Book Description

How did Mercury get such an enormous iron core? Why is its tectonic framework so different from any other planet or satellite? What is its crystal composition? Why is the crust so depleted in iron when the interior is so rich in that element? What are the polar deposits? Where do the elements in the exosphere come from? Mercury is a planet shrouded in mystery. Only 45 percent of its surface has been seen in any detail, and that was from the Mariner 10 flyby in 1974. Yet what is known only makes the planet more fascinating. New Earth-based observations have shed light on surface and exosphere compositions, and re-evaluations of the Mariner 10 data, using modern image processing techniques, show evidence for volcanic flow fronts, pyroclastics and other volcanic phenomena not seen before. This ground-breaking book not only chronicles what has been discovered, but looks ahead to what has yet to emerge. An accompanying CD contains all the best Mariner 10 images, including the data for each image, photomosaics and maps. ... Read more

Book Description

This text, designed for beginning students of stellar physics, introduces the fundamentals of stellar structure and evolution. In emphasizing the general picture of the life cycles of stars and the physics responsible, it also allows prospective specialists a taste of many of the detailed aspects of this mature discipline. The authors develop a solid foundation in important theory that is often overlooked in typical courses, yet steer clear of extraneous intensive mathematics and physics. Topics include nuclear physics and stellar energy sources, the equation of state of stellar material, phenomenological approaches to convection, and modern numerical techniques for computation of stellar evolution. Keeping pace with recent developments, the authors incorporate important elements such as asteroseismology, and the effects of rotation and magnetic fields. ... Read more

Book Description

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

Reviews (4)

An exellent view into the workings of Apollo
This book shows the interoir of Apollo, the systems and the people like no other book or WWW site. The CD is very useful and, although the book is mostly black and white there are diograms almost everypage, most of which are clearly readable (some have been compressed to fit the page, in which cases any keys or labals are printed else where). There are about 1400 images taken of earth and of the other spacecraft along whith recent pictures of the inside of the spacecraft taken a few years ago.

Good but not enough coverage of a critical mission
It would be difficult to overstate the significance of Apollo 9 in the final push to land men on the moon. As editor Godwin points out, this mission easily gets lost in the breathtaking excitement of the surrounding missions that actually went to the moon. But Apollo 9 may be the single most ambitious, "pushing-the-envelope" mission ever undertaken by NASA. The almost ludicrously intense flight plan called for a complete checkout of the lunar module in just a few days. Not unreasonably dubbed "the world's first true spacecraft" for its inability to fly anywhere other than space, the LM was and is a unique machine. And Apollo 9 was, in stage parlance, a full technical rehearsal for a lunar landing. It's also easy to forget that this would be only the second time that two manned vehicles are in space at the same time. Gemini 6 and 7 were the first, but at least in that case there had been considerable experience with the necessary ground support for the Gemini capsules, not to mention that all one of the Gemini craft had to do was provide a target while the other did all the work.

Apollo 9, not surprisingly, had one of the strongest crews of any mission: Commander Jim McDivitt, who on Gemini 4 became the first rookie ever to command a multi-man space flight, went on to succeed the illustrious George Low as Apollo Spacecraft Program Manager. Command Module Pilot Dave Scott stayed in the astronaut corps and became commander of the first J-class mission, the scientifically ambitious Apollo 15. Rusty Schweickart, unfortunately, was grounded after this mission for his demonstrated propensity for space sickness, which almost caused the mission to fail.

Instead, he recovered enough to go on with the flight plan, and Apollo 9 was a stunning and extraordinary success, making a lunar landing possible on President Kennedy's ambitious timeframe. There are those, in fact, who think that it would have been possible to go straight from Apollo 9 to Apollo 11 without the "dress rehearsal" provided by Apollo 10.

