describe the physical processes at work in accretion discs and other accretion flows. New material includes a detailed treatment of disc instabilities, irradiated discs, disc warping, and general accretion flows. The treatment is suitable for advanced undergraduates, graduate students and researchers. ... Read more

Book Description

" The most beautiful collection of astronomical photographs ever published, in a magnificent oversize format.

Human beings have always sought meaning in the mysterious dark of the night sky. Stargazers of antiquity recorded the procession of the constellations, naming them for gods and mythological creatures. Modern astronomers continue the search for meaning, probing ever farther into time and space to map the universe and determine its nature and origins.Today's sophisticated telescopes peer far beyond the ancient constellations to a universe more beautiful than our forebears could have imagined.The Invisible Universetakes us into the hearts of these constellations with more than fifty stunning reproductions of David Malin's luminous photographs of distant stars, nebulae, and galaxies.

Using some of the most powerful Earth-based telescopes, astronomer and photographer Malin has spent over twenty years painstakingly capturing the previously undetected colors and forms of gas, dust, and light in the farthest reaches of space.The unusual photographic process that Malin devised requires three different exposures, which may be taken years apart, in order to produce each picture.

The Invisible Universe gloriously reproduces the results of his labors on an unprecedented scale. Enriched with the history of the constellations and early observational renderings, this one magnificent volume unites the timeless enchantment of space with the excitement of new astronomical discoveries.

Arranged by constellation like an antique star atlas,The Invisible Universeshowcases such spectacular sights as the Great Orion Nebula, the Rosette Nebula, and the Jewel Box Cluster. The informative and entertaining text combines the science, poetry, and lore behind these glorious objects.It outlines the story of their discovery and observation along with vivid description of the life cycles of stars, setting them in the context of their distance, age, and environment.

Lavishly designed and printed by Callaway Editions, with figures from classical celestial charts and apt quotations from Shakespeare, Dante, Donne, and Tennyson,The Invisible Universeis a delight, to be pored over by lovers of astronomy, literature, philosophy, and photography alike. " ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Its size does justice to the its subject
I gave my husband a telescope for his birthday last summer, and have since become an astronomy widow - better than being a football widow! I wanted to give him a Christmas gift of something spectacular that wasn't technological, since I know nothing about it, and saw a review of this book. So I took a chance and bought it. What a success!

The book is cumbersome because of its size, but the upside of that is that it forces you to sit down at a table and really LOOK at it - this is not a browsing book. Each image is more spectacular than the previous, and the photographs are so beautifully done, so artistic, that they look almost painterly. The realization that this stuff actually exists, is really out there, in all this color and glory, is tremendously exciting. A "normal"-sized book could never do the photographs justice - this book had to be this size. The Horsehead Nebula is so other-worldly, so amazing, that words fail me and only photos like these can describe it.

This book, more than any other I've seen, transports me off the planet and makes me realize how unimaginably vast the universe really is - and fills me with awe that we silly humans with our puny little machines can actually see this much!

I recommend this book without reservation to anyone with an interest in astronomy, art, photography... I sure am glad I gave it to US!

A big treasure of a book...
I recently bought a copy of 'The Invisible Universe' for myself and I was blown away by each and every one of these astounding images that David Malin assembled and finally published in an appropriate format (finally a book whose size dares to do the content justice!). I am not (yet!) an expert on this subject matter, but it also proved to be a very interesting read with lots of interesting quotes and references. The oversized images convey the beauty of the subject matter as well as the purpose of science. They're not only very precise documentary photographs of constellations, nebulas and supernovas, but also a very poetic and artistic look (some of the images even reminded me of Ross Bleckner's paintings) at the vast universe that inspired me to let my imagination run wild. I applaud the people who made this book. It's a treasure! I especially appreciate the contrast of the vivid and saturated large photographs and the historic drawings and maps (and the juxtapositions of the two), which makes it more than just a pretty book but also a great reference for people like me, who are just starting to get into astronomy. I recommend this book for everyone who looks up at the stars and wonders if there is anything else out there. Carl Sagan would have loved this one! Ps: read the appendix to find out how these pictures were taken. -> My favorite one is called 'Storm of Orion'

A jewel...
This book, in it's bountiful size and otherworldly beauty commands attention. It was in stock at a bookstore I used to work at, and I had to look at it every week. The photos inside are so lush and gorgeous that they will make you wish you had a larger print to hang up in your apartment. This photography book captures some of the most beautiful, mysterious forces known to us. From magnificent galaxies to nebulas daunting in their size colors, only a book of this size could begin to give the true essence of what is out there. A picture is worth a universe of words.

