At the XXIX IAU General Assembly held in Honolulu from 3-14 August 2015, the meetings known as Special Sessions and Joint Discussions were replaced by new 'Focus Meetings'. Astronomy in Focus XXIXB presents the most relevant contributions from the Focus Meetings together with summaries of all the accepted papers and posters. It covers the following topics: the legacy of Planck; x-ray surveys of the hot and energetic cosmos; stellar physics in galaxies; stellar explosions; gravitational waves and structure formation; the search for water and life's building blocks; red supergiants in the local Universe; advances in stellar physics from asteroseismology; scale-free processes in the Universe; and the frontiers of our understanding of cluster and galaxy evolution. The publications Astronomy in Focus XXIXB (together with its companion, XXIXA), the proceedings of the six main Scientific Symposia and Reports on Astronomy: Commission Legacy Reports, fully cover the XXIX IAU General Assembly.

IMAGE (Imager for Magnetopause-to-Aurora Global Exploration) is the first NASA MIDEX mission and the first mission dedicated to imaging the Earth's magnetosphere. This volume offers detailed descriptions of the IMAGE instrumentation and of the image inversion techniques used to interpret the data. Also included are chapters on the IMAGE science objectives, the spacecraft design and capabilities, science and mission operations, and the processing and distribution of IMAGE's nonproprietary data products.

Long-term measurements of field strength have been performed over a 160 km path entirely over sea in the Baltic area. For short periods the radio measurements have been combined with meteorolo- gical measurements in order to describe the structure of the re- fractive index field. The heigth of layers was continously deter- mined by remote sensing techniques and their thickness and inten- sity by airborne and balloonborne instruments. From these data, field strengths have been calculated for scatter, reflection and duct propagation. It will be shown that reflection propagation dominates at the low frequency end. Whilst at higher frequencies, very sharp layers are required for reflection propagation. At these frequencies, high signals are generally caused by duct propagation. 1.1 Instruments and plan for the experiments. The radio measurements were performed with the following equipment. 5000 MHz: Transmitted power 500 kW (pulsed). Reflector antennas. Free space field strength over the path + 15 dBm. 460 MHz: Transmitted power 10 W (CW) 8 element Yagi antennas. Free space field strength over the path - 65 dBm. 170 MHz: Transmitted power 10, W(CW). 8 element Yagi antennas. Free space field strength over the path - 60 dBm. The antenna heights for the transmitters and receivers were 100 m above sea level. The field strengths were recorded on ink recorders and simul- taneously sampled, digitized and evaluated on line in a minicom- puter. For the meteorological measurements, the following equipment were used: Airborne microwave refractometer and thermistor, flown up to 2000 m.

The second edition of this popular text provides undergraduates with a quantitative yet accessible introduction to the physical principles underlying the collection and analysis of observational data in contemporary optical and infrared astronomy. The text clearly links recent developments in ground- and space-based telescopes, observatory and instrument design, adaptive optics, and detector technologies to the more modest telescopes and detectors that students may use themselves. Beginning with reviews of the most relevant physical concepts and an introduction to elementary statistics, students are given the firm theoretical foundation they need. New topics, including an expanded treatment of spectroscopy, Gaia, the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, and photometry at large redshifts bring the text up to date. Historical development of topics and quotations emphasize that astronomy is both a scientific and a human endeavour, while extensive end-of-chapter exercises facilitate the students' practical learning experience.

The Energetic Gamma-Ray Experiment Telescope (EGRET) instru ment on the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory left as a legacy its Third Catalog of High Energy Gamma-Ray Sources, whose detections include a large number of blazars, some pulsars, the Large Magellanic Cloud and a solar flare. Most of the newly discovered objects - a majority of the catalog -are unidentified sources, with a clearly predominant Galactic population. Are all these radio-quiet pulsars, like Geminga, or is there a novel type of celestial object, awaiting identification? In spite of the limited angular resolution provided by EGRET and COMPTEL, there is still much to learn about unidentified, -ray sources: correlation studies, multiwavelength observations and theoretical work can provide valuable clues, specially if these efforts are carried out in a coordinated manner. The aim of this workshop, held from October 9 to 11, 2000, at the Instituto N acional de Astrofisica, Optica y Electronica, at Tonantzintla, Mexico, was to gather experts on the subject, including observational as tronomers specialized in other regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, in an effort to address the question of the Nature of Galactic high-energy gamma-ray sources, both from the theoretical and observational perspec tive, and elaborate schemes for future identification studies which can make use of existing and forthcoming facilities."