That being said, I found this collection to be the most disappointing of the series so far. It contains the usual press kit, pre-mission report, and post-mission report, but the first two overlap greatly, and the latter is a mere 11 pages long. There is no transcript of the crew debriefing, which I've found to be the most interesting item in these collections. It seems an appalling absence considering the importance of the crew's evaluation of the capabilities and performance of the lunar module. The CD-ROM, too, simply contains the standard NASA film on the flight along with the usual photographs: no inflight videos, interviews, or supplemental documentation.

Godwin should also know better than to spell the possessive "its" with an apostrophe, as he does several times.

Now, what's here is good, but it just doesn't seem like enough. Apogee Books should consider putting out a second volume (as it did with Apollo 11), with the crew debriefing and other supporting documentation. But perhaps this mission just isn't glamorous enough for them, or perhaps they think it won't sell (which I think is underestimating their loyal audience).

A MUST resource for any space history buff ...
The APOLLO MISSION REPORTS published by Apogee Books, are an excellent source for Space History buffs. The book includes a press kit from the flight, pre and post mission summaries, and a fabulous bonus CDROM which has the official NASA mission report movie lasting about 17. The CD also has some GREAT color and black and white photographs. In particular, the APOLLO 9 Mission Report has a wonderful set of interior photographs of the command module. There's some excellent detail for all us model makers out there.

All in all, these books are a must. I recently got the mission reports for Apollo 8,9 and 10 (10 has TWO movies and some stunning moon photography). I just found out that the Apollo 11 Mission report has just been released and is a TWO volume set (with Volume 2 released next week).

I recommend them as a great resource. They can be purchased at any bookstore or amazon.com

Great material on the 'forgotten' Apollo mission
Apollos 9 and 10, juxtaposed as they were between humanity's first trip to another celestial body and the 'giant leap for mankind,' tend to be overlooked but in many respects were more important to the ultimate success of the landing missions than even Apollo 8. 8 was bold but didn't really advance the knowledge about the systems that would get men to the moon. Apollo 9 stands as a significant engineering achievement, by demonstrating for the first time the major components of a lunar landing mission - extraction of the LEM from the S-IVB stage, CSM/LEM separation and docking, flight of the LEM ascent and descent stages, EVA with the self-contained lunar spacesuit. Apogee's books contain a wealth of information that would be difficult (if not impossible) to find elsewhere, and the inclusion of a CD-ROM with many photos and video makes this a must-have for any Apollo nut. ... Read more

Book Description

When the first sputnik was launched and the space era began, few gave thought to the possible negative impact that putting satellites into orbit may have. In fact, man's space activity has led to the formation of a new media named space debris, i.e. manmade objects and their fragments launched into space, currently inactive and no longer serving any useful purpose. Space Debris: Hazard Evaluation and Mitigation will be of interest to readers unfamiliar with the issues as well as experts and designers as it introduces concepts related to the problems of space ecology featuring actual data on the space debris environment, new mathematical models for space debris evolution, production and self-production, description of the existing software, and concepts for shield design. Methods of collision risk assessment depending on attitudes and inclinations of orbits, collision hazard evaluation and suggestions for preventative measures are also covered. ... Read more

Book Description

The only history of space stations—real and imagined—as cultural icons, fully illustrated with rare and evocative imageryFrom winged rocket ships, to the giant rotating wheels of Wernher von Braun and 2001: A Space Odyssey, to the epic, controversy-wracked sagas of Mir and the International Space Station, this highly original blend of history and popular culture explains why the dream of a permanently occupied space outpost has captivated so many for so long.Ninety-five of the most arresting drawings, artists’ conceptions, and photographs ever assembled, many rare and never before published, illustrate this thought-provoking narrative of the evolution of the space station as cultural icon.

