This book is an important text of the Kerala school of astronomy and mathematics, probably composed in the 16th century. In the Indian astronomical tradition, the karana texts are essentially computational manuals, and they often display a high level of ingenuity in coming up with simplified algorithms for computing planetary longitudes and other related quantities. Karanapaddhati, however, is not a karana text. Rather, it discusses the paddhati or the rationale for arriving at suitable algorithms that are needed while preparing a karana text for a given epoch. Thus the work is addressed not to the almanac maker but to the manual maker. Karanapaddhati presents the theoretical basis for the vakya system, where the true longitudes of the planet are calculated directly by making use of certain auxiliary notions such as the khanda, mandala and dhruva along with tabulated values of changes in the true longitude over certain regular intervals which are expressed in the form of vakyas or mnemonic phrases. The text also discusses the method of vallyupasamhara, which is essentially a technique of continued fraction expansion for obtaining optimal approximations to the rates of motion of planets and their anomalies, involving ratios of smaller numbers. It also presents a new fast convergent series for which is not mentioned in the earlier works of the Kerala school. As this is a unique text presenting the rationale behind the vakya system and the computational procedures used in the karana texts, it would serve as a useful companion for all those interested in the history of astronomy. The authors have provided a translation of the text followed by detailed notes which explain all the computational procedures, along with their rationale, by means of diagrams and equations.

This book presents a collection of focused review papers on the advances in topics in modern astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology and planetary science. The chapters are written by expert members of an EU-funded ERASMUS+ program of strategic partnership between several European institutes. The 13 reviews comprise the topics: Space debris, optical measurements Meteors, light from comets and asteroids Extrasolar enigmas: from disintegrating exoplanets to exo-asteroids Physical conditions and chemical abundances in photoionized nebulae from optical spectra Observational Constraints on the Common Envelope Phase A modern guide to quantitative spectroscopy of massive OB stars Explosion mechanisms of core-collapse supernovae and their observational signatures Low-mass and substellar eclipsing binaries in stellar clusters Globular cluster systems and Galaxy Formation Hot atmospheres of galaxies, groups, and clusters of galaxies The establishment of the Standard Cosmological Model through observations Exploiting solar visible-range observations by inversion techniques: from flows in the solar subsurface to a flaring atmosphere Starburst galaxies The book is intended for the general astronomical community as well as for advanced students who could use it as a guideline, inspiration and overview for their future careers in astronomy.

This is volume 1 of Planets, Stars and Stellar Systems, a six-volume compendium of modern astronomical research, covering subjects of key interest to the main fields of contemporary astronomy. This volume on Telescopes and Instrumentation edited by Ian S. McLean presents, after a general Introduction to Telescopes, accessible review chapters on Robotic and Survey Telescopes, Segmented Mirror Telescopes, Honeycomb Mirrors for Large Telescopes, Active Thin-Mirror Telescopes, Optical and Infrared Interferometers, Submillimeter Telescopes, Radio Telescopes, Space Telescopes in the Ultraviolet, Optical, and Infrared (UV/O/IR), CMB Telescopes and Optical Systems, Very- High-Energy Gamma-Ray Telescopes, Instrumentation and Detectors, Silicon-Based Image Sensors, Long-Wavelength Infrared Detectors, and Astronomical Spectrographs.

All chapters of the handbook were written by practicing professionals. They include sufficient background material and references to the current literature to allow readers to learn enough about a specialty within astronomy, astrophysics and cosmology to get started on their own practical research projects. In the spirit of the series Stars and Stellar Systems published by Chicago University Press in the 1960s and 1970s, each chapter of Planets, Stars and Stellar Systems can stand on its own as a fundamental review of its respective sub-discipline, and each volume can be used as a textbook or recommended reference work for advanced undergraduate or postgraduate courses. Advanced students and professional astronomers in their roles as both lecturers and researchers will welcome Planets, Stars and Stellar Systems as a comprehensive and pedagogical reference work on astronomy, astrophysics and cosmology.

