From the Dead Sea Scrolls to the Terracotta Army, ancient artifacts have long fascinated the modern world. However, the importance of some discoveries is not always immediately understood. This was the case in 1901 when sponge divers retrieved a lump of corroded bronze from a shipwreck at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea near the Greek island of Antikythera. Little did the divers know they had found the oldest known analog computer in the world, an astonishing device that once simulated the motions of the stars and planets as they were understood by ancient Greek astronomers. Its remains now consist of 82 fragments, many of them containing gears and plates engraved with Greek words, that scientists and scholars have pieced back together through painstaking inspection and deduction, aided by radiographic tools and surface imaging. More than a century after its discovery, many of the secrets locked in this mysterious device can now be revealed. In addition to chronicling the unlikely discovery of the Antikythera Mechanism, author Alexander Jones takes readers through a discussion of how the device worked, how and for what purpose it was created, and why it was on a ship that wrecked off the Greek coast around 60 BC. What the Mechanism has uncovered about Greco-Roman astronomy and scientific technology, and their place in Greek society, is truly amazing. The mechanical know-how that it embodied was more advanced than anything the Greeks were previously thought capable of, but the most recent research has revealed that its displays were designed so that an educated layman could understand the behavior of astronomical phenomena, and how intertwined they were with one's natural and social environment. It was at once a masterpiece of machinery as well as one of the first portable teaching devices. Written by a world-renowned expert on the Mechanism, A Portable Cosmos will fascinate all readers interested in ancient history, archaeology, and the history of science.

IAU Symposium 285, New Horizons in Time-Domain Astronomy, gave a comprehensive overview of the status quo in 2011, exploring, astronomical variability at both Galactic and extragalactic distances. Several years later, IAU Symposium 339 witnessed a new level of activity and planning, with ambitious instruments that add a new dimension to some of those current in 2011 and ingenious methodology in the emerging field of astroinformatics. Major new instruments, whose output dwarfs those previously available, and analysis techniques that could not have been implemented until very recently, are being coupled with a broadening diversity in wavelengths. IAU S339 introduces the rich potential for new techniques for both analysis and communication, while covering the basic fundamentals such as data quality, standardization and archive access. Many early-career scientists are already central players in these projects: time-domain astronomy is the future and in their hands may it flourish and grow.

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 Dutch telescope and the Italian scientist Galileo have long enjoyed a durable connection in the popular mind--so much so that it seems this simple glass instrument transformed a rather modest middle-aged scholar into the bold icon of the Copernican Revolution. And yet the extraordinary speed with which the telescope changed the course of Galileo's life and early modern astronomy obscures the astronomer's own curiously delayed encounter with the instrument. This book considers the lapse between the telescope's creation in The Hague in 1608 and Galileo's alleged acquaintance with such news ten months later. In an inquiry into scientific and cultural history, Eileen Reeves explores two fundamental questions of intellectual accountability: what did Galileo know of the invention of the telescope, and when did he know it?

The record suggests that Galileo, like several of his peers, initially misunderstood the basic design of the telescope. In seeking to explain the gap between the telescope's emergence and the alleged date of the astronomer's acquaintance with it, Reeves explores how and why information about the telescope was transmitted, suppressed, or misconstrued in the process. Her revised version of events, rejecting the usual explanations of silence and idleness, is a revealing account of the role that misprision, error, and preconception play in the advancement of science.

Along the way, Reeves offers a revised chronology of Galileo's life in a critical period and, more generally, shows how documents typically outside the scope of early modern natural philosophy--medieval romances, travel literature, and idle speculations--relate to two crucial events in the history ofscience.

This volume, the proceedings of IAU Symposium 363, addresses the astrophysical implications of gravitational wave and electromagnetic observations of neutron stars. It covers the state of the art understanding of mergers of binary neutron stars producing short gamma-ray bursts, and the most powerfully magnetic varieties of neutron stars, magnetars. Encapsulating both observations and modelling, the contributions address extreme transient events including kilonovae, afterglows, magnetar giant flares, and fast radio bursts. By exploring the intersection of studies of isolated neutron stars and binary system synthesis and merging, this collection sets the scene for interpreting exciting results pertaining to powerful x-ray, gamma-ray, and gravitational wave transients to be acquired in the next decade and beyond. IAU S363 will be an asset for astronomers seeking a broad and interdisciplinary overview of neutron stars, their gravitational waves and electromagnetic emission.

