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Books > Science & Mathematics > Astronomy, space & time > Space travel & exploration
Copernicus sowed the seed from which science has grown to be a
dominant aspect of modern culture, fundamental in shaping our
understanding of the workings of the cosmos. John Henry reveals why
Copernicus was led to such a seemingly outrageous and implausible
idea as a swiftly moving Earth.
Humanity has always looked to the stars, but it hasn't been until
relatively recently that we have managed to travel into space.
Carolyn Collins Petersen takes us on a journey from the first space
pioneers and their work, through the First World War-led
technological advances in rocketry that formed the basis for the
Space Age, to the increasing corporate interest in space. This
detailed examination of our steps into space is viewed from our
potential future there - on Mars to be exact - and considers how we
will reach that point. The author concludes with our current
advances and our immediate ambitions in space exploration. The
future and its scientific possibilities are enthralling: who will
be the first to step on Mars? Will matter/antimatter annihilations
take us to the Kuiper Belt, or will it be ion propulsion? What is
the Alcubierre Warp Drive? Will it take us to the stars?
As end-of-the-world scenarios go, an apocalyptic collision with an asteroid or comet is the new kid on the block, gaining respectability only in the last decade of the 20th century with the realisation that the dinosaurs had been wiped out by just such an impact.
Now the science community is making up for lost time, with worldwide efforts to track the thousands of potentially hazardous near-Earth objects, and plans for high-tech hardware that could deflect an incoming object from a collision course – a procedure depicted, with little regard for scientific accuracy, in several Hollywood movies.
Astrophysicist and science writer Andrew May disentangles fact from fiction in this fast-moving and entertaining account, covering the nature and history of comets and asteroids, the reason why some orbits are more hazardous than others, the devastating local and global effects that an impact event would produce, and – more optimistically – the way future space missions could avert a catastrophe.
The indispensable guide to the night sky--now in a newly updated
and expanded edition In this newly updated and expanded edition of
their classic work, Ian Ridpath and Wil Tirion illuminate the night
sky as never before, providing novice stargazers and professional
astronomers alike with the most informative, user-friendly,
comprehensive, and authoritative celestial field guide available.
The product of a thirty-year collaboration between one of the
world's leading astronomy writers and the world's foremost
celestial mapmaker, Stars and Planets features superb color sky
charts, diagrams, or photographs on almost every page; clear and
engaging writing; a spacious and attractive design; and a compact
size. This updated edition features the latest information on
stars, a revised section on planets that incorporates recent
research on exoplanets, and some revised charts and new
photographs. Simply put, Stars and Planets is indispensable. Don't
leave home--at night--without it. * Detailed charts covering all 88
constellations in the Northern and Southern hemispheres* Data and
notes on all bright stars and other objects of interest* Detailed
Moon maps and descriptions of the main lunar features* Tips on
choosing and using binoculars and telescopes, to suit any budget*
The only guide to provide annual planetary data as a downloadable
online resource* Updates include the latest data on stars and
exoplanets and some revised charts and new photos
From our own solar system to the edges of the universe, 50
Astronomy Ideas You Really Need to Know is your introduction to the
most important concepts, discoveries and mysteries in astronomy.
How did the universe begin? Where did the Moon come from? What
happens in the heart of a black hole? Why are gravitational waves
so significant? And is there life elsewhere in the cosmos? In fifty
fascinating essays covering the central ideas of astronomy and
cosmology, accompanied by diagrams, definitions of essential terms
and timelines of key discoveries, this book examines the nature and
variety of our universe - the life cycle of stars, the formation of
planets, the structure of galaxies and the puzzles of dark matter
and the multiverse. Expansive and illuminating, 50 Astronomy Ideas
You Really Need to Know is the complete guide to the birth, life
and possible death of the cosmos.
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