This easy-to-use, accessible guide to starwatching in Botswana is ideal for
beginner and amateur stargazers. All stars described can be seen with the naked
eye – binoculars and telescopes are not necessary.

•  e book opens with stargazing tips while introducing important
astronomical concepts, describing our galaxy and the Earth’s place in it.
•  e body of the book o ers four star charts per month giving views from
north, south, east and west, with supporting descriptions of the stars and
constellations. Users can dip in during any month.
•  e  nal chapter surveys the solar system, including the Sun, Moon, planets
and le over debris.  ere’s information on a meteorite strike in Botswana in
2018, and how to identify arti cial satellites orbiting the Earth (including
the International Space Station).

Botswana’s ancestral stories about the stars are scattered throughout the book,
honouring indigenous interpretations of the night skies and giving a unique
African  avour.

Galileo is known as a pioneer of science - especially of mechanics and astronomy, but far less attention has been paid to his work on the senses, and on vision in particular. In this book, two experts on the history of science look at the novel ways in which Galileo looked at the heavens through his telescope, and, in the process, emphasised the importance of contrast phenomena and visual resolution within astronomical observations. He also described the senses and their perception in terms that found an echo in doctrines advanced by nineteenth century sensory physiologists. In a fascinating and accessible style, Marco Piccolino and Nick Wade analyse the scientific and philosophical work of Galileo Galilei from the particular viewpoint of his approach to the senses (and especially vision) as a means of acquiring trustworthy knowledge about the constitution of the world. For Galileo the senses were potentially ambiguous, hence reliable information capable of penetrating the complexity of reality could only be obtained by interpreting the sensory data critically. The philosophical background of Galileo's attitude to the senses was his awareness that nature had not developed a specific language aimed at communicating with senses generally and human senses in particular. The culture of his age was based mainly on mechanistic approaches to the world. In this context, Galileo's analysis of the senses corresponded closely to a fundamental tenet of modern sensory physiology and psychophysics - the absence in the world of specific sensory signals like sounds, colours, tastes, and odours. Fully illustrated throughout, this book is an important contribution to psychology and the vision sciences, but more broadly to our knowledge of a pioneering figure in the history of science.

This work presents a unified treatment of three important integrable problems relevant to both Celestial and Quantum Mechanics. Under discussion are the Kepler (two-body) problem and the Euler (two-fixed center) problem, the latter being the more complex and more instructive, as it exhibits a richer and more varied solution structure. Further, because of the interesting investigations by the 20th century mathematical physicist J.P. Vinti, the Euler problem is now recognized as being intimately linked to the Vinti (Earth-satellite) problem.

Here the analysis of these problems is shown to follow a definite shared pattern yielding exact forms for the solutions. A central feature is the detailed treatment of the planar Euler problem where the solutions are expressed in terms of Jacobian elliptic functions, yielding analytic representations for the orbits over the entire parameter range. This exhibits the rich and varied solution patterns that emerge in the Euler problem, which are illustrated in the appendix. A comparably detailed analysis is performed for the Earth-satellite (Vinti) problem.

Key features:

* Highlights shared features in the unified treatment of the Kepler, Euler, and Vinti problems

* Raises challenges in analysis and astronomy, placing this trio of problems in the modern context

* Includes a full analysis of the planar Euler problem

* Highlights the complexa "and surprising orbita "patterns that arise from the Euler problem

* Provides a detailed analysis and solution for the Earth-satellite problem

The analysis and results in this work will be of interest to graduate students in mathematics and physics (including physical chemistry) andresearchers concerned with the general areas of dynamical systems, statistical mechanics, and mathematical physics and has direct application to celestial mechanics, astronomy, orbital mechanics, and aerospace engineering.

The ability of storing, managing and giving access to the huge quantity of data collected by astronomical observatories is one of the major challenges of modern astronomy. At the same time, the growing complexity of data systems implies a change of concepts: the scientist has to manipulate data as well as information. Developments of the "World Wide Web" bring answers to these problems. The book presents a wide selection of databases, archives, data centres and information systems. Descriptions are included, together with their scientific context and motivations. This volume should prove a useful tool for astronomers, librarians, data specialists and computer engineers.

