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

In April 1970, during the glory days of the Apollo space program, NASA sent Navy Captain Jim Lovell and two other astronauts on America's fifth mission to the moon. Only fifty-five hours into the flight of Apollo 13, disaster struck: a mysterious explosion rocked the ship, and soon its oxygen and power began draining away. Written with all the color and drama of the best fiction, APOLLO 13 (previously published as Lost Moon) tells the full story of the moon shot that almost ended in catastrophe. Minutes after the explosion, the three astronauts are forced to abandon the main ship for the lunar module, a tiny craft designed to keep two men alive for just two days. As the hours tick away, the narrative shifts from the crippled spacecraft to Mission Control, from engineers searching desperately for a way to fix the ship to Lovell's wife and children praying for his safe return. The entire nation watches as one crisis after another is met and overcome. By the time the ship splashes down in the Pacific, we understand why the heroic effort to rescue Lovell and his crew is considered by many to be NASA's finest hour. Now, thirty years after the launch of the mission, Jim Lovell and coauthor Jeffrey Kluger add a new preface and never-before-seen photographs to Apollo 13. In their preface, they offer an incisive look at America's waxing and waning love affair with space exploration during the past three decades, culminating only recently when the Apollo 13 spacecraft itself, long consigned to an aviation museum outside Paris, was at last returned to its rightful home in the United States. As inspiring today as it was thirty years ago, the story of Apollo 13 is a timeless tribute to the enduring American spirit and sparkling individual heroism.

For centuries humanity has engaged in a virtual exploration of space through astronomical observation, aided by astounding scientific and technological advances. In more than sixty years since the launch of Sputnik 1 in 1957, more than 6,000 functioning satellites have been launched into Earth's orbit and beyond - some to the farthest reaches of the Solar System - and more than 540 people have travelled into space. Unprecedented in its chronological and geographical scope, this book charts the history of space exploration from the first gunpowder rockets through the Moon landings, and into a future of space tourism. Numerous sidebars focus on the key individuals and inventions that brought us closer to the farthest reaches of the universe. Filled with astonishing images from the Smithsonian, NASA archives and other international collections, this is the first in-depth, fully illustrated survey of this universal human journey.

Every night, above our heads, a drama of epic proportions is playing out. Diamond planets, zombie stars, black holes heavier than a billion Suns. The cast of characters is extraordinary, and each one has its own incredible story to tell. We once thought of our Earth as unique, but we have now discovered thousands of alien planets, and that's barely a fraction of the worlds that are out there. And there are more stars in the Universe than grains of sand on every planet in the Solar System. But amid all this vastness, the Milky Way Galaxy, our Sun and the Earth are home to the only known life in the Universe - at least for now. With a foreword from Professor Brian Cox, and access to all the latest stunning NASA photography, Andrew Cohen takes readers on a voyage of discovery, via the probes and telescopes exploring the outer reaches of our galaxy, revealing how it was formed and how it will inevitably be destroyed by the enigmatic black hole at its heart. And beyond our galaxy, the expanding Universe, which holds clues to the biggest mystery of all - how did it all begin? We now know more about those first moments of existence than we ever thought possible, and hidden in this story of how it all began are the clues to the fate of the Universe itself and everything in it.

Astronomy, especially naked-eye astronomy, is a wonderful way for children and young people to engage with the world and universe around them. Many children quickly become fascinated with stars, planets and comets, learning skills that also help them develop generally. This book is a perfect introduction to astronomy for any child, whether or not they have a telescope. It explains the visible constellations and then explores the sun, moon, planets, comets and meteorites. Colour illustrations and diagrams at every stage help children relate what they are reading to what they can see in the sky. Suitable for budding astronomers in both the northern and southern hemispheres, and in polar, temperate or tropical latitudes (i.e., everywhere), this is an ideal introduction the wonders of stargazing.

