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Books > Science & Mathematics > Astronomy, space & time > Space travel & exploration
Dreams of Other Worlds describes the unmanned space missions that
have opened new windows on distant worlds. Spanning four decades of
dramatic advances in astronomy and planetary science, this book
tells the story of eleven iconic exploratory missions and how they
have fundamentally transformed our scientific and cultural
perspectives on the universe and our place in it. The journey
begins with the Viking and Mars Exploration Rover missions to Mars,
which paint a startling picture of a planet at the cusp of
habitability. It then moves into the realm of the gas giants with
the Voyager probes and Cassini's ongoing exploration of the moons
of Saturn. The Stardust probe's dramatic round-trip encounter with
a comet is brought vividly to life, as are the SOHO and Hipparcos
missions to study the Sun and Milky Way. This stunningly
illustrated book also explores how our view of the universe has
been brought into sharp focus by NASA's great
observatories--Spitzer, Chandra, and Hubble--and how the WMAP
mission has provided rare glimpses of the dawn of creation. Dreams
of Other Worlds reveals how these unmanned exploratory missions
have redefined what it means to be the temporary tenants of a small
planet in a vast cosmos.
Reach for the stars! It's not rocket science - you're simply
stellar. Bring out your inner sass-tronaut with this collection of
quotes and statements which will remind you how astronomically
amazing you are, and that you are light years ahead of everyone
else.
This book takes the reader on a journey through the history of
extremely ambitious, large and complex space missions that never
happened. What were the dreams and expectations of the visionaries
behind these plans, and why were they not successful in bringing
their projects to reality thus far? As spaceflight development
progressed, new technologies and ideas led to pushing the
boundaries of engineering and technology though still grounded in
real scientific possibilities. Examples are space colonies,
nuclear-propelled interplanetary spacecraft, space telescopes
consisting of multiple satellites and canon launch systems. Each
project described in this book says something about the dreams and
expectations of their time, and their demise was often linked to an
important change in the cultural, political and social state of the
world. For each mission or spacecraft concept, the following will
be covered: * Description of the design. * Overview of the history
of the concept and the people involved. * Why it was never
developed and flown * What if the mission was actually carried out
- consequences, further developments, etc.
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Mars
(Hardcover)
Stephen James O'Meara
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R778
R638
Discovery Miles 6 380
Save R140 (18%)
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Ships in 9 - 15 working days
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Mars is a small world with a big reputation. This mysterious planet
- with volcanoes that dwarf Mount Everest, a canyon system that
would stretch fully across the USA and curious landscapes that may
support life - has fascinated us for centuries. In the most
up-to-date account available of the elusive `Red Planet', Stephen
James O'Meara follows our longstanding love affair with this
bewildering world, from the musings of humanity's first stargazers,
to the imaginings of science-fiction writers and film-makers, to
the latest images and discoveries from orbiting spacecraft and
robotic rovers. The book also reviews plans for piloted missions to
Mars, and what it will take for those missions to succeed.
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Venus
(Hardcover)
William Sheehan, Sanjay Shridhar Limaye
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R780
R640
Discovery Miles 6 400
Save R140 (18%)
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Ships in 9 - 15 working days
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This new and beautifully illustrated account of Venus takes in the
most recent research into this mysterious, inhospitable world.
Looking at the history of our observations of the planet, from
early astronomy to future space missions, it seeks to answer many
of the questions that remain unanswered, such as why Venus and
Earth, so similar in size and mass, evolved in such different
directions, and how Venus acquired its dense carbon-dioxide
atmosphere. Above all, it assesses whether life might have escaped
from the oven-like temperatures at the surface and evolved to
become perpetually airborne - in which case Venus may not be
lifeless after all.
On October 1, 1958, the world's first civilian space agency opened
for business as an emergency response to the Soviet Union's launch
of Sputnik a year earlier. Within a decade, the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration, universally known as NASA,
had evolved from modest research teams experimenting with small
converted rockets into one of the greatest technological and
managerial enterprises ever known, capable of sending people to the
Moon aboard gigantic rockets and of dispatching robot explorers to
Venus, Mars, and worlds far beyond. In spite of occasional, tragic
setbacks in NASA's history, the Apollo lunar landing project
remains a byword for American ingenuity; the winged space shuttles
spearheaded the International Space Station and a dazzling array of
astronomical satellites and robotic landers, and Earth observation
programs have transformed our understanding of the cosmos and our
home world's fragile place within it. Throughout NASA's 60-year
history, images have played a central role. Who today is not
familiar with the Hubble Space Telescope's mesmerizing views of the
universe or the pin-sharp panoramas of Mars from NASA's surface
rovers? And who could forget the photographs of the first men
walking on the Moon? Researched with the collaboration of NASA,
this collection gathers more than 400 historic photographs and rare
concept renderings, scanned and remastered using the latest
technology and reproduced in extra-large size. Texts by science and
technology journalist Piers Bizony, former NASA chief historian
Roger Launius, and best-selling Apollo historian Andrew Chaikin-and
an extensive mission checklist documenting the key human and
robotic missions-round out this comprehensive exploration of NASA,
from its earliest days to its current development of new space
systems for the future. The NASA Archives is more than just a
fascinating pictorial history of the U.S. space program. It is also
a profound meditation on why we choose to explore space and how we
will carry on this grandest of all adventures in the years to come.