When Sultan bin Salman left Earth on the shuttle Discovery in 1985, he became the first Arab, first Muslim and first member of a royal family in space. Twenty-five years later, the discovery of a planet 500 light years away by the Qatar Exoplanet Survey - subsequently named `Qatar-1b' - was evidence of the cutting-edge space science projects taking place across the Middle East. This book identifies the individuals, institutions and national ideologies that enabled Arab astronomers and researchers to gain support for space exploration when Middle East governments lacked interest. Jorg Matthias Determann shows that the conquest of space became associated with national prestige, security, economic growth and the idea of an `Arab renaissance' more generally. Equally important to this success were international collaborations: to benefit from American and Soviet expertise and technology, Arab scientists and officials had to commit to global governance of space and the common interests of humanity. Challenging the view that the golden age of Arabic science and cosmopolitanism was situated in the medieval period, Determann tells the story of the new discoveries and scientific collaborations taking place from the 19th century to the present day. An innovative contribution to Middle East studies and history of science, the book also appeals to increased business, media and political interest in the Arab space industry.

Several Epoch of Reionization (EoR) experiments, for example, LOFAR, MWA and PAPER, are currently under way and producing results. These very deep observations not only set constraints on when and where the first sources formed in the early Universe and began (re)ionizing the predominantly neutral all-pervasive intergalactic medium, but they also provide high-quality data for cutting edge auxiliary foreground science. Obviously studying the physical origin of the foreground emission, whether Galactic or extragalactic, is a very exciting field in its own right and is of fundamental importance for perfecting the foreground removal techniques in the cosmological experiments. These proceedings of IAU S333 address both topics through giving the clearest and widest possible view on the EoR; presenting the state-of-the-art foreground science; and discussing challenges of upcoming and planned radio facilities such as HERA and SKA.

The Galactic Centre represents a unique and extreme environment in the Galaxy. It hosts the Milky Way's supermassive black hole, its most concentrated dense gas reservoir and its most extreme star-formation environment. The Galactic Centre is therefore our nearest analogue to both an active galactic nucleus (AGN) and a starburst system. IAU Symposium 322 explores the revolution in our understanding of the Galactic Centre, driven by novel instrumentation including NuSTAR, ALMA, EHT and, in the near future, the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA). A number of anomalous, non-thermal signals have recently been discovered emanating from the Inner Galaxy. This volume addresses the question: are these signatures of dark matter or other new physics, or symptoms of the region's unusual astrophysics? Graduate students and researchers at the interface between astrophysics and particle physics have much to learn from studying this unique region.

On 21 August 2017, over 100 million people will gather in a narrow belt across the USA to witness the most watched total solar eclipse in history. Eclipse - Journeys to the Dark Side of the Moon, written by the widely read popular science author Frank Close, describes the spellbinding allure of this most beautiful natural phenomenon. The book explains why eclipses happen, reveals their role in history, literature and myth, and focuses on eclipse chasers, who travel with ecstatic fervour to some of the most inaccessible places on the globe to be present at the moment of totality. The book includes the author's quest to solve a 3000 years old mystery: how did the moon move backwards during a total solar eclipse, as claimed in the Book of Joshua? It is an inspirational tale: how a teacher and an eclipse inspired the author, aged eight, to a life in science, and a love affair with eclipses, which takes him to a war zone in the Western Sahara, to the South Pacific and the African bush. The tale comes full circle with another eight-year old boy - the author's grandson - at the 2017 great American eclipse. Readers of all ages will be drawn to this inspirational chronicle of the mesmerizing experience of total solar eclipse.

Prepared by the Astronomical Society of Southern Africa for use by novice, amateur and professional astronomers, Sky Guide Africa South 2013 is a practical resource, offering information for the whole year on the movement of the planets, upcoming eclipses, the dates of meteor showers, as well as star charts to aid in identifying stars and constellations in the southern African night skies.

The book also presents a wealth of information in a clear and accessible way about the Sun, Moon, planets, comets, meteors and bright stars, with many supporting diagrams, charts, illustrations and images.

