This controversial book examines one of the most fundamental questions of modern cosmology: how much matter is there in the Universe? This issue affects theories of the origin and evolution of the Universe as well as its geometrical structure and ultimate fate. The authors address this debate and point out the most likely avenues for determining the actual density of Universe matter in both visible and invisible forms by pulling together evidence from all available sources. They conclude that the balance of arguments presently lies with a density of around twenty percent of the critical density required for the Universe to ultimately recollapse. Written by two eminent cosmologists, this topical and provocative book will be essential reading for all cosmologists and astrophysicists.

From the reviews:

"Bulging with concise explanations and 142 clarifying diagrams and photos, the book probably represents some of the best pedagogy in the solar system on these topics. a ] just the right level for most undergraduates. a ] Open-minded scientists looking for an authoritative tour of astrobiology will enjoy the book a ] . The authora (TM)s summary of exoplanet detection techniques is excellent a ] . Jones keeps us interested with simple explanations a ] . His approach is quite an achievement a ] ." (Charley Lineweaver, Physics Today, February, 2005).

"This is a textbook suitable for university use. a ] this is one of the best. a ] includes excellent recent images of Mars, Europa and elsewhere, and is richly illustrated with explanatory diagrams. a ] There is a useful index, a glossary and a list of a ~resourcesa (TM) (websites and books)." (Malcolm Walter, Australian Physics, Vol. 42 (3) July/August 2005)

"What is required for life, and where might it have evolved? a ] These are the questions that are addressed in this wide ranging, well written and thought provoking book. a ] But for anyone wishing to follow a ] Jonesa (TM) book is an excellent start." (Dr. C.M.Linton, Contemporary Physics, Vol. 46 (3), 2005)

"This book centres on the search for life in the Solar System and beyond. It includes an overview of many of the disciplines involved in this field of research, which include astronomy, biology and geology. a ] It was good to see that the astronomy has been kept fairly descriptive and not too mathematical. This keeps the flow of the book. a ] As an overview of the key subjects involved in astrobiology for a university course, I think this book issuccessful." (James Silvester, Astronomy Now, March, 2005)

Although, at present there is no firm evidence for extraterrestrial life, enormous progress has been made in recent years, both in our understanding of life on Earth and of the potential for life existing elsewhere in the universe. Life in the Solar System and Beyond embaces aspects form all the osre related fields (astronomy, planetary science, chemistry, biology, and Physics). This excellent and thought-provoking introduction:

• Addresses the important question of what is life, and discusses the origins and evolution of life on Earth, as well as its probable fate
• Looks at places within our Solar System, beyond Earth, especially where life might exist, such as Mars and Europa
• Includes the very latest data on searches for planets around other stars, the results of these searches, and discusses what conditions might be like
• Speculates on possible life elsewhere in the Universe beyond our Solar system, and assesses our chances of making contact, if there is intelligent life out there
• Includes end of chapter summaries to help the reader grasp the main concepts to carry forward
• Provides a list of resources, including useful websites at the end of the book which will enable the reader to keep up to date in this rapidly moving field

The fundamentals of astrochemistry in the gas phase are relatively well established, in contrast to the special relevance attributed to processes involving interstellar dust grains - the solid component of matter diffused among the stars.
This book presents the state of the art in relation to the ways grains interact with gases, the catalytic role played by dust that allows key molecular species (H2 as well as many complex, possibly prebiotic species) to be formed on its surface - which cannot be obtained efficiently by any other mechanisms, and the interaction between solids (dust grains, icy mantles, cometary nuclei, satellites of the giant planets and minor bodies in the Solar system) in space and energetic agents such as UV photons and fast particles.
The presence and importance of PAH, which may represent the smallest component of the grains, is considered in relation to possible astrobiological pathways and the ever-present mystery of the ubiquitous presence of Diffuse Interstellar Bands and their carriers.

