Symposium No. 73 of the International Astronomical Union was devoted to the obser vational and theoretical aspects of close binary stars. Just over 100 participants attended. The Local Organizing Committee would like to thank the following: IAU for travel grants. IBM United Kingdom Ltd for very generous support in the form of travel grants. The Royal Society for the provision of travel grants to participants from Eastern Europe. We also thank the Director of the Institute of Astronomy, and our colleagues and research students for their moral support and assistance. Finally we thank Pauline Haughey for assisting with the editorial work. PETER EGGLETON SIMON MITTON JOHN WHELAN SCIENTIFIC ORGANIZING COMMITTEE M. Plavec (Chairman), T. Herczeg, E. P. J. van den Heuvel, J. B. Hutchings, G. Larsson-Leander, L. B. Lucy, L. Mestel, B. Paczynski, J. Sahade, B. Warner, R. E. Wilson. LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE J. A. J. Whelan (Chairman), P. P. Eggleton, S. A. Mitton LIST OF PARTICIPANTS Baldwin, B. W., Victoria, Canada Icke, V., Cambridge, England Bateson, F. M., Tauranga, New Zealand Koumsiachvilli, M., Moscow, U.S.S.R Bath, G. T., Oxford, England Krzeminski, W. A., Warsaw, Poland Batten, A. H., Victoria, Canada Larsson-Leander, G., Lund, Sweden Berthier, E. J., Paris, France Leung, K.-C., Nebraska, U.S.A."

This book contains a set of articles based on a session of the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science held in San Francisco in February, 1974. The reason for the meeting arose from the need to communicate to the largest possible scientific community the dramatic advances which have been made in recent years in the understanding of collapsed objects: neutron stars and black holes. Thanks to an unprecedented resonance between X-ray, y-ray, radio and optical astronomy and important new theoretical developments in relativistic astro physics, a new deep understanding has been acquired of the physical processes oc curring in the late stages of evolution of stars. This knowledge may be one of the greatest conquests of man's understanding of nature in this century. This book aims to give an essential and up-to-date view in this field. The analysis of the physics and astrophysics of neutron stars and black holes is here attacked from both theoretical and experimental points of view. In the experimental field we range from the reviews and catalogues of galactic X-ray sources (R. Gursky and E. Schreier) and pulsars (E. Groth) to the observations of the optical counter part of X-ray sources (P. Boynton) to finally the recently discovered gamma-ray bursts (I. Strong) and pulse astronomy R. B. Partridge)."

Colloquia and symposia have almost become a tradition among the variable-star astronomers; those held more or less regularly at Bamberg and Budapest have become well known. For a change, this time the organizing committee of Commission 27 decided to hold an LA. U. symposium in Moscow and to adopt as a special topic the relation between variable stars and the evolution of stars and stellar systems. This symposium, No. 67 in the LA. U. series, was prepared by two committees, a by B. V. Kukarkin, and a local one with V. A. Ambartsumian scientific one chaired as chairman, and G. S. Khromov as executive secretary. It was held in Moscow at the Physical and Astronomical Institutes of the Lomonosov University from July 29 to August 4, 1974. The symposium was opened with three short welcoming speeches by V. A. Ambartsu mian, J. M. Ternov (vice-rector of Moscow University), and B. V. Kukarkin. All three stressed the importance of the study of variable stars in connection with the evolution of stars and stellar systems, the role of the Russian astronomers in these studies, and the necessity of international cooperation."

Proceedings of IAU Symposium No. 58 held in Canberra, Australia, August 12-15, 1973

Clusters and superclusters of galaxies are the largest objects in the Universe and are the subject of intense observational study at a variety of wavelengths, from radio to X-ray which has provoked much theoretical debate and advanced the understanding of the recent evolution of the large-scale structure the universe. The subject is reviewed in this volume by researchers who lectured at a NATO Advanced Study Institute held in Cambridge in July 1991. Much of the material is presented in a pedagogical manner and should be useful to scientists, astronomers and graduate students interested in extragalactic astronomy.

