This unique collaboration between a classicist and physicist at the University of Illinois at Chicago is the first work to combine the evidence from both China and Rome for the spectacular daylight comet of 44 BC, perhaps the most famous comet in antiquity. This investigation, which also examines allusions to this comet in astrological literature from later antiquity, sheds new light on the significance of the comet as a powerful symbol in the political propaganda that launched Augustus' career.

Jupiter is an extraordinarily colourful and dynamic planet. Over minutes, one can watch tiny shadows cast by its moons slide over its surface; over days and weeks parades of diverse, giant swirling storms can be seen to move and evolve. It is because of this richness of visual and physical properties that Jupiter has intrigued amateur and professional astronomers and has been the goal of several space missions. This highly illustrated volume provides a comprehensive and accessible account of Jupiter and its satellites. It reviews systematic telescopic observations that have stretched over more than a hundred years, in addition to modern observations and theories, and the wealth of data from the Pioneer, Voyager and Ulysses space missions. As well as a thorough survey of the planet's atmosphere, this volume presents an up-to-date account of our present knowledge of Jupiter's satellites and magnetosphere, at a level accessible to the non-specialist. This volume provides the definitive account of Jupiter for advanced amateur astronomers, professional astronomers and planetary scientists.

Philosophers and poets in times past tried to figure out why the stainless moon "smoothly polished, like a diamond" in Dante's words, had stains. The agreed solution was that, like a mirror, it reflected the imperfect Earth. Today we smile, but it was a clever way to understand the Moon in a manner that was consistent with the beliefs of their age. The Moon is no longer the "in" thing. We see it as often as the Sun and give it little thought - we've become indifferent. However, the Moon does reflect more than just sunlight. The Moon, or more precisely the nomenclature of lunar craters, still holds up a mirror to an important aspect of human history. Of the 1586 craters that have been named honoring philosophers and scientists, only 28 honor a woman. These 28 women of the Moon present us with an opportunity to meditate on this gap, but perhaps more significantly, they offer us an opportunity to talk about their lives, mostly unknown today.

This book is devoted to the most relevant issues in crystal chemistry and mineral typomorphism; the structure, physico-chemical and technological properties of minerals; and the computational modeling of mineral structure and properties. Considerable attention is paid to the latest advances in and applications of physical methods of investigation for mineral structure and composition, in particular, X-Ray diffraction, spectroscopic (optical, vibrational, ESR, Moessbauer, etc.) and microscopic (SEM, TEM, AFM, etc.) studies, as well as chemical and isotopic analysis methods. The current research trends in space and planetary mineralogy (meteorites, regolites, tektites) are also discussed. Though specifically intended for the specialist earth and planetary science readership, the book will be of interest to a broad range of scientists. It gathers the proceedings of the Tenth All-Russian Youth Scientific Conference "Minerals: structure, properties, methods of investigation." Jointly organized by the Institute of Geology and Geochemistry, the Institute of Mineralogy (Urals Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences) and Ural Federal University, the event was held in Ekaterinburg, Russia, on May 27-June 1, 2019.

Embark on an awe-inspiring and informative journey through our Solar System and beyond in this illuminating astronomy book! Discover how big the Universe is, why our view of the sky is constantly changing, what came before the Big Bang, and so much more. 3, 2, 1, blast off! Inside the pages of this comprehensive guide to astronomy for beginners, you'll discover: - Simple text and step-by-step graphics make astronomy easy to understand - Fun facts and tip-of-the-tongue questions are presented through bite-sized factoids and question-and-answer features - Clear explanations demystifying more advanced topics such as cosmic rays, dark matter, and black hole collisions An out-of-this-world reference book about space that introduces you to the weird and wonderful world of astronomy and space exploration. From the structure of the Milky Way to the Earth's nearest celestial body, the Moon, How Space Works takes you on an unforgettable tour through the stars and galaxies, and to the furthest reaches of space! Answering all your burning questions about space, from ancient white dwarf stars to the Mars Rover, this visual guide explains the basics of astronomy through bold graphics and step-by-step artworks. It's the ultimate book for armchair astronomers and space-technology enthusiasts looking for reliable and up-to-date facts and explanations. DK's How Things Work series uses dynamic graphics and jargon-free text to explain the modern world simply and clearly. Packed with fascinating facts and stats, these visual guides cover everything from science to philosophy, making complex topics more accessible than ever before!