In their search for solutions to problems concerning the dynamics of the Earth as a self-gravitating body, the authors have applied the fundamentals found in their book "Jacobi Dynamics" (1987, Reidel). First, satellite observations have shown that the Earth does not remain in hydrostatic equilibrium, which forms the physical basis of modern geodynamics. Secondly, satellite data have established a relationship between the planet's polar moment of inertia and the potential of the Earth's outer force field, which proves the most basic point of Jacobi dynamics. This allowed the authors to revise their derivation of the classical virial theorem, introducing the concept of a volumetric force and volumetric moment, and so to obtain a generalized virial theorem in the form of Jacobi's equation.
The main dynamical effects are: the kinetic energy of oscillation of the interacting particles, which explains the physical meaning and nature of gravitational forces; separation of shells of a self-gravitating body with respect to its mass density; differences in angular velocities of the shell's rotation; continuity in variance of the potential of the outer gravitational force field, together with reductions in the envelope of the interacting masses (volumetric center of gravity); the nature of Earth, Moon and satellite precession; the nature and generating mechanism of the planet's electromagnetic field; the common nature of gravitational and electromagnetic energy, and other related issues.
The work is a logical continuation of the book "Jacobi Dynamics" and is intended for researchers, teachers and students engaged in theoretical and experimental research in various branches of astronomy, geophysics, planetology and cosmogony, and for students of celestial, statistical, quantum and relativistic mechanics and hydrodynamics.

The book highlights the personal and scientific struggles of Arthur Erich Haas (1884-1941), an Austrian Physicist from a wealthy Jewish middle-class family, whose remarkable accomplishments in a politically hostile but scientifically rewarding environment deserve greater recognition. Haas was a fellow student of both Lise Meitner and Erwin Schroedinger and was also one of the last doctoral students of Ludwig Boltzmann. Following Boltzmann's suicide, Haas was forced to submit a more independent doctoral thesis in which he postulated new approaches in early quantum theory, actually introducing the idea of the Bohr radius before Niels Bohr. It is the lost story of a trailblazer in the fields of quantum mechanics and cosmology, a herald of nuclear energy and applications of modern science. This biography of Haas is based on new and previously unpublished family records and archived material from the Vienna Academy of Science and the University of Notre Dame, which the author has collected over many years. From his analysis of the letters, documents, and photos that rested for nearly a century in family attics and academic archives, Michael Wiescher provides a unique and detailed insight into the life of a gifted Jewish physicist during the first half of the twentieth century. It also sheds light on the scientific developments and thinking of the time. It appeals not only to historians and physicists, but also general readers. All appreciate the record of Haas' interactions with many of the key figures who helped to found modern physics.

Lectures.- Neutron Interferometry - Macroscopic Manifestations of Quantum Mechanics.- The Geometry of Matter Fields.- Quantum Mechanics in Curved Space-Times - Stochastic Processes on Frame Bundles.- Particles and Fields.- Quantum Mechanics of Black Holes in Curved Space-Time.- Absorption Cross Section of a Mini Black Hole.- Particle Creation and Vacuum Polarization near Black Holes.- Vacuum States in Space-Times with Killing Horizons.- Mutually Interacting Quantum Fields in Curved Space-Time: The Outcome of Physical Processes.- Quantum Strings in Curved Space-Times.- The Probabilistic Time and the Semiclassical Approximation of Quantum Gravity.- Quantum and Statistical Effects in Superspace Cosmology.- On Quantum Gravity for Homogeneous Pure Radiation Universes.- Nonlinear Sigma Models in 4 Dimensions: A Lattice Definition.- Seminars.- Berry's Phase and Particle Interferometry in Weak Gravitational Fields.- The Final State of an Evaporating Black Hole and the Dimensionality of the Space-Time.- Inflation with Massive Spin-2 Field in Curved Spa?e-Time.- Renormalization of Field Theories in Riemann-Cartan Space-Time.