Words don't do it Justice
Perhaps the most superb collection of astronomical and cosmological photographs I've ever seen in one collection. If you have even the faintest interest in astronomy or cosmology, do yourself a kind service and buy this book. You will never look at the stars the same way again. This book renders a perspective on the universe and our tiny place in it like no other.

As for the size, it is a little large but several of the photos demand it. The person who commented on the image quality certainly doesn't have a strong grasp of astro photography or he surely wouldn't criticize. This is a masterful work.

Not your average coffee-table book!
I think one of the reviewers has his wires a little crossed. The book quite clearly states that the photographs were all taken by David Malin using the Anglo-Australian Telescope, NOT by the Hubble Space Telescope! There are several other excellent publications covering HST photographs if that's your desire. How anyone can possibly complain about the photos being grainy and repetitive is totally beyond me(?) This is a magnificent publication by the world's foremost GROUND-BASED Astro-photographer. No more, no less. Spend 10 minutes just staring at the photo of the Trifid Nebula. It has a depth to it that no amount of digital manipulation could possibly produce or duplicate; Hubble or otherwise. It makes me feel proud that these pictures were taken less than 40 kilometres from my old hometown. I agree with one of the other reviewers concerning this and Ken Croswell's book. Buy both of 'em! ... Read more

Book Description

The Night Sky is a rotating star finder (planisphere) that allows the user to recognize the constellations for any time of night, any day of the year. The sky appears to rotate (due to the rotation and orbital motion of the earth), so to be successful recognizing the constellations a beginner needs to know which stars are above the horizon at any time.

This is the full-sized version of The Night Sky suitable for the 30°-40° latitude zone (southern half of the US, North Africa, Middle East, etc.). We have versions for the following latitude zones: 50°-60°, 40°-50°, 30°-40°, 20°-30°, and the Southern Hemisphere.We also have pocket-sized versions available for the same latitude zones. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A useful tool- convenient; practical; durable.
A rotating starfinder like this one (often referred to as a "Planisphere") effectively shows how the night sky looks at any given time on any night of the year. For instance, if it's 10 p.m. on April 30th, just line up April 30th on the outer wheel with 10 p.m. on the inner wheel. The starfinder will thus display the position and orientation of the constellations that are visible to you at that time. As time passes, celestial objects "drift" from east to west due to the Earth's rotation. Occasional adjustment (rotating the planisphere's inner wheel to keep up with passing time) will sustain an accurate representation. As with any night-time observing aid, it should be viewed with red light.

Planispheres are generally manufactured in incremental versions to accommodate various bandwidths of latitudes from which to use them. For northern latitudes they are most commonly offered in 20/30; 30/40; and 40/50-degree versions. The Night Sky "30-40" matches latitudes from 30 to 40 degrees North, i.e.: - the mid-southern United States. You should select the one that brackets your particular latitude.

Classic boundaries of the constellations are highlighted with lines connecting principal stars down to 5th magnitude. A few of the more significant celestial objects are represent as well, i.e.: - M31. Right Ascension and Declination scales are provided. The front side shows the sky as you face north. Turning the planisphere over (from front to back) shows the sky as it looks facing south - and without distortion.

A good starfinder is a useful tool, and Chandler's Night Sky planisphere has become my personal favorite. It makes for a good learning device as well, and is the planisphere of choice for Terrence Dickinson ("The Backyard Astronomer's Guide"). It is plastic coated, weatherproof, and very durable. Mine has suffered some clumsy mishaps on a concrete observing pad and endured countless hundreds of dew-polluted evenings, but still looks and functions quite well.

Whatever the venue - binocular, telescope, or just plain naked-eye stargazing, I highly recommend Chandler's Night Sky planisphere. I believe it to be the best choice available.

An excellent tool for learning and using the night sky!
Dave Chandler's Night Sky has been a useful toll for me for many years of comet hunting. I began using it 20 years ago to determine what stars I should be seeing near the horizon at the evening and morning twilights. It is very simple to use, both during the day and at night. ... Read more

Book Description

This book is a comprehensive treatment of star formation, one of the most active fields of modern astronomy. The reader is guided through the subject in a logically compelling manner. Starting from a general description of stars and interstellar clouds, the authors delineate the earliest phases of stellar evolution. They discuss formation activity not only in the Milky Way, but also in other galaxies, both now and in the remote past. Theory and observation are thoroughly integrated, with the aid of numerous figures and images. In summary, this volume is an invaluable resource, both as a text for physics and astronomy graduate students, and as a reference for professional scientists.
... Read more

Book Description

Three hundred spectacular views of Earth taken by the latest generation of satellites.

For orbiting satellites, no place on Earth is isolated. The Himalayas are as easy to photograph as Manhattan. While satellite images are important for science and technical needs, they can also be appreciated for their astonishing beauty.

Earth From Space shows how satellite imaging - also called remote sensing - works and showcases some of the most extraordinary photographs ever published.