Uniquely qualified to tell the story of the extraordinary effort to actually put hardware and people in space, preeminent space historian Roger Launius is at his best relating lessons from Mir, Skylab, ISS, and the Salyuts, navigating political treachery, translating technology, refereeing controversies, and weaving the magic of space habitation, both real and imaginary. He resuscitates the Flash Gordon and Captain Kirk in us all with his vision of a future in which space stations are surrounded by space-based research parks, industry and commerce, and tourist destinations, and, most importantly, provide a portal to the Moon, Mars—and beyond. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Beautiful Book on the History of Space Stations
"Space Station: Base Camps to the Stars" is a fantastic book detaling in sweeping perspective the exciting and little known history of space stations, from their origins to the ISS. Each chapter covers a major episode in the history of our endeavors to establish a permanent human presence in space. With rigorous historical research and a keen understanding of how space programs work, Roger Launius describes and analyzes how early dreams and concepts have turned into reality, and sometimes disillusions. Lessons from our cumulative space station experiences for the future are also drawn. These lessons will be key to assimilate not just for future space station efforts but indeed if we are to successfully return to the Moon or send humans to Mars.
The book is beautifully illustrated with many rare drawings, paintings, photographs and other documents. Comprehensive notes with bibliographical information are also provided. These make for a very valuable reference that should appeal to the interested lay reader and specialist alike. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Everything you wanted to know about Venus
A technical and very thorough book for those interested in the origins of Venus, its composition and why we call it our sister planet. Detailed descriptions of the Venera, Vega, Magellan and Mariner missions allow us to glimpse at the surface features, but alas, it is a very in-hospitable environment. A must have book for those interested in the second planet from the sun!

Very Good
This book has the reputation for being too technical for the layman... and it is... but in many ways that is what made this a cool book. It is certainly a much harder book to read than David Grinspoon's "Venus Revealed" (A very good book for the layman). However I found some of the technical parts of this book very facinating and it made me look up where some of the equations came from (the part on the study of the clouds, Nephelometry, was very interesting). There were other parts though were I did not even bother with the math and 'took their word for it'.

I would recommend if you have not read "Venus Revealed" try that first. If Grinspoon captures your imagination then buy this one and give it a try.

Too Technical
A very detailed book on the Planet Venus, however, it reads like an algebra text book. You can read a chapter and still not know what you read. I was dissapointed that all the photographs were in black and white. If you work for NASA, this is the book for you, otherwise I would recomend somthing a little less technical ... Read more

Book Description

This book is intended as an introduction to what soon may prove to be the most important theory of scienceÂ…ever.It is a theory that is still evolving, but it already shows great promise of explaining the most fundamental mysteries of nature.The theory is based on the simple concept of miniscule vibrating strings as the source of all matter and forces in our universe.

Our Superstring Universe begins with the big bang and traces the evolution of matter and force strings as they form and become the building blocks of our evolving universe.Then the focus shifts to the properties of strings and how they fit into the current knowledge of particle physics.The book concludes with discussions of the quest for experimental proof of strings and a look into the sometimes surprising, and always amazing, potential of superstring-M theory. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Not for the advanced physics reader
Probably a fair book for somebody's first book on String Theory, but definitely not for the advanced reader who is looking for new news. The author covers a lot of areas of quantum physics, but not in any real depth or background. In his first section on string theory he barley talks about strings. He introduces the concept well, and discusses the mathematical challenges of the string theory revolutions in more-or-less, introductory terms. Makes use of diagrams, but seemingly to take up space, rather than visual aids.

I read the entire book in about three hours.

Much better than expected.
This book is very well written and it gets right down to the point. It is, also, very clear in concept with only a few points here and there that might have needed a better explanation. This is only an introductory edition, and if more in-depth knowledge is needed I recommend: The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene. Overall: VERY GOOD.