The goal of the Daniel Chalonge School on Astrofundamental Physics is to contribute to a theory of the universe (and particularly of the early universe) up to the marks, and at the scientific height of, the unprecedented accuracy, existent and expected, in the observational data. The impressive development of modern cosmology during the last decades is to a large extent due to its unification with elementary particle physics and quantum field theory. The cross-section between these fields has been increasing setting up Astrofundamental Physics. The early universe is an exceptional (theoretical and experimental) laboratory in this new discipline. This NATO Advanced Study Institute provided an up dated understanding, from a fundamental physics and deep point of view, of the progress and key issues in the early universe and the cosmic microwave background: theory and observations. The genuine interplay with large scale structure formation and dark matter problem were discussed. The central focus was placed on the cosmic microwave background. Emphasis was given to the precise inter-relation between fundamental physics and cosmology in these problems, both at the theoretical and experimental/observational levels, within a deep and well defined programme which provided in addition, a careful interdisciplinarity. Special sessions were devoted to high energy cosmic rays, neutrinos in astrophysics, and high energy astrophysics. Deep understanding, clarification, synthesis, careful interdisciplinarity within a fundamental physics framework, were the main goals of the course.

This book is intended for students interested in the applications of general relativity in astrophysics and cosmology but who would like to avoid mathematical complications. This volume thus combines relativity, astrophysics, and cosmology in a single volume. It provides an introduction to the subject that will enable students to consult more detailed treatises as well as the current literature. For prospective researchers in these fields, the book includes an appendix on differential forms, and an extensive, though not exhaustive list of references. The book is divided into three parts. The section on general relativity gives the case for a curved space-time, presents the mathematical background (tensor calculus, Riemannian geometry), discusses the Einstein equation and its solutions (including black holes, Penrose processes, and similar topics), and considers the energy-momentum tensor for various solutions. The section on relativistic astrophysics discusses stellar contraction and collapse, neutron stars and their equations of state, black holes, and accretion onto collapsed objects. The section on cosmology discusses various cosmological models, observational tests, and scenarios for the early universe.

"Nothing to sneeze at."–Time

Acclaim for The Secret Life of Dust

"You will never again look disparagingly upon dust. Hannah Holmes has written my favorite kind of book––one that takes a seemingly mundane subject and trumpets its significance in our lives not only on Earth, but in the Heavens."
–– Dr. Neil de Grasse Tyson, Director, Hayden Planetarium and author of One Universe: At Home in the Cosmos

"A fascinating journey into the unseen flecks that underpin our world and those beyond."
–– Peter Tyson, author of The Eighth Continent

"Witty, interesting, and absolutely terrifying."
–– Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"An excellent work. Dust is small, but The Secret Life of Dust is a big, and fun, accomplishment."
–– Austin American-Statesman

"Few browsers will put science writer Hannah Holmes’ latest volume down without adding it to their to-be-read list."
–– Dallas Morning News

"Worth the price on its dust jacket. Holmes’ book belongs on your shelf, in a dusty nook between the works of Diane Ackerman and John McPhee."
–– Chicago Tribune

"It’s an entertaining little book. . . . After reading The Secret Life of Dust, the fluff in your vacuum cleaner will never look quite the same again."
–– New Scientist

"An unusual perspective on things we don’t notice."
–– The Sunday Times

"Hannah Holmes is a science writer to watch. Who ever thought dust could so shine?"
–– Kirkus Reviews

This upper-division textbook describes the composition and evolution of material objects in the universe. The survey begins with a discussion of terrestrial materials and ends with the composition of quasars and distant galaxies. There are two main themes: chemical processes responsible for the abundances we observe, and nuclear processes in which the chemical elements originate. The author presents a total pedagogic synthesis of the subject, building on the basic information in the first chapters to lead into a fuller explanation of the composition of the planets and stellar and primordial nucleosynthesis. The later chapters treat the analytical methods of stellar and nebular spectra, and move on to the composition of stars and galaxies. The book is fully referenced and includes problem sets for the student.

Cometography is the most complete and comprehensive collection of data on comets available. It comes in four self-contained sequential volumes and this, the first, covers ancient times through to the end of the eighteenth century. Cometography uses the most reliable orbits known to determine all the key parameters of each well observed comet. Cometography also provides nontechnical details to help the reader understand how the comet may have influenced various cultures at the time of its appearance. All the information in Cometography has been sourced directly from the original documents, including European monastic histories, Roman, Greek and Muslim texts, Chinese, Japanese and Korean scripts. In many cases, dates of important historical events can be corrected based on the appearance of a comet and identified using this book. Cometography will be valuable to historians of science as well as providing amateur and professional astronomers with a definitive reference on comets through the ages.

