Sky Guide Africa South 2019 is a practical resource for all astronomers, be they novice, amateur or professional. It covers the upcoming year’s planetary movements, predicted eclipses, meteor showers – any events and facets of the night sky that change annually.

Star charts plot the evening sky for each season, facilitating the identification of stars and constellations. The guide contains a wealth of information about the Sun, Moon, planets, comets, meteors and bright stars, with photos, diagrams, charts and images.

It also includes an excellent overview of the most useful online resources available to the astronomy enthusiast.

When Edwin Hubble looked into his telescope in the 1920s, he was shocked to find that nearly all of the galaxies he could see through it were flying away from one another. If these galaxies had always been travelling, he reasoned, then they must, at some point, have been on top of one another. This discovery transformed the debate about one of the most fundamental questions of human existence - how did the universe begin?

Every society has stories about the origin of the cosmos and its inhabitants, but now, with the power to peer into the early universe and deploy the knowledge gleaned from archaeology, geology, evolutionary biology and cosmology, we are closer than ever to understanding where it all came from. In The Origin of (almost) Everything, New Scientist explores the modern origin stories of everything from the Big Bang, meteorites and dark energy, to dinosaurs, civilisation, timekeeping, belly-button fluff and beyond.

From how complex life evolved on Earth, to the first written language, to how humans conquered space, The Origin of (almost) Everything offers a unique history of the past, present and future of our universe.

RSG amptelike publikasie. Die eerste van sy soort in Afrikaans gebaseer op die nou 18 jaar weeklikse radio program oor sterrekunde, baanbrekers in sterrekunde, groot teleskope en ruimteteleskope. Heelal; teleskope; sterre; planete en onlangse ontdekkings in die heelal. Diepruim navorsing, sterrekunde in Suid-Afrika (die rol van teleskope soos SALT en SKA). Een van RSG se gewildste programme!. Bydraers is wereldbekende figure in hierdie area, o.a. Dr Japie van Zyl van NASA - die Amerikaanse buiteruim agentskap. Hy kom spesiaal SA toe vir die bekendstelling.

Fascinating, engaging, and extremely visual, FOUNDATIONS OF ASTRONOMY, Enhanced Thirteenth Edition, is renowned for its current coverage, reader-friendly presentation, and detailed, yet clear explanations. The authors' goals are to help you use astronomy to understand science-and use science to answer two fundamental questions: What are we? And how do we know?

MAJOR EXPANDED & REVISED EDITION "This is a great guide to the night sky at a great price" Astronomy Now A practical, comprehensive guide to the planets, stars and constellations visible from the northern hemisphere. 6 pages per month January-December 2020. An easy introduction to astronomy and a useful reference for seasoned stargazers. Designed for Britain and Ireland but usable anywhere in the world between 40 DegreesN and 60 DegreesN, covering most of Europe, southern Canada and the northern United States. Written and illustrated by astronomical experts, Storm Dunlop and Wil Tirion, and approved by the astronomers of the Royal Observatory Greenwich. Content includes: * Advice on where to start looking * Easy-to-use star maps for each month with descriptions of what to see * Special charts for positions of planets, minor planets and comets in 2020 * Detailed map of the Moon * Details of objects and events you might see in 2020.

Stephen Hawking: stargazer, physicist, icon. Award-winning children's author and journalist, Nikki Sheehan, explores the life of the inspirational scientist Stephen Hawking. A Life Story: This gripping series throws the reader directly into the lives of modern society's most influential figures. With striking black-and-white illustration along with timelines and never-heard-before facts. Also in the series: Katherine Johnson: A Life Story Rosalind Franklin: A Life Story Alan Turing: A Life Story

Chasing the Moon thoroughly reimagines the race to the moon, upending much of the conventional mythology. With newly revealed stories about the space race, from its earliest days to the monumental achievement of the lunar landing in 1969, the book features a diverse cast of characters who played key roles in these historic events. Utilising a wealth of previously overlooked and lost archival material, much of which has never before been revealed to the public, the Space Age is recast as a fascinating stew of scientific innovation, political calculation, media spectacle, visionary impulses and personal drama in this fascinating new book. Among those included are astronauts Buzz Aldrin, Frank Borman and Bill Anders; Sergei Khrushchev, son of the former Soviet premier and a leading Soviet rocket engineer; Poppy Northcutt, a 25-year old `mathematics whiz' who gained worldwide attention as the first woman to serve in the all-male bastion of NASA's Mission Control; and Ed Dwight, the Air Force pilot selected by the Kennedy administration to train as America's first black astronaut.

