Book Description

Using mathematics appropriate for advanced undergraduate students in physics, this textbook provides a broad and wide-ranging introduction to the Sun as a star. Tayler provides succinct derivations of key results--such as the properties of spectral lines, the theory of stellar oscillations, plasma physics, magnetohydrodynamics and dynamo theory--in nine handy appendices, ensuring that the book is completely self contained. Altogether, this is an invaluable textbook for students studying the Sun, stars, the solar-terrestrial environment and the formation of planetary systems. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Merlin, a scholar visiting Earth from the planet Omniscia in the Andromeda galaxy, is familiar to readers of Star Date magazine, published by the McDonald Observatory. Just Visiting This Planet is the second collection of questions and answers written by Merlin's alter ego, Neil de Grasse Tyson, astrophysicist and director of the Hayden Planetarium.(The first collection was Merlin's Tour of the Universe.)Merlin is supersmart, sort of sassy, and he'll answer almost any question about the universe and the curious things in it. He's also really old, having rubbed elbow equivalents with the likes of Archimedes, Galileo, Einstein, and Santa Claus. In this volume, you can find Merlin's explanations for easy puzzlers such as "How many galaxies are visible to the naked eye?" and "Who discovered the planet Saturn?" The smarty-pants extraterrestrial also tackles toughies like "If aliens exploded our moon, what effect would it have on us?" and "What is the meaning of 'apparent magnitude'?" Amateur astronomers and weekend stargazers alike will find a wealth of trivia with which to astound dinner guests, and those who like their science in easily digestible chunks will be pleased--sometimes Merlin gives one-word answers! If you're looking for long explanatory essays, look for a more loquacious little green man. --Therese Littleton ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great Q&A On Outer Space
I love to ponder the mysteries of outer space, from planetary factoids to quasar theories. This book is chock full of all this and everything in between. The Q&A are taken from a monthly astronomy magazine and written from the perspective of "Merlin" who is from the Andromeda galaxy. Merlin offers a fun and lively way to discover outer space. I consider this book to be a nice, light read for all ages. ... Read more

Book Description

At last! Everything you need to plan a worry-free vacation to the Moon! In this book, you'll find all of the details on how much your trip will cost, how to train, and what to expect during lift-off. You'll get the straight story on how to eat, how to sleep, even how to go to the bathroom on the moon.

• A crater-by-crater guide to the most famous lunar attractions, plus tips on bringing souvenirs back to Earth
• Comments by the astronauts, and much, much more!

Reviews (1)

Entertaining but with errors
This was just too cute to pass up, and it is a good, entertaining overview of some of the aspects of space travel and what would be involved in a tourist trip to the moon. However, there are some appalling factual errors in here. In particular, he seems to have a grudge against the space shuttle and comes out with some blatant untruths about it: not all of the shuttle's heat-resistant tiles need to be replaced after a mission, only a few do; and the shuttle does in fact have a braking parachute though he says it doesn't. He also indicates that total solar eclipses only happen about once every 150 years when the actual figure is about 1.5 years, a factor of 100 error.

If you can take it with a grain of salt, though, the text and cartoons (by the author) are entertaining, and it's well illustrated with space photos, though unfortunately the geared-for-portability size of the book (4.5"x7.5") scarcely does them justice. So read it for fun and a little bit of education but don't believe all of it. ... Read more

Book Description

With the development of space-travel, we have begun to explore worlds beyond Earth.Ten planetary scientists describe their favorite planet, what they have discovered, and what drives them to explore.Each tells a personal story, ranging across the breadth of the solar system--from hellish Mercury to the snows of Pluto; from telescopic to robotic exploration; from adventures in Antarctica to painting planetary landscapes; from the frustration of failure to the joy of success.Worlds Beyond is the third in a series of books bringing together leading space scientists to describe their work.Our Worlds was the first of its kind in revealing the inner motivations of planetary scientists.Our Universe explored the vastness of the Universe itself.Now, with Worlds Beyond, we return to our home--the solar system--to visit those fascinating new worlds beyond our own.S. Alan Stern is Director of the Department of Space Studies at Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado. He is a planetary scientist and astrophysicist with observational and theoretical interests.Stern is an avid pilot and a principal investigator in NASA's planetary research program, and he was selected to be a NASA space shuttle mission specialist finalist.He is the author of more than one hundred papers and popular articles.He is also the author of Pluto & Charon (Wiley, 1997). ... Read more