This book explores the evolution of space and time from the "apeiron" -the spaceless, timeless chaos of primordial nature. Rosen examines Western culture's effort to deny "apeiron," and the critical need now to lift the repression on "apeiron" for the sake of human individuation. "This groundbreaking book brings to fruition Rosen's reflexive theory of time and space. With recent physics breaking linear time symmetry, this unique integration of physics and philosophy is indeed timely." -Eugene T. Gendlin, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy and Psychology, University of Chicago "Rosen's ideas are precisely stated, and he draws upon an impressive range of sources, both ancient and modern. The author shows the inadequacy of conventional thinking about space and time and argues persuasively for an intriguing new alternative. This important book may have radical implications for the conduct of science in the 21st century." -Brian Josephson, Cambridge University Professor of Physics, Nobel Laureate

"Exceptionally absorbing and thrilling. ... Masterful." -Nature A "magnificent" (Scientific American), genre-defying narrative of the most ambitious science project ever conceived: NASA's deep space mission to Europa, the Jovian moon where might swim the first known alien life in our solar system In the spirit of Tom Wolfe and John McPhee, The Mission is an exuberant master class of creative nonfiction that reveals how a motley, determined few expanded the horizon of human achievement. When scientists discovered the first ocean beyond Earth, they had two big questions: "Is it habitable?" and "How do we get there?" To answer the first, they had to solve the second, and so began a vivacious team's twenty-year odyssey to mount a mission to Europa, the ocean moon of Jupiter. Standing in their way: NASA, fanatically consumed with landing robots on Mars; the White House, which never saw a science budget it couldn't cut; Congress, fixated on going to the moon or Mars-anywhere, really, to give astronauts something to do; rivals in academia, who wanted instead to go to Saturn; and even Jupiter itself, which guards Europa in a pulsing, rippling radi ation belt-a halo of death whose conditions are like those that follow a detonated thermonuclear bomb. The Mission is the Homeric, never-before-told story of modern space exploration, and a magnificent portrait of the inner lives of scientists who study the solar system's mysterious outer planets. David W. Brown chronicles the remarkable saga of how Europa was won, and what it takes to get things done-both down here, and up there.

Long established as one of the premier references in the fields of astronomy, planetary science, and physics, the fourth edition of Orbital Motion continues to offer comprehensive coverage of the analytical methods of classical celestial mechanics while introducing the recent numerical experiments on the orbital evolution of gravitating masses and the astrodynamics of artificial satellites and interplanetary probes. Following detailed reviews of earlier editions by distinguished lecturers in the USA and Europe, the author has carefully revised and updated this edition. Each chapter provides a thorough introduction to prepare you for more complex concepts, reflecting a consistent perspective and cohesive organization that is used throughout the book. A noted expert in the field, the author not only discusses fundamental concepts, but also offers analyses of more complex topics, such as modern galactic studies and dynamical parallaxes. New to the Fourth Edition: * Numerous updates and reorganization of all chapters to encompass new methods * New results from recent work in areas such as satellite dynamics * New chapter on the Caledonian symmetrical n-body problem Extending its coverage to meet a growing need for this subject in satellite and aerospace engineering, Orbital Motion, Fourth Edition remains a top reference for postgraduate and advanced undergraduate students, professionals such as engineers, and serious amateur astronomers.

This book provides a thorough introduction to and exploration of deep sky astrophotography for the digital photographer. With over 280 images, graphs, and tables, this introductory book uses a progressive and practical style to teach readers how to image the night sky using existing, affordable equipment. The book opens with a brief astronomy primer, followed by chapters that build progressively to explain the challenges, offer solutions, and provide invaluable information on equipment choice through image capture, calibration, and processing in affordable software. The book's focus ranges from how to image sweeping vistas and star trails using only a camera body, lens and tripod, to more advanced methods suitable for imaging galaxies, clusters, nebulae, and stars. Other features of the book include: Real-world assignments showing how and when to use certain tools and how to overcome challenges and setbacks Practical construction projects Evaluations of the most recent developments in affordable hardware and software Exploration on how sensor performance and light pollution relate to image quality and exposure planning Ground-breaking practical chapters on lucky imaging and choosing and using the latest CMOS cameras Written in an accessible, easy to follow format, this comprehensive guide equips readers with all the necessary skills to progress from photographer to astrophotographer.