Astrobiology involves the study of the origin and history of life on Earth, planets and moons where life may have arisen, and the search for extraterrestrial life. It combines the sciences of biology, chemistry, palaeontology, geology, planetary physics and astronomy. This textbook brings together world experts in each of these disciplines to provide the most comprehensive coverage of the field currently available. Topics cover the origin and evolution of life on Earth, the geological, physical and chemical conditions in which life might arise and the detection of extraterrestrial life on other planets and moons. The book also covers the history of our ideas on extraterrestrial life and the origin of life, as well as the ethical, philosophical and educational issues raised by astrobiology. Written to be accessible to students from diverse backgrounds, this text will be welcomed by advanced undergraduates and graduates who are taking astrobiology courses.

Babylon to Voyager and Beyond covers planetary research from the time of the Babylonians and Ancient Greeks through those of Kepler, Galileo and Newton to the modern era of space exploration. It outlines the key observational discoveries and theoretical developments in their historical context, covering not only the numerous successes but also the main failures. Planetary astronomy has come a long way since the Babylonians used their extensive numerical skills to predict the positions of the moon and planets. That progress is the story of this book, ending, as it does, with the considerable discoveries of the space age, and the discoveries of planets around other stars. This account will appeal to both amateur and professional astronomers, as well as those with an interest in the history of science.

Written by an experienced and well-known lunar observer, this is a hands-on primer for the aspiring observer of the Moon. Whether you are a novice or are already experienced in practical astronomy you will find plenty in this book to help you raise your game to the next level and beyond. In this thoroughly updated Second Edition, the author provides extensive practical advice and sophisticated background knowledge of the Moon and of lunar observation. It incorporates the latest developments in lunar imaging techniques, including digital photography, CCD imaging, and webcam observing, and essential advice on collimating all common types of telescope. Learn what scientists have discovered about our Moon, and what mysteries remain still to be solved. Find out how you can take part in the efforts to solve these mysteries, as well as enjoying the Moon's spectacular magnificence for yourself!

Sample Return Missions: The Last Frontier of Solar System Exploration examines the discoveries and results obtained from sample return missions of the past, present, and future. It analyses the results in the context of the current state of knowledge and their relation to the formation and evolution of planetary bodies, as well as to the available technologies and techniques. It provides detailed descriptions of experimental procedures applied to returned samples. Beginning with an overview of previous missions, Sample Return Missions then goes on to provide an overview of facilities throughout the world used to analyze the returned samples. Finally, it addresses techniques for collection, transport, and analysis of the samples, with an additional focus on lessons learned and future perspectives. Providing an in-depth examination of a variety of missions, with both scientific and engineering implications, this book is an important resource for the planetary science community, as well as the experimentalist and engineering communities.

Part of everyday life, yet rich in symbolic meaning, renderings of the sun and the moon are present in all folk and tribal art traditions of India. They are always in relationship with each other. Agrarian societies keep track of time by referring to markers in the seasonal variations of the sun, moon, and the planets. Over the course of time, they have also woven wonderful stories and myths around them. Here, for the first time, is a collection of unusual stories and exquisite art from some of the finest living artists, on this most universal of themes.