String theory for the layperson
An excellent introduction to string theory and the ideas and the problems that led up to it. The book starts off with basic concepts of time, space, matter, and energy and then develops a timeline of the universe from the big bang onward to the present that incorporates these concepts and speculates on the ultimate fate of the universe using the ideas of dark matter and dark energy. In addition, Mr. Lewis goes into the fundamental incompatibility between quantum mechanics and general relativity at the atomic scale and how string theory might resolve this. He also puts forth a unique and (as far as I know) original idea on a possible afterlife and how string theory could be used to preserve essential information about a person's life (which the author calls humanessence) through the holographic principle. Mr. Lewis develops his ideas very logically and concisely and provides plenty of illustrations which clarify his explanations. As a bonus, he even provides a glossary at the end of the book for the beginner. I would strongly recommend this book to anybody who has an interest in science and ideas and who wants to be introduced to what may be the ultimate theory of our universe. ... Read more

Book Description

This graduate-level text/reference covers gaseous nebulae and the emission regions in Seyfert galaxies, quasars, and other types of active galactic nuclei. Written by a world-renowned expert in the field, this book is invaluable for graduate students and researchers in this important research area. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

I could never get into this book.
Perhaps it was just the professor, but I could never get into this book. I think its hopelessly boring, and like alot of graduate textbooks in astro, it has a TERRIBLE index. You can't find anything you need in terms of numbers or equations with the index, you must read the book cover to cover to know where something is.

It also has way too many numbers scattered in tables, and you must read the chapter to know what assumptions were made when he calculated those numbers. Our entire class had such a difficult time with homework using this book that I doubt any of us would give a good review of the book.

My own research is in AGN, and for the most part he does OK in explaining them but he can confuse you in comparing them.

Mi platonico amor por las nebulosas
Para mi la astonomia no tenia sentido, hasta que conoci al Osterbrock. El, cambio mi vida. Desde ese momento no me desprendo de las NP.

Please create an audio adaptation ...
To the publisher I would appreciate it if the publisher could produce an audio adaptation of this book. I would love to listen to this while I drive to work and to let my 16 month old son listen to it as a bedtime story. Arnold D Veness

Excellent introduction for the researcher.
Very complete and interesting, this book is aimed to the graduate student or the researcher that wants to delve into this subject. It is the perfect starting point for people interested in beginning research in the physics of gaseous nebulae and active galactic nuclei. Obviously, since some effort is required to the reader, due to the complexity of the matters treated, some background in mathematics and physics is required to get the best out of it ... Read more

Book Description

Excellent, informative volume focuses on dynamics of nonradiating fluids, problems involving waves, shocks and stellar winds, physics of radiation, radiation transport, and the dynamics of radiating fluids. (1984 ed.)
... Read more

Reviews (1)

Foundations of Radiation Hydrodynamics
This work is by far the most outstanding text in the field. It's completeness and attention to detail make it a "must have" for students of radiation hydrodynamics as well as for experts in the field. The republication of this book by Dover has done the field a great service second only to the service provided by the authors in writing it! ... Read more

Book Description

In this book, a distinguished expert introduces plasma physics from the ground up, presenting it as a comprehensible field that can be grasped largely on the basis of physical intuition and qualitative reasoning, similar to other fields of physics. Plasmas are ionized gases that can be found in a hydrogen bomb explosion, the confinement chamber of an experimental fusion reactor, the solar corona, the aurora borealis, the interstellar medium, and the immediate vicinity of a gravitational black hole. Not surprisingly, plasma physics appears to consist of numerous topics arising independently from astrophysics, fusion physics, and other practical applications, and hence it remains a field poorly understood even by many astrophysicists. But, in fact, most of these topics can be approached from the same perspective, with a simple, physical intuition.

Selecting simple examples and presenting them in a simultaneously intuitive and rigorous manner, Russell Kulsrud guides readers through a careful derivation of the results and allows them to think through the physics for themselves. Thus, they are better prepared for complex cases and more general results. The first eleven chapters present topics by their importance to plasma physics while the last three chapters emphasize the field's astrophysical applications, applying the results accrued earlier. Throughout, many problems illustrate the field's applications. Based on a course the author taught for many years, Plasma Physics for Astrophysics is intended for graduate students as well as for working astrophysicists.

Book Description

Book Five of Johannes Kepler's great masterpiece on planetary motion is presented with an introduction by the ultimate authority on this topic, noted physicist and bestselling author Stephen Hawking. Modifying Copernicus's sun-centered model of the universe, Kepler's 1619 work went on to establish laws of planetary motion, forming the basis for Newton's discoveries some 60 years later. As part of our On the Shoulders of Giants series, this translation of the original edition of Kepler's monumental essay includes an insightful biography and a highly accessible summary putting into context the significance of Harmony of the World.

