The emphasis of Planetary Atmospheres is on comparative aspects of planetary atmospheres, generally meaning comparison with the Earth, including atmospheric composition, thermal structure, cloud properties, dynamics, weather and climate, and aeronomy. The goal is to look for common processes at work under different boundary conditions in order to reach a fundamental understanding of the physics of atmospheres. As part of a general Physics course, the material is chosen to emphasise certain aspects that will be of broad topical interest:
- evolutionary processes, setting the Earth in its context as a planet and a member of the Solar System
- the properties of atmospheres that affect the climate near the surface of each planet
- measurement techniques and models, where the same experimental and theoretical physics is applied under different conditions to investigate and explain atmospheric behaviour.
These might be thought of as the astronomical, environmental, and technical sides of the discipline respectively.
The book covers the basic physics of planetary atmospheres in a single text for students or anyone interested in this area of science. The approach is the same as in the author's previous book Elementary Climate Physics: an overview, followed by more detailed discussion of key topics arranged by physical phenomenon and not planet by planet as usually found in this field. There is an emphasis on acquiring and interpreting measurements, and the basic physics of instruments and models, with key definitions and some historical background in footnotes and in the glossary at the end of the book.

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

In the field of astrophysics, modern developments of practice are emerging in order to further understand the spectral information derived from cosmic sources. Radio telescopes are a current mode of practice used to observe these occurrences. Despite the various accommodations that this technology offers, physicists around the globe need a better understanding of the underlying physics and operational components of radio telescopes as well as an explanation of the cosmic objects that are being detected. Analyzing the Physics of Radio Telescopes and Radio Astronomy is an essential reference source that discusses the principles of the astronomical instruments involved in the construction of radio telescopes and the analysis of cosmic sources and celestial objects detected by this machinery. Featuring research on topics such as electromagnetic theory, antenna design, and geometrical optics, this book is ideally designed for astrophysicists, engineers, researchers, astronomers, students, and educators seeking coverage on the operational methods of radio telescopes and understanding the physical processes of radio astronomy.

The extraordinary life of Bernard Lovell began before the First World War and his story encompasses many of the great events of last hundred years: the Second World War, the invention of radio astronomy, the space race, the Moon landings, the exploration of the Solar System, the Cold War, the Cuban missile crisis and the defence of Britain against nuclear attack. It can now be revealed that he was also a spy. "He ranks as one of the great visionary leaders of science," Martin Rees, the Astronomer Royal, said of him. The great radio telescope which Lovell built became and remains one of the most important scientific instruments in the World. The Jodrell Bank Observatory and the Lovell Telescope have held their place at the frontier of research for fifty five years. This book seeks to explore succinctly and accessibly Lovell's life and achievements in the scientific and political context of the time. His legacy remains great, as can be seen from the extensive media coverage and personal tributes that his death in 2012 attracted all over the world. With the seventieth anniversaries of many wartime events in which he played a crucial role, as well as the recent declassification of information relating to his activities as an agent in the Cold War, this biography is sure to have a broad and timely interest.

This is the ideal resource for beginners and experienced stargazers in the United States and Canada, and has been updated to include new and practical information covering events occurring in North America's night sky throughout 2021. This practical guide is both an easy introduction to astronomy and a useful reference for seasoned stargazers. Now includes a section on comets and a map of the moon. Designed specifically for North America. Written and illustrated by astronomical experts, Storm Dunlop and Wil Tirion, and approved by the astronomers of the Royal Observatory Greenwich. Content includes: * Advice on where to start looking. * Easy-to-use star maps for each month with descriptions of what to see. * Positions of the moon and visible planets. * Details of objects and events in 2021. * Now in three editions: Britain and Ireland; North America; Southern Hemisphere.