The idea of holding this Symposium has its origin in a conversation with G. Con to poulos during the winter of 1973. It was then clear that the progress realized in Stellar Dynamics since the Thessaloniki symposium had given a new shape to the field. Other meetings such as the C. N. R. S. colloquium held in Paris in 1967 or the LA. V. colloquium held in Cambridge, England, in 1970 had in the meantime given opportunities to review the advances achieved in several branches of this field. We thought that time had come to organize a general confrontation of the new results obtained in the approach of the gravitational N-body problem by different methods, in the investigation of spherical and flattened systems, in the comparisons with ob servations and in more theoretical speculations on orbits, integrals of motion, dense nuclei or relativistic stellar dynamics. Things were made easy by the support of Commissions 33 and 37 which welcomed the proposition and by 1. R. King who accepted to act as Chairman of the Scientific Organizing Committee. The final decision to meet in Besan'Yon was taken during the XVth General Assembly of the LA. U. in Sydney in August 1973. The members of the Organizing Committee were: 1. R. King (Chairman), G. Con topoulos, A. Hayli, M. Henon, G. Hori, D. Lynden-Bell, L. Perek, L. Spitzer, R. Wielen, Ya. Zel'dovich while the members of the Local Committee were: A."

'Galactic Radio Astronomy' was chosen as the subject of this Symposium, which was held in conjunction with the IAU General Assembly that took place in Sydney in August 1973, largely because it is a very suitable Southern Hemisphere topic. This results in part from the advantages of a southern location in studying the Galaxy and in part from the long association of Australia with radio astronomy. Following the General Assembly, the Symposium was held at the Surf air Inter national Hotel in Maroochydore, Queensland, from 3 to 7 September, 1973. The conference participants were effectively isolated from the rest of the world during the Symposium, and the excellent spring weather and geographical situation led to the development of an unusually good rapport. The Symposium was sponsored by Commissions 40, 33, and 34. The Organizing Committee was composed of A. H. Barrett (chairman), J. E. Baldwin, D. S. Heeschen, F. J. Kerr, J. Lequeux, S. W. McCuskey, P. G. Mezger, B. Y. Mills, Yu. N. Parijskij, B. J. Robinson, H. van der Laan, and H. F. Weaver. The Local Committee, consisting ofB. J. Robinson, N. G. Seddon, and P. J. Kelly, looked after the arrangements in very fine style. The Symposium was supported financially by the IAU, the Australian Academy o Science, the CSIRO Division of Radiophysics, Union Carbide Australia Limited, and the Science Foundation for Physics within the University of Sydney."

Proceedings of IAU Symposium No. 53 held in Boulder, Colorado, 21-26 August 1972

In connection with arranging IAU Symposium No. 50 on 'Spectral Classification and Multicolour Photometry', sponsored by Commissions 45 and 25, it was decided to exclude all calibration problems. Instead it was agreed that we should attempt to arrange a separate symposium, dealing with the fundamental problems of the cali bration of absolute magnitudes and temperatures of stars. The Executive Committee of the IAU accepted our proposal, and IAU Symposium No. 54 was held in Geneva on September 12-15, 1972, sponsored by thefollowing IAU Commissions: 24, 25, 29, 33, 35, 37,44 and 45. It was attended by about 90 scientists representing 16 countries. The Symposium was divided into eight sessions. Each session started with a review paper by an invited speaker; this was followed by a general discussion including a few contributed papers. The contents of the present volume follow closely the programmes of the individual sessions of the Symposium. Most of the recorded discussions have been kept, and only in a few cases have the order of questions and comments been altered so as to obtain more homogeneity in the presentation."

The proposal to organize a Symposium on circumstellar matter and extended atmo spheres in binary systems was first made by the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory to the Executive Committee of the International Astronomical Union in the summer of 1969. It received the support of the presidents of Commissions 29 (Stellar Spectra), 30 (Radial Velocities), 36 (Stellar Atmospheres), and 42 (Photometric Double Stars). Approval in principle was given by the Executive Committee almost immediately, and the Committee further suggested that the Symposium be officially designated the Struve Memorial Symposium. Final approval was given at the time of the 1970 General Assembly of the Union. when the dates of the Symposium were set for August or September, 1972. The Organizing Committee set up consisted of K. O. Wright (Chairman), A. H. Batten, K. -H. B6hm, A. A. Boyarchuk, G. Larsson-Leander, and M. Plavec. In addition, J. Sahade and F. B. Wood acted as advisory members. Local organization was entrusted to a committee consisting of A. H. Batten, E. K. Lee, and C. D. Scarfe. The final dates selected were September 6-12, 1972, and the Sym posium was held at the Island Hall Hotel, Parksville, B. C., on Vancouver Island some 90 miles from Victoria. The Organizing Committee attempted to arrange a Symposium of the type in which no contributed papers would be presented and discussion would range as widely as possible over the field covered by the six invited review papers."