Black-and-white illustrations. ... Read more

Book Description

The Official Publication of SpaceDay 2003!

The glorious space age has come and gone. So what now? What's next? To go further, to go faster, we must take the next step. Space is still full of mystery and challenges humankind as much as ever. Ideas on what the next step, or steps vary greatly and there is no shortage of

concepts for the future of space transportation. Concepts include new engines, new strategies, harnessing gravity, electromagnetism, nuclear energy and more. This book will take you on a guided visual tour of the future of space transportation. From Earth to Orbit to In-Space transportation, you will sample what is being considered and get an easy-to-understand explanation of what the spacecraft will do and how it will work.

Decades ago Dr. Wernher von Braun teamed with Walt Disney to animate a mission to Mars and inspired a generation. Today multimedia, animation and video serve a similar communications need. The CD-ROM included contains official NASA videos, vehicle concept animation, and dynamic multimedia. View spacecraft concepts in 3D, see mission animation and hear first hand what the visionaries of the aerospace industry hope to accomplish. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Pretty Pictures and Little Else
I was very disappointed because I expected some in-depth analysis of space transportation concepts accompanied by beautiful illustrations. I got plenty of renderings but they were mostly ordinary and the text only glossed over the concepts. Some of the descriptions were way off base. For instance, the author took the term "microgravity" literally in describing satellites in low earth orbit (the gravity in low earth orbit is actually almost as intense as on the surface of the earth).

The accompanying CD had only animations and was not informative at all.

For a real vision of space transportation, I highly recommend Robert Zubrin's "Entering Space" or his treatise, "The Case for Mars". They aren't collections of artwork but are more stimulating.

Half-decent Overview
The text is very poorly written and has some technical inaccuracies (like an incorrect explanation of how an electric motor works) but it covers most of the important ideas of the subject. Don't expect much from the illustrations though, they're all basic computer-generated imagery, nothing compared to the incredible Mars Spirit lander animation released by NASA. If you can get past the choppy, dryly written prose and mostly unsatisfying pictures then the inherently interesting conceptual technologies may still satisfy you. The book lacks depth though, and any gems of science are usually too muddled in weird paragraphs to be as gracefully expressed as they deserve.

Great Book
Great book to see into the future of space transportation.

Back to the future
There have been some great books in the past detailing the space transportation methods being considered then- but that's why we call those history.
At this time when we are looking ahead to new and improved ways to get up into orbit and beyond, Apogee books comes out with the best and most timely book on the subject.
This volume details the most recent and newest ideas to come along for vehicles to replace the shuttle system, and the propulsion methods to get us out to the planets. With chapters detailing each new scheme, it covers everything from ballistic capsules to new shuttle designs to vehicles for mass space tourism. Propulsion designs included are up to date- even the NASA nuclear Initive designs are included.
This is the book that congressional aides are carrying around so that they know enough to talk with their bosses- shouldn't you know as much as they?

Like Colliers Magazine of the '50s
This book could inspire the next generation of space explorers just like the old Collier's Magazines of the '50's did to previous generations. The book is written and more importantly illustrated by Tim McElyea one of the premier NASA animimation and simulation producers down in Huntsville AL. The book has full color renderings of many new ideas of space transportation systems and vehicles. McElyea is careful to point out that he is not a rocket scientist, but an artist. He has included some vehicles that will undoubtedly raise a smile on many a space advocates lips as unlikely to see the light of day. But as McElyea comments it is not up to him to endorse one system over another. He is merely including systems that have technical merit and warrant investigating.
The book is a gorgeous panoply of color photos and computer generated simulations. The most amazing part though is that the bonus CD Rom includes most of the vehicles in full motion with sound tracks. As well as videos produced for NASA of the Advanced Space Transportation Program based in Huntsville and 3D interactive sections.
The book is the official publication of SpaceDay which is a national educational program involving millions of students worldwide. Some of the SpaceDay competition winners are included in the book.
This book is wonderful, I cannot put it down except to look at the CD Rom. Well done Tim McElyea and Apogee Books! ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (4)

Great Book!
One of the best I have read that shows the way to the future of space exploration, and technology of the future.

