Voted the Best Space Book of 2018 by the Space Hipsters The dramatic inside story of the epic search and recovery operation after the Columbia space shuttle disaster. On February 1, 2003, Columbia disintegrated on reentry before the nation's eyes, and all seven astronauts aboard were lost. Author Mike Leinbach, Launch Director of the space shuttle program at NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center was a key leader in the search and recovery effort as NASA, FEMA, the FBI, the US Forest Service, and dozens more federal, state, and local agencies combed an area of rural east Texas the size of Rhode Island for every piece of the shuttle and her crew they could find. Assisted by hundreds of volunteers, it would become the largest ground search operation in US history. This comprehensive account is told in four parts: Parallel Confusion Courage, Compassion, and Commitment Picking Up the Pieces A Bittersweet Victory For the first time, here is the definitive inside story of the Columbia disaster and recovery and the inspiring message it ultimately holds. In the aftermath of tragedy, people and communities came together to help bring home the remains of the crew and nearly 40 percent of shuttle, an effort that was instrumental in piecing together what happened so the shuttle program could return to flight and complete the International Space Station. Bringing Columbia Home shares the deeply personal stories that emerged as NASA employees looked for lost colleagues and searchers overcame immense physical, logistical, and emotional challenges and worked together to accomplish the impossible. Featuring a foreword and epilogue by astronauts Robert Crippen and Eileen Collins, and dedicated to the astronauts and recovery search persons who lost their lives, this is an incredible, compelling narrative about the best of humanity in the darkest of times and about how a failure at the pinnacle of human achievement became a story of cooperation and hope.

Behold the moon in all its glory with this 54-card set of deluxe playing cards featuring phases of the moon as well as iconic Lunar modules.

Top ten Sunday Times Bestseller 'Engaging, ambitious and creative' Guardian Where are we? Are we alone? Who are we? Why are we here? What is our future? Human Universe tackles some of the greatest questions that humans have asked to try and understand the very nature of ourselves and the Universe in which we live. Through the endless leaps of human minds, it explores the extraordinary depth of our knowledge today and where our curiosity may lead us in the future. With groundbreaking insight it reveals how time, physics and chemistry came together to create a creature that can wonder at its own existence, blessed with an unquenchable thirst to discover not just where it came from, but how it can think, where it is going and if it is alone. Accompanies the acclaimed BBC TV series.

Astronomy on the Personal Computer provides the reader with a thorough introduction to the computation of celestial mechanics, which is of particular significance to astronomical observation. Covering everything from astronomical and computational theory to the construction of rapid and accurate applications programs, this book supplies the necessary knowledge and software solutions for determining and predicting the positions of the Sun, Moon, planets, minor planets and comets, solar eclipses, stellar occultations by the Moon, phases of the Moon and much more. This completely revised edition makes use of the widely implemented programming language C++, and individual applications may be efficiently realized through the use of a powerful module library. The accompanying CD-ROM contains, in addition to the complete, fully documented and commented source codes, the executable programs for use with the Windows 95/98/NT and Linux operating systems.

The Photographic Atlas of the Stars contains 50, high-quality full color photographs of the entire night sky of the northern and southern hemispheres. Each plate is accompanied by a star map of the identical area, which identifies the main stars of the constituent constellations as well as other interesting astronomical objects. In addition to this detail, Sir Patrick Moore has written a commentary for each plate that highlights the stars and objects of interest to observers equipped with binoculars and that includes detailed tabular information on astronomical objects of the region. The resulting double-page spread provides an invaluable reference for the amateur astronomer, detailing the constellations and other heavenly bodies of interest that are observable with the naked eye, binoculars, or a small telescope.

NASA Gemini Owners' Workshop Manual 1965-1966 (all missions, all models) An insight into NASA's Gemini spacecraft, the precursor to Apollo and the key to the Moon David Woods and David M. Harland NASA's Gemini space flight programme followed on from the pioneering Mercury missions which put the first US astronauts into space. The Gemini spacecraft was an agile flying machine for fighter pilots, which gave the US the tool it needed to fly into space, and in doing so prepared NASA to travel to the Moon. In a breathless series of 10 manned flights spread across only 20 months of 1965 and 1966, Gemini propelled NASA from being a tentative, inexperienced space agency to a tough, competent and confident organisation that could send astronauts to another world. This Manual celebrates this important spacecraft with a thorough look at the technologies and techniques that were developed for the programme during its heyday.