In the mid-1990s a new generation of satellites began to orbit the Earth. More powerful and accurate than ever, they can record the effects of human and natural forces, and how the planet is changing through time can be clearly seen.

The book also dispels popular misconceptions like those used in Hollywood movies for dramatic effect such as exaggerated surveillance capabilities of orbiting satellites. However, what the satellites do see is nothing short of spectacular.

Earth From Space presents stunning color photographs of: - Coastal ports and major world cities - Military installations such as the Russian Pacific submarine fleet - Rebuilding lower Manhattan and the Pentagon after 9/11 - Landscapes of wars including Iraq and Iran - Rain forests, wetlands, coral reefs, rivers and mountains - Effects of deforestation and desertification

Earth From Space covers subjects ranging from aeronautics to history to ecology with unforgettable illustrations - an expansive big picture view of the world. ... Read more

Book Description

Zecharia Sitchin's autobiographical recounting of a half century of investigative expeditions to unravel the enigmas of ancient civilizations and their gods.

• Includes vivid accounts of explorations in Greece, Thera, Crete, Egypt, the Sinai, Israel, Jordan, and Mesoamerica.

• Reveals behind-the-scenes findings in museums and archaeological sites.

• Contains 60 color and 159 black-and-white images from the author's personal archive, including previously unpublished photographic evidence of UFOs in biblical times.

For the first time, Zecharia Sitchin, author of the bestselling The Earth Chronicles series, reveals the foundational research and adventurous expeditions that resulted in the concrete evidence for his conclusions that ancient myths were recollections of factual events, that the gods of ancient peoples were visitors to Earth from another planet, and that we are not alone in our own solar system. In the course of his investigations Sitchin also became convinced of the veracity of the Bible.

Sitchin's expeditions take readers from the Yucatan peninsula to the isle of Crete to ancient Egypt and the lands of the Bible as he explores the links between the Old World and the New World. His adventurous exploits reveal archaeological cover-ups concerning Olmec origins in Mexico and ancient UFO artifacts in Turkey. Other quests send him through the holy sites of Jerusalem, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon in search of evidence of extraterrestrial gods in the artifacts and murals of these ancient civilizations. The Earth Chronicles Expeditions is a masterful historical and archaeological adventure into the origins of mankind and a "must" guidebook for all who wish to visit the numerous sites and museums covered in this book. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

I See the Pictures, I'm not Quite Convinced.
Mr. Sitchin is a believer that ancient astronaughts roamed the earth. He views artifacts carefully selected from around the world and explains their appearance in terms of modern reference. This book is a journal of many trips made over several years. It could serve as a summary of his findings and beliefs that are summarized in his other twelve books.

The author is an eminent member of the, I guess you would call it, 'alternative archeology' school. He looks at a statue of a girl, or a piece of carved stone and he sees evidence of space travel in the ancient past. That round thing on the head of a statue: could it be a helmet made of something tough to deflect a sword, or is it a crash helmet like those worn by pilots. That spaceship shaped piece of stone: is it a model of a real space ship, or perhaps a model of a boat. That statue of a goddess holding a vase: why would she be carrying a clay pot type vase while wearing headphones with an unbilical cord attached to the back of her space suit while she is bare brested in front.

I look, I'm not so sure I see what he sees. Still it's a good book for summarizing an alternative past.

Sitchin, the new Von Daniken -- pseudoscience par excellence
It's a shame that Amazon places Sitchin's books in its science section. Americans are ignorant enough of science as it is, and this just further blurs the boundary between solid scientific research and pseudoscientific myths. I suppose there are those who enjoy Sitchin strictly as entertainment, and I have no problem with that. I remember when I was in high school I though Van Daniken's "ancient astronauts" theory was really cool.

It really is amazing what people will believe, though. With fundamentalist creationists and new agers rampant already, it just seems sad and symptomatic of the anti-intellectualism of American society that this stuff apparently has a large following. Sitchin and other similar mavericks and cranks always complain that mainstream science doesn't take them seriously, but consider -- how much time would be wasted if real scientists had to check on the claims of every crank in the world?

Read for entertainment, sure, but if what you're interested in is the truth, read the works of reputable scholars of the ancient societies, not just cranks.

I enjoyed every minute of the reading...
The books of Mr. Sitchin (and Velikovsky) made me a firm believer in alienism. This latest book, along with the animated prose, also held several suprises: unexpected/unknown facts or theories Sitchin pulled out of his sleeve during the narrative of the journies.
I was also touched by some shadow of sadness that are in the air of some of his stories: frustrations, missed oppotunities, unlucky coincidences: were he belonged to the establisment science, live would be much easier...
All in all, I enjoyed both the stories and the revelations (yes, this word) in the stories, not to speak about the superb colour plates.