Everything you ever wanted to know about the universe - and our place within it - in one mind-expanding and highly accessible book. ___ What happens inside black holes? Is dark matter real? Could we do anything to prevent being wiped out by an approaching asteroid? Will our explorations of our neighbouring planets reveal life or a new place to settle? What can observations of stars reveal about our origins - and our future? Professor Andrew Newsam draws on his vast expertise to show us what's going on beyond the limits of our planet, from our solar system to distant galaxies - and what this tells us about our own place in this vast expanse called 'the Universe'. From glowing nebulae to the sweeping majesty of the Milky Way, Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Universe will spark your curiosity and help you make sense of the amazing discoveries and fascinating mysteries of the cosmos. 'Unpatronizing, direct and comprehensible.' BBC Sky at Night Magazine

Take your seats for the greatest tour ever - one that encompasses the whole of the Universe. En route, we stop off to gaze at 100 amazing sights - from asteroids to zodiacal dust and from orbit around the Earth to beyond the most distant galaxies. We start right here on Earth, and your tour guides are cosmic voyagers Patrick Moore, Brian May and Chris Lintott: Patrick is a lifelong lunar specialist; Brian is the leading authority on dust in our solar system, and Chris researches the formation of stars and galaxies.

Every night, a pageant of Greek mythology circles overhead. Perseus flies to the rescue of Andromeda, Orion faces the charge of the snorting Bull, and the ship of the Argonauts sails in search of the Golden Fleece. Constellations are the invention of human imagination, not of nature. They are an expression of the human desire to impress its own order upon the apparent chaos of the night sky. Modern science tells us that these twinkling points of light are glowing balls of gas, but the ancient Greeks, to whom we owe many of our constellations, knew nothing of this. Ian Ridpath, award-winning astronomy writer and popularizer, has been intrigued by the myths of the stars for many years. Star Tales is the first modern guide to combine all the fascinating myths in one book, illustrated with the beautiful and evocative engravings from two of the leading star atlases: Johann Bode's Uranographia of 1801 and John Flamsteed's Atlas Coelestis of 1729. This classic book, now in a revised and expanded edition, presents additional information on the constellations with new and enchanting illustrations. For anyone interested in the stars and classical mythology, for anyone who is an armchair astronomer, this is the perfect gift.

Explore the night skies with this beautiful illustrated monthly guide to the stars and planets. This large-format almanac allows you to step outside and track the planets, locate the Milky Way, recognise the constellations of the zodiac and watch meteor showers. Stargazers' Almanac 2023 is a beautiful month-by-month guide to the night skies. It's designed specifically for naked-eye astronomy -- no telescope required! -- making it ideal for beginners, children and backyard astronomers. It is a perennially popular Christmas gift -- and one which lasts the whole year round. Each monthly chart features two views of the night sky, looking north and south, and a visual guide to the phases of the moon and the movements of the planets. Stargazers' Almanac 2023 also features: -- Advice on how to navigate the night sky -- Overhead reference map of the sky -- Reference plan of constellations -- Glossary of constellations and Latin names -- Glossary of brightness of stars -- Guide to the signs of the zodiac and how they relate to the stars -- Loop and eyelet for easy wall hanging; presented in a sturdy cardboard gift envelope -- Printed on sustainably sourced FSC paper using plant-based inks which reduces chemical emissions and makes this almanac easier to recycle Suitable for astronomy enthusiasts throughout the Northern Hemisphere's temperate (non-tropical) latitudes.