Seeing Stars is written for astronomers, regardless of the depth of their theoretical knowledge, who are taking their first steps in observational astronomy. Chris Kitchin and Bob Forrest - both professional astronomers - take a conducted tour of the night sky and suggest suitable observing programmes for everyone from beginners to experts. How is this book different? We are all familiar with the beautiful images of planets and galaxies obtained by spacecraft and giant telescopes - but what can you really see with a small telescope? What should you expect from a small refractor or reflector? And what is the effect of observing from a site near a city? The answers are all here, with many photographs that will illustrate exactly what can be seen with different instruments (everything from the naked eye to a 300mm telescope) - and from different locations.

This work is the story of 15 billion years of cosmic evolution, transforming matter and life into consciousness, how science and civilization grew up together and the forces and individuals who helped shape modern science. The book aims to make scientific ideas accesssible and exciting. It is based on the television series of the same name. Subjects covered include the ancient library of Alexandria, the death of the sun, the evolution of galaxies, space missions and hieroglyphics.

Travelling from the edge of our Solar System, through the Milky Way and to the outer edges of the observable universe, Deep Space is a spectacular photographic guide to galaxies, nebulae, supernova, clusters, black holes and quasars. Learn about the birth of stars in our own galaxy, planets beyond our own solar system, when they were first discovered and how we have managed to photograph these places. Ranging from the Magellanic Clouds within the Milky Way to stellar life cycles, from other spiral galaxies such as the Andromeda Galaxy, to the Sombrero Galaxy, and from nebulae such as the Pillars of Creation to black and white dwarfs, this is accessibly written for the general reader to grasp the science and magnitude of deep space. Featuring 200 outstanding colour photographs and expert captions, Deep Space is most certainly out of this world.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE 2021 FINALIST FOR THE PEN/E.O. WILSON LITERARY SCIENCE WRITING AWARD AN AMAZON BEST BOOK OF 2020 To be an astronomer is to journey to some of the most inaccessible parts of the globe, braving mountain passes, sub-zero temperatures, and hostile flora and fauna. Not to mention the stress of handling equipment worth millions. It is a life of unique delights and absurdities ... and one that may be drawing to a close. Since Galileo first pointed his telescope at the heavens, astronomy has stood as a fount of human creativity and discovery, but soon it will be the robots gazing at the sky while we are left to sift through the data. In The Last Stargazers, Emily Levesque reveals the hidden world of the professional astronomer. She celebrates an era of ingenuity and curiosity, and asks us to think twice before we cast aside our sense of wonder at the universe.

Astronomer Royal Martin Rees shows how the behaviour and origins of the universe can be explained by just six numbers. How did a single genesis event create billions of galaxies, black holes, stars and planets? How did atoms assemble - here on Earth, and perhaps on other worlds - into living beings intricate enough to ponder their origins? This book describes the recent avalanche of discoveries about the universe's fundamental laws, and the deep connections that exist between stars and atoms - the cosmos and the microscopic world. Just six numbers, imprinted in the big bang, determine the essence of our world, and this book devotes one chapter to explaining each.

Nothing captivates the human imagination like the vast unknowns of space. Ancient petroglyphs present renderings of the heavens, proof that we have been gazing up at the stars with wonder for thousands of years. Since then, mankind has systematically expanded our cosmic possibilities. What were once flights of fancy and dreams of science fiction writers have become nearly routine - a continuous human presence orbiting the Earth, probes flying beyond our solar system, and men walking on the moon. NASA and the Russian space program make traveling to the stars look easy, but it has been far from that. Space travel is a sometimes heroic, sometimes humorous, and always dangerous journey fraught with perils around every corner that most of us have never heard of or have long since forgotten. Space Oddities brings these unknown, offbeat, and obscure stories of space to life. From the showmanship and bravado of the earliest known space fatality, German Max Valier, to the first ever indictment under the Espionage Act on an Army officer who leaked secrets concerning the development of early U.S. rockets; and the story of a single loose bolt that defeated the Soviet Union's attempt to beat America to the moon. Author Joe Cuhaj also sheds light on the human aspects of space travel that have remained industry secrets - until now: how the tradition of using a musical playlist to wake astronauts up began, fascinating tales about inventions like the Fischer Space Pen, Omega watches, and even Tang breakfast drink. In addition to fun and entertaining space trivia, Space Oddities also features stories of the profound impact that space travel has had on challenges right here at home, like the effort by civil rights leaders and activists in the 1960s to bring the money from the space program back home to those in need on Earth; NASA's FLATs (First Lady Astronaut Training) program and the 25 women who were selected to become astronauts in 1960, but were denied a chance at flying even after successfully completing the rigorous astronaut training program; and, the animals who many times sacrificed their lives to prove that man could fly in space. Filled with rare and little-known stories, Space Oddities will bring the final frontier to the homes of diehard space readers and armchair astronauts alike.