All the winning and shortlisted images from the 2017 Insight Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition, hosted by the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. The images are submitted in one of the following categories: Image Categories * Earth and Space * Our Solar System * Deep Space * Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year Special Prize Categories * Best Newcomer * People and Space * Robotic Scope Each image is accompanied by caption, photographer, location and technical details. Exhibition Every year the Royal Observatory, Greenwich hosts a free exhibition of the winners of the Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition, showcasing some incredible images of the sky. www.rmg.co.uk/astrophoto

MAJOR EXPANDED AND REVISED EDITION A comprehensive handbook to the planets, stars and constellations visible from the southern hemisphere. 6 pages for each month covering January-December 2020. Diagrams drawn for the latitude of southern Australia, but including events visible from New Zealand and South Africa. Written and illustrated by astronomical experts, Storm Dunlop and Wil Tirion. Content includes: * Advice on where to start looking * Easy-to-use star maps for each month with descriptions of what to see * NEW Special, detailed charts for positions of planets, minor planets and comets in 2020 * NEW Seasonal charts * NEW Details of dark sky sites * Details of objects and events you might see in 2020 * Diagrams of notable events visible from Australia, and some for New Zealand and South Africa Also available: A month-by-month guide to exploring the skies above Britain and Ireland ISBN 978-0-00-825771-2 and A month-by-month guide to exploring the skies above North America.

Sky Guide Africa South – 2020 is a practical resource for all astronomers, whether they be novice, amateur or professional. It covers the upcoming year’s planetary movements, predicted eclipses, meteor showers – any events and facets of the night sky that change annually. Star charts plot the evening sky for each season, facilitating the identification of stars and constellations.

The guide contains a wealth of information about the Sun, Moon, planets, comets, meteors and bright stars, with photos, diagrams, charts and images. There’s also an excellent list of useful websites and a comprehensive glossary. This annual publication is an invaluable guide for anyone who has even a passing interest in the night skies of southern Africa and is ‘… an absolute must for first-time star-gazers and professional astronomers alike’.

David Christian, creator of Big History ('My favourite course of all time' Bill Gates), brings us the epic story of the universe and our place in it, from 13.8 billion years ago to the remote future 'Nails home the point: Life is a miracle ... A compelling history of everything' Washington Post 'Spectacular' Carlo Rovelli How did we get from the Big Bang to today's staggering complexity, in which seven billion humans are connected into networks powerful enough to transform the planet? And why, in comparison, are our closest primate relatives reduced to near-extinction? Big History creator David Christian gives the answers in a mind-expanding cosmological detective story told on the grandest possible scale. He traces how, during eight key thresholds, the right conditions have allowed new forms of complexity to arise, from stars to galaxies, Earth to homo sapiens, agriculture to fossil fuels. This last mega-innovation gave us an energy bonanza that brought huge benefits to mankind, yet also threatens to shake apart everything we have created. 'Rather like the Big Bang, the book is awe-inspiring ... Superb' The Times 'With fascinating ideas on every page and the page-turning energy of a good thriller, this is a landmark work' Sir Ken Robinson, author of The Element

'Impressive and illuminating' -Tom Hanks The race to the moon was won spectacularly by Apollo 11 on 20 July 1969. When astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin took their 'giant leap for mankind' across a ghostly lunar landscape, they were watched by some 600 million people on Earth 240,000 miles away. A Man on the Moon is the definitive account of the heroic Apollo programme: from the tragedy of the fire in Apollo 1 during a simulated launch, Apollo 8's bold pioneering flight around the moon, through to the euphoria of the first moonwalk, and to the discoveries made by the first scientist on the moon aboard Apollo 17. Drawing on hundreds of hours of in-depth interviews with the astronauts and mission personnel, this is the story of the twentieth century's greatest human achievement, minute-by-minute, through the eyes of those who were there. 'An extraordinary book . . . Space, with its limitless boundaries, has the power to inspire, to change lives, to make the impossible happen. Chaikin's superb book demonstrates how' - Sunday Times 'A superb account . . . Apollo may be the only achievement by which our age is remembered a thousand years from now' - Arthur C. Clarke 'The authoritative masterpiece' - Los Angeles Times

The Sunday Times Bestseller In Wonders of the Solar System - the book of the acclaimed BBC TV series - Professor Brian Cox will take us on a journey of discovery where alien worlds from your imagination become places we can see, feel and visit. The Wonders of the Solar System - from the giant ice fountains of Enceladus to the liquid methane seas of Titan and from storms twice the size of the Earth to the tortured moon of Io with its giant super-volcanoes - is the Solar System as you have never seen it before. In this series, Professor Brian Cox will introduce us to the planets and moons beyond our world, finding the biggest, most bizarre, most powerful natural phenomena. Using the latest scientific imagery along with cutting edge CGI and some of the most spectacular and extreme locations on Earth, Brian will show us Wonders never thought possible. Employing his trademark clear, authoritative, yet down-to-earth approach, Brian will explore how these previously unseen phenomena have dramatically expanded our horizons with new discoveries about the planets, their moons and how they came to be the way they are.