This book tells the story of the catastrophic impact of the giant 10 Km asteroid Chicxulub into the ancient Gulf of Mexico 65.5 million years ago. The book begins with a discussion of the nature of asteroids and the likelihood of future Earth-impacts. The story then turns to the discovery of a global sediment layer attributed to the fallout from the impact and a piecing together of the evidence that revealed a monster crater, buried under the Gulf. Reviewed is the myriad of geological and fossil evidence that suggested the disastrous sequence of events occurring when a "nuclear-like" explosion ripped through the sea, Earth, and atmosphere, thus forming the mega-crater and tsunami. The aftermath of the Chicxulub's event initiated decades and more of major global climate changes including a "Nuclear Winter" of freezing darkness and blistering greenhouse warming. A chapter is dedicated to the science of tsunamis and their model generation, including a portrayal of the globally rampaging Chicxulub waves. The asteroid's global devastation killed off some 70% of animal and plant life including the dinosaurs. The study of an ancient Cambrian fossil bed suggests how "roll of the dice" events can affect the future evolution of life on Earth. We see how Chicxulub's apparent destruction of the dinosaurs, followed by the their replacement with small mammals, altered forever the progress of human evolution. This book presents a fascinating glimpse through the lens of the natural sciences - the geology, climatology, and oceanography, of the effects of an enormous astronomical event.

The Young Universe presents four major physical and astrophysical themes related to these extreme phases of the primordial universe. In particular, it presents the physics of the primordial plasma and the concepts of quantum and particle physics necessary to describe this extreme state. It discusses the cosmological background radiation and explores inflation, an extremely rapid expansion phase that is believed to have occurred very early in cosmological history and to have shaped our present universe. The book also provides a synthesis of the dark matter problem.

This is the definitive book on the Hubble Space Telescope, written by noted astronomer Jim Bell. Looking deep into space, by definition, means looking back in time--and the Hubble Space Telescope can look very far back, including at stars, nebulae, and galaxies that are millions, even billions, of years old. If there is a single legacy of Hubble as it turns 30 years old and nears the end of its useful life, it is this: It has done more to chronicle the origin and evolution of the known universe than any other instrument ever created. Hubble has also captured an astounding collection of ultraviolet images that include geysers of solar light, Mars' famous dust storms, exploding stars, solar flares, globular clusters, and actual galaxies colliding. As for scientific milestones, Hubble has helped us learn that the universe is 13.8 billion years old, that just about every large galaxy features a black hole at its center, and that it's possible to create 3-D maps of dark matter. Hubble Legacy will not only feature the most stunning imagery captured by the telescope, but also explain how Hubble has advanced our understanding of the universe and our very creation.

Project Mercury will offer a developmental resume of the first American manned spaceflight programme and its associated infrastructure, including accounts of space launch vehicles. The book highlights the differences in Redstone/Atlas technology, drawing similar comparisons between ballistic capsules and alternative types of spacecraft. The book also covers astronaut selection and training, as well as tracking systems, flight control, basic principles of spaceflight and detailed accounts of individual flights.

A beautifully presented, practical gift guide to 50 sights in the skies above us complete with a glow-in-the dark front cover. Explained with fascinating, easy-to-understand commentary from astrophysicist and science communicator, Sarah Barker, and illustrated throughout with captivating drawings by Maria Nilsson, each guide helps you locate an incredible sight.

The book is divided into three main sections and whether you use the naked eye, a telescope, or fall into a black hole of online research, you ll discover the limitless wonder of the skies from otherworldly phenomena on Earth like sun dogs, to planets, moons, stars, lunar craters and galaxy clusters.

Naked Eye: Learn how navigators travelled in the past by finding the North Star; say hello to our astronauts and learn how to spot the International Space Station; see a red supergiant star (Betelgeuse); and find out more about solar eclipses.

Further Afield: Find out more about the next closest galaxy, Andromeda; learn about the discovery of Saturn s ears (or rings!); spot an alien storm that s as big as the Earth; and track Little Green Men and ice volcanoes.

Far, Far Away: Learn how baby stars are created by the Pillars of Creation; marvel at the Hubble Deep Field; and unearth the brightest things in our universe, quasars.

The book also includes advice on ideal conditions for observing the stars, telescopes and binoculars, and navigating the skies. With extra tips and a rundown of useful tools, you ll find everything you need to get out there and look up!

