William Gascoigne (c.1612-44) was the inventor of the telescopic sight and micrometer (instruments crucial to the advance of astronomy). His name is now known to historians of science around the world. For some considerable time after his tragic death at the age of 32 in the English Civil War, however, it seemed as if his achievements would be consigned to oblivion. Most of his papers were lost and even the few that survived have largely disappeared. This is the story of how his work was rescued. Into this story is woven an account of the state of astronomy and optics during Gascoigne's lifetime, so that the reader can appreciate the significance of his discoveries.

A very attractive feature of the theory of general relativity is that it is a perfectexampleofa"falsi?able"theory:notunableparameterispresentinthe theory and therefore even a single experiment incompatible with a prediction of the theory would immediately lead to its inevitable rejection, at least in the physical regime of application of the aforementioned experiment. This fact provides additional scienti?c value to one of the boldest and most fascinating achievements of the human intellect ever, and motivates a wealth of e?orts in designing and implementing tests aimed at the falsi?cation of the theory. The ?rst historical test on the theory has been the de?ection of light gr- ing the solar surface (Eddington 1919): the compatibility of the theory with this ?rst experiment together with its ability to explain the magnitude of the perihelion advance of Mercury contributed strongly to boost acceptance and worldwideknowledge.However,technologicallimitations preventedphysicists from setting up more constraining tests for several decades after the formu- tion of the theory. In fact, a relevant problem with experimental general r- ativity is that the predicted deviations from the Newtonian theory of gravity areverysmallwhentheexperimentsarecarriedoutinterrestriallaboratories.

The Solar-B satellite was launched in the morning of 23 September 2006 (06:36 Japan time) by the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (ISAS/JAXA), and was renamed to Hinode ('sunrise' in Japanese). Hinode carries three - struments; the X-ray telescope (XRT), the EUV imaging spectrometer (EIS), and the solar optical telescope (SOT). These instruments were developed by ISAS/JAXA in cooperation with the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan as domestic partner, and NASA and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (UK) as international partners. ESA and N- wegian Space Center have been providing a downlink station. All the data taken with Hinode are open to everyone since May 2007. This volume combines the ?rst set of instrumental papers of the Hinode mission (the mission overview, EIS, XRT, and the database system) published in volume 243, Number 1 (June 2007), and the second set of papers (four papers on SOT and one paper on XRT) published in Volume 249, Number 2 (June 2008). Another SOT paper cited as Tarbell et al. (2008) in these papers will appear later in Solar Physics.

The book is the first thorough overview of the first important steps to develop a worldwide virtual observatory so that, in the future, it could be easier to "dial-up" a part of the sky than wait many months to access a telescope. The articles in this book present details on the status of the first efforts to develop a standardized framework for the virtual observatory, including steps towards completion and deployment of technical infrastructure, uptake by data providers worldwide, and utilization by the scientific community.

The 14 papers in this collection discuss recent progress in areas such as mixing in stellar interiors, redistribution and loss of angular momentum, emphasizing in particular the effects of turbulence. An introductory review by E. Schatzman, to whom this volume is dedicated, is followed by three sections: observational facts (surface abundances, stellar rotation, loss of mass and angular momentum, etc.), physical knowledge (mass transport and mixing by waves, turbulent transport, fast dynamo action, etc.), and the interpretation of observations.

Large-scale structures in the universe are becoming ever more important in modern astrophysics. This volume is dedicated to the memory of the late astrophysicist Fritz Zwicky and presents 34 lectures dealing with observational and theoretical aspects of the morphology of the universe. Reports on the distribution, properties and evolution of groups, clusters and superclusters of galaxies, as well as theoretical attempts to explain these findings using such ideas as biased galaxy formation and cold dark matter, are presented here for researchers and students of astronomy and astrophysics.