The Earth Chronicles Expeditions; Journeys to the Mythical p
This book is in common with Zechairia Sitchin`s other works of Earth shattering importance. His books deal with the surpressed and un-told truths of OUR TRUE HISTORY AND BIRTH as a species of intellect, and spiritual ( even though he keeps himself apart from using his own take on things, he only writes the facts,that which Mr. Sitchin is "unsurpassed" in.) beings. Mr.Sitchin books are found in the "new age" and other type of headings, this I think should be saved for books that can not be proven factual ( or at least the "info" given ) . The new book involves Mr. Sitchin and his remarkable information hunt and quest. This gives the reader the aspect that he saw and lived in some of the most debated places on Earth ( the Temple mound etc.,) I highly recommend this book and his other works to anyone who whishes to understand our true roots and history.

¿Earth Chronicles,¿ destined to be his best work yet.
Sitchin, the scientist, the archeologist, the Sumerian expert, is one of the leading figures in alternative archaeology and science in general. Earth Chronicles is the pinnacle of his erudite career.

I have been a fan of Sitchin for years and have read most of his books, but "The Twelfth Planet was my favorite of all. He lays it all out; from Biblical text, ancient Sumerian writings and obscure writings, to reveal that in ancient times UFOnauts from other worlds did indeed visit and influence our ancient civilizations greatly. Then he wrote 'Earth Chronicles," destined to be his best work yet.

These days, and especially the last 30-40 years, a "new wave" of scientists and non-scientists alike has risen with the intention of re-examining what we as a species consider "knowledge", knowledge about what we are, and where we come from. Sitchin, being one of the few people in the world who can actually read Sumerian, has spent his life examining our origins, and his conclusions have little to do with apes descending trees and miraculously evolving into humans.

In the "12th planet", his most famous of his all together 12+ books, he suggests that we are actually the creation of an alien race which landed on earth more than 450 millennia ago, and who created us as slave labor for their purposes on this planet back then. From then on, and through a myriad inter-developments and influences, we developed to what we are today.

Sure, this sounds controversial, and to most people content with swallowing mainstream teachings for "facts" this might seem as pure science fiction. You would have to read this book before you term it as such though.

"Earth Chronicles" is an exhausting book too, as the author uses literally 100s of quotes on original translations he's made in order to make his argument and this isn't just any argument, you understand...

Sitchin isn't just another quack with a theory, he is an eminent Orientalist, respected Biblical scholar, expert Sumerian archeologist, and recognized leader in revealing the real truth in the enigmas of ancient civilizations and history especially related to Sumerians, Hebrews, their Gods, and cultures in the middle-east. The unpublished photographic evidence alone is worth the read and the price. times. Were ancient Gods visitors to Earth from another planet? Are we not alone? Have others influenced our civilization and evolution? This read is an adventure, an eye opener, a thrill, an education, and fun as hell! A tour guide to our future with beacons from the past.

If you read this excellent book, you will know that it is indeed the truth. Two well-respected American Astronauts have come forward to proclaim they had seen evidence of the Roswell UFO crash and stated they know the cover-up is real. You be the judge. Read this book.

You ever wondered why we are the only species on this planet that definitely does not fit in with its environment? Or why we have so many gray areas and disagreements about where we originate from and how? Or why the word "anthropos" (a Greek word) means "the creature that always looks up"? Or even why the root word of the word "earth" comes from the ancient Sumerian (the word e.ri.du) and means "a home far away"?

If you are open minded and looking for those books begging for its pages to be turned...look no further. I just read a copy of Edgar Fouche's best-selling 'Alien Rapture,' which also blew me away. Fouche was a Top Secret Black Program 'insider', whose credibility has been verified over and over. And it's going to be a movie! Want to be shocked, check out Dr. Paul Hill's 'Unconventional Flying Objects' which NASA tried to ban or the bestselling "Alien Agenda." ... Read more

Amazon.com

One of the charms of Zecharia Sitchin is his tendency to take ancient writings as fact as opposed to myth. For example, according to clay tablets discovered by archeologists, Gilgamesh, a king of ancient Sumeria, was punished by the gods for raping female subjects on their wedding day--a particularly naughty, though not uncommon, pastime of ancient royalty. Snickering, the tricky gods created a double of him, which, as you can imagine, created havoc in the king's life. Some time later, directed by his goddess mother, Gilgamesh walked with his double to Lebanon to attain immortality. Sitchin ponders that perhaps the double had superhuman strength and en route built a second Stonehenge discovered in the Golan Heights by Israelis during the 1967 Six Days War. Hmmm. As Sitchin concedes, there's really no way to tell who actually built this hoary structure, but the in-depth archeological and historical research gathered here to support his musings concerning an extraterrestrial secret code to construct humankind is fascinating beyond belief. --P. Randall Cohan ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Our ET genetic engineers may have left us a coded message!
Book VI of the Earth Chronicles, "The Cosmic Code", continues Zechariah Sitchin's saga of the Nefilim and their influence on the fate of mankind. In his usual style of inciteful speculation and careful culling of evidence from ancient materials, Sitchin has added a number of new threads to the tapestry of the extraterrestrial intervention hypothesis.