Book Description

The culmination of many years of research, this book discusses ancient and medieval eclipse observations and their importance in studying Earth's past rotation. This is the first major book on this subject in twenty years. The author has specialized for many years in the interpretation of early astronomical records and their application to problems in modern astronomy. The book contains an in-depth discussion of numerous eclipse records from Babylon, China, Europe and the Arab lands. The author provides translations of almost every record studied. He shows that although tides play a dominant long-term role in producing variations in Earth's rate of rotation--causing a gradual increase in the length of the day--there are significant and variable nontidal changes in opposition to the main trend. This book is intended for geophysicists, astronomers (especially those with an interest in history), historians and orientalists. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Very detailed - this book is more for advanced readers.
This book has vivid pictures which make it worth buying just for that.The information is extreemly useful and some of it can be hard to find in other place. ... Read more

Book Description

This book is an introduction to integrability and conformal field theory in two dimensions using quantum groups. The book begins with a brief introduction to S-matrices, spin chains and vertex models as a prelude to the study of Yang-Baxter algebras and the Bethe ansatz. The authors then introduce the basic ideas of integrable systems, giving particular emphasis to vertex and face models. They give special attention to the underlying mathematical tools, including braid groups, knot invariants, and towers of algebras. The authors then go on to give a detailed introduction to quantum groups before addressing integrable models, two-dimensional conformal field theories, and superconformal field theories. The book contains many diagrams and exercises to illustrate key points in the text and will be appropriate for researchers and graduate students in theoretical physics and mathematics. ... Read more

Book Description

The observation and understanding of extra-solar planetarysystems has become a very exciting topic that poses challenges to manyfields of human knowledge. A few years after the first observationalevidence of planets outside the Solar System, this field of researchhas experienced spectacular developments. One of the characteristicsof the field is that it draws together researchers from a variety offields: astrophysics, geophysics, biochemistry, etc., and opens up newareas for their interactions. This book sets out a synthesis of theadvances and points of view of this adventure. Young students,researchers, engineers involved or about to become involved in thischallenging quest for extra-solar planets will benefit by reading sucha synthetic review. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Nice intro
A nice collection of texts treating the state of the art in extrasolar planetary science, written by people who truly enjoyed themselves at a meeting in a relaxed environment. The only flaw would be that some interesting material mentioned during the meeting never got into the book (my own paper got included, though). ... Read more

Book Description

If you are an amateur astronomer, and comets, asteroids, meteors, and the zodiacal light are your quarry, then this is the book for you. Comet observers can learn how to make visual estimates of brightness and size, and how to make photographic studies of cometary heads and tails. Asteroid hunters will find a "life list" of objects and guidelines on how to search for them and then how to photograph or electronically image them. Practical photographic and electronic methods for studying meteors and meteor showers are provided. Visual and photographic techniques show you how to examine the often elusive zodiacal light. The more adventurous are provided with advanced techniques on how to make successful astrometric, spectroscopic and electronic observations.David Levy is the author of The Sky: A User's Guide (CUP, 1991). Both authors have had asteroids named after them. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This gorgeous book takes readers on an armchair tour of the solar system, and includes some of the most recent images available of the planets, moons and debris that circle our sun. The prose is crystal-clear, telling us what we do and do not know about this corner of the galaxy. But the vivid pictures -- more than 300 of them in full-color -- are the main attraction, and deservedly so. They are simply beautiful. Considering what it delivers, Exploring the Solar System comes with a surprisingly low sticker price. It's a real bargain. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Exploring the Solar System
Outstanding pictures from decades of space research are the main feature of this book. The lively text avoids numbers and math, sometimes using factoids rather than numerical values. The illustrations include actual pictures and computer enhanced or artist conceptions of various space missions. The text is dotted with interesting historical tidbits about those missions and the people involved. But the real reason to get this book is for the wonderful illustrations. The printing quality and color reproductions are outstanding. ... Read more