The subject of the book, the ubiquitous circumstellar disks around very young stars and the corresponding jets of outflowing matter, has recently become one of the hottest areas in astrophysics. The disks are thought to be precursors to planetary systems, and the outflows are thought to be a necessary phase in the formation of a young star, helping the star to get rid of angular momentum and energy as it makes its way onto the main sequence. The possible connections to planetary systems and stellar astrophysics makes these topics especially broad, appealing to generalists and specialists alike. The CD not only contains papers that could not be printed in the book but allows the authors to include a fair amount of data, often displayed as color images.

Today the methods of applied statistics have penetrated very different fields of knowledge, including the investigation oftexts ofvarious origins. These "texts" may be considered as signal sequences of different kinds, long genetic codes, graphic representations (which may be coded and represented by a "text"), as well as actual narrative texts (for example, historical chronicles, originals, documents, etc. ). One ofthe most important problems arising here is to recognize dependent text, i. e. , texts which have a measure of "resemblance", arising from some kind of "common origin". For instance, in pattern-recognition problems, it is essential to identify from a large set of "patterns" a pattern that is "closest" to a given one; in studying long signal sequences, it is important to recognize "homogeneous subsequences" and the places of their junction. This includes, in particular, the well-known change-point prob lern, which is given considerable attention in mathematical statistics and the theory of stochastic processes. As applied to the study of narrative texts, the problern of recognizing depen dent and independent texts ( e . g. , chronicles) Ieads to the problern offinding texts having a common source, i. e. , the sameoriginal (such texts are naturally called dependent), or, on the contrary, having different sources (such texts are natu rally called independent). Clearly, such problems are exceedingly complicated, and therefore the appearance of new empirico-statistical recognition methods which, along with the classical approaches, may prove useful in concrete studies (e. g. , source determination) is welcome.

Neither the formation process of "The First Stars" nor their existence in the present universe is known with any certainty. The authors of this volume address all open questions presenting an abundance of interesting data at the same time as giving a relatively exhaustive overview of our present-day knowledge. This covers research from spectroscopic observations, stellar evolutions, nucleosynthesis, structure and galaxy formation. The contributions shed new light on past views, often questioning traditional interpretations. Dealing with problems at the crossroads of cosmology, star formation and chemical evolution in stars, the book addresses astrophysicists and researchers, as well as graduate students. However, it should also be of interest to nuclear physicists and astrochemists.

Supernovae, their bearing on cosmology and their connection to gamma-ray bursts are now at the center of astrophysical research programs. This volume deals with astronomical observations of supernovae and their relation to nuclear and particle astrophysics. All known aspects of supernovae explosions are investigated in articles specifically written for researchers and advanced graduate students. It also includes recent numerical "experiments" related to the question of hydrodynamical instability in two and three dimensions and to problems concerning the complexity of radiation transport in the models. Other contributions discuss the possible energy sources needed to drive these powerful stellar explosions.

Proceedings of IAU Symposium No. 96 held in Kona, Hawaii, June 23-27, 1980

The contributions in this volume discuss the magnetic structures in the outer atmospheres of active late-type stars, and in particular the various methods available for imaging surface features on these objects. Emphasis has been laid upon multiwavelength studies of the phenomena and the application of solar astrophysics to stellar objects. The book is recommended to research workers or postgraduate students in stellar astrophysics.

Climate models show that climate change is not a uniform process. Areas of increased temperature are situated near areas of decreased temperature, areas with increased precipitation adjoin areas of drought. This is one of the reasons why climate change is so difficult to detect. Any parameter must be considered and tested locally or regionally and not on an average globally. This book gives an overview of current research methods and results in the different fields of climate research including modelling. In addition, it contains a hemisphere-wide stratigraphic data base with about 80000 species. All paleoclimatic data as well as a state-of-the-art atmospheric circulation model in a PC version are included. So both research and graduate teaching are supported with high-end software running on affordable computers, also in those countries that have no access to Cray super computers. Thus, this book will be of interest to all researchers and scientists in the field of climatology.