If this is the first book of Sitchin's that you will read, you will find there is enough introductory and review material to bring you up to speed on the tale as told thus far. For the veteran Sitchin reader there is a wealth of new and provocative material to amaze and stimulate further investigation. Those of us who have been enthralled by the "Bible Code" research and revelations will find intelligent and useful insights into it's precursor codes in the cunieform writing system. Kabbalists will find that they too are indebted to the Annunaki for much of the wisdom and understanding contained within their field of study.

For this reader the most fascinating aspect of Sitchin's recent research embodied in "The Cosmic Code" concerns the relationship between the Hebrew alphabet and the genetic code. This is an area that I have been working in for many years. In personal correspondence with Mr. Sitchin regarding this relationship between the language of life and the language of the Torah I outlined the evidence for a deep analogy between the Hebrew letters and the amino acids of the genetic code. With his usual insight, Mr. Sitchin responded, "... Hebrew is just a form of Akkadian, and that the current Hebrew alphabet ("square letters") emanated in the Aramaic. If there is commonality, I would seek it in the earlier Sumerian phase." (personal correspondence, May 31, 1994)

Within the pages of "The Cosmic Code" Sitchin proposes that the alphabet is based on the genetic code and provides insight into how and why such a thing could be. Armed with these insights one might be stimulated to attack the idea that there are meaningful passages of text hidden away within the human genome that could shed further light on the origins of mankind and the intentions (past and future?) of the extraterrestrial genetic engineers who created us.

Thank you Mr. Sitchin.

Excellent Companion
Waiting for Sitchin's new books, is like waiting for the next Episode of Star Wars. It just can't come soon enough. This is an excellent companion volume to the Earth Chronicle series and sheds additional light. The more you read, the more you ask; Are we more like the Anunnaki or are they more like us? Good book!

Worth reading
If Sitchin's Annunaki theories is what you like reading this book is just like his other books. This is a recap on his interpretations of ancient Sumerarian writtings.

Mind-boggling! Paradigm-shattering! Indispensable!
You've read the orthodox, conventional, sanitized view of the past. Now read linguist and scholar Zecharia Sitchin for the rest of the story. Only he provides a framework in which all becomes intelligible.

BEST SITCHIN BOOK EVER!
Mr. Sitchin drives it all home with his latest book. He takes a lot of the important material from his other books and sort of "sums it all up." If you only buy one Sitchin Book, make it this one. It is certainly his best(in my opinion.) ... Read more

Book Description

Celestial Mechanics has achieved spectacular results on the structure and evolution of the Solar System in the last 20 years.This book describes recent results on Solar System dynamics, with a solid theoretical basis and is strongly focused on the dynamics of planets and of small bodies. Modern Celestial Mechanics will be of great interest to graduate students and researchers of astronomy and astrophysics. ... Read more

Book Description

Praise for the Second Edition of Star Ware

"Star Ware is still a tour de force that any experienced amateur will find invaluable, and which hardware-minded beginners will thoroughly enjoy."
–Robert Burnham, Sky & Telescope magazine

"Star Ware condenses between two covers what would normally take a telescope buyer many months to accumulate."
–John Shibley, Astronomy magazine

Now more than ever, the backyard astronomer has a dazzling array of choices when it comes to telescope shopping–which can make choosing just the right sky-watching equipment a formidable challenge.

In this revised and updated edition of Star Ware, the essential guide to buying astronomical equipment, award-winning astronomy writer Philip Harrington does the work for you, analyzing and exploring today’s astronomy market and offering point-by-point comparisons of everything you need.Whether you’re an experienced amateur astronomer or just getting started, Star Ware, Third Edition will prepare you to explore the farthest reaches of space with:

• Extensive, expanded reviews of leading models and accessories, including dozens of new products, to help you buy smart
• A clear, step-by-step guide to all aspects of purchasing everything from telescopes and binoculars to filters, mounts, lenses, cameras, film, star charts, guides and references, and much more
• Eleven new do-it-yourself projects for making unique astronomical equipment at home
• Easy tips on maintenance, photography, and star-mapping to help you get the most out of your telescope
• Lists of where to find everything astronomical, including Internet sites and Web resources; distributors, dealers, and conventions; and corporate listings for products and services

Reviews (6)

An essential referenc for any prospective telescope buyer!!!
For anyone in the market for an astronomical telescope , this book is a tremendous help. Twenty or more years ago there were only a handful of manufacturers that offered astronomical telescopes , but now there is a flood of products for the prospective buyer! Phil Harrington does an excellent job in systematically listing not only the individual products by type , but gives a thumbnail sketch of the manufacturers as well.