In 1833 John Herschel sailed from London to Cape Town, southern Africa, to undertake (at his own expense) an astronomical exploration of the southern heavens, as well as a terrestrial exploration of the area around Cape Town. After his return to England in 1838, and as a result of his voyage, he was highly esteemed and became Britain's most recognized man of science. In 1847 his southern hemisphere astronomical observations were published as the Cape Results. The main argument of Ruskin's book is that Herschel's voyage and the publication of the Cape Results, in addition to their contemporary scientific importance, were also significant for nineteenth-century culture and politics. In this book it is demonstrated that the reason for Herschel's widespread cultural renown was the popular notion that his voyage to the Cape was a project aligned with the imperial ambitions of the British government. By leaving England for one of its colonies, and pursuing there a significant scientific project, Herschel was seen in the same light as other British men of science (like James Cook and Richard Lander) who had also undertaken voyages of exploration and discovery at the behest of their nation. It is then demonstrated that the production of the Cape Results, in part because of Herschel's status as Britain's scientific figurehead, was a significant political event. Herschel's decision to journey to the Cape for the purpose of surveying the southern heavens was of great significance to almost all of Britain and much of the continent. It is the purpose of this book to make a case for the scientific, cultural, and political significance of Herschel's Cape voyage and astronomical observations, as a means of demonstrating the relationship of scientific practice to broader aspects of imperial culture and politics in the nineteenth century.

This collection of essays on cultural astronomy celebrates the life and work of Clive Ruggles, Emeritus Professor of Archaeoastronomy at Leicester University. Taking their lead from Ruggles' work, the papers present new research focused on three core themes in cultural astronomy: methodology, case studies, and heritage. Through this framework, they show how the study of cultural astronomy has evolved over time and share new ideas to continue advancing the field. Ruggles' work in these areas has had a profound impact on the way that scholars approach evidence of the role of sky in both ancient and modern cultures. While the papers span many time periods and regions, they are closely connected by these three major themes, presenting methodological investigations of how we can approach archaeological, textual, and ethnographic evidence; describing detailed archaeoastronomical case studies; or stressing the importance of global heritage management. This work will appeal to researchers and scholars interested in the history and development of cultural astronomy.

This introduction to one of the liveliest and most popular fields in philosophy is written specifically for a beginning readership with no background in philosophy or science. Step-by-step analyses of the key arguments are provided and the philosophical heart of the issues is revealed without recourse to jargon, maths, or logical formulas. The book introduces Einstein's revolutionary ideas in a clear and simple way, along with the concepts and arguments of philosophers, both ancient and modern that have proved of lasting value. Specifically, the theories of the ancient Greek philosophers, Zeno, Euclid and Parmenides are considered alongside the ideas of Newton, Leibniz and Kant as well as the giants of twentieth-century physics, Einstein and Lorentz. The problems at the heart of the philosophy of space and time, such as change, motion, infinity, shape, and inflation, are examined and the seismic impact made by relativity theory and quantum theory is assessed in the light of the latest research. The writing is lucid and entertaining, allowing a beginning readership to grasp some difficult concepts while offering the more experienced reader a succinct and illuminating presentation of the state of the debate. "Space, Time and Einstein" shows the reader the excitement of scientific discovery and the beauty of theory in the search for answers to these fundamental questions.