This beautifully illustrated companion to celebrated scientist Neil
deGrasse Tyson's popular podcast and National Geographic Channel TV
show is an eye-opening journey for anyone curious about the
complexities of our universe. For decades, beloved astrophysicist
Neil deGrasse Tyson has interpreted science with a combination of
brainpower and charm that resonates with fans everywhere. In 2009,
he founded StarTalk, the wildly popular podcast that became an
Emmy-nominated talk show on the National Geographic Channel.
Tyson's pioneering, provocative book will take the greatest hits
from the airwaves to the page in one smart, richly illustrated
compendium. Featuring vivid photography, thought-provoking trivia,
enlightening facts, and fun quotes from science and entertainment
luminaries like Bill Nye and Dan Aykroyd, StarTalk reimagines
science's most challenging topics--from how the brain works to the
physics of comic book superheroes--in a relatable, humorous way
that will delight fans and new readers alike.
How well do you know our closest neighbour? Featured on BBC Radio 4
Saturday Live and BBC Breakfast The moon has fascinated humankind
since the beginning of history. But far from being just a big rock
out in space, the Moon has a phenomenal power over the earth, with
its ability to create great waves, dictate the length of the day
and summon the seasons. It is a key player in the story of our
planet. In this unique celebration of the Moon, lunar expert and
space scientist Dr Maggie Aderin Pocock takes readers on a journey
through the Moon's past, present and future. She uncovers the way
the Moon has captured our imaginations, contemplates how it was
formed, and uncovers why we need the Moon to protect our fragile
earth. Drawing on the latest scientific research, she then looks
forward to what might be to come - will we return to the moon or
will it become a launch pad to go into the great unknown? Filled
with fascinating facts and anecdotes, and written with warmth and
passion, The Book of the Moon is for scientists and stargazers
alike. You'll never look at our closest neighbour in the same way
again.
In response to the new information gained about the Solar System
from recent space probes and space telescopes, the experienced
science author Dr. John Wilkinson presents the state-of-the art
knowledge on the Sun, solar system planets and small solar system
objects like comets and asteroids. He also describes space missions
like the New Horizon's space probe that provided never seen before
pictures of the Pluto system; the Dawn space probe, having just
visited the asteroid Vesta, and the dwarf planet Ceres; and the
Rosetta probe inorbit around comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko that
has sent extraordinary and most exciting pictures. Those and a
number of other probes are also changing our understanding of the
solar system and providing a wealth of new up close photos. This
book will cover all these missions and discuss observed surface
features of planets and moons like their compositions, geisers,
aurorae, lightning phenomena etc.Presenting the fascinating aspects
of solar system astronomy this book is a complete guide to the
Solar System for amateur astronomers, students, science educators
and interested members of the public.
Honeysuckle Creek reveals the pivotal role that the tracking
station at Honeysuckle Creek, near Canberra, played in the first
moon landing. Andrew Tink gives a gripping account of the role of
its director Tom Reid and his colleagues in transmitting some of
the most-watched images in human history as Neil Armstrong took his
first step. Part biography and part personal history, this book
makes a significant contribution to Australia's role in space
exploration and reveals a story little known until now. As
Christopher Columbus Kraft Jr, the director of flight operations
for Apollo 11, acknowledged: 'The name Honeysuckle Creek and the
excellence which is implied by that name will always be remembered
and recorded in the annals of manned space flight'.
Meteorites are among the rarest objects on Earth, yet they have
left a pervasive mark on our planet and civilization. Arriving
amidst thunderous blasts and flame-streaked skies, meteorites were
once thought to be messengers from the gods, embodiments of the
divine. Prized for their outlandish qualities, meteorites are a
collectible, a commodity, objects of art and artists' desires and a
literary muse. 'Meteorite hunting' is an adventurous, lucrative
profession for some, and an addictive hobby for thousands of
others. Meteorite: Nature and Culture is a unique, richly
illustrated cultural history of these ancient and mysterious
phenomena. Taking in a wide range of sources Maria Golia pays
homage to the scientists, scholars and aficionados who have scoured
the skies and combed the Earth's most unforgiving reaches for
meteorites, contributing to a body of work that situates our planet
and ourselves within the vastness of the Universe.Appealing to
collectors and hobbyists alike, as well as any lovers of nature,
marvel and paradox, this book offers an accessible overview of what
science has learned from meteorites, beginning with the scientific
community's reluctant embrace of their interplanetary origins, and
explores their power to reawaken that precious, yet near-forgotten
human trait - the capacity for awe.
The most beautiful and influential photographs ever made were of the whole earth seen from space. They were taken from the moon, almost as an afterthought, by the astronauts of the Apollo space programme. They inspired a generation to think more seriously about our responsibility for this tiny oasis in space, the 'blue marble' falling through empty darkness.