volume XIX A of IAU Transactions contains the reports by Presidents of Commissions, covering the period July 1981 - June 1984. The topics of IAU Commissions deal with all of contemporary astronomy and the present volume therefore constitutes an exhaustive and unique record of astronomical research during this interval. It is particularly useful for astronomers and other scientists who want to gain an overview of a certain field, not necessarily near their own research area. Each Commission President was requested, by early 1984, to begin prep arations for the compilation of his/her Commission report. All members of Commissions were asked to supply details about their individual research pro grammes. The ensuing, very substantial task of concatenating was undertaken in late 1984 by the Presidents, often supported by a team of authors, all recog nized authorities in their fields. In order to preserve some measure of uni formity - which is in any case very difficult with so many authors - editorial guidelines were sent to Presidents, including the number of pages allotted to each Commission.

Since the previous Symposium, several exciting new developments and advances have occurred in the field of frequency standards and metrology. These include the first results on the long-tenn stability of a millisecond Pulsar, for which data 14 integrated over several years now show a stability of around 10- . Improvements in the understanding of various biases in Cesium beam standards promise accuracies in the low 14s for primary standards and in the low 13s for short commercial tubes, for which long tenn stabilities in low 14s have already been shown to be obtainable by accuracy improvement. Beams using optical pumping for state selection and for detection have been operated with excellent results, and more are being realized. Other new frequency standards which have appeared include a macroscopic rf trap with Mercury ions, which perfonns in the low 15s in one day, the sub millimeter metastable Magnesium beam, which has shown a short tenn stability 19 in the low 12s in one second and promises an accuracy of 10- , and the cold Hydrogen masers, which have such high stabilities that they cannot be measured with existing local oscillators. Prospects for future developments include laser manipulation of neutrals and spectroscopy of single ions at rest in a trap. Both these groups of techniques have great potential for unprecedented accuracy and short-and long-tenn stability, and new superior frequency standards are expected to be realizable in this way in the not too distant future.

Distinguished authors discuss topics in physical oceano- graphy, transonic aerodynamics, dynamics of vorticity, numerical simulation of turbulent flows, astrophysical jets, strange attractors, human-powered flight, and thefluid mechanics of the Old Faithful geyser and of the Mount St. Helens eruption of 1980. The authors deal with specific problems, but the emphasis is usually on the way that re- search is carried out at the edge of understanding, and often on the role of new techniques, instruments, and re- search strategies.

Mary Somerville (1780-1872), after whom Somerville College Oxford was named, was the first woman scientist to win an international reputation entirely in her own right, rather than through association with a scientific brother or father. She was active in astronomy, one of the most demanding areas of science of the day, and flourished in the unique British tradition of Grand Amateurs, who paid their own way and were not affiliated with any academic institution. Mary Somerville was to science what Jane Austen was to literature and Frances Trollope to travel writing. Allan Chapman's vivid account brings to light the story of an exceptional woman, whose achievements in a field dominated by men deserve to be very widely known.

Many important observational clues about our understanding of how stars and planets form in the interior of molecular clouds have been amassed using recent technological developments. ESO's very large telescope promises to be a major step forward in the investigation of stellar nurseries and infant stars. This volume collects papers from the leaders in this very timely field of astrophysical research. It presents theoretical and a host of observational results and many papers show the plans for future observations.

The contributions in this volume report recent studies on the sun and late-type stars. Particular emphasis is placed on observations that are relevant to the question of large-scale magnetic activity, and also on the theoretical (dynamo) models for such activity. Experimental papers deal with surface imaging techniques. Explicit computer simulations of hydromagnetic turbulence give insight into the magnetic topology and associated fluid motions, especially near the base of the convection zone. In addition, mean-field dynamo models are presented. The book addresses researchers but should also AEjbe useful for graduate students.

The book reviews methods for the analysis of astronomical datasets, particularly emphasizing very large databases arising from both existing and forthcoming projects, as well as current large-scale computer simulation studies. Leading experts give overviews of cutting-edge methods applicable in the area of astronomical data mining.