With the Hubble Space Telepscope's next servicing mission still uncertain, identifying the most crucial science to be performed by this superb telescope has become of paramount importance. With this goal in mind, this book presents a review of some of the most important open questions in astronomy today. World experts examine topics ranging from extrasolar planets and star formation to supermassive black holes and the reionization of the universe. Special emphasis is placed on what astronomical observations should be carried out during the next few years to enable breakthroughs in our understanding of a complex and dynamic universe. In particular, the reviewers attempt to identify those topics to which the Hubble Space Telescope can uniquely contribute. The special emphasis on future research makes this book an essential resource for both professional researchers and graduate students in astronomy and astrophysics.

This completely rewritten new edition begins with an historical perspective of the place of the solar system in the universe. Evidence from meteorites is used to describe how the planets were formed and the giant planets are considered in the light of the discovery of new extrasolar giants. Other chapters discuss satellites, comets, centaurs, asteroids and why Pluto is not a planet. Explanations on why Earth and Venus turned out so differently, and how Mars and Mercury are the survivors of many similar bodies, are also discussed. The formation of the Moon in a giant impact leads to an assessment of the importance of collisions and impacts in the solar system. It is concluded that our solar system is the end product of many accidental and chance events. This leads to the philosophical discussion of whether planets like our Earth are likely to be found elsewhere in the universe.

Chondrites are the largest group of meteorites. They can provide unique insights into the origins and early evolution of our Solar System, and even into the relationships between our Solar System and other stars in the vicinity of our Sun. The largest structural components of most chondrites are the glass-bearing chondrules, and there are numerous theories for their origin. This clear and systematic text summarizes the ideas surrounding the origin and history of chondrules and chondrites, drawing on research from the various scientific disciplines involved. With citations to a large number of published papers on the topic, it forms a comprehensive bibliography of the key research areas, and extensive illustrations provide a clear visual representation of the scientific theories. This text will be a valuable reference for graduate students and researchers in planetary science, geology, and astronomy.

This SpringerBrief explores the technological, economic, physiological, and psychological comparisons between a journey to the Moon versus a journey to Mars, taking into consideration the national and international perspectives at play. The author spent over six years interviewing leading space experts from around the world to learn why lunar habitats and the creation of a permanent presence on the Moon are an essential next step to human exploration and settlement in space. Practical reasons related to energy, telecommunications and networking, robotic systems, medical and scientific research, material processing, and more show why it must be the Moon First and Mars Second. These findings and recommendations have been adopted by current NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, as well as the current U. S. president. The research in this text reflects the author's experiences working internally within NASA Headquarters, the FAA Commercial Spaceflight Office, as well as the International Space University. It is partially based on Reneau's award-winning Harvard thesis in conjunction with her Master's in International Relations.

Solar energetic particles (SEPs) emitted from the Sun are a major space weather hazard motivating the development of predictive capabilities. This book presents the results and findings of the HESPERIA (High Energy Solar Particle Events forecasting and Analysis) project of the EU HORIZON 2020 programme. It discusses the forecasting operational tools developed within the project, and presents progress to SEP research contributed by HESPERIA both from the observational as well as the SEP modelling perspective. Using multi-frequency observational data and simulations HESPERIA investigated the chain of processes from particle acceleration in the corona, particle transport in the magnetically complex corona and interplanetary space, to the detection near 1 AU. The book also elaborates on the unique software that has been constructed for inverting observations of relativistic SEPs to physical parameters that can be compared with space-borne measurements at lower energies. Introductory and pedagogical material included in the book make it accessible to students at graduate level and will be useful as background material for Space Physics and Space Weather courses with emphasis on Solar Energetic Particle Event Forecasting and Analysis. This book is published with open access under a CC BY license.

This book provides the latest scientific understanding of the Sun, sharing insights gleaned from the international solar physics project Hinode. The authors (who are the main project contributors) review, from the various viewpoints, the discoveries and advances made by the on-orbit operations of the Hinode spacecraft in its first decade. Further, they present a wealth of scientifically important photographs and data from Hinode. Launched in September 2006, Hinode is the third Japanese solar observatory on orbit, and employs three highly advanced telescopes jointly developed and operated with international partners. The book describes the background of these research topics, how the Hinode telescopes have tackled various challenges, and the scientific achievements and impacts in the first 10 years. Furthermore, it explores future perspective of researches in Japan. The book will benefit undergraduate students interested in recent advance in the solar research, as well as graduate students and researchers working in solar physics, the space sciences, astronomy, and plasma physics.