The author leaves the final decisions in the hands of the readers , but after reading this little paperback , the reader is an informed buyer! This is not a field where mistakes are cheap. This book will save you some real $$$ if you pay attention. It did me!

This book is will save you money, time, and heartburn.
Looking for a friend to help guide you when buying your first telescope, binoculars, or some new eyepieces and accessories. Phil Harrington, acting vicariously through Star Ware, is that friend. The author, who also writes equipment reviews for Astronomy magazine, exhaustively examines the current astronomical marketplace and discusses the pros and cons of just about everything an amateur astronomer could want and purchase.

The book also features ten new make-at-home projects, including two observatories, a simple digital imager that is light enough to use with *any* telescope, a pair of binocular mounts, an observing chair, and more.

Further, the author's extensive web site ... is regularly updated with the latest news on telescopes and astro-equipment.

I highly recommend Star Ware for all amateur astronomers who are interested in learning about and purchasing the best equipment.

This book is the best money I have ever spent on astronomy!
The newly released third edition is more up to date than any other telescope book around! The author has re-examined literally hundreds of different telescopes, binoculars, and accessories, using both his own findings as well as those of readers who answered his telescope owner survey.

If you are thinking of buying a telescope or some astro-accessory, or maybe want to get more out of the equipment that you already own, this is the book for you! Even if you own a telescope, you're bound to pick up something new in this book! I learned more from reading Starware than in probably ten other books combined. And even if you own the first or second edition (or both!), the third edition is a MUST!

Great new edition, even better than the last!
I've read 'em all and Star Ware is still the single best book about equipment for the amateur astonomer ever written. The author has clearly done a tremendous amount of research to cover just about every conceivable piece of equipment out there. And, best of all, he discusses pros and cons evenly, without bias, and with a sense of humor that holds the interest of even non-astronomer types.

If you are thinking about buying a telescope or other piece of astronomical equipment, the price of this book could save you hundreds. And, in the long run, you will end up knowing more about what to buy and how to use it, thanks all to this book.

Bravo!

Better options are available
Don't waste your money on this book. Save it for your equipment. A better choice for a beginner's book is Nightwatch by Terence Dickinson, available from Amazon.com. You should also subscribe to Sky & Telescope magazine and order a free catalog from Orion Telescopes and Binoculars Co. Their Web site URL is telescopes.com ... Read more

Book Description

From the component design, to the subsystem design, to the engine systems design, engine development, and flight-vehicle application, this how-to text bridges the gap between basic physical and design principles and actual rocket-engine design as it's done in industry.

More than 470 illustrations and tables help to make this book a must-read for advanced students and engineers active in all phases of engine systems design, development, and application, in industry, and in government agencies. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

OK as far as it goes, but my goodness...
I got this for one of my kids, who was young, and wanted to know why it was difficult to make rockets.

For this purpose, the book is great. It shows you several aspects of the design problems. You can see this from the table of contents - it tries very hard to cover as much ground as is sensible.

The diffculty for European readers is that the units are all imperial, that is, Gallons, Pounds, feet, inches, and so forth. This makes the numerical details - a sense of scale for what is being discussed - quite inaccesible for most of us over here. It's worth noting that also lead to the downfall of at least one recent space mision to Mars.

Remarks like "its not rocket science" can certainly be shown as having a truthful sort of origin by looking at this. To "do" anything with this book, you would absolutely have to develop further and deeply in the following disciplines;

1. Chemistry
2. Metallurgy
3. Thermodynamics
4. Mechanics
5. Experience with CAD, esp. simulation with solid and liquid state systems.
6. Maths
7. Electronics,
8. Reliability...
9. ???

I wonder if any single mind could get round all of these, possibly, but you would be pretty lucky to get the chance nowadays. Education isn't cheap.

I don't think, though that there is any harm in wanting to get as close to this as you like. The book is truly wonderful, almost a work of art, and even if jobs in this area are scarce, this has got to be worthwhile. Read this, do the background study, get a degree or two, and you may eventually get into industrial plant design, maybe even medical electronics, aerospace, or something. Why not? The world would be a better place if more people would dream a bit and aspire to do the hard stuff. I am full of admiration for people who did better than I did and are working in these kinds of fields.

I'm going to get a few more books in this series, though I have to say, I'm a bit nervous about ordering books with titles including the words "missile propulsion". We live in troubled times.