Today we know much about the sky: how stars are born, how they live and die, and how the universe as a whole evolves. We have learned of the existence of another type of matter, indifferent to light and yet decisive for the formation of galaxies, and we have a hint of a dark energy that since the last 4.5 billion years has taken over the control of the cosmos. We postulated and then discovered and even photographed black holes and listened to the faint rustle of the space-time ripple produced when these monsters devour each other. We reached these astonishing results (recognized by a bunch of Nobel Prizes and filling every day the media with wonders for the eyes and the mind) by the marriage of physics and astronomy that unified the Earth with the sky and then by the leap forward of science and technology in the Twentieth Century. This rich heritage has ancient roots. It was built by accumulating discoveries with errors, observations with fantasies, myths, and superstitions with flashes of genius, over a span of millennia, since Homo sapiens, turning his eyes to the immutable and perfect sky, began to ask questions.The book is a narration of the answers to these questions that had evolved over time: a progressive path, inserted in the general history, with some second thoughts and many obstacles. This is a saga of men and machines where greatness sometimes mixes with misery and passion often borders on sacrifice and even martyrdom. Why should we know it? Because our current knowledge is the result of these efforts and of the preconceptions that accompanied them.The challenge has been to present this complex and intricate subject without resorting to any formulas, so that it can be accessible to a wide audience of curious people, including high school and university students and in general all those who normally keep themselves informed of scientific things. A rich bibliography has also been added in the appendix for those wishing to learn more on one or more topics.

The perfect gift for anyone with a desire to see the Northern Lights. Discover the incomparable beauty of the Northern Lights with this accessible guide for aspiring astronomers and seasoned night sky observers. Covers the essential equipment needed for observation and photography and full of stunning photographs. Tom Kerss covers the cultural and scientific context for auroras, and offers a comprehensive guide to forecasting and photography, so that readers can fuse their own technical mastery with the infinite creativity of nature. Read about the formation, properties and types of auroras Discover the mythology and history of The Northern Lights Find out about Aurora science from Antiquity to the modern day Learn how to take stunning photographs of the Northern Lights Includes a comprehensive travel and forecasting guide and a glossary of key terms. The Northern Lights will give you a complete understanding of one of the true wonders of the natural world and leave you prepared for the adventure of a lifetime.

Black holes entered the world of science fiction and films in the 1960s, and their popularity in our culture remains today. The buzz surrounding black holes was and is due, in large part, to their speculative nature. It is still difficult for the general public to determine fact versus fiction as it pertains to this terrifying idea: something big enough to swallow anything and everything in close proximity, with a gravitational force so strong that nothing, including light, can escape. In the fall of 2015, scientists at the Laser Interferometry Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) detected the first sounds from black holes, brought to earth by the gravitational waves that emitted from the merging of two black holes 1.4 billion light years away in space. This confirmed the existence of gravitational waves, which Albert Einstein predicted in 1916. In the spring of 2017, physicists and astronomers who were working on the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) project captured the first image of a black hole. This was the supermassive black hole hosted by the galaxy M87 in the constellation Virgo, 53 million light years away, and the image shows the shadow the black hole casts upon the bright light surrounding it. In this book, John Moffat shares the history of black holes and presents the latest research into these mysterious celestial objects, including the astounding results from gravitational wave detection and the shadow of the black hole.

An almost complete collection of the papers given at the International Workshop on Imaging in High Energy Astronomy (Anacapri, Italy, 1994). These proceedings, which concentrate on imaging above 10 keV, represent the state of the art in the field, resulting from the success of many missions (I.C. Granat and CGRO) carrying detectors for high energy astronomy with imaging capabilities. The main topics of the book are Bragg concentrators, coded mask-modulation collimators, double Compton telescopes, the occultation method, tracking chambers, and new experimental techniques. The book also contains some papers dealing with image reconstruction and processing, with an emphasis on the above techniques.

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope is set to become the largest telescope on Earth, and also the largest science project in Africa. From September 2011 to August 2012, the SKA featured regularly in the South African media. In The Stars in Our Eyes, author Michael Gastrow dissects the representation of the SKA in the South African media in the period under discussion. Who were the main actors in this unfolding narrative? Who held the stage and who were marginalised? Where did gatekeeping occur and why? What was the relationship between journalists and scientists? How did the story unfold in the social media as opposed to the print media? Drawing on mass communication theory and science communication theory, The Stars in Our Eyes: Representations of the Square kilometre Array Telescope in the South African Media addresses critical gaps in the literature on science communication, particularly with respect to science communication in an African context.