AN OBSERVER BOOK OF THE YEAR From the acclaimed author of The Information and Chaos, a mind-bending exploration of time travel: its subversive origins, its evolution in literature and science, and its influence on our understanding of time itself. Gleick's story begins at the turn of the twentieth century with the young H. G. Wells writing and rewriting the fantastic tale that became his first book, an international sensation, The Time Machine. A host of forces were converging to transmute the human understanding of time, some philosophical and some technological - the electric telegraph, the steam railroad, the discovery of buried civilisations, and the perfection of clocks. Gleick tracks the evolution of time travel as an idea in the culture - from Marcel Proust to Doctor Who, from Woody Allen to Jorge Luis Borges. He explores the inevitable looping paradoxes and examines the porous boundary between pulp fiction and modern physics. Finally, he delves into a temporal shift that is unsettling our own moment: the instantaneous wired world, with its all-consuming present and vanishing future.

As seen in the major Netflix documentary `Mercury 13' In 1961, Wally Funk was among the Mercury 13, the first group of American pilots to pass the `Woman in Space' programme. Wally sailed through a series of rigorous physical and mental tests, with one of her scores beating all the male Mercury 7 astronauts', including John Glenn's, the first American in orbit. But just one week before the final phase of training, the programme was abruptly cancelled. A combination of politics and prejudice meant that none of the women ever flew into space. Undeterred, Wally went on to become America's first female aviation safety inspector, though her dream of being an astronaut never dimmed. In this offbeat odyssey, journalist and fellow space enthusiast Sue Nelson joins Wally, now approaching her eightieth birthday, as she races to make her own giant leap before it's too late. Covering their travels across the United States and Europe - taking in NASA's mission control in Houston, the European Space Agency's HQ in Paris and Spaceport America in New Mexico, where Wally's ride into space awaits - this is a uniquely intimate and entertaining portrait of a true aviation trailblazer.

Planisphere and Starfinder is a practical guide to finding your way around the night sky. It demystifies astronomy and introduces basic stargazing techniques, enabling you to find and recognize objects with ease. A section on the Solar System shows you how to observe the Moon, planets, and other bodies such as comets and asteroids. It also gives advice on looking at eclipses and meteor showers. The central section of the book is a detailed guide to the constellations. Each entry in the guide is illustrated with a clear star chart, supported by graphics that show where in the world the constellation can be seen and explain the symbolic meaning of its star pattern. The key features for observation are presented in an accessible list supported by advice on how best to observe them. The final section is a month-by-month guide to the night sky. A double-page spread for each month highlights the features on view, while a large-scale chart shows you where to find the planets and a table of special events lists the dates of Moon phases, eclipses, and the best times to see the planets. The book comes with a removable planisphere, showing you the entire sky above your head at any time of night and any time of year.

"IF YOU BUY JUST ONE GUIDE... YOU WON'T DO BETTER THAN THIS" BBC Sky at Night Magazine * 12 month-by-month Night Sky Maps for year-round stargazing * Monthly Calendar of moon phases and special events in 2020 * Planet Watch: the best viewing days for planets in 2020 * Dark Sky Map of the UK - find the darkest skies * How to photograph the night skies - with cameras and smartphones * The major astronomical events of 2020 * Month-by-month Top 20 Sky Sights 2020 * Plus new, illustrated Jargon Buster Plus: * Expert advice on what to see each month from Heather Couper and Nigel Henbest, Philip's internationally renowned authors. * The Solar System 2020 explains the movement of the planets, with particular attention paid to their positions in 2020. Solar and lunar eclipses, meteor showers and comets are also described. * Expert Robin Scagell's Equipment Review looks at the pros and cons of Stargazing with reflector or refractor telescopes. * And all superbly illustrated with photographs taken by the best amateur photographers illustrating the night skies. About the Authors Philip's Stargazing Month by Month 2020 is written by two of the UK's best-known and respected astronomers. Prof. Heather Couper and Prof. Nigel Henbest are qualified astrophysicists, dedicated to sharing their love of the cosmos to everyone. They work in TV and radio broadcasting, international presentations, and have written over fifty popular books between them.

Die skrywer se doelstelling met hierdie publikasie is om die beginsels van sterrekunde toeganklik te maak vir almal, om ’n teks daar te stel wat bruikbare toeligting vir die amateursterrekundige is en kan dien as voorbereiding vir verdere studie in die sterrekunde. Van Zyl se eenvoudige, onderhoudende skryfstyl dra verder by tot die boek se toeganklikheid vir sterrekundiges sowel as leke met ’n besondere belangstelling in die heelal. Deurgaans word gepoog om te verduidelik hoe sterrekundiges te werk gaan. Om begrip te vergemaklik, verskyn ook 11 bladsye bylaes waarin die wiskunde wat gebruik word uit grondbeginsels herlei word. Dit bevat gedetailleerde beskrywings en verduidelikings van die heelal se geheime. Inligting oor nuwe ontdekkings en teoriee, kleurvolle diagramme en foto’s verhoog die waarde.