G. M. Bernstein, M. L. Fischer, and P. L. Richards Department of Physics, University of California Berkeley, California 94720, U. S. A. J. B. Peterson Department of Physics, Princeton University Princeton, New Jersey 08540, U. S. A. T. Timusk Department of Physics, McMaster University Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4M1 , Canada ABSTRACT. Recent measurements of the diffuse background at millimeter wavelengths indicate no departure from a Planck spectrum near the peak of the blackbody curve. Anisotropy measurements indicate no structure, at the 2% level, in the recently detected submillimeter excess. We report here the results of an April 1987 balloon flight of an instrument designed to measure the spectrum of the cosmic background radiation from 1 mm to 3 mm. A description of the instrument can be found in Peterson, Richards, and Timusk (1985). Modifications were made to the apparatus and experimental procedure in order to identify and reduce systematic errors. Results from the latest flight indicate that two effects hamper the interpretation of the data. These systematic effects will be described in detail in a forthcoming publications; they are probably responsible for the non-Planckian spectrum measured by Woody and Richards (1981). Attempts to remove the systematic effects from our data yield the upper limits to the CBR brightness temperature in 4 bands from 1 mm to 3 mm. There is no evidence for an excess of radiation near the 2. 8 K blackbody peak.

Evry SCHATZMAN Radio-Astronomie, E. N. S. , Paris, France The recent developments of the Supernova theory and numerical relativity can lead in the near future to an understanding of gravitational collapse and to a reliable prediction of the amplitude of the gravitational waves generated during neutron star formation. These prospects explain the great interest which has developed in the international scientific community for the workshop. We were financially limited in the number of guests and participants and we apologize for not having been able to gather all the specialists actually involved in research programs relevant to gravitational collapse and numerical relativity. This limitation took place despite all the financial assistance which we have received from various institutions, first the C. N. R. S. (Centre National de 1a Recherche Scientifique) which has supported the request of Dr. Monique SIGNORE of organizing a workshop. Furhter help was obtained from I. N. A. G. (Institut National d'Astronomie et de Geophysique), Toulouse University (Universite "Paul Sabatier" or "Toulouse III"), the Toulouse section of C. N. E. S. (Centre National d'Etudes Spatia1es), the Department of theoretical physics of the C. E. A. , the Department of Astrophysique of the C. E. A. (Centre d'Etudes Nucleaires, Saclay), D. R. E. T. (Direction des Recherches Etudes et Techniques) and last but not least an important grant from NATO, whose scientific Committee recognized the international significance of the workshop. The meeting was organized by Professor D.

Knowledge Discovery in Big Data from Astronomy and Earth Observation: Astrogeoinformatics bridges the gap between astronomy and geoscience in the context of applications, techniques and key principles of big data. Machine learning and parallel computing are increasingly becoming cross-disciplinary as the phenomena of Big Data is becoming common place. This book provides insight into the common workflows and data science tools used for big data in astronomy and geoscience. After establishing similarity in data gathering, pre-processing and handling, the data science aspects are illustrated in the context of both fields. Software, hardware and algorithms of big data are addressed. Finally, the book offers insight into the emerging science which combines data and expertise from both fields in studying the effect of cosmos on the earth and its inhabitants.

The universe is pervaded by particles with extreme energies, millions of times greater than we can produce on Earth. They have been a mystery for over a century. Now, current and future experiments in particle astrophysics are leading us to answers to the most fundamental questions about them. How does nature accelerate the highest energy particles in the universe? Do new interactions between them occur at such extreme energies? Are there unknown aspects of spacetime that can be uncovered by studying these particles?This book brings together three fields within 'extreme astronomy': ultra-high-energy cosmic ray physics, neutrino astronomy, and gamma-ray astronomy, and discusses how each can help answer these questions. Each field is presented with a theoretical introduction that clearly elucidates the key questions scientists face. This is followed by chapters that discuss the current set of experiments - how they work and their discoveries. Finally, new techniques and approaches are discussed to solve the mysteries uncovered by the current experiments.

Gravitational lensing has become an indispensable tool in observational cosmology. This book provides first the theoretical foundation of the observations based on general relativity and then the detailed explanation of gravitational lensing as well as its various applications in the field.