This book presents a complete summary of the author's twenty five years of experience in telescope design. It provides a general introduction to every aspect of telescope design. It also discusses the theory behind telescope design in depth, which makes it a good reference book for professionals. It covers Radio, Infrared, Optical, X-Ray and Gamma-Ray wavelengths. Originally published in Chinese.

This book aims at giving the basis of primordial cosmology. The book is self-contained in the sense that all the elements for the derivations of the presented results are given. It can be used as a textbook to study cosmology. It is divided into 3 parts. Part 1 summarizes the fundamentals in theoretical physics needed in cosmology (general relativity, field theory, particle physics). Part 2 describes the standard model of cosmology and includes cosmological solutions of Einstein equations, hot big bang model, cosmological perturbation theory, cosmic microwave background anisotropies, lensing and evidences for dark matter, and inflation. Part 3 describes extensions of this model and opens up to today's research in the field: scalar-tensor theories, supersymetry, the cosmological constant problem and acceleration of the universe, topology of the universe, grand unification and baryogenesis, topological defects and phase transitions, string inspired cosmology including branes and latest developments. The book provides details of all derivations and leads the student up to the level of research articles.

Many satellites have recently been launched or are in preparation, which operate in the microwave to IR ranges, the main objective being to observe the earth's atmosphere or interstellar clouds. Analysis of the data they supply requires extensive laboratory work because we still only have sufficiently accurate data (line positions, intensities, and profiles) for only a few species. Furthermore, the observer community is making increasing calls for laboratory data, as new development open up new observational possibilities (such as submillimeter observation). Research on these subjects involves many different areas of specialisation in fields of research that generate a wealth of data. In Spectroscopy from Space the people responsible for field observations explain which results they are expecting from their measurements and how laboratory people can help them to analyse their satellite data. Laboratory spectroscopists explain why what they can do now, and what kinds of experiment and theoretical development that might undertake to meet the needs of the remote sensing community. The problems of distributing reliable laboratory data in a timely way are also addressed.

Adopted as the official book of the International Year of Astronomy (IYA) 2009, this stunningly illustrated history of telescopic discovery spans the range from the first telescopes via the Hubble Space Telescope to next generation platforms, and how they have changed and continue to change our view of the universe, our place in it and where it all came from. "Eyes on the Skies" features numerous full-page photographs and is printed in high-quality color throughout.

Also includes the official IYA DVD with 59 minutes of narrated text, expert comments and interviews, animations, computer simulations, science results, plus footage from observatories.

Adaptive optics allows the theoretical limit of angular resolution to be achieved from a large telescope, despite the presence of turbulence. Thus an eight meter class telescope, such as one of the four in the Very Large Telescope operated by ESO in Chile, will in future be routinely capable of an angular resolution of almost 0.01 arcsec, compared tot he present resolution of about 0.5 arcsec for conventional imaging in good condition. All the world's major telescopes either have adaptive optics or are in the process of building AO systems. It turns out that a reasonable fraction of the sky can be observed using adaptive optics, with moderately good imaging quality, provided imaging in done in the near IR. To move out of the near IR, with its relatively poor angular resolution, astronomers need a laser guide star. There is a layer of Na atoms at approximately 90 km altitude that can be excited by a laser to produce such a source, or Rayleigh scattering can be employed lower in the atmosphere. But the production and use of laser guide stars is not trivial, and the key issues determining their successful implementation are discussed here, including the physics of the Na atom, the cone effect, tilt determination, sky coverage, and numerous potential astronomical applications.

This IAU Symposium brought together researchers who use CCDs and arrays, designers and manufacturers of CCDs and array mosaics, and those who write the software to control these devices and to reduce the large amounts of data contained in each frame. At the meeting such topics as plans for applying the new technology to the new large telescopes that have been built recently and those planned in the near future, new developments in infra-red arrays, advances and concerns with the use of CCDs in photometry and spectroscopy and the creation of large mosaics in photometry and spectroscopy, and the creation of large mosaics of chips which allow larger areas of the sky to be covered in a single frame were discussed. There were sessions devoted to the following topics: new developments in CCD technology; new developments in IR detector arrays; direct imaging with CCDs and other arrays; spectroscopy with CCDs and other arrays; and large field imaging with array mosaics. Scientific results of studies made with this technology were covered in the poster sessions. CCD and array detectors have become the detectors of choice at all the world's optical observatories. Such instruments on small university and college telescopes have turned these telescopes into instruments that can now do observations which in the past were done only on the largest telescopes. CCDs and arrays are known as "the people's detector" because of their ability to turn small telescopes into true research instruments. On large telescopes observations can be made of extremely faint and crowded objects that were impossible to observe before the advent of CCD and Array technology. The proceedings of this meeting should be useful to all those who are interested in the design, manufacture and use of CCDs and arrays for astronomical observations.