An annual publication, Sky Guide Africa South 2013 is an invaluable resource for anyone with an interest in the night skies of southern Africa; ‘… an absolute must for first-time star-gazers and professional astronomers alike’.

This is a George Adams' classic text, written in 1766, reprinted. George Adams (c. 1720-1773), optician and scientific writer, is best remembered as a maker of fine mathematical instruments and globes. He founded his eponymous company George Adams of London and was appointed Instrument Maker to the King. Late 18thC England witnessed the rise of an increasing public awareness of science, spreading beyond learned societies which found new devotees in royal courts, coffee houses, salons, lecture theatres, and in the homes of the gentry. "Science", no longer confined to the Royal Society of London, was transmitted by a growing body of lecturers and by the publication of ever more books, instruction manuals, and pamphlets on scientific subjects of which Adams' "Essay on the Use of Celestial & Terrestrial Globes" was a major publication of its time running to five editions between 1766 and 1808. This facsimile edition was first published by Pelican in 2006.

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 Heavens on Earth" explores the place of the observatory in nineteenth-century science and culture. Astronomy was a core pursuit for observatories, but usually not the only one. It belonged to a larger group of "observatory sciences" that also included geodesy, meteorology, geomagnetism, and even parts of physics and statistics. These pursuits coexisted in the nineteenth-century observatory; this collection surveys them as a coherent whole. Broadening the focus beyond the solitary astronomer at his telescope, it illuminates the observatory's importance to technological, military, political, and colonial undertakings, as well as in advancing and popularizing the mathematical, physical, and cosmological sciences.
The contributors examine "observatory techniques" developed and used not only in connection with observatories but also by instrument makers in their workshops, navy officers on ships, civil engineers in the field, and many others. These techniques included the calibration and coordination of precision instruments for making observations and taking measurements; methods of data acquisition and tabulation; and the production of maps, drawings, and photographs, as well as numerical, textual, and visual representations of the heavens and the earth. They also encompassed the social management of personnel within observatories, the coordination of international scientific collaborations, and interactions with dignitaries and the public. The state observatory occupied a particularly privileged place in the life of the city. With their imposing architecture and ancient traditions, state observatories served representative purposes for their patrons, whether as symbols of a monarch's enlightened power, a nation's industrial and scientific excellence, or republican progressive values. Focusing on observatory techniques in settings from Berlin, London, Paris, and Rome to Australia, Russia, Thailand, and the United States, "The Heavens on Earth" is a major contribution to the history of science.

"Contributors" David Aubin, Charlotte Bigg, Guy Boistel, Theresa Levitt, Massimo Mazzotti, Ole Molvig, Simon Schaffer, Martina Schiavon, H. Otto Sibum, Richard Staley, John Tresch, Simon Werrett, Sven Widmalm

Learn how to observe and navigate the night sky with this guide to stargazing for beginners! The dazzling reference book shines bright with crystal-clear charts of the planets, stars, and constellations in both the northern and southern hemispheres for each month of the year! It's perfect for anyone interested in stargazing and astronomy. This unique astronomy book explains and demystifies the changing night sky. It includes: - Illustrated overviews that introduce each month with a guide to the main attractions, such as bright stars, prominent constellations, and meteor showers - An introduction explains what the universe is, our place within it, how it appears to us in the night sky, and how our view of it changes with time and place - Each illustrated overview features a planet locator, showing the position of the planets during the month introduced - Charts that show the positions of all stars visible to the naked eye in even the darkest skies Discover a complete year-round atlas of the night sky! Filled with easy-to-use star charts showing the constellations, alongside specially commissioned artworks and photography, this space book has everything the budding astronomer needs to understand the night sky. You'll learn how to recognise different kinds of objects and see how they move through the sky over the course of the night and the year. Whether you're new to astronomy or a seasoned stargazer, The Night Sky Month by Month enables everyone to be awed by stargazing. It covers sky-watching without any equipment at all, as well as with the use of binoculars and telescopes. Plus, the newly updated edition features an astronomy calendar detailing the annual and one-off celestial events for the decade ahead, ensuring you'll never miss a visible planet or solar eclipse again. It's the perfect astronomy gift for adults fascinated with space.

Praise for Star Ware

"Star Ware is still a tour de force that any experienced amateur will find invaluable, and which hardware-minded beginners will thoroughly enjoy."