GO GET IT!
As already mentioned above....do not question the price! It is really worth every single cent! I am not a LRE-designer nor do I work in any similar branche...you'll need to work yourself through the subject and especially through the mathematics, but you will be able to design your own rocket motor. It really goes into detail.
This is not only one of the best books I own...it is THE BEST!

GO GET IT!

Bible for the Design of LRE's
The book has about everything one needs to know as a liquid rocket engine designer. A must for any propulsion engineer.

Great liquid rocket engine book
This is a very well written reference book and is packed full of useful information. I work in liquid propulsion design and I have been able to find very detailed subsystem information. Well worth the price.

The best book on the subject!
The book "Modern Engineering for Design Liquid Propellant Rocket Engines" is undoubtedly the best book on liquid fueled rockets. The information is not just valuable, it is priceless. Few textbooks of any subject go as much into detail as this book. Do NOT question the price. The value of the information given in this book goes way beyond the price tag. If you are interested in learning the aspects of this subject, or want to build your own rocket engine, this book is definitely for you. ... Read more

Book Description

This completely revised and corrected new edition provides several new examples and exercises to enable deeper insight into the formalism and application of Quantum Electrodynamics.

Greiner and Reinhardt's thorough introductory text provides all necessary mathematical tools, together with many examples and worked problems. In their presentation of the subject, the authors adopt a heuristic approach based on the propagator formalism. The latter is introduced in the first two chapters in both its nonrelativistic and relativistic versions. Subsequently, a large number of scattering and radiation processes involving electrons, positrons, and photons are introduced and their theoretical treatment is presented in great detail. Higher order processes and renormalization are also included. The book concludes with a discussion of two-particle states and the interaction of spinless bosons. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent for self-study - My highest recommendations
This book basically covers the same material as chapters 6-9 of the classic "Relativistic Quantum Mechanics" by Bjorken & Drell.
- Propagator
- Basic Quantum Electrodynamical Processes
- The Scattering Matrix in Higher Order (including good discussions of vacuum polarization, electron self-energy the and vertex correction)
- QED of spinless bosons

In addition to this it covers bound systems and strong fields, which are not discussed in B&D. The book also does a good job of working out a lot of the details missing from B&D.

The only minuses are:
-- some of the more advanced topics in B&D are dropped.
-- there are a lot of typos (but the alert reader should spot them easily)

Most accurate theory in physics.
QED is known as the most accurate theory in physics. This text nicely explains the major achievements in QED by Feynmann, Schwniger, and Tomonaga. Important connection among relativities, quantum mechanics, and classical electrodynamics. ... Read more

Book Description

Now a third edition of this popular book is available for those who want to know why astronauts are weightless, what satellites do and why they don't fall from the sky, how we will live on Mars, and whether or not there is life elsewhere in the universe.New and expanded subjects include the latest concepts in propulsion, high resolution images of Earth from space, debris in orbit, Mir and the International Space Station, exploration of the Solar System and beyond, disturbances in the space environment, and much more.The book is profusely illustrated.This edition has twice as many color pages as the second edition. All quantities are now given in both common units and metric units ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Showcases all aspects of spaceflight
In a fully updated and revised third edition, Thomas Damon's Introduction To Space: The Science Of Spaceflight is an information packed compendium showcasing all aspects of spaceflight, including propulsion, orbits, high resolution images of Earth from space, satellites, debris in orbit, MIR, the International Space Station, space shuttles, working in space, exploration of the Solar System and beyond, disturbances in the space environment, and more. Profusely illustrated with color as well as black-and-what photography, charts, and graphs, Introduction To Space is an informative, superbly presented, and detailed history enhanced with both common units and metric unit descriptions of all quantities; a glossary; and an index. Highly recommended for school and community library space science and history collections. ... Read more

Book Description

Presenting the most relevant statistical and probabilistic technology in observational astronomy, this practical handbook covers classical parametric and non-parametric methods. There is also, however, a strong emphasis on Bayesian solutions and the importance of probability in experimental inference. The book contains many solved examples, and includes over fifty problems, with solutions available on the web via http://books.cambridge.org/0521454166.htm. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Truly practical for astronomers
I'm a professional astronomer (remaining anonymous out of shame for my lack of statistical knowledge).I have found this book immensely useful in my data analysis and very straightforward.It is geared toward astronomical research, so is likely not as useful or illuminating for those unfamiliar with our data analysis.The explanations are straightforward and written in a pleasant tone (e.g. the reassuring "That's it." concluding the algorithm for bootstrapping).