IAU Colloquium 165, Dynamics and Astrometry of Natural and Artificial Celestial Bodies, was held in Poznan, Poland, in July 1996, bringing together over 200 scientists from 27 countries who discussed their work in 179 oral and poster presentations. The present volume contains 83 of the papers presented at the meeting. The meeting brought together specialists from diverse fields who focused on the very close collaboration between dynamics and astrometry, where one discipline contributes to the progress of the other. The oral sessions were organized into general categories pertaining to: solar system dynamics; new observational techniques, catalogues, and astrometry; dynamics and observational problems of artificial satellites and space debris; rotation of solar system objects; reference systems and astronomical standards; new mathematical techniques; and three all-day poster sessions. This volume is divided into seven parts, comprising 83 contributions, a list of participants and an index.

H.T. MacGilLIVRAY Royal Observatory Blackford Hill Edinburgh EH9 3HJ Scotland U.K. lAU Symposium No. 161 on 'Astronomy from Wide-Field Imaging', held in Potsdam, Germany, during 23-27th August 1993, was the first conference organised by the recently-formed Working Group of lAU Commission 9 on 'Wide-Field Imaging'. This Working Group was instigated during the XXIst meeting of the General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union in Buenos Aires in 1991, and represented a merging of the former formal lAU Working Group on 'Astronomical Photography' and the informal 'Digitised Optical Sky Surveys' Working Group. Dr. Richard West was 'invited' to be Chairperson, and hence was given the daunting task of organising the Group from scratch. The very fact that the first conference after only two years was a major lAU Symposium says much about the determination and enthusiasm of Richard West to fulfilling the aims of the new Working Group. The siting of the conference in Potsdam in formerly East Germany provided an excellent opportunity to advantage from the political changes in Eastern Europe. Good access to the meeting was possible by scientists from Eastern European countries, allowing exchange of information on the very important Wide-Field facilities in both East and West, information on the rich archives of photographic plates that exist in both East and West, and allowing discussions between scientists facing very similar problems in both East and West.

The idea for another conference on the theme of Infrared Astronomy with Arrays actually goes back to March 1987. At a party held in my home at the end of the Hilo conference, excitement was running high and everyone present was in favor of another meeting. I recall suggesting to Al Fowler that the next meeting could be in Tucson. Despite Al's reply to the effect that Hawaii was a much nicer location, a meeting was held in Tucson three years later. That meeting focussed more on the astrophysics which had been accomplished with the detectors, rather than on techniques and methods. However, it was already apparent in February of 1990 that a new generation of larger m arrays would soon supersede the 64x64 class of devices and so, having just moved from the UK Infrared Telescope unit in Hawaii to join with Eric Becklin in his move to UCLA, it seemed to me that another Hilo-style conference was appropriate, and Eric agreed.

"If you buy just one guide...you won't do better than this" - BBC Sky at Night Magazine "I will continue to enjoy 'Philip's Stargazing' as the months go by" - Helen Sharman, Astronaut "Very useful indeed" - Chris Lintott, Sky at Night presenter Discover the latest in stargazing with the new and definitive guide to the night sky. Whether you're a seasoned astronomer or just starting out, Philip's Stargazing 2022 is the only book you'll need. Compiled by experts and specially designed for use in Britain and Ireland, Stargazing 2022 acts as a handily illustrated and comprehensive companion. - 12 Brand-New Maps for year-round astronomical discovery - Month-to-Month information. Daily Moon Phase Calendar, highlighting special lunar events throughout the year - Planet Watch for ideal viewing days in 2022 - Avoid light pollution with our detailed Dark Sky Map - Expert advice and insight throughout from internationally renowned Professor Nigel Henbest - A 'Behind the Scenes' look at astrophotography from expert Robin Scagell - Complete calendar of major astronomical events, including the Top 20 Sky Sights of 2022 - Jargon Buster, explaining common or confusing terms - The planets' movements explained from solar and lunar eclipses to meteor showers and comets