-- Robert Burnham, Sky & Telescope magazine

"Star Ware condenses between two covers what would normally take a telescope buyer many months to accumulate."

-- John Shibley, Astronomy magazine

Whether you're shopping for your first telescope or your fifth, don't be surprised if you feel overwhelmed by the dazzling array of product choices, bells and whistles, and the literature that describes them all. That's why you need Star Ware.

In this revised and updated Fourth Edition of the essential guide to comparing and selecting sky-watching equipment, award-winning astronomy writer Philip Harrington takes you telescope shopping the easy way. He analyzes and explains today's astronomy market and compares brands and models point by point. Star Ware gives you the confidence you need to buy the telescope and accessories that are right for you and the knowledge to get the most out of your new purchase, with:

Extensive, expanded reviews of leading models and accessories--including dozens of new products

A clear, step-by-step guide to every aspect of selecting telescopes, binoculars, filters, mounts, lenses, cameras, film, star charts, guides and references, and much more

Ten new do-it-yourself projects for building your own astronomical equipment

Easy tips on setting up, using, and caring for telescopes and other astronomical equipment

Lists of where to find everything astronomical, including Web sites and resources; distributors, dealers, and conventions; and corporate listings for products andservices

The dazzling vistas that the Hubble Space Telescope has recorded since its launch in 1990 are presented in this book, along with explanations of what exactly Hubble has seen during it's years in orbit. This Pocket Space Guide, #7 in the series, tells the complete Hubble story--from the program's shaky start to the extraordinary success that followed, inspiring bigger and better successors in the years to follow. Line drawings of its hardware offer a supplementary understanding of Hubble's technological development.

Provides novice to accomplished amateur astronomers with a firm grounding in the basics and successful use of digital astrophotography.

Provides examples of the best images, and gives readers hints and tips about how to get the best out of this extraordinary technology.

Experts in CCD astronomy from North America and Europe have contributed to this book, illustrating their help and advice with many beautiful colour images the book is in full color throughout.

Techniques range from using simple webcams to highly technical aspects such as supernovae patrolling.

Computer processing, stacking and image-enhancement are detailed, along with many hints and tips from the experts.

The Philip's Solar System Observer's Guide is a practical and colourful; introduction to our 'corner' of the Universe. It describes how to observe; not only the planets but also the Moon, Sun, comets, meteors, asteroids and; other objects found within our Solar System. It is aimed at users of; binoculars and small to medium telescopes. Each chapter is devoted to a different object, and in each case the author; explains how to find the object, how to observe it, what you can expect to; see and how you can record your observations. The chapters are illustrated; with digital images, photographs and sketches obtained by both amateur and; professional astronomers. Dates are provided for special events, such as eclipses, transits*, oppositions* and so on, where appropriate, so that the reader can make the; most of the best opportunities available. Where specialist equipment is; required - for example, when observing the Sun - this is clearly explained. A separate chapter provides an overview of the equipment and techniques; needed by most Solar System observers, and includes tips on dealing with; light pollution and poor seeing.

"This book is one that I can heartily recommend."--Sir Harold Spencer Jones, F. R. S., Astronomer Royal

This remarkable history encompasses not only the achievements of the early inventors and astronomers but also the less frequently recounted stories of the instrument makers and of the actual instruments. A model of unsurpassed, comprehensive scholarship, this volume covers many fields, including professional and amateur astronomy, optics, glass and lens technology, and the craft of the precision instrument. Based primarily on first-hand sources--the letters, memoirs, papers, and treatises of the men who worked with telescopes--the text is magnificently illustrated with nearly 200 portraits, diagrams, and photographs.

However deficient by modern standards was the astronomical knowledge of most early astronomers, one never ceases to wonder at the completeness and precision of some of their results, derived as they were from inaccurate observations made with the naked eye or with crude instruments. The main results of astronomy that could be discovered by the naked eye actually were discovered by the best ancient observers. "Planetary Systems from the Ancient Greeks to Kepler" describes the detailed technical models whereby astronomers prior to Newton accounted for their observations. Unlike histories of science that focus on the influence of great ideas, this book presents the actual substance of those ideas and details their elaboration and development. The exposition is as geometrical as possible, reflecting the original style of the ancients. The first chapter presents the general body of observational astronomy known to the ancients and forming the subject of their explanatory endeavors. Each of the following chapters concentrates on the work of a single astronomer - Eudoxus, Hipparchus, Ptolemy, Copernicus, Tycho, and Kepler - and provides biographical details, a detailed exposition of his astronomical system, and some evaluation of the astronomer's role in the history of astronomy. Theodor S. Jacobsen is professor emeritus of astronomy at the University of Washington.