Jacobus C. Kapteyn (1851-1922) was a Dutch astronomer who contributed heavily to major catalogs of star positions, such as the Cape Photographic Durchmusterung and the Harvard-Groningen Durchmusterung, and arranged extensive international collaboration through his Plan of Selected Areas. He contributed to the establishment of statistical astronomy and structure and dynamics of the Sidereal System. All aspects of Kapteyn's life are discussed, from his birth in Barneveld, the Netherlands, to his death in Amsterdam, and his entire resume of scientific achievements in between. Kapteyn had some conflicts with others in his field, especially after the world became divided on how to handle scientific contributions from Germany post-World War I. Both Kapteyn's struggles and achievements are written against the backdrop of both the historical context of the world at that time as well as the scientific one.

This book contains papers from a conference held to celebrate the 70th birthday of one of the world's foremost astronomical historians, Professor F. Richard Stephenson, the latest recipient of the American Astronomical Society's highest award for research in astronomical history, the LeRoy Doggett Prize. Reflecting Professor Stephenson's extensive research portfolio, this book brings together under one cover papers on four different areas of scholarship: applied historical astronomy (which Stephenson founded); Islamic astronomy; Oriental astronomy and amateur astronomy. These papers are penned by astronomers from Canada, China, England, France, Georgia, Iran, Japan, Lebanon, the Netherlands, Portugal, Thailand and the USA. Its diverse coverage represents a wide cross-section of the history of astronomy community. Under discussion are ways in which recent research using historical data has provided new insights into auroral and solar activity, supernovae and changes in the rotation rate of the Earth. It also presents readers with results of recent research on leading historical figures in Islamic and Oriental astronomy, and aspects of eighteenth and nineteenth century Australian, British, German and Portuguese amateur astronomy, including the fascinating 'amateur-turned-professional syndrome'.

'Entertaining and engrossing' Sean Carroll Press the snooze button on your alarm once too often and you soon remember the importance of good timekeeping. That need to tell the time connects you to over five thousand years of human history, from the first solstice markers at Newgrange to quartz crystal oscillating in your watch today. Science underpins time: measuring the movement of Sun, Earth and Moon, and unlocking the mysteries of quantum mechanics and relativity theory - the key to ultra-precise atomic clocks. Yet time is also socially decided: the Gregorian calendar we use today came out of fraught politics, while the ancient Maya used sophisticated astronomical observations to produce a calendar system unlike any other. In his quirky and accessible style, Chad Orzel reveals the wondrous physics that makes time something we can set, measure and know.

Series Information:
Critical Geographies

Timespace undermines the old certainties of time and space by arguing that these dimensions do not exist singly, but only as a hybrid process term. The issue of space has perhaps been over-emphasised and it is essential that processes of everyday existence, such as globalisation and environmental issues and also notions such as gender, race and ethnicity, are looked at with a balanced time-space analysis.
The social and cultural consequences of this move are traced through a series of studies which deploy different perspectives - structural, phenomenological and even Buddhist - in order to make things meet up. The contributors provide an overview of the history of time and introduce the concepts of time and space together, across a range of disciplines. The themes discussed are of importance for cultural geography, sociology, anthropology, cultural and media studies, and psychology.

Gravitational waves (GWs) are a hot topic and promise to play a central role in astrophysics, cosmology, and theoretical physics. Technological developments have led us to the brink of their direct observation, which could become a reality in the coming years. The direct observation of GWs will open an entirely new field: GW astronomy. This is expected to bring a revolution in our knowledge of the universe by allowing the observation of previously unseen phenomena, such as the coalescence of compact objects (neutron stars and black holes), the fall of stars into supermassive black holes, stellar core collapses, big-bang relics, and the new and unexpected.
With a wide range of contributions by leading scientists in the field, Gravitational Waves covers topics such as the basics of GWs, various advanced topics, GW detectors, astrophysics of GW sources, numerical applications, and several recent theoretical developments. The material is written at a level suitable for postgraduate students entering the field.

"The Higgs Hunter's Guide" is a definitive and comprehensive guide to the physics of Higgs bosons. In particular, it discusses the extended Higgs sectors required by those recent theoretical approaches that go beyond the Standard Model, including supersymmetry and superstring-inspired models.