We have in this volume, compiled a connected account of the proceedings of the Symposium on Wolf-Rayet and High-Temperature Stars held at Buenos Aires. The Organizing Committee had assigned broad areas of topical interest to be reviewed by invited speakers. Each of these presentations was followed by lengthy discussions that were tape recorded and transcribed later. These discussions have been edited only to a limited extent. We have shortened them and rearranged them to bring about a greater coherence. We have, however, attempted to retain the tenor of the discussions, the flavour of impromptu remarks and the continuity of an argument. Much of the success of such a venture depends on the contributors to the discussions. To be able to make these thoughts available to a larger audience has been the task of those re sponsible for the elaborate tape recording of the proceedings. We thank those at the Instituto de Astronomia y Fisica del Espacio for the efficient way in which this re sponsibility has been discharged. Many at Buenos Aires and Kodaikanal have contrib uted efficient assistance to the preparation of this volume and we are deeply indebted for their help. In particular, two amongst these, Nora Martinez and A. M. Batcha have contributed overwhelmingly both to the organization of the symposium and the final preparation of the symposium volume. Financial support for this symposium came from the International Astronomical Union and the Argentine National Research Council."

The classic account of the structure and evolution of the early universe from Nobel Prize-winning physicist P. J. E. Peebles An instant landmark on its publication, The Large-Scale Structure of the Universe remains the essential introduction to this vital area of research. Written by one of the world's most esteemed theoretical cosmologists, it provides an invaluable historical introduction to the subject, and an enduring overview of key methods, statistical measures, and techniques for dealing with cosmic evolution. With characteristic clarity and insight, P. J. E. Peebles focuses on the largest known structures-galaxy clusters-weighing the empirical evidence of the nature of clustering and the theories of how it evolves in an expanding universe. A must-have reference for students and researchers alike, this edition of The Large-Scale Structure of the Universe introduces a new generation of readers to a classic text in modern cosmology.

Dive into a mind-bending exploration of the physics of black holes Black holes, predicted by Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity more than a century ago, have long intrigued scientists and the public with their bizarre and fantastical properties. Although Einstein understood that black holes were mathematical solutions to his equations, he never accepted their physical reality--a viewpoint many shared. This all changed in the 1960s and 1970s, when a deeper conceptual understanding of black holes developed just as new observations revealed the existence of quasars and X-ray binary star systems, whose mysterious properties could be explained by the presence of black holes. Black holes have since been the subject of intense research--and the physics governing how they behave and affect their surroundings is stranger and more mind-bending than any fiction. After introducing the basics of the special and general theories of relativity, this book describes black holes both as astrophysical objects and theoretical "laboratories" in which physicists can test their understanding of gravitational, quantum, and thermal physics. From Schwarzschild black holes to rotating and colliding black holes, and from gravitational radiation to Hawking radiation and information loss, Steven Gubser and Frans Pretorius use creative thought experiments and analogies to explain their subject accessibly. They also describe the decades-long quest to observe the universe in gravitational waves, which recently resulted in the LIGO observatories' detection of the distinctive gravitational wave "chirp" of two colliding black holes--the first direct observation of black holes' existence. The Little Book of Black Holes takes readers deep into the mysterious heart of the subject, offering rare clarity of insight into the physics that makes black holes simple yet destructive manifestations of geometric destiny.

Featuring detailed commented spectral profiles of more than one hundred astronomical objects, in colour, this spectral guide documents most of the important and spectroscopically observable objects accessible using typical amateur equipment. It allows you to read and interpret the recorded spectra of the main stellar classes, as well as most of the steps from protostars through to the final stages of stellar evolution as planetary nebulae, white dwarfs or the different types of supernovae. It also presents integrated spectra of stellar clusters, galaxies and quasars, and the reference spectra of some terrestrial light sources, for calibration purposes. Whether used as the principal reference for comparing with your recorded spectra or for inspiring independent observing projects, this atlas provides a breathtaking view into our Universe's past. The atlas is accompanied and supplemented by Spectroscopy for Amateur Astronomers, which explains in detail the methods for recording, processing, analysing and interpreting your spectra.

Discover the mysteries of the Universe and journey to galaxies beyond our own in this fact-packed companion to space. From icy worlds and hot, fiery giants to the biggest telescopes and latest spacecraft, this book covers more than 40 profiles of the planets, stars, and objects in our universe. Find out all about our neighboring planets, from tiny Mercury to gigantic Jupiter. Discover what lies beyond our solar system and the stars we can see in the night sky. Learn about the latest space technology and when humans may finally land on Mars. Broken down by type, each object is presented in a clear, engaging way, with stunning images and bite-sized chunks of information. Detailed NASA photography brings the mysteries of outer space to life, while pronunciation guides help with tricky names, and a visual index gives a quick overview of all the key objects in the book. Filled with fascinating details for every young stargazer and budding astronaut, My Book of Stars and Planets is the perfect first reference book on space and the universe for kids.