An enthralling exploration of the star on our doorstep, charting the journey from ancient superstition to the deep scientific mysteries yet to be resolved. The Sun examines how we've come to understand the features and processes at work in our star, starting with the earliest observations of mysterious sunspots and ending with the rich and complex investigation of the connected Sun-Earth system. It reveals the interconnected sciences involved in finding out more about the Sun and the practical importance of doing so for our modern world. It's a slow-burn tale of scientific discovery!

This book serves as both a primer to astronomical polarimetry and an authoritative overview of its application to various types of astronomical objects from AGN, compact stars, binary systems, stars across the HR diagram, transients, the interstellar medium and solar system bodies. It starts with an historical perspective, a discussion of polarimetric theory, instrumentation and techniques in wave bands from the near infrared to gamma rays. The book presents the state of the art in astronomical polarimetry. It is motivated by the new X-ray polarimeters due to be launched in the next four years and improved optical polarimeters on large telescopes requiring a new analysis of polarimetric theory, methodology and results.This book will be suitable as advanced undergraduate companion text, a primer for graduate students and all researchers with an interest in astronomical polarimetry.

With the discovery in 1995 of the first planet orbiting another star, we now realize that planets are not unique to our own Solar System. For centuries, humanity has wondered whether we are alone in the Universe. We are now finally one step closer to knowing the answer. The quest for exoplanets is an exciting one because it holds the possibility that one day we might find life elsewhere in the Universe, born in the light of another sun. Written from the perspective of one of the pioneers of this scientific adventure, this exciting account describes the development of the modern observing technique that has enabled astronomers to find so many planets orbiting around other stars. It reveals the wealth of new planets that have now been discovered outside our Solar System, and the meaning of this finding as it concerns other life in the Universe. Michel Mayor is Director of the Observatory of Geneva, Switzerland. In 1995, together with Didier Queloz, he discovered the first extrasolar planet (51 Peg b) around a main sequence star, and has discovered many more since. His work earned him the prestigious Balzan Prize in 2000, for Instrumentation and Techniques in Astronomy and Astrophysics. Pierre-Yves Frei is a science journalist with the Swiss newspaper, Lausanne Hebdo. In 1998 he was awarded the Media Prize of the Swiss Natural Sciences Academy for science popularization. Boud Roukema is the translator.

This book presents two important new findings. First, it demonstrates from first principles that turbulent heating offers an explanation for the non-adiabatic decay of proton temperature in solar wind. Until now, this was only proved with reduced or phenomenological models. Second, the book demonstrates that the two types of anisotropy of turbulent fluctuations that are observed in solar wind at 1AU originate not only from two distinct classes of conditions near the Sun but also from the imbalance in Alfven wave populations. These anisotropies do not affect the overall turbulent heating if we take into account the relation observed in solar wind between anisotropy and Alfven wave imbalance. In terms of the methods used to obtain these achievements, the author shows the need to find a very delicate balance between turbulent decay and expansion losses, so as to directly solve the magnetohydrodynamic equations, including the wind expansion effects.

This volume comprises a selection of papers describing the main features of the Lanzarote and Chinijo Islands Geopark (Canary Archipelago, Spain). Of all the Global Geoparks worldwide, it is the only one that has officially evaluated and characterized specific areas as analogues for the geological and astrobiological exploration of Mars. The identification and characterization of terrestrial sites that can be used as planetary analogues are currently considered vital study areas of planetary geology and astrobiology. Written by experts in the various fields, this multidisciplinary book is a unique resource for graduate students and professionals alike.