Mankind Heads for the Stars!
Travel to the stars, long a staple of SF, is the subject of this optimistic look at our race's future. For Berry, longtime science correspondent for London's Daily Telegraph, the exploration of worlds beyond our own solar system is a given. As a means to this end, he directs our attention to antimatter drives, Bussard ramjets, and light sails, all of which are theoretically capable of getting a ship to the nearest stars in some acceptable fraction of a human lifetime. Nor does he ignore the question of how to shield passengers from the tremendous energies some of these devices can be expected to emit. There is due consideration of provisioning a years-long voyage through regions with no place to renew supplies-and the more one carries along, of course, the greater the demands for fuel and power, already stretched to the breaking point. One likely solution is recycling on a hitherto-unknown scale; in theory, one can take any organic substance (say, used tires) and turn it into food. Another is keeping the majority of the passengers in suspended animation, possibly by lowering their bodies to cryogenic temperatures. Elaborate computer games may be developed to help those of the crew who do remain awake to pass the lonely hours of deep space travel. Spacious accommodations for exercise will be essential if the space travelers are to arrive at the end of their journey in condition to begin a colony on an alien world. Never mind that even the shortest interstellar voyage could bankrupt most nations, or that the technology described here exists only in rudimentary form, if at all. Berry is interested in the big picture-and readers who can balance enthusiasm with healthy skepticism are likely to enjoy the ride, even when the details remain unclear. Blue-sky speculation on the grandest possible scale.

A good read on a fascinating subject
An enjoyable light read which can be achieved at near light speed! This is journalism close to its best, addressing a complex subject from multiple angles. Where it succeeds is in the subject matter. How many of us have wondered what the step beyond exploring our solar system will mean? It's pretty much all here, though there are a few caveats needed. This is not reference material and is almost totally derivative of previously published books and papers.
The coverage is also rather wide and some may feel short-changed by Mr Berry not following through on some of the topics covered.
Some may find the topic of politics not addressed to their satisfaction - in chapters 'Starships and Politicians' and 'Twilight of the State'.

Elsewhere, the detail is reminiscent of a newspaper article: when it comes to detail within ones area of expertise there are real howlers. This may be to some the weakest part of the book, challenging the authority that Mr Berry assumes by writing this book. Another reviewer has spotted the error in the timeline for 1965, which has Ed White being the first spacewalker instead of Alexei Leonov. A minor slip, but not solitary. The author fails to flag that civilisations are unlikely from first generation stars (no heavy elements from which life can appear) (ref p61 etc). The discussion of navigational errors getting the crew 'lost' is unlikely as we have 3-D info on every star within 100 light years of the Sun and computers even today can create star maps from anywhere in the vicinity of the Sun.

There are some throw-away lines that need that - to be thrown away. The author occasionally uses too wide a paint-brush for his canvas, notably p182, "the modern electronics industry" is supposedly based on the Apollo lunar module descent computer. An almighty howler is (p29 and p258) that the Managing Director in JVC invented videorecorders in 1975. The first practical video recorder was first demonstrated in 1956. Even John Logie Baird made video recordings in 1927! Of course he means domestic videos, but even then 'invention' is too much.