This book provides in-depth explanations of design theories and methods for remote sensing satellites, as well as their practical applications. There have been significant advances in spacecraft remote sensing technologies over the past decade. As the latest edition of the book "Space Science and Technology Research," it draws on the authors' vast engineering experience in system design for remote sensing satellites and offers a valuable guide for all researchers, engineers and students who are interested in this area. Chiefly focusing on mission requirements analyses and system design, it also highlights a range of system design methods.

A total eclipse of the Sun is the most awesome sight in the heavens. Totality takes you to eclipses of the past, present, and future, and lets you see--and feel--why people travel to the ends of the Earth to observe them.
An absolutely indispensable resource for anyone who plans to observe an eclipse, and a must read for all astronomy buffs, this superb new edition brims with the anecdotes, experiences, and advice of many veteran eclipse observers. Indeed, it is the best guide and reference book on solar eclipses ever written, packed with information on how to observe them; how to photograph and videotape them; why they occur; their history and mythology; how eclipses revealed the workings of the Sun and made Einstein famous; and when and where to see future eclipses. Totality once again features the spectacular photography of Fred Espenak, who runs the NASA Eclipse Home Page and is the best-known and respected of all eclipse calculators and information sources. His many stunning color photographs illuminate this unparalleled exploration of eclipses. The volume has been updated to include current information on upcoming eclipses, with new chapters on the total eclipses due in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2017, plus all new chapters on how to photograph, video record, and process your eclipse images, with emphasis on the new generation of digital cameras.
Strikingly illustrated with stunning photographs and more than a hundred maps and diagrams, here is everything you need to know about eclipses of the sun, in an accurate, clearly written, and entertaining volume that can be read by lay people and astronomers with ease and enjoyment.

This book is intended as an introduction to the field of planetary systems at the postgraduate level. It consists of four extensive lectures on Hamiltonian dynamics, celestial mechanics, the structure of extrasolar planetary systems and the formation of planets. As such, this volume is particularly suitable for those who need to understand the substantial connections between these different topics.

A revised and updated edition of the classic work to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the first moon landing

'It left me spellbound ... belongs to the same tradition as Tom Wolfe's The Right Stuff' Sunday Times

'Fascinating. A wonderful book' David Bowie

The Apollo Moon Programme has been called the last optimistic act of the twentieth century. In Moondust, Andrew Smith set out to find and interview the nine remaining Moonwalkers in order to learn how their lives, and ours, were irrevocably changed by this surreal expedition.

On the fiftieth anniversary of the first moon landing, Smith's powerful and gripping account of the most courageous adventure of the last century is re-released with a new chapter, detailing his fascinating interactions with Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Edgar Mitchell and Alan Bean in the years since publication. With thought-provoking meditations on the dramatic recent upswing in cosmic exploration, including astonishing encounters with the would-be astronaut-settlers of the Mars One project and the scientists leading the search for life in our solar system, this is an indispensable update to the definitive classic.

Proceedings of the 99th Colloquium of the International Astronomical Union, held in Balaton, Hungary, June 22-27, 1987

A total eclipse of the Sun is the most awesome sight in the heavens. Totality takes you to eclipses of the past, present, and future, and lets you see--and feel--why people travel to the ends of the Earth to observe them.
An absolutely indispensable resource for anyone who plans to observe an eclipse, and a must read for all astronomy buffs, this superb new edition brims with the anecdotes, experiences, and advice of many veteran eclipse observers. Indeed, it is the best guide and reference book on solar eclipses ever written, packed with information on how to observe them; how to photograph and videotape them; why they occur; their history and mythology; how eclipses revealed the workings of the Sun and made Einstein famous; and when and where to see future eclipses. Totality once again features the spectacular photography of Fred Espenak, who runs the NASA Eclipse Home Page and is the best-known and respected of all eclipse calculators and information sources. His many stunning color photographs illuminate this unparalleled exploration of eclipses. The volume has been updated to include current information on upcoming eclipses, with new chapters on the total eclipses due in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2017, plus all new chapters on how to photograph, video record, and process your eclipse images, with emphasis on the new generation of digital cameras.
Strikingly illustrated with stunning photographs and more than a hundred maps and diagrams, here is everything you need to know about eclipses of the sun, in an accurate, clearly written, and entertaining volume that can be read by lay people and astronomers with ease and enjoyment.

The aim of this book is to give graduate students an overview of quantum gravity but it also covers related topics from astrophysics. Some well-written contributions can serve as an introduction into basic conceptual concepts like time in quantum gravity or the emergence of a classical world from quantum cosmology. This makes the volume attractive to philosophers of science, too. Other topics are black holes, gravitational waves and non-commutative extensions of physical theories.