Lifting Titan's Veil is a revealing account of the second largest moon in our solar system. This world in orbit around Saturn is the only body in the solar system with an atmosphere strikingly similar to Earth's. Titan is like a giant frozen laboratory that may help scientists understand the first chemical steps towards the origin of life. Beginning with its discovery in 1655, the authors describe our current knowledge of Titan, including observations made before the space age, results from the Voyager missions of the 1980s, and recent revelations from the world's most advanced telescopes. In Lifting Titan's Veil, Ralph Lorenz includes his personal experiences in preparing for the Cassini mission, which will reach Saturn in 2004 and release the Huygens probe into Titan's atmosphere in 2005. A splendid introduction to Titan, this book will appeal to anyone interested in astronomical discovery and space exploration. Ralph Lorenz trained as an engineer and worked for the European Space Agency at the very beginning of the Huygens project. Since obtaining a PhD at the University of Kent, England, he has worked as a planetary scientist at the University of Arizona, Tucson. His research interests focus on Titan, but also include climatology, radar, impact dynamics and spacecraft and instrumentation design. He has been involved in NASA's largest planetary mission (Cassini) and its smallest (the DS-2 Mars Microprobes). Jacqueline Mitton obtained a Ph.D in astrophysics from the University of Cambridge, and is now a full-time writer and media consultant specializing in astronomy. She has served as Press Officer for the Royal Astonomical Society since 1989, and was Editor of the Journal of the British Astronomical Association 1989-1993. She has written or co-authored sixteen published astronomy books, the most recent, The Cambridge Dictionary of Astronomy (2001).

This book includes the proceedings of the conference "Problems of the Geocosmos" held by the Earth Physics Department, St. Petersburg State University, Russia, every two years since 1996. Covering a broad range of topics in solid Earth physics and solar-terrestrial physics, as well as more applied subjects such as engineering geology and ecology, the book reviews the latest research in planetary geophysics, focusing on the interaction between the Earth's shells and the near-Earth space in a unified system. This book is divided into four sections: * Exploration and Environmental Geophysics (EG), which covers two broad areas of environmental and engineering geophysics - near-surface research and deep geoelectric studies; * Paleomagnetism and Rock Magnetism (P), which includes research on magnetostratigraphy, paleomagnetism applied to tectonics, environmental magnetism, and marine magnetic anomalies; * Seismology (S), which covers the theory of seismic wave propagation, Earth's structure from seismic data, global and regional seismicity and sources of earthquakes, and novel seismic instruments and data processing methods; and * Physics of Solar-Terrestrial Connections (STP), which includes magnetospheric phenomena, space weather, and the interrelationship between solar activity and climate.

A unique pictorial history of astronomical exploration from the earliest prehistoric observatories to the latest satellite images

With 280 spectacular images and an inspiring story imparting the excitement of discovery, Sun and Moon marks the anniversary of the first moon landing by Apollo 11 in July 1969, and the 40th anniversary of NASA's geological survey of the moon, with its extraordinary cartography.

It illustrates how the development of photography and cartography - the means of documenting other worlds - is linked indelibly to the charting of the heavens, from the first image on a glass plate to the Hubble Space Telescope.

Sun and Moon is the gift of the season for anyone who has ever gazed at the stars or looked through a telescope.

Here is an informative, up-to-date and well-illustrated guide to planetary observations for amateurs. After chapters on the solar system and the celestial sphere, the text explains how to choose, test and use a telescope with various accessories and how to make observations and record results. For each planet and the asteroids, Price gives details of observational techniques, together with suggestions for how to make contributions of sound astronomical value. From a general description and detailed observational history of each planet, readers learn how to anticipate what they should see and assess their own observations. New to this edition is a chapter on planetary photography that includes the revolutionary use of videography, charge coupled devices and video-assisted drawing. Another new feature is a section on the Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud. Other chapters on making maps and planispheres and on photoelectric photometry round out the book's up-to-date treatment, making this indispensable reading for both casual and serious observer alike.