The New York Times bestselling, "meticulously researched and absorbingly written" (The Washington Post) story of the trailblazers and the ordinary Americans on the front lines of the epic Apollo 11 moon mission. President John F. Kennedy astonished the world on May 25, 1961, when he announced to Congress that the United States should land a man on the Moon by 1970. No group was more surprised than the scientists and engineers at NASA, who suddenly had less than a decade to invent space travel. When Kennedy announced that goal, no one knew how to navigate to the Moon. No one knew how to build a rocket big enough to reach the Moon, or how to build a computer small enough (and powerful enough) to fly a spaceship there. No one knew what the surface of the Moon was like, or what astronauts could eat as they flew there. On the day of Kennedy's historic speech, America had a total of fifteen minutes of spaceflight experience-with just five of those minutes outside the atmosphere. Russian dogs had more time in space than US astronauts. Over the next decade, more than 400,000 scientists, engineers, and factory workers would send twenty-four astronauts to the Moon. Each hour of space flight would require one million hours of work back on Earth to get America to the Moon on July 20, 1969. "A veteran space reporter with a vibrant touch-nearly every sentence has a fact, an insight, a colorful quote or part of a piquant anecdote" (The Wall Street Journal) and in One Giant Leap, Fishman has written the sweeping, definitive behind-the-scenes account of the furious race to complete one of mankind's greatest achievements. It's a story filled with surprises-from the item the astronauts almost forgot to take with them (the American flag), to the extraordinary impact Apollo would have back on Earth, and on the way we live today. From the research labs of MIT, where the eccentric and legendary pioneer Charles Draper created the tools to fly the Apollo spaceships, to the factories where dozens of women sewed spacesuits, parachutes, and even computer hardware by hand, Fishman captures the exceptional feats of these ordinary Americans. "It's been 50 years since Neil Armstrong took that one small step. Fishman explains in dazzling form just how unbelievable it actually was" (Newsweek).

The point of this book is to provide a brief, easy-to-read but comprehensive overview of stars: where they came from; what they are made of; what will happen to them, and what they mean to us from a scientific, aesthetic and cultural point of view. The book will focus on stars and astronomy, and will keep technical physics to a minimum.

NASA-the National Aeronautics and Space Administration created in the wake of the Space Act-has and continues to accomplish those precepts every day. With many hundreds of satellites launched into space and close to 200 human spaceflights, NASA is a proven leader in space exploration. Most of the US space exploration efforts have been led by NASA, including the Apollo moon-landing missions, the Skylab space station, and later the Space Shuttle. Currently, NASA is supporting the International Space Station and is overseeing the development of the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, the Space Launch System and Commercial Crew vehicles. NASA is also responsible for the Launch Services Program which provides oversight of launch operations and countdown management for unmanned NASA launches. The Historical Guide to NASA and the Space Program contains a chronology, an introduction, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 500 cross-referenced entries on space missions, astronauts, technical terms, space shuttles, satellites and the international space station. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about NASA and space exploration.

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.

We are at the dawn of a new era in the study of space, all thanks to the Galileo space probe. Mission Jupiter brings us the exciting story of the Galileo mission to investigate Jupiter. The noted astronomer Daniel Fischer, co-author of Hubble: A New Window to the Universe and Hubble Revisited: New Images from the Discovery Machine, weaves together the many disparate facts learned about Jupiter and its satellites into a coherent description of this most fascinating planet, after stepping back to review the history of planetary exploration. Mission Jupiter tells the entire story of Galileo: a behind-the-scenes look at its difficult course from idea to reality; its launch; the problems it encountered early on and how these were resolved; and finally, what will become of the probe. Along the way, the author describes what wee learned about Jupiter, including what the Jovian atmosphere is really like, and the peculiar reality of the planet's magnetic field. The story of the journey to Jupiter is combined with interesting details about Galileo's capacities and a graphic description of the solar system, with an entertaining episode on how Galileo would judge the chances of finding life on Earth. The book concludes with a look to the future, closing on the Cassini probe to Saturn, launched just last year. Beautifully illustrated and well written, Mission Jupiter shows us space exploration at its best and conveys the essential science clearly and vividly. '