But these are simply where technical proof-reading has been inadequate. The book remains enjoyable despite the above comments.
(page numbers refer to UK edition which may differ)

A good book for mankind.
What a great book! I learned a good deal on subjects ranging from the internet, Polynesian colonization and economics. The author's idea for investors using their money while on long interstellar voyages I think is ingenious. At last someone has come up with a good use for the planet Mercury and why we should go there. Some people might take issue with some of the things listed in Appendix I, like who invinted gunpowder and who made the first spacewalk. All in all a very good read. ... Read more

Book Description

Astronomy describes the mechanics of the universe in the more basic language of physics, otherwise known as "astrophysics".Knowledge of black holes, quasars and extrasolar planets requires understanding of the physics underlying astrophysics. This book clarifies the fundamental principles of the field as well as the important astronomical phenomena it describes.Readers will gain a greater appreciation of the connection between physics and astronomy. ... Read more

Amazon.com

When NASA sent the crew of Apollo 12 to the moon, they may not have realized that they were giving an artist the vision that would carry him through a lifetime of painting. The artist, of course, was astronaut Alan Bean, whose trip to the moon with pals Pete Conrad and Dick Gordon sunk so deeply into his brain that he's been trying to get it down on canvas ever since. He even mixes moon dust and bits of charred Apollo 12 heat shield into his paints to capture a bit of the Ocean of Storms in each image. The astronauts Bean paints are brave, exuberant, and all-American, right down to the reflections of Old Glory in their mirrored visors. His moon is surprisingly colorful and dreamlike, a magical place for jumping higher than you ever did before, racing around in the lunar rover, and swatting golf balls into orbit. Apollo: An Eyewitness Account, coauthored with space expert Andrew Chaikin, is filled with Bean's riveting stories and paintings, recording a long, successful career as an explorer-artist. He recreates the drama and brash enthusiasm of the Apollo program in bold strokes. --Therese Littleton ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Apollo : An Eyewitness Account By Astronaut/Explorer Artist/
With the descent of the lunar lander Intrepid, Apollo 12 astronaut Bean became the fourth man to walk on the moon. Since his retirement from NASA in 1981, Bean has devoted himself to his realist paintings; this handsome volume allows him to display both his artistic skills and his orbital experience, reproducing dozens of Bean's paintings of lunar surfaces, moonwalks, astronaut gear and so on, alongside a blow-by-blow narrative of Apollo 12, which Chaikin (The National Air and Space Museum Book of Aviation and Space Flight) has written very much from Bean's perspective. Chaikin and Bean describe the thrills and setbacks on the latter's path from naval aviator to astronaut, his first view of the blue-and-white Earth from 293,000 miles and the technical problems of making sure an American flag stays up on the moon. Final chapters track Bean's adventures with the paint and canvas he took up in 1974 ("Flying skills are so much like painting skills, it's amazing"), the exploits and close calls of other astronauts and Bean's hopes for his art and for space exploration. Short paragraphs in which Bean explains his pictures' subjects and techniques alternate with the longer segments of narrative; this format can make the whole book seem scattered, though the images, and the anecdotes, retain undeniable power. The meticulously detailed paintings themselves add warmth and a mid-19th-century softness to the photos and equipment on which many of them are based.

A stunningly beautiful book
Alan Bean's unique artistic vision is beautifully presented in this book. Bean's art thoroughly supplements the pounds of moonrocks and racks of datatapes as payback for the Apollo program, and the book is the first comprehensive collection of his work. Bean's first hand stories of Apollo 12, and Chaikin's text provide an adequate refrence for the pictures... but the pictures are the story. The Apollo program may well be the defining event for all the 20th century, and Alan Bean's artwork captures the humanity of the moon landings in a way that is instantly comprehendable on a very human level. I won't be shocked if, 100 years from now, Alan Bean's paintings of the early days of theexploration of space is treasured along side Thomas Moran's paintings of the American West.

He's the best!
If you want to experience the moon through the eyes of an artist and an astronaut this book is for you! It is inspiring and educational. Highly recommeded!

Beautiest paintings I ever seen
When I bought this book, I expected something different. But I find something extraordinary. I thought that I'll found same vibrant text as in Andy Chaikin's other excellent book, A Man on the Moon, but this text contain a little bit many interferences with his other book. I don't say that text is bad, but...
However Alan Bean's paintings compensate all my dissappointment. Many-many magnificent snapshot, only the point of view different. After thousand photos of Apollo, these paintings still offer news. I simply stood open mouthed.
Who want only delight about Apollo, but don't more know, must buy.