This is a book about the long road to the capture of those unforgettable images. It is a history of the space programme and of the ways in which it transformed our view of the earth and changed the lives of the astronauts who walked in space and on the moon. It is the story of the often blemished visionaries who inspired that journey into space: Charles Lindbergh, Robert Goddard and Wernher Von Braun, and of the courageous pilots who were the first humans to escape the Earth's orbit.
What happens when a star dies? How many asteroids are in our solar
system? Can galaxies collide? What is dark energy? Astronomy in
Minutes answers all these questions and more as it condenses 200
key concepts into easily digestible essays. From Trojan asteroids
to stellar black holes, and from superclusters to cosmic microwave
background, this book will take you on an essential tour around the
universe. Beginning with the specks and constellations that we see
in the night sky, and then zooming in on the objects and 'matter'
beyond the naked eye, Astronomy in Minutes draws on established
theories and recent research. Each essay is accompanied by an image
or a clear diagram to help unravel complex ideas. Beginning with
the constellations and finishing with the latest cosmological
theories, this is the perfect reference guide to this fascinating
subject. Contents include: The celestial sphere, Piscis Austrinus,
the Earth-Moon system, Io and Ganymede, Kuiper Belt Objects,
Measuring stellar properties, Nuclear fusion, Red and orange
dwarfs, Open star clusters, Planetary nebulae, Supernova remnants,
Cosmic expansion, Quasars and blazars, Nature of spacetime,
Nucleosynthesis and the Anthropic Principle.
This "accessible and always entertaining" (Booklist) combination of
history, pop science, and in-depth reporting offers a fascinating
account of the asteroids that hit Earth long ago and those
streaming toward us now, as well as how prepared we are against
asteroid-caused catastrophe. One of these days, warns Gordon
Dillow, the Earth will be hit by a comet or asteroid of potentially
catastrophic size. The only question is when. In the meantime, we
need to get much better at finding objects hurtling our way, and if
they're large enough to penetrate the atmosphere without burning
up, figure out what to do about them. We owe many of science's most
important discoveries to the famed Meteor Crater, a mile-wide
dimple on the Colorado Plateau created by an asteroid hit 50,000
years ago. In his masterfully researched Fire in the Sky, Dillow
unpacks what the Crater has to tell us. Prior to the early 1900s,
the world believed that all craters-on the Earth and Moon-were
formed by volcanic activity. Not so. The revelation that Meteor
Crater and others like it were formed by impacts with space objects
has led to a now accepted theory about what killed off the
dinosaurs, and it has opened up a new field of asteroid observation
that is brimming with urgency. Dillow looks at great asteroid hits
of the past and modern-day asteroid hunters and defense planning
experts, including America's first Planetary Defense Officer.
Satellite sensors confirm that a Hiroshima-scale blast occurs in
the atmosphere every year, and a smaller, one-kiloton blast every
month. While Dillow makes clear that the objects above can be
deadly, he consistently inspires awe with his descriptions of their
size, makeup, and origins. Both a riveting work of popular science
and a warning to not take for granted the space objects hurtling
overhead, Fire in the Sky is, ultimately, a testament to our
universe's celestial wonders. * As recently as 2013, an asteroid
plunged into the atmosphere above Chelyabinsk, Russia, detonated
with the force of thirty Hiroshimas, and damaged 7,000 buildings. *
Dillow has gone behind the scenes at NASA, FEMA, and other defense
agencies around the world to discover what measures are being taken
to protect against asteroids and comets.
The ultimate illustrated guide to the most spectacular objects in
the night sky, fully updated and revised. Night Sky: A Falcon Field
Guide covers both summer and winter constellations, planets, and
stars found in the northern hemisphere. Conveniently sized to fit
in a pocket and featuring detailed photographs, this informative
guide makes it easy to identify objects in the night sky even from
one's own backyard. From information on optimal weather conditions,
preferred viewing locations, and how to use key tools of the trade,
this handbook will help you adeptly navigate to and fro the vast
and dynamic nighttime skies, and you'll fast recognize that the
night sky's the limit.
Many ancient, even prehistoric, monuments and temples around the
world show an amazingly sophisticated understanding of the heavens.
They reflect this sacred knowledge in celestial alignments - to the
eternal cycles of the sun, moon, stars and planets. The ceremonies
performed at sites such as Stonehenge in England or Teotihuacan in
Mexico are now lost to us. But the time-worn stones and structures
remain, and archaeoastronomers (experts in ancient astronomy) have
studied how their sightlines relate to astronomical phenomena such
as midwinter or midsummer sunrise or the rising of the Pleiades
star cluster. Within, Ken Taylor dives into the fantastical: The
principles of astronomy - the seasons, the solstices and equinoxes,
the rising and setting of stars, the "lunar standstills" Solar
alignments - the language of light and shadow, and the life-giving
shows of the sun Lunar alignments - the drama of the eclipse and
the mysterious energies of the night Alignments to stars and
planets - reaching out to the immensity of the cosmos In exploring
such connections, in words, superb photographs and clear
explanatory artworks, Celestial Geometry opens a whole universe of
mystery and wonder, and a window on the inner life of ancient
civilizations.
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