A Walk through the Southern Sky is a beautifully illustrated guide to the stars and constellations of the southern hemisphere. By following the simplified and easy-to-use starmaps, readers will be able to identify constellations with no equipment but normal sight and a clear night sky. This book provides clear instructions on how to determine star sizes and the distances between stars, allowing readers to move easily between constellations. The budding astronomer is introduced to the mystery and wonder of the southern sky as the myths and legends of its stars and constellations are wondrously retold. The third edition of this magical book features a new moon map, an updated list of planet positions, additional illustrations and more realistic star maps. It is an invaluable and beautiful guide for beginner stargazers, both young and old.

Interpreting Astronomical Spectra D. Emerson Institute for Astronomy, Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Edingurgh "Interpreting Astronomical Spectra" describes how physical conditions such as temperature, density and composition can be obtained from the spectra of a broad range of astronomical environments ranging from the cold interstellar medium to very hot coronal gas and from stellar atmospheres to quasars. In this book the author has succeeded in providing a coherent and integrated approach to the interpretation of astronomical spectroscopy, placing the emphasis on the physical understanding of spectrum formation rather than on instrumental considerations. MKS units and consistent symbols are employed throughout so that the fundamental ideas common to diverse environments are made clear and the importance of different temperature ranges and densities can be seen. Aimed at senior undergraduates and graduates studying physics, astronomy and astrophysics, this book will also appeal to the professional astronomer.

There is deep mystery and profound satisfaction in finding your position on earth by reference to the sun, moon, and stars--not to mention profound relief when the GPS receiver stops working in mid-passage. That is why knowledge of celestial navigation is still a rite of initiation, and its practice still a favorite pastime among serious cruisers.

That this edition of Celestial Navigation for Yachtsmen should appear 44 years after the first British edition and 27 years after its first publication in the U.S. is eloquent testimony to the authors clear, concise explanation of a difficult skill. Through those years, Celestial Navigation for Yachtsmen has been the best-known, best-loved primer on the subject throughout the English-speaking world. It successfully teaches sailors who have been demoralized by bigger books. It remains the famous little book on celestial navigation.

Among other changes, this edition substitutes the Nautical Almanac for the Air Almanac, discusses the short tables based on H.O. 211, expands the discussion in a few areas, fine-tunes it in others, and shows how to advance a line of position for a running fix from sun sights. The only mathematics involved are straightforward addition and subtraction.

Celestial Navigation for Yachtsmen has spawned many imitators over the years, but its still the best--with this new edition more than ever.

This workshop brought together the leaders in the field of education in astronomy and explored the newly available technologies that can make astronomy a more powerful teaching tool for high school and undergraduate college students. Techniques include the use of automated telescopes, charge-coupled devices and a personal computer for image processing and data manipulation.

Astronomy has never been a more popular pastime than it is today. The increased availability of less expensive, more powerful, and more sophisticated telescopes has given rise to a new generation of stargazers. And for these beginning astronomers here is the comprehensive book covering everything from the difficult task of selecting an instrument to the equally daunting choices that arise when a telescope is turned to the heavens.

Renowned British astronomer and author James Muirden takes the fledgling astronomer by the hand in his new book, offering tips on:

* the purchase, assembly, and orientation of your new telescope
* how to observe and chart the Sun, Moon, planets, stars and comets
* how to investigate the deep-sky objects -- clusters, nebulae, and other galaxies beyond the Milky Way

The final chapter, "Windows into Space," explores ten carefully selected regions featuring noteworthy examples of double stars, galaxies, and nebulae, as well as more obscure objects seldom examined by astronomers.

How to Use an Astronomical Telescope offers completely revised and updated location charts with detailed coordinates, tables, appendixes, and numerous illustrations and photographs, making it the essential volume for one's first exploration of the cosmos.