Book Description

Fully updated by William Hartmann, this text retains a comparative approach to the principles of planetology, including organization by physical topic rather than by planet. This unique approach promotes an understanding of the unifying principles and processes that cause similarities and differences among the moon and planets. This edition features finding and photos from Mars Pathfinder, Global Surveyor, Hubble, and photos of Jupiter's atmosphere from the Galileo probe, new data on Pluto and other small bodies, and more! The text's unique math boxes give you the flexibility to teach planetary science at a descriptive level or at a moderately advanced level involving algebra and elementary calculus. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Solar System Reference Book for the Rest of Us!
The first time I read this book was when one of my graduate teachers asked me to review it. While he thought it to basic for graduate-level work, I have used this book ever since, for students of all ages. Well written and illustrated with black-&-white pictures as well as the author's own well-respected artwork, it covers so much in such a small book it's hard to believe. The appendix of plantary data is up-to-date & comprehensive, lacking only some of the more esoteric elements (like the moment of inertia factor and J2 moment - if you don't know what those are, you won't miss them). Best at an undergraduate level, no math is required; all the math is set aside in boxes from the text, ready to use when the reader is ready but not required for a firm understanding of the subject at hand. And while it's clearly written as a textbook, it's far better reading than your average college text on the subject. While there are many "overview" books on the market, this is one of the best in my opinion; while I like and use more flashy texts like "The New Solar System", this is the one that I go back to again & again to review the basics or perform a simple calculation. ... Read more

Book Description

Designed to be accessible to those with a stronggeneral (not professional) interest in planetary science, this volumeexplores the various aspects of the solar system planet by planet.Along the way, it illustrates by example how science is “done,”and constantly goes beyond the issue of merely “What do we know,”to ask such questions as “What motivates our questions?" and "Howdo we go about finding the answers?"Begins eachchapter with a purely descriptive section about a planet; then includestwo sections on topics that are related to the planet in question(e.g., atmospheric chemistry and Venus; the generation of magneticfields and Jupiter). Later chapters consider more difficult topicsuch as planetary satellites, comets and the solar wind, and the originof the solar system. Confines the use of integral calculus and mostderivations to separate boxes, and reviews basic concepts of physicsand chemistry, in boxes, as necessary.For undergraduatestudents and general readers interested in planetary science. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent textbook for undergraduate or advanced student.
Planetary sciences is an incredibly exciting field, all the more so because we are visiting these places. Most astronomy texts give an extensive tour of the solar system, but Worlds Apart does much more. It concisely explains fundamental concepts in geology, chemistry, physics and astronomy as they (directly) relate to the subject. This book does so in a very clear, very engaging and understandable manner. This emphasis on the underlying science keeps it very much in date. The student will learn how the planets work, not merely what they look like, and along the way seamlessly learn fundamental scientific principles. Equations are few and do not require a knowledge of calculus. ... Read more

Book Description

Contents

Part 1 The general background: The structure of the solar system. Observations and theories of star formation. What should a theory explain? Part 2 Setting the theoretical scene: Theories up to 1960. Part 3 Current theories: A brief survey of modern theories. The Sun, planets and satellites. Planetary orbits and angular momentum. A planetary collision. The Moon. Smaller planets and irregular satellites. Asteroids, meteorites and comets. Part 4 The current state of theories: Comparisons of the main theories. Appendices.