Praise for the first edition: "A terrific blend of the science and the history." Martha Haynes, Goldwin Smith Professor of Astronomy, Cornell University, New York, USA "The book is a treat... Highly recommended for public and academic libraries." Peter Hepburn, now Head Librarian, College of the Canyons, Santa Clarita, California, USA Today, we recognize that we live on a planet circling the sun, that our sun is just one of billions of stars in the galaxy we call the Milky Way, and that our galaxy is but one of billions born out of the Big Bang. Yet, as recently as the early twentieth century, the general public and even astronomers had vague and confused notions about what lay beyond the visible stars. Can we see to the edge of the universe? Do we live in a system that would look, from a distance, like a spiral nebula? This fully updated second edition of Minding the Heavens: The Story of Our Discovery of the Milky Way explores how we learned that we live in a galaxy, in a universe composed of galaxies and unseen, mysterious dark matter. The story unfolds through short biographies of seven astronomers: Thomas Wright, William Herschel, and Wilhelm Struve of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries; the transitional figure of William Huggins; and Jacobus Kapteyn, Harlow Shapley, and Edwin Hubble of the modern, big-telescope era. Each contributed key insights to our present understanding of where we live in the cosmos, and each was directly inspired by the work of his predecessors to decipher "the construction of the heavens." Along the way, the narrative weaves in the contributions of those in supportive roles, including Caroline Herschel-William's sister, and the first woman paid to do astronomy-and Martha Shapley, a mathematician in her own right who carried out calculations for her spouse. Through this historical perspective, readers will gain a new appreciation of our magnificent Milky Way galaxy and of the beauties of the night sky, from ghostly nebulae to sparkling star clusters. Features: Fully updated throughout to reflect the latest in our understanding of the Milky Way, from our central supermassive black hole to the prospect of future mergers with other galaxies in our Local Group. Explains the significance of current research, including from the Gaia mission mapping our galaxy in unprecedented detail. Unique and broadly appealing approach. A biographical framework and ample illustrations lead the reader by easy, enjoyable steps to a well-rounded understanding of the history of astronomy. Leila Belkora (Ph.D., Astrophysics) is a science writer. She earned her doctorate from the University of Colorado-Boulder, specializing in solar radio astronomy. She has previously taught university physics, astronomy, and communication for engineers. She lives in Southern California and enjoys local astronomy outreach activities.

This book introduces the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST), also known as the "The Sky Eye", one of the China's big science facilities. Using easy-to-understand language, the book covers the scientific background, construction process, achievements, and effects of FAST on the development of the national economy. With a large number of intuitive and vivid images and videos, the book presents basic information on FAST for general readers who are interested in astronomy.

'Everything you wanted to know about physics but were afraid to ask' Priyamvada Natarajan, author of Mapping the Heavens __________________________ When leading theoretical physicist Professor Michael Dine was asked where you could find an accessible book that would teach you about the Big Bang, Dark Matter, the Higgs boson and the cutting edge of physics now, he had nothing he could recommend. So he wrote it himself. In This Way to the Universe, Dine takes us on a fascinating tour through the history of modern physics - from Newtonian mechanics to quantum, from particle to nuclear physics - delving into the wonders of our universe at its largest, smallest, and within our daily lives. If you are looking for the one book to help you understand physics, written in language anyone can follow, this is it. __________________________ 'An extraordinary journey into what we know, what we hope to know, and what we don't know, about the universe and the laws that govern it' Leonard Susskind, author of The Theoretical Minimum series 'This book is a rare event . . . presented by someone who is a true master' Sean Carroll, author of From Eternity to Here 'Dine's enthusiastic storytelling makes the read worth it for those who want to finally wrap their mind around string theory or the Higgs boson' Tess Joosse, Scientific American