Not happening
This book appears to be written for people who already completely understand statistics, in which case they probably don't need this book. I'm someone with a undergrad-level understanding of statistics and astronomy and this book does little to further my understanding of either. I wish the authors had taken more care in explaining the subject matter and notation. I didn't expect this to be an introductory statistics book, but IMHO the word "practical" should not be in the title. Unless you have an advanced understanding of statistics, this book is not helpful. ... Read more

Book Description

"FASCINATING . . . MEMORABLE . . . REVEALING . . . PERHAPS THE BEST OF CARL SAGAN'S BOOKS."
--The Washington Post Book World (front page review)

In Cosmos, the late astronomer Carl Sagan cast his gaze over the magnificent mystery of the Universe and made it accessible to millions of people around the world. Now in this stunning sequel, Carl Sagan completes his revolutionary journey through space and time.

Future generations will look back on our epoch as the time when the human race finally broke into a radically new frontier--space. In Pale Blue Dot Sagan traces the spellbinding history of our launch into the cosmos and assesses the future that looms before us as we move out into our own solar system and on to distant galaxies beyond. The exploration and eventual settlement of other worlds is neither a fantasy nor luxury, insists Sagan, but rather a necessary condition for the survival of the human race.

"TAKES READERS FAR BEYOND Cosmos . . . Sagan sees humanity's future in the stars."
--Chicago Tribune ... Read more

Reviews (49)

An inspiring and fascinating journey
Carl Sagan is one of the most brilliant thinkers of our generation and this book is an exclamation mark on a fruitful and alas, too short, career. This book is a sequel to the well-known "cosmos" in which, the author contemplates on the future of humankind on earth and in the farthest regions of space. As always, it is a riveting journey guided by the enthusiastic, humorous and eloquent Sagan who manages to leave the reader with a feeling of cautious optimism despite the many reasons humankind has to worry about its future. An excellent read.

Humbling and Inspirational
Read the opening sequence of the book and see our world as a tiny blue pixel from beyond Neptune's orbit. Try, as Sagan admonishes you to do, to imagine the conflicts fougt and wholesale murder that has been committed to control a fraction of that pixel. You are forced by the very grandeur of the Universe to think beyond your own provincialisms and imagine us as one world, one species, with the capability to go on to something great or destroy ourselves in an instant. This is the most frightening part of Sagan's book to some: Whether we make it or not, is up to us; the Universe won't care one way or another.

Sagan then introduces you to the wonders awaiting us when we move off our dot and explore the solar system and surrounding stars. It's a magnificent journey filled with all the wonders that the cosmos has to offer. From the safety of your easy chair, you can journey to Mars, the moons of Jupiter and the outer planets. A truly worhty sequel to Cosmos.

Reply to a brief comment
Einstein religious? not at all. I quote from Einstein directly in "The Human Side" Ed. Dukas, Hoffman.

"It was of course a lie what you read about my religious convictions, a lie which is being systematically repeated. I do not believe in a personal god and I have never denied this but have expressed it clearly. If something is in me which can be called religious then it is the unbounded admiration for the structure of the world so far as our science can reveal it"

As for the issue of whether religious types should fear the scientific worldview; of course they should since organised science and organised religion are incompatible as long as religious leaders continue to claim authority on questions which can be experimentally determined (which is proving to be just about everything).

Politics, not Science
Make no mistake, just as Sagan reveals his opinion that Apollo 11 was about politics, not science, I tell you that Pale Blue Dot is about politics, not science. And just as it is my opinion that his book is political, it is only his opinion that Apollo 11 was political. His remarks in this area have inspired professors and scientists around the country to parrot that Apollo 11 was not about science, but about politics.
His books are all politico-philosophical, as he is a devoted humanitarian.

Philosophy and cosmology at its best
Pale Blue Dot is probably one of the best introductions to astronomy available to the public. In this book Dr. Sagan argues against human chauvinism, praises international efforts of space exploration, speculates about the future of human animal, describes evolution of science and much, much more.

The book is printed on high-quality glossy stock paper that makes the reading even more enjoyable. Unlike Cosmos, Dr. Sagan's other book on astronomy, photos in this book correspond perfectly to the text you are reading. Most photos were taken from NASA archives and are of best quality and resolutions available to human kind at the time. The book ,as any other book written on astronomy, is becoming outdated a bit (published in 1994). This ,however, should not sway you from reading this book at all. You can always catch up on new developments on NASA site. There were some new developments in space exploration that Sagan had no way of predicting. I'll give one example. Author writes about the largest moons of Saturn, Titan, and speculates about its surface and composition. It is now known that Titan contains methane seas. So every time you see speculations in book make sure you research on the topic to find newer information that is readily available.

There is one more thing. In Pale Blue Dot, author gives detailed information on most of the nine planets and many of their moons. However, Sagan decides to omit detailed information on planet Jupiter from Voyager 1 and 2 encounters (not Jovian moons) and explains that Jupiter was talked about in Cosmos.

My whine aside, Pale Blue Dot will endure. ... Read more