Synopsis

The Origin and Evolution of the Solar System begins by describing historical, i.e. pre-1950, theories and illustrating why they became unacceptable. The main part then critically examines five extant theories, including the current paradigm, the Solar Nebula Theory, to determine how well they fit with accepted scientific principles and observations. ... Read more

Book Description

Earth & Moon takes the reader on an extensive journey into the interior of the earth, where he will discover that in general the organs of the earth correspond to those of a human being. The structure of these organs as they apply to the earth and to the human body is amply explained, as is the preparation of blood. Many aspects of the earth's organs as well as that of human beings, presently unknown to modern science, are explained. Although we are inhabitants of this earth, our knowledge of the interior of our earth is at best sparse and ambiguous. In order to understand the information in Earth & Moon you do not require any special knowledge, because the knowledge you require is contained in this book.

Since Mother Earth is a living organism she requires nourishment to live, and in order to eat she requires a mouth. The mouth of the earth is the north pole; her nourishment consists of snow crystals and icicles which are drawn in by the mouth with great magnetic force. From there the nourishment enters the stomach which is located below the heart and is expelled through the south pole. This expelling process causes the rotation of the earth.

Another aspect which is very important to every living being is the element of air. As far as scientists are concerned the air's main components are oxygen, hydrogen, carbon and essential nitrogen in certain proportions. If the air consisted only of these four gases, the atmospheric air would hardly be usable. If the air had no other components than these four, which are thus far known to scientists, it would be disastrous for the growth of plants, the origin of minerals and life in the animal world. Because every plant absorbs from the atmospheric air, the particular air that is agreeable to its species, and eliminates all the others. If that were not the case, no plant would have a specific form or shape or its own particular taste or smell. However if every plant, according to its own kind, absorbs only one kind of air, there must be as many distinct kinds of air as there are consumers. That this in fact is the case is proven by the effect of the particular fragrance of each plant upon the senses and organs of individuals, and even more so by its chemical substance. The fragrance of a rose affects the sense of smell by strengthening the organ of smell, and it sharpens the eyesight. The carnation, however, has an astringent affect upon the sense of smell, and weakens the eyesight. Can all this be solely attributed to four known particular kinds of gas? Can this be accomplished solely by mixing these gases in as many different combinations possible?

Not only will the reader visit the interior of the earth, but also the three regions of the spiritual earth, the lowest of which is the first region, and the purpose of these regions will become quite apparent. The number of guardian angels that protect human beings is also explained.

Souls that enter the spiritual world have varied forms; at times they even take on an animalistic form. It might of interest to know that Satan's only abode is planet earth. His original name was Satana, but he also known as Leviathan, Beelzebub, Gog, Magog, the Serpent, the Dragon, the Animal of the Abyss, Lucifer and many other names. His original name was Lucifer, or "Bearer of Light."

Some major negative characteristics of humankind are explained, such as carnal and sensual pleasures, the effects on children and adults, and what to do to eliminate these characteristics.

Furthermore, the reader will also take an excursion to the moon, and learn about the moon's spiritual side and physical side. Visit the spiritual beings and the human beings on the dark side of the moon, discover where and how they live, and their main source of nourishment. The animals and vegetation on the moon exceed the limits of human imagination. These are just a few examples of what this book contains. Earth & Moon will enrich any heart and intellect with knowledge that so far has not been available. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An extraordinary study of mother earth and the moon.
I was exceptionally impressed with this work. I was taken with the very descriptive text on the inner workings of our planet, along with her spiritual aspects. What really got me was the description of the people andanimals on the moon. It almost makes me believe that no one has ever reallylanded on the moon!! How could life on the moon have escaped them? It sohappens that my sister gave me a new book, "Saturn" also by JakobLorber, and it's just as wonderful and descriptive as Earth & Moon. Itleaves one to ponder why this information has been so long in coming. ... Read more