The quest for the farthest objects in the Universe remains one of the most challenging areas of modern astronomical research. Peering deeper and deeper into space reveals the most distant and powerful objects known and so unveils the embryonic epochs of the Universe not long after its birth in the Big Bang. Four world experts--chosen for their ability to communicate research astronomy at a popular level--each contributes a chapter to this lucid survey. They address the fundamental issues of scale in the Universe; the ghostly etchings seen on the cosmic background radiation; quasars and their evolution; and galaxy birth. This fascinating and accessible account offers an exceptional chance for the general audience to share in the excitement of today's forefront research of the early Universe.

The open cluster NGC 6791 is now considered both the oldest and the most metal-rich known. Its age is 8 -10 Gyrs, twice as old as the canonical solar-metallicity cluster M67 (Garnavich et al. 1994; Demarque, Green, & Guenther 1992; Tripicco et al. 1995). That its metallicity is significantly above solar is suggested from moderate-resolution spectroscopy and from a mismatch of its color-magnitude diagram (CMD) with solar-metallicity isochrones. Tripicco et al. (1995) find [Fe/H] = +0.27 to +0.44. The cluster population is rich. In addition to about a dozen red giants and two dozen red horizontal-branch stars, the cluster has several very hot HB stars (Kaluzny & Udalski 1992). Liebert et al. (1994) have shown that the extremely blue stars are mostly sdB/sdO stars and at least 3 or 4 are likely cluster members, the first ever discovered in an open cluster. These may provide the key to the puzzling upturn in ultraviolet flux below 1500A seen in many high-metallicity systems (Burstein et al. 1988; Ferguson et al. & Liebert 1993).

A fundamental, profound review of the key issues relating to the early universe and the physical processes that occurred in it. The interplay between cosmic microwave background radiation, large scale structure, and the dark matter problem are stressed, with a central focus on the crucial issue of the phase transitions in the early universe and their observable consequences: baryon symmetry, baryogenesis and cosmological fluctuations. There is an interplay between cosmology, statistical physics and particle physics in studying these problems, both at the theoretical and the experimental / observational levels. Special contributions are devoted to primordial and astrophysical black holes and to high energy cosmic rays and neutrino astrophysics. There is also a special section devoted to the International Space Station and its scientific utilization.

This timely collection of articles celebrates the work of Maurice Shapiro, who is internationally distinguished for his contributions to the development of cosmic-ray physics. The papers focus primarily on cosmic-ray physics, X-ray, gamma-ray and neutrino astronomy and cosmology. The scope extends from the inner solar system to distant radio galaxies. Each chapter is written by a leading scientist in the field, including James Van Allen, discoverer of the Van Allen radiation belt and Fred Reines, discoverer of the neutrino.

This NATO Advanced Study Institute provided an up dated understanding, from a fundamental and deep point of view, of the progress and current problems in the early universe, cosmic microwave background radiation, large scale structure, dark matter problem, and the interplay between them. The focus was placed on the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation. Emphasis was given to the mutual impact of fundamental physics and cosmology, both at theoretical and experimental-or observational-levels, within a deep and well defined programme, and a global unifying view, which, in addition, provides of careful inter-disciplinarity. Special Lectures were devoted to neutrinos in astrophysics and high energy astrophysics. In addition, each Course of this series, introduced and promoted topics or subjects, which, although not being of purely astrophysical or cosmological nature, were of relevant physical interest for astrophysics and cosmology. Deep understanding, clarification, synthesis, careful interdisciplinarity within a fundamental physics framework, werethe maingoals ofthe course. Lectures ranged from a motivation and pedagogical introduction for students and participants not directly working in the field to the latest developmentsand most recent results. All Lectures were plenary, had the same duration and were followed by a discussion. The Course brought together experimentalists and theoretical physicists, astrophysicists and astronomers from a variety of backgrounds, including young scientists at post-doctoral level, senior scientists and advanced graduatestudentsas well.

This book is a quantitative introduction to what is known or theorized about the structure and evolution of galactic systems. It begins with a general introduction to galaxies and a summary of our empirical observations of galaxies in the universe, including our own. There are then three chapters on galactic structure: the manner in which motions of stars determine galactic shape, the determination of galactic masses, and the structure of discs in spirals. Galactic evolution, especially changes in chemical composition over time, is then covered. The book concludes with a discussion of the origin of galaxies and their relation to more general questions in cosmology. The presentation is sufficiently mathematical so that quantitative results can be discussed in detail. Throughout, the author stresses what are currently accepted results and what theories may need revision in what continues to be a rapidly developing subject.