Twinkling in the night sky, stars have inspired wonder and amazement in us since ancient times. They have guided our journeys and inspired our poetry and art, but until recently we have known very little about them. Now, through new instruments and technology, we are learning more about stars every day-from their dusty beginnings in nebulas to their spectacular ends as supernovas. Award-winning science writer Seymour Simon gives you a closer look at the stars.

This research monograph presents a new dynamical framework for the study of secular morphological evolution of galaxies along the Hubble sequence. Classical approaches based on Boltzmann's kinetic equation, as well as on its moment-equation descendants the Euler and Navier-Stokes fluid equations, are inadequate for treating the maintenance and long-term evolution of systems containing self-organized structures such as galactic density-wave modes. A global and synthetic approach, incorporating correlated fluctuations of the constituent particles during a nonequilibrium phase transition, is adopted to supplement the continuum treatment. The cutting-edge research combining analytical, N-body simulational, and observational aspects, as well as the fundamental-physics connections it provides, make this work a valuable reference for researchers and graduate students in astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology, many-body physics, complexity theory, and other related fields. Contents Dynamical Drivers of Galaxy Evolution N-Body Simulations of Galaxy Evolution Astrophysical Implications of the Dynamical Theory Putting It All Together Concluding Remarks Appendix: Relation to Kinetics and Fluid Mechanics

Illustrated with breathtaking images of the Solar System and of the Universe around it, this book explores how the discoveries within the Solar System and of exoplanets far beyond it come together to help us understand the habitability of Earth, and how these findings guide the search for exoplanets that could support life. The author highlights how, within two decades of the discovery of the first planets outside the Solar System in the 1990s, scientists concluded that planets are so common that most stars are orbited by them. The lives of exoplanets and their stars, as of our Solar System and its Sun, are inextricably interwoven. Stars are the seeds around which planets form, and they provide light and warmth for as long as they shine. At the end of their lives, stars expel massive amounts of newly forged elements into deep space, and that ejected material is incorporated into subsequent generations of planets. How do we learn about these distant worlds? What does the exploration of other planets tell us about Earth? Can we find out what the distant future may have in store for us? What do we know about exoworlds and starbirth, and where do migrating hot Jupiters, polluted white dwarfs, and free-roaming nomad planets fit in? And what does all that have to do with the habitability of Earth, the possibility of finding extraterrestrial life, and the operation of the globe-spanning network of the sciences?

The contentious history of the idea of the black hole-the most fascinating and bizarre celestial object in the heavens For more than half a century, physicists and astronomers engaged in heated dispute over the possibility of black holes in the universe. The weirdly alien notion of a space-time abyss from which nothing escapes-not even light-seemed to confound all logic. This engrossing book tells the story of the fierce black hole debates and the contributions of Einstein and Hawking and other leading thinkers who completely altered our view of the universe. Renowned science writer Marcia Bartusiak shows how the black hole helped revive Einstein's greatest achievement, the general theory of relativity, after decades during which it had been pushed into the shadows. Not until astronomers discovered such surprising new phenomena as neutron stars and black holes did the once-sedate universe transform into an Einsteinian cosmos, filled with sources of titanic energy that can be understood only in the light of relativity. This book celebrates the hundredth anniversary of general relativity, uncovers how the black hole really got its name, and recounts the scientists' frustrating, exhilarating, and at times humorous battles over the acceptance of one of history's most dazzling ideas.

'A book that will make the night sky your lifelong passion. An invitation to immerse yourself in the nature around you and the universe beyond.' - Professor Brian Cox The Secret World of Stargazing is the ultimate astronomy book to set you on your epic journey around the cosmos - it's a simple guide to the skies and makes stargazing fun, easy and enjoyable for all - absolutely no equipment is required! Adrian West, AKA the internet sensation VirtualAstro, will take you through the seasons, showing you exactly what you can spot in the sky throughout the year, whether you're in your back garden or sitting on an exotic beach somewhere! While you're learning how to spot constellations, meteors and comets, you will be switching off your busy mind, sitting still in nature and paying attention to the small details that make up the big picture of life. You'll finish reading this beautiful book and come away with a sense of grounding, connection, knowledge and a whole new appreciation of the sky above and the world outside your own - it will soothe your soul. 'An excellent, readable, bright guide to the night sky.' - Dara O'Briain 'A superb introduction to astronomy.' - Chris Packham