Truth revealed through art - Finally !
As a seeker of Truth, and an amature researcher of lunar anomalies for over 40 years, I praise the courage of Alan Bean to portray through his fine art what the "up close & personal" view of the moon surface and heavens really looks like! Prizmatic colors and geometric structures are portrayed abounding all around the Apollo landing site. Not the dull gray dirty sand colored lifeless terrain that NASA photographs have put forth all these years. Interesting that the heavens viewed from the lunar surface has been described before as a deep velvet black yet astronaut Alan Bean refers to it as "patent leather" black. Could we read between his lines that the lunar skies from the surface were viewed "through" shimmering crystal architectural structures?--unthinkable! til now. For a stunning review of this book I compel readers to go to www.enterprisemission.com (page date 1-07-01) Thank you and God bless you Alan Bean. ALOHA! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

well worth it
this is a nice book that allows one to approach general realtivity with somewhat rusty math. One should read the special relativty book by the same authors first though.

Terrific - but not easy
As other reviewers have said, Taylor and Wheeler accomplish something marvelous (and by conventional wisdom impossible), making a non-trivial portion of general relativity accessible to physics undergraduates. But be warned that "accessible" does not mean easy! A good background in special relativity is essential, for example from the authors' earlier book Spacetime Physics. Beyond that, readers must be prepared for convoluted reasoning and heavy duty algebra in some parts of the book, covering the more esoteric optical effects of black holes and the effects of rotation. It was an effort for me to get through this book - but well worth it.

Just wonderful!
This book is different from every other introduction to general relativity I know. And better. The eminent authors connect geometry directly to physics, bypassing tensors. Curvature in space is detected by very simple length measurements; curvature in time, by the lengthening of periods of oscillations. There are nuggets in almost every page. I loved the demonstration that you don't really need coordinates to describe geometry: the shape of a boat is reconstructed entirely in terms of distances. Their dynamical principle is the maximum proper time principle. The way they derive energy and momentum from this principle is sterling physics. You'll learn a lot of general relativity in this book. Not all of it. But, learning to love it, you'll learn the advanced topics that cannot be treated this way by yourself, in other books. Perhaps in the huge Misner, Thorne, Wheeler.

A Great Achievement.
I have not yet finished reading this book but my excitement over its brilliance forces me to comment. This book is shear magic in its ability to explain very difficult and strange phenomena in an intuitive and simple way. I have read the authors' book SpaceTime Physics as well as GR by Schutz and can do the tensors and all that; yet I am in awe of the ability these authors have of succeding at the near impossible. Using the study of black holes as the motivation for GR study is perfect. I love the choice of the variational principle to cut to the heart of the math. I recommend this book to anyone for self-study who has a smattering of calculus (not much is really needed). I am looking forward to studying Kip Thorne's membrane paradign book next. Gentlemen, kudos in the highest!

Excellent book for a mathematical intro to relativity
This book fills in a very important gap in physics texts. The gap is between popular books on modern physics that seem to think readers are terrified of equations and those books that are extremely mathematical and require the reader to understand tensor analysis and differential geometry in order to work with Einstein's field equation. This book fits perfectly in between and provides an excellent introduction to relativity and black holes while only using algebra and elementary calculus. It contains excellent chapter problems and some really great application chapters (such as relativistic effects in the GPS system, etc.). The book only works with the metrics of the field equations thus simplifying the math greatly. This book can serve as an excellent stepping stone to the more advanced books such as MTW or a great book for someone just looking to understand the details of relativity better than can be done with the popular layperson books. Extremely interesting book and I am enjoying it tremendously! My only complaint (and this is very minor) is that the authors attempt to be "cute" from time to time and I personally don't like "cute" books. However, overall just about the best book purchase I've made in awhile (and I make alot)! ... Read more