Advance Praise for The Accelerating Universe

""""The Accelerating Universe"" is not only an informative book about modern cosmology. It is rich storytelling and, above all, a celebration of the human mind in its quest for beauty in all things.""
--Alan Lightman, author of Einstein's Dreams

""This is a wonderfully lucid account of the extraordinary discoveries that have made the last years a golden period for observational cosmology. But Mario Livio has not only given the reader one clear explanation after another of what astronomers are up to, he has used them to construct a provocative argument for the importance of aesthetics in the development of science and for the inseparability of science, art, and culture.""
--Lee Smolin, author of ""The Life of the Cosmos""

""What a pleasure to read An exciting, simple account of the universe revealed by modern astronomy. Beautifully written, clearly presented, informed by scientific and philosophical insights.""
--John Bahcall, Institute for Advanced Study

""A book with charm, beauty, elegance, and importance. As authoritative a journey as can be taken through modern cosmology.""
--Allan Sandage, Observatories of the Carnegie Institution of Washington

Critical Acclaim for
PLANETARY DREAMS
The Quest To Discover Life Beyond Earth

"The stunning insights provided in Planetary Dreams make it a book for everyone who has the slightest curiosity about our role in the cosmos."——Hugh Downs, ABC News, 20/20

"The broadest and, in a philosophical sense, the deepest book to examine the question of the origins of life in the universe. . . . A wise, kindly, and beautifully written book, Planetary Dreams sets forth a vision of a truly human and humane future and a hope for a richly inhabited universe."——Ben Bova, six-time Hugo Award winner and past president of the National Space Society

"If you are interested in the search for extraterrestrial life. . .then Planetary Dreams is a must read. Delightfully written."——Louis D. Friedman, Executive Director, The Planetary Society

"Combining many narrative elements, including a description of his fanciful institution, the Museum of the Cosmos, Shapiro’s imaginative, multifaceted work should meet the yearnings of space enthusiasts and of the wider public, as Carl Sagan’s books did."——Booklist

Deep-sky observing - that's looking at the stars, nebulae and galaxies - is easily the most popular field for amateur astronomers. The big problem faced by non-professional observers is what to look at - what's visible at a paticular time of year. The Deep-sky Observer's Year is a month-by-month guide to the best objects to view. Objects are given a "star rating" according to how difficult they are to observe or image (i.e. photograph) with a particular size of telescope. The book includes many images produced by amateur astronomers, as well as photographs from NASA, ESA and ESO. There is also some background information about the objects that can be seen, along with lots of useful tips, hints, and resources (especially about what's available on the Internet) for deep-sky observers.

This textbook attempts to bridge the gap that exists between the two levels on which relativistic symmetry is usually presented - the level of introductory courses on mechanics and electrodynamics and the level of application in high energy physics and quantum field theory: in both cases, too many other topics are more important and hardly leave time for a deepening of the idea of relativistic symmetry. So after explaining the postulates that lead to the Lorentz transformation and after going through the main points special relativity has to make in classical mechanics and electrodynamics, the authors gradually lead the reader up to a more abstract point of view on relativistic symmetry - always illustrating it by physical examples - until finally motivating and developing Wigner's classification of the unitary irreducible representations of the inhomogeneous Lorentz group. Numerous historical and mathematical asides contribute to conceptual clarification.

In this volume, six leading cosmologists provide a current "state of the universe" report: what we have learned about its nature, but also what pieces are still missing from the cosmic puzzle. The roster of contributors reads like a Who's Who of modern cosmology: A. P. Lightman, Robert P. Kirshner, Margaret J. Geller, Vera C. Rubin, Alan Guth, and James Gunn. The book is an excellent overview of the big questions facing modern cosmology. It does not require a background in physics, so any lay reader who appreciates astronomy and the study of the cosmos will enjoy this lively discussion.