Digital sky surveys, data from orbiting telescopes, and advances in computation have increased the quantity and quality of astronomical data by several orders of magnitude in recent years. Making sense of this wealth of data requires sophisticated statistical and data analytic techniques. Fortunately, statistical methodologies have similarly made great strides in recent years. Powerful synergies thus emerge when astronomers and statisticians join in examining astrostatistical problems and approaches. The volume focuses on several themes: · The increasing power of Bayesian approaches to modeling astronomical data · The growth of enormous databases, leading an emerging federated Virtual Observatory, and their impact on modern astronomical research · Statistical modeling of critical datasets, such as galaxy clustering and fluctuations in the microwave background radiation, leading to a new era of precision cosmology · Methodologies for uncovering clusters and patterns in multivariate data · The characterization of multiscale patterns in imaging and time series data As in earlier volumes in this series, research contributions discussing topics in one field are joined with commentary from scholars in the other. Short contributed papers covering dozens of astrostatistical topics are also included.

A small country builds a world-class telescope in its backyard and lives happily ever after (or at least for a quarter century). That in a nutshell is the story told in this collection of essays. The country of course is the Netherlands, and the telescope is the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Tele scope (WSRT), brainchild of Jan Oort. Living happily in this context is a continuing record of discovery and as such also a continuing basis for se curing observing time on facilities in other countries and operating at other frequencies. As our community celebrates the Silver Anniversary of the radio tele scope at Westerbork, it is fitting that we pause to take account of the scientific discoveries and insights it made possible. Initially the instrument represented the very significant step away from university-run, specialist facilities to a well-supported, common-user radio imager also having spec tral and polarization capabilities. It pioneered the mode of operation now common for satellite observatories, in which data is taken and calibrated by technicians and provided to researchers ready for analysis. It has been a major source of discovery in, among other areas, research on neutral hy drogen and studies of dark matter in galaxies.

Intended for nonspecialists with some knowledge of physics or engineering, The Quantum Beat covers a wide range of salient topics relevant to atomic clocks, treated in a broad intuitive manner with a minimum of mathematical formalism. Detailed descriptions are given of the design principles of the rubidium, cesium, hydrogen maser, and mercury ion standards; the revolutionary changes that the advent of the laser has made possible, such as laser cooling, optical pumping, the formation of optical molasses, and the cesium fountain standard; and the time-based global navigation systems, Loran-C and the Global Positioning System. Also included are topics that bear on the precision and absolute accuracy of standards, such as noise, resonance line shape, the relativistic Doppler effect as well as more general relativistic notions of time relevant to synchronization of remote clocks, and time reversal symmetry. the development of atomic clocks in the first edition, but brings up to date the extraordinary developments in recent years, culminating in clocks based on quantum resonance at optical frequency in individual ions confined in miniature electromagnetic traps. These, together with advances in the generation of wide-band coherent frequency combs spanning the spectrum as far as the optical range, has made possible the direct measurement of phenomena occurring at optical frequencies As a result of these recent advances, in addition to the time-based GPS and LORAN C navigation systems treated in the first edition, other important applications of a fundamental scientific interest have become feasible. These include satellite-borne tests of the theory of general relativity and the equivalence principle on which it is based.

Despite its apparent unchanging appearance in the daytime sky, the Sun is incredibly dynamic and shrouded in mystery. In this guide, Dr. Ryan French explores history, science, and modern observations to uncover the mysteries of the Sun.

From ancient astronomers who hailed the Sun as a deity, to new age space exploration, the way we observe the Sun has come a long way. Humanity’s scientific journey to understand the Sun has included many intriguing and humorous tales from over the centuries. In today’s age, it is far easier to become a sun observer. Learn about cutting-edge space observations of the Sun and how to access these images from home. Uncover further methods of observing the Sun safely from your own back garden using off-the-shelf solar telescopes, DIY pin-hole cameras and solar projectors.

The perfect gift for anyone wishing to learn more about our local star.