Praise for the first edition: "A terrific blend of the science and the history." Martha Haynes, Goldwin Smith Professor of Astronomy, Cornell University, New York, USA "The book is a treat... Highly recommended for public and academic libraries." Peter Hepburn, now Head Librarian, College of the Canyons, Santa Clarita, California, USA Today, we recognize that we live on a planet circling the sun, that our sun is just one of billions of stars in the galaxy we call the Milky Way, and that our galaxy is but one of billions born out of the Big Bang. Yet, as recently as the early twentieth century, the general public and even astronomers had vague and confused notions about what lay beyond the visible stars. Can we see to the edge of the universe? Do we live in a system that would look, from a distance, like a spiral nebula? This fully updated second edition of Minding the Heavens: The Story of Our Discovery of the Milky Way explores how we learned that we live in a galaxy, in a universe composed of galaxies and unseen, mysterious dark matter. The story unfolds through short biographies of seven astronomers: Thomas Wright, William Herschel, and Wilhelm Struve of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries; the transitional figure of William Huggins; and Jacobus Kapteyn, Harlow Shapley, and Edwin Hubble of the modern, big-telescope era. Each contributed key insights to our present understanding of where we live in the cosmos, and each was directly inspired by the work of his predecessors to decipher "the construction of the heavens." Along the way, the narrative weaves in the contributions of those in supportive roles, including Caroline Herschel-William's sister, and the first woman paid to do astronomy-and Martha Shapley, a mathematician in her own right who carried out calculations for her spouse. Through this historical perspective, readers will gain a new appreciation of our magnificent Milky Way galaxy and of the beauties of the night sky, from ghostly nebulae to sparkling star clusters. Features: Fully updated throughout to reflect the latest in our understanding of the Milky Way, from our central supermassive black hole to the prospect of future mergers with other galaxies in our Local Group. Explains the significance of current research, including from the Gaia mission mapping our galaxy in unprecedented detail. Unique and broadly appealing approach. A biographical framework and ample illustrations lead the reader by easy, enjoyable steps to a well-rounded understanding of the history of astronomy. Leila Belkora (Ph.D., Astrophysics) is a science writer. She earned her doctorate from the University of Colorado-Boulder, specializing in solar radio astronomy. She has previously taught university physics, astronomy, and communication for engineers. She lives in Southern California and enjoys local astronomy outreach activities.

This visual guide is packed with amazing diagrams and infographics to answer all your burning scientific head-scratchers - from gravity and black holes to earthquakes and gene therapy. In How Science Works you will find the most fascinating phenomena in the Universe visually explained, from pulleys to string theory, light to lasers, and chemical reactions to artificial intelligence. If you have ever wondered why the sky is blue, how a black hole works, or what happens in a tsunami, this indispensable guide is for you. Rather than long columns of text, How Science Works is filled with diagrams and infographics, to make even the most difficult concept fun and easy to grasp. Turn the pages to understand dark matter, radioactivity and so much more, and find answers to the really big questions including how life began, will the Universe end, and are we really alone? With hours of enthralling reading, How Science Works is the book you wished you'd had at school and it's the one you'll want for your family.

Over the course of several decades, scientific fact has overtaken science fiction as humankind's understanding of the universe has expanded. Mirroring this development, the cinematic depictions of space exploration over the last century have evolved from whimsical sci-fi fantasies to more fact-based portrayals. This book chronologically examines 75 films that depict voyages into outer space and offers the historical, cultural, and scientific context of each. These films range from Georges Melies' fantastical A Trip to the Moon to speculative science fiction works such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, Solaris, and Contact, and fact-based accounts of actual space missions as depicted in The Right Stuff, Apollo 13, Salyut 7 and First Man. Each film is analyzed not only in terms of its direction, screenplay, and other cinematic aspects but also its scientific and historical accuracy. The works of acclaimed directors, including Fritz Lang, George Pal, Stanley Kubrick, Andrei Tarkovsky, Robert Wise, Ron Howard, Robert Zemeckis, Ridley Scott, and Christopher Nolan, are accorded special attention for their memorable contributions to this vital and evolving subgenre of science fiction film.