Are you an emotional Scorpio who needs to pour out your latest drama to your friends and relatives? Perhaps you're an uptight Capricorn who keeps all your feeling to yourself? Are you a flirtatious Libran, a brave but thoughtless Arian or a careful Cancerian? Whatever your characteristics are, The Magic of Astrology will help explain the unexplainable in your life, give advice on your relationships, careers and much, much more. Since the dawn of humanity, we have always looked up to the stars for guidance, whether we are lost at sea or lost in life. Astrology is an ancient science, with tried and tested advice from various cultures all across the world over thousands of years. Are you anxious in a new relationship? Are you stuck in an unsatisfying job? Has an opportunity arisen, but you find it hard to make a decision? Astrology can show you the way. This book shows you how you can unlock your hidden potential and reveal your true personality. It offers an engaging, in-depth analysis of every zodiac sign, so you can compare with your friends and family, and it also explains how astrology can influence and improve every area of your life. Packed with detailed compatibility charts and advice, this practical guide channels the secret of the starts to help you to live life to the fullest.

From supernovae and gamma-ray bursts to the accelerating Universe, this is an exploration of the intellectual threads that lead to some of the most exciting ideas in modern astrophysics and cosmology. This fully updated second edition incorporates new material on binary stars, black holes, gamma-ray bursts, worm-holes, quantum gravity and string theory. It covers the origins of stars and their evolution, the mechanisms responsible for supernovae, and their progeny, neutron stars and black holes. It examines the theoretical ideas behind black holes and their manifestation in observational astronomy and presents neutron stars in all their variety known today. This book also covers the physics of the twentieth century, discussing quantum theory and Einstein's gravity, how these two theories collide, and the prospects for their reconciliation in the twenty-first century. This will be essential reading for undergraduate students in astronomy and astrophysics, and an excellent, accessible introduction for a wider audience.

This extensively illustrated book presents the astrophysics of galaxies since their beginnings in the early Universe. It has been thoroughly revised to take into account the most recent observational data, and recent discoveries such as dark energy. There are new sections on galaxy clusters, gamma ray bursts and supermassive black holes. The authors explore the basic properties of stars and the Milky Way before working out towards nearby galaxies and the distant Universe. They discuss the structures of galaxies and how galaxies have developed, and relate this to the evolution of the Universe. The book also examines ways of observing galaxies across the whole electromagnetic spectrum, and explores dark matter and its gravitational pull on matter and light. This book is self-contained and includes several homework problems with hints. It is ideal for advanced undergraduate students in astronomy and astrophysics.

With the development of nuclear physics the theory of the stellar interior entered a new phase. Many new investigations have been conducted and the results published in a variety of specialized media. This book brings these results together in a single volume and summarizes the present status of the theory of stellar evolution. Originally published in 1958. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

'fascinating' Brian Cox This is the story of citizen science. Where once astronomers sat at the controls of giant telescopes in remote locations, praying for clear skies, now they have no need to budge from their desks, as data arrives in their inbox. And what they receive is overwhelming; projects now being built provide more data in a few nights than in the whole of humanity's history of observing the Universe. It's not just astronomy either-dealing with this deluge of data is the major challenge for scientists at CERN, and for biologists who use automated cameras to spy on animals in their natural habitats. Artificial intelligence is one part of the solution-but will it spell the end of human involvement in scientific discovery? No, argues Chris Lintott. We humans still have unique capabilities to bring to bear-our curiosity, our capacity for wonder, and, most importantly, our capacity for surprise. It seems that humans and computers working together do better than computers can on their own. But with so much scientific data, you need a lot of scientists-a crowd, in fact. Lintott found such a crowd in the Zooniverse, the web-based project that allows hundreds of thousands of enthusiastic volunteers to contribute to science. In this book, Lintott describes the exciting discoveries that people all over the world have made, from galaxies to pulsars, exoplanets to moons, and from penguin behaviour to old ship's logs. This approach builds on a long history of so-called 'citizen science', given new power by fast internet and distributed data. Discovery is no longer the remit only of scientists in specialist labs or academics in ivory towers. It's something we can all take part in. As Lintott shows, it's a wonderful way to engage with science, yielding new insights daily. You, too, can help explore the Universe in your lunch hour.