All the winning and shortlisted images from the 2015 Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition, which is hosted by the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. The images are submitted in one of the following categories: * Earth and Space * Our Solar System * Deep Space * Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year And can also be entered for one of the special prizes: * Best Newcomer * People and Space * Robotic Scope Each image is accompanied by caption, photographer, location and technical details. Exhibition Every year the Royal Observatory, Greenwich hosts a free exhibition of the winners of the Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition, showcasing some incredible images of the sky. www.rmg.co.uk/astrophoto

What is Life? Where did it come from? Why does it end? In this beautiful and definitive new book, Professor Brian Cox takes us on an incredible journey to discover how a few fundamental laws gave birth to the most complex, diverse and unique force in the Universe - life itself. There are thought to be as many as 100 million different species on Earth - each and every one governed by the same laws. Everything in the Universe, from the smallest microbe to the largest cluster of galaxies, is constructed from the same fundamental building blocks and is subject to the same laws of nature. What is true for a bacterium is true for a blue whale. This is the story of the amazing diversity and adaptability of life told through the fundamental laws that govern it. Through his voyage of discovery, Brian will explain how the astonishing inventiveness of nature came about and uncover the milestones in the epic journey from the origin of life to our own lives. From the vast networks of subterranean freshwater caverns of the Yucatan peninsula to the unique and precious island of Madagascar, Brian will seek out the places where the biggest questions about life may be answered: what is life? Why do we need water and why does life end? Using the latest advances in science as well as the cutting-edge graphics used in The Sunday Times bestsellers Wonders of the Solar System and Wonders of the Universe, Brian will uncover the secrets of life in the most unexpected locations and in the most stunning detail.

This book is for anyone who wants to understand the mind-blowing fundamentals of our expanding universe (or sound smart at a dinner party). Written by Oxford astrophysicist Dr Becky Smethurst and composed of ten captivating, simple essays, it guides you swiftly through the galaxies, explaining the mysteries of black holes, dark matter and what existed before the Big Bang, presenting the evidence as to whether we really are alone, illuminating what we still don't know and much more besides. If you have big questions about Space, this book will provide you with the answers in an absorbing and succinct way.

Are we alone in the Universe, or are there as many planets supporting life as there are stars in the sky?

It’s one of the most important and fascinating questions human beings can ponder, and astrobiology is the emerging field of science that tries to answer it.

Astronomer Rhodri Evans gives an expert overview of our current state of knowledge, looking at how life started on Earth, considering other places in the Solar System that might harbour life, then discussing possible Earth-like ‘exoplanets’ orbiting stars further out into our galaxy – and what future missions and studies will tell us about extraterrestrial life there.

Along the way the book answers some key questions: How can we answer Fermi’s paradox (‘Where is everybody?’)? Is water essential for life, or just a best bet for finding it? And how will we know when we find alien life, if it doesn’t follow the same principles as Earth life?

Bring the mystery and wonder of the night sky to your office or home with the Tiny Planetarium. This kit includes: a miniature star projector with 12 constellations a 48-page illustrated mini book

A beautifully presented, practical gift guide to 50 sights in the skies above us complete with a glow-in-the dark front cover. Explained with fascinating, easy-to-understand commentary from astrophysicist and science communicator, Sarah Barker, and illustrated throughout with captivating drawings by Maria Nilsson, each guide helps you locate an incredible sight.

The book is divided into three main sections and whether you use the naked eye, a telescope, or fall into a black hole of online research, you ll discover the limitless wonder of the skies from otherworldly phenomena on Earth like sun dogs, to planets, moons, stars, lunar craters and galaxy clusters.

Naked Eye: Learn how navigators travelled in the past by finding the North Star; say hello to our astronauts and learn how to spot the International Space Station; see a red supergiant star (Betelgeuse); and find out more about solar eclipses.

Further Afield: Find out more about the next closest galaxy, Andromeda; learn about the discovery of Saturn s ears (or rings!); spot an alien storm that s as big as the Earth; and track Little Green Men and ice volcanoes.

Far, Far Away: Learn how baby stars are created by the Pillars of Creation; marvel at the Hubble Deep Field; and unearth the brightest things in our universe, quasars.

The book also includes advice on ideal conditions for observing the stars, telescopes and binoculars, and navigating the skies. With extra tips and a rundown of useful tools, you ll find everything you need to get out there and look up!