The book reviews the knowledge obtained from ground-based and space-borne solar flare research thus at the same time preparing for the forthcoming mission of the satellite Solar A which will be launched in 1991. Accordinglyone section is devoted to experiments on Solar A. The rest review both theory and observational facts to give a physically realistic picture of flares, including problems of magnetic flux emergence, high energy particles in flares, heating and flows in flares, and further problems of solar activity.

This is a definitive reference of 2,100 fundamental formulae used in astronomy and astrophysics. It not only makes accessible all the indispensable equations employed in the field, but also carefully explains the physical assumptions and constants underlying them. The bibliography contains more than 1,900 citations of original papers. Accounting for nearly 20 years since the previous edition, this volume is significantly revised and expanded.

These workshop proceedings aim to provide a broad overview of recent developments in the study of hot stars, both from the observational and the theoretical point of view. Included are first results from the Hubble Space Telescope and ROSAT, the effects of non-radial pulsations, mass loss, magnetic fields, and diffusion, as well as modern theoretical methods to treat radiative transfer and compute model atmospheres. Many new results are described, including the discovery of a B star in the halo of M31. Together the reviews provide a general overview of hot-star spectroscopy suitable for preparing advanced lecture courses and as an introductory text for graduate students.

The large telescope at Meudon has become legendary. When it was conceived, after 1870, astronomy as a whole was limited to visual observation. Knowledge of the sky was limited to what one could see, assisted only by optical means. The large telescopes produced at this time produced larger images, permitting close-up views: the Meudon telescope was able to accomplish this perfectly. At Meudon, which became the Mecca of visual observation, the major planets were examined in a way that no other telescope had previously been able to. The telescope monitored the state of their atmospheres and mapped the appearance of their surfaces. Through the telescope, one could obtain photographs showing the nuclei of comets, revealing their very small size, and by using an eyepiece one could measure the separation of double stars. With a marvellous little instrument, the polarimeter, the nature of clouds in planetary atmospheres has been determined, and the type of surface material identified. Many more results were obtained, while photography, universally adopted, revolutionized other knowledge about the world. The sensitive emulsion, combined with large aperture reflecting telescopes, revealed the deepness and richness of the cosmos. The vast telescope of Meudon, which was the largest refracting telescope in Europe, became a legendary instrument and was symbolic of a new way to practice astronomy. Audouin Dollfus, a renowned astronomer, describes the great years of the Meudon telescope. He gives us the entire story of this instrument, from the birth of the concept that drove Jules Janssen at the end of the nineteenth century, to the idea that French astronomy could provide an outstanding telescope which would approach the limits of technical and industrial resources. The telescope remained unchanged until 2006, when the first steps toward restoration and public reopening were taken.

The joint NASA-ESA Cassini-Huygens mission promises to return four (and possibly more) years of unparalleled scientific data from the solar system's most exotic planet, the ringed, gas giant, Saturn. Larger than Galileo with a much greater communication bandwidth, Cassini can accomplish in a single flyby what Galileo returned in a series of passes. Cassini explores the Saturn environment in three dimensions, using gravity assists to climb out of the equatorial plane to look down on the rings from above, to image the aurora and to study polar magnetospheric processes such as field-aligned currents. Since the radiation belt particle fluxes are much more benign than those at Jupiter, Cassini can more safely explore the inner regions of the magnetosphere. The spacecraft approaches the planet closer than Galileo could, and explores the inner moons and the rings much more thoroughly than was possible at Jupiter. This book is the second volume, in a three volume set, that describes the Cassini/Huygens mission. This volume describes the in situ investigations on the Cassini orbiter: plasma spectrometer, ion and neutral mass spectrometer, energetic charged and neutral particle spectrometer, magnetometer, radio and plasma wave spectrometer and the cosmic dust analyzer. This book is of interest to all potential users of the Cassini-Huygens data, to those who wish to learn about the planned scientific return from the Cassini-Huygens mission and those curious about the processes occurring on this most fascinating planet. A third volume describes the remote sensing investigations on the orbiter.