Progress in modern radio astronomy led to the discovery of space masers in the microwave range, and it became a powerful tool for studies of interstellar star-forming molecular clouds. Progress in observational astronomy, particularly with ground-based huge telescopes and the space-based Hubble Space Telescope, has led to recent discoveries of space lasers in the optical range. These operate in gas condensations in the vicinity of the mysterious star Eta Carinae (one of the most luminous and massive stars of our Galaxy). Both maser and laser effects, first demonstrated under laboratory conditions, have now been discovered to occur under natural conditions in space, too. This book describes consistently the elements of laser science, astrophysical plasmas, modern astronomical observation techniques, and the fundamentals and properties of astrophysical lasers. A book with such an interdisciplinary scope has not been available to date. The book will also be useful for a wider audience interested in modern developments of the natural sciences and technology.

From 17 to 21 April 1967 a Study Week was held in the hotel 'De Bilderberg' near Arnhem, Holland, with the purpose to establish a new, and if possible, generally acceptable working model for the quiet parts of the solar photosphere and low chromosphere. The organizers of the conference hoped that even if this latter goal appeared too far to be reached, such a meeting would still be useful, if only for enumerating the crucial problems in solar photospheric research, and for defining future subjects of research. About twenty solar physicists from outside the Netherlands participated in the Study Week, while some others, though prevented from actively attending, sub mitted their comments before the meeting. The two above-mentioned goals were reached: a working model could be estab lished; yet it became clear that not everyone would agree about this model, and it became obvious too that future research is strongly needed, in particular in the field of line formation (coherence, or non-coherence; local thermal equilibrium), while also the motion field of the photosphere and chromosphere is insufficiently known, and its influence on the formation of spectral lines hardly understood."

This book discusses cosmology from both an observational and a strong theoretical perspective. The first part focuses on gravitation, notably the expansion of the universe and determination of cosmological parameters, before moving onto the main emphasis of the book, the physics of the early universe, and the connections between cosmological models and particle physics. The book provides links with particle physics and with investigations of the theories beyond the Standard Model, especially in connection to dark matter and matter-antimatter asymmetry puzzles. Readers will gain a comprehensive account of cosmology and the latest observational results, without requiring prior knowledge of relativistic theories, making the text ideal for students. Features: Provides a self-contained discussion of modern cosmology results without requiring any prior knowledge of relativistic theories, enabling students to learn the first rudiments needed for a rigorous comprehension of cosmological concepts Contains a timely discussion of the latest cosmological results, including those from WMAP and the Planck satellite, and discuss the cosmological applications of the Nobel Prize 2017 awarded discovery of gravitational waves by the LIGO interferometer and the very high energy neutrinos discovered by the IceCube detector Includes original figures complementing mathematical derivations and accounting for the most important cosmological observations, in addition to a wide variety of problems with a full set of solutions discussed in detail in an accompanying solutions manual (available upon qualifying course adoption) To view the errata please visit the authors personal href=":http//www.southampton.ac.uk/~pdb1d08">webpage.

Sasol First Field Guide to Skywatching in Southern Africa is a fascinating insight into the southern skies by night. Full-colour photo graphs and illustrations, monthly star charts and easy-to-read text will help the budding astronomer to identify the more visible objects in our night skies, as well as those that are less obvious, and discover some of the extraordinary phenomena of our galaxy.

This book introduces the modern field of 3+1 numerical relativity. The book has been written in a way as to be as self-contained as possible, and only assumes a basic knowledge of special relativity. Starting from a brief introduction to general relativity, it discusses the different concepts and tools necessary for the fully consistent numerical simulation of relativistic astrophysical systems, with strong and dynamical gravitational fields. Among the topics discussed in detail are the following; the initial data problem, hyperbolic reductions of the field equations, guage conditions, the evolution of black hole space-times, relativistic hydrodynamics, gravitational wave extraction and numerical methods. There is also a final chapter with examples of some simple numerical space-times. The book is aimed at both graduate students and researchers in physics and astrophysics, and at those interested in relativistic astrophysics.

This is the first collection of review articles in one volume covering the very latest developments in exoplanet research. This edited, multi-author volume will be an invaluable introduction and reference to all key aspects in the field this field. The reviews cover topics such as the properties of known exoplanets and searching for exoplanets in the stellar graveyard. The book provides an easily accessible point of reference in a fast moving and exciting field.