This book with its clear explanation of the nature of the universe assumes no prior knowledge of astronomy or cosmology and so will attract interested public and new amateur astronomers.It provides much more on large-scale structures than other popular-level cosmology books. The mix of cosmology /large scale structures/anthropic principle and perspective on the universe should, as far as the author knows, be unique. A special colour feature incorporated in the book will offer three-dimensional views of the surrounding universe to ever greater depths.

A brand-new edition of this bestselling Gem, featuring individual charts for all 88 constellations, a star atlas of the entire sky and details of the brightest stars and objects of interest which can be seen with the naked eye, binoculars and small telescopes. Collins Gem Stars provides details of all 88 constellations of the Northern and Southern hemispheres, complete with star charts and a star atlas of the entire sky, ideal for practical observation of the stars throughout the world all year round.

View your favorite constellations anytime, anywhere with the Tiny Planetarium! Bring the mystery and wonder of the night sky to your office or home with this charming miniature constellation projector! This kit includes: - a 3" star projector with a disk including 12 Hellenistic constellations - a 48-page illustrated mini book about the mythology and lore behind each constellation

Has anyone ever seen with their own eyes that the Earth goes around the sun? Even to this day, no one has. However, 500 and even 2000 years ago, some astronomers managed to point out that this is the case. At that time, people's range of activities was strictly confined, the technology and tools used were extremely primitive, and many of the mathematical methods used today had not been developed. How did those astronomers make and verify this discovery? This book explains this exciting demonstration process. It enables anyone with a basic junior-high-school knowledge of geometry and a certain degree of spatial imagination to understand this and other interesting discoveries in the solar system. By demonstrating this interesting process, the book not only satisfies readers' curiosity using the simplest mathematics, but also inspires them to explore the new and unknown world.

As seen in the major Netflix documentary `Mercury 13' In 1961, Wally Funk was among the Mercury 13, the first group of American pilots to pass the `Woman in Space' programme. Wally sailed through a series of rigorous physical and mental tests, with one of her scores beating all the male Mercury 7 astronauts', including John Glenn's, the first American in orbit. But just one week before the final phase of training, the programme was abruptly cancelled. A combination of politics and prejudice meant that none of the women ever flew into space. Undeterred, Wally went on to become America's first female aviation safety inspector, though her dream of being an astronaut never dimmed. In this offbeat odyssey, journalist and fellow space enthusiast Sue Nelson joins Wally, now approaching her eightieth birthday, as she races to make her own giant leap before it's too late. Covering their travels across the United States and Europe - taking in NASA's mission control in Houston, the European Space Agency's HQ in Paris and Spaceport America in New Mexico, where Wally's ride into space awaits - this is a uniquely intimate and entertaining portrait of a true aviation trailblazer.

Venus draws a beautiful pentagram around Earth every eight years. Jupiter's two largest moons draw a perfect four-fold flower. The Planets grandly play out the slow Music of the Spheres. Is there a secret structure hidden in the Solar System? Packed with great illustrations and serious research from many sources, this internationally bestselling little book by cosmologist John Martineau will instantly retune your cosmological circuits to the extraordinary and primary patterns behind Life, the Universe and Everything. WOODEN BOOKS are small but packed with information. "Fascinating" FINANCIAL TIMES. "Beautiful" LONDON REVIEW OF BOOKS. "Rich and Artful" THE LANCET. "Genuinely mind-expanding" FORTEAN TIMES. "Excellent" NEW SCIENTIST. "Stunning" NEW YORK TIMES. Small books, big ideas.

The cycle of day and night and the cycle of seasons are two familiar natural cycles around which many human activities are organized. But is there a third natural cycle of importance for us humans? On 13 March 1989, six million people in Canada went without electricity for many hours: a large explosion on the sun was discovered as the cause of this blackout. Such explosions occur above sunspots, dark features on the surface of the Sun that have been observed through telescopes since the time of Galileo. The number of sunspots has been found to wax and wane over a period of 11 years. Although this cycle was discovered less than two centuries ago, it is becoming increasingly important for us as human society becomes more dependent on technology. For nearly a century after its discovery, the cause of the sunspot cycle remained completely shrouded in mystery. The 1908 discovery of strong magnetic fields in sunspots made it clear that the 11-year cycle is the magnetic cycle of the sun. It is only during the last few decades that major developments in plasma physics have at last given us the clue to the origins of the cycle and how the large explosions affecting the earth arise. Nature's Third Cycle discusses the fascinating science behind the sunspot cycle, and gives an insider's perspective of this cutting-edge scientific research from one of the leaders of the field.

The nature and essence of Dark Matter and Dark Energy have become the central issue in modern cosmology over the past years. This extensive volume, an outgrowth of a topical and tutorial summer school, has been set up with the aim of constituting an advanced-level, multi-authored textbook which meets the needs of both postgraduate students and young researchers in the fields of modern cosmology and astrophysics.

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.