Topological defects formed at symmetry-breaking phase transitions play an important role in many different fields of physics. They appear in many condensed-matter systems at low temperature; examples include vortices in superfluid helium-4, a rich variety of defects in helium-3, quantized mag netic flux tubes in type-II superconductors, and disclination lines and other defects in liquid crystals. In cosmology, unified gauge theories of particle interactions suggest a sequence of phase transitions in the very early uni verse some of which may lead to defect formation. In astrophysics, defects play an important role in the dynamics of neutron stars. In 1997 the European Science Foundation started the scientific network "Topological defects" headed by Tom Kibble. This network has provided us with a unique opportunity of establishing a collaboration between the representatives of these very different branches of modern physics. The NATO-ASI (Advanced Study Institute), held in Les Houches in February 1999 thanks to the support of the Scientific Division of NATO, the European Science Foundation and the CNRS, represents a key event of this ESF network. It brought together participants from widely different fields, with diverse expertise and vocabulary, fostering the exchange of ideas. The lectures given by particle physicists, cosmologists and condensed matter physicists are the result of the fruitful collaborations established since 1997 between groups in several European countries and in the U.S.A."

The objects listed in the Caldwell Catalogue supplement Messier's famous catalogue of 110 non-stellar objects, and they include some of the most fascinating objects for amateur astronomers. This comprehensive guide to the Caldwell objects has been produced specially for observers. Each object is conveniently on a double-page spread (which can even be photocopied for field use). There is a photographic image of every object and full technical data including position (with the major Star Atlas chart numbers) and NGC number. It also includes a finder map showing TelradTM circles, a star-hopping guide, a visual description of what the object looks like through amateur telescopes, and a physical description of the object itself. There is a fold-out map showing the location of all the Caldwell objects in the sky. Every practical amateur astronomer will find this an essential guide to observing the Caldwell objects.

This book, first published in 1991, tells the story of how astronomy and physics work together to unravel many mysteries of stars and nebulae. Stress is laid on a non-technical description of how an understanding of these objects is obtained, not on just a mere review of facts. After a succinct, non-mathematical excursion into the principles of radiation and atomic structure, the text explains in simple terms the physical processes at work in stars and gaseous nebulae. A survey of masses, dimensions, luminosities, temperatures and chemical composition of stars is followed by an exploration of their interiors and how stars generate energy. An account of the exciting new field of high energy astronomy and the origin of cosmic rays is given at the end of the book. This is the ideal introduction for physics and astronomy students to the important field of modern astronomics. It should also appeal to amateur astronomers and the reader interested in the life history of a star.

This book, first published in 1991, tells the story of how astronomy and physics work together to unravel many mysteries of stars and nebulae. Stress is laid on a non-technical description of how an understanding of these objects is obtained, not on just a mere review of facts. After a succinct, non-mathematical excursion into the principles of radiation and atomic structure, the text explains in simple terms the physical processes at work in stars and gaseous nebulae. A survey of masses, dimensions, luminosities, temperatures and chemical composition of stars is followed by an exploration of their interiors and how stars generate energy. An account of the exciting new field of high energy astronomy and the origin of cosmic rays is given at the end of the book. This is the ideal introduction for physics and astronomy students to the important field of modern astronomics. It should also appeal to amateur astronomers and the reader interested in the life history of a star.

The 186th IAU Symposium came at an exciting and perhaps even historic time for extragalactic astronomy. New spacecraft observations plumbed the depths of the Universe out to redshifts of five, while revealing astounding details of nearby galaxies and AGN at intermediate redshifts. Theoretical ideas on structure formation, together with results from detailed numerical modeling, created a comprehensive framework for modeling the formation of galaxies and the transformation of galaxies by interactions and mergers. All these strands came together at the Symposium, as participants glimpsed a developing synthesis highlighting galactic encounters and their role in the history of the Universe. This volume offers professional astronomers, including PhD students, an overview of the rapidly advancing subject of galaxy interactions at low and high redshifts.

A discussion of the implications for philosophy of recent experimental results that confirm some counterintuitive aspects of the way matter behaves. The authors show that a generalised principle of complementarity is pervasive not only in physical theories such as cosmological models of the universe, but also in the construction of all human realities. They discuss in detail Bells inequalities for quantum mechanical measurements as well as recent experiments which imply that even remote parts of the universe are "entangled." They go on to suggest that consciousness can no longer be divorced from the way science operates, and conclude by claiming that this entails a new way of understanding the universe - one that could obviate much of the current conflict between science and religion while providing at the same time a basis for valuation that is better suited for co-ordinating all human experience. This second edition has been completely rewritten and brought up to date.