The "Tetrabiblos" of the famous astronomer and geographer Claudius Ptolemaeus (ca. 100-178 CE) of Egypt consists of four books, the title given in some manuscripts meaning 'Mathematical Treatise in Four Books', in others 'The Prognostics addressed to Syrus'. The subject is astrology, which in Ptolemy's time as down to the Renaissance was fused as a respectable science with astronomy. Translations and commentaries are few, and only three Greek texts had been printed (all in the 16th century) before the present one and the one begun by F. Boll and finished by Emilie Boer in 1940.

Described by one reviewer as 'one of the most perfect books ever written on theoretical astronomy', this work in Latin by the German mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss (1777 1855), the 'Prince of Mathematicians', derived from his attempt to solve an astronomical puzzle: where in the heavens would the dwarf planet Ceres, first sighted in 1801, reappear? Gauss' predicted position was correct to within half a degree, and this led him to develop a streamlined and sophisticated method of calculating the effect of the larger planets and the sun on the orbits of planetoids, which he published in 1809. As well as providing a tool for astronomers, Gauss' method also offered a way of reducing inaccuracy of calculations arising from measurement error; the primacy of this discovery was however disputed between him and the French mathematician Legendre, whose Essai sur la th orie des nombres is also reissued in this series.

The great theoretical physicist and Nobel Prize winnder, Richard Feynman, left an indelible imprint on scientific thought. On 14 March 1964 he delivered a remarkable lecture which, until now, was believed to be lost. His lecture was about a single fact, though by no means a small one. When a planet or a comet or any other body arcs through space under the influence of gravity, it traces out one of a very special set of mathematical curves, known as the conic sections. But why does nature choose to describe those, and only those, elegant geometrical constructions ? In this book Feynman's lost lecture has been reconstructed and explained in meticulous, accessible detail, together with a history of ideas of the planets' motions.

It can be enjoyed by the specialist and non-specialist alike and provides us all with an invaluable insight into the mind of one of this century's greatest scientists.

This essential book describes the mathematical formulations and subsequent computer simulations required to accurately project the trajectory of spacecraft and rockets in space, using the formalism of optimal control for minimum-time transfer in general elliptic orbit. The material will aid research students in aerospace engineering, as well as practitioners in the field of spaceflight dynamics, in developing simulation software to carry out trade studies useful in vehicle and mission design. It will teach readers to develop flight software for operational applications in autonomous mode, so to actually transfer space vehicles from one orbit to another. The practical, real-life applications discussed will give readers a clear understanding of the mathematics of orbit transfer, allow them to develop their own operational software to fly missions, and to use the contents as a research tool to carry out even more complex analyses.

This interesting book provides the physical and mathematical background for a theory describing the universe as a quantum superfluid, and how dark energy and dark matter arise. Presenting a novel theory spanning many different fields in physics, the key concepts in each field are introduced.The reader is only expected to know the rudiments of condensed matter physics, quantum field theory and general relativity to explore this fascinating new model of dark matter and dark energy as facets of a cosmic superfluid.

Our understanding of the formation of stars and planetary systems has changed greatly since the first edition of this book was published. This new edition has been thoroughly updated, and now includes material on molecular clouds, binaries, star clusters and the stellar initial mass function (IMF), disk evolution and planet formation. This book provides a comprehensive picture of the formation of stars and planetary systems, from their beginnings in cold clouds of molecular gas to their emergence as new suns with planet-forming disks. At each stage gravity induces an inward accretion of mass, and this is a central theme for the book. The author brings together current observations, rigorous treatments of the relevant astrophysics, and 150 illustrations, to clarify the sequence of events in star and planet formation. It is a comprehensive account of the underlying physical processes of accretion for graduate students and researchers.

In this clearly written work, Robert Wald provides the general reader with an elementary but scientifically sound introduction to such fascinating topics as the theory of the big-bang origin of the universe and the nature of black holes. Wald has now revised and updated the highly regarded first edition of Space, Time, and Gravity, taking into account recent developments in black hole physics, astrophysics, and cosmology.

This volume of original articles, collected papers and commentaries by contemporary scholars illustrates the work of Tullio Regge, a giant in the panorama of theoretical physics in the second half of the 20th century, probably the most influential Italian physicist after Enrico Fermi. His brilliant contributions to quantum theory and to general relativity have marked significant turning points in the development of scientific knowledge: Regge poles, Regge behaviour, Regge calculus and his geometric approach to general relativity and its extensions, and they continue to have a profound impact on the work of the large theoretical community today. Moreover, his public engagement for the dissemination of scientific culture, his mastering of multimedia technology for outreach and play, and his support for important social causes such as the fight against pseudosciences and the rights of the disabled make him a charismatic character across time, space and disciplines.

Accounting for the astonishing developments in the field of "Extragalactic Astronomy and Cosmology," this second edition has been updated and substantially expanded. Starting with the description of our home galaxy, the Milky Way, this cogently written textbook introduces the reader to the astronomy of galaxies, their structure, active galactic nuclei, evolution and large scale distribution in the Universe. After an extensive and thorough introduction to modern observational and theoretical cosmology, the focus turns to the formation of structures and astronomical objects in the early Universe. The basics of classical astronomy and stellar astrophysics needed for extragalactic astronomy are provided in the appendix.

The new edition incorporates some of the most spectacular results from new observatories like the Galaxy Evolution Explorer, Herschel, ALMA, WMAP and Planck, as well as new instruments and multi-wavelength campaigns which have expanded our understanding of the Universe and the objects populating it. This includes new views on the galaxy population in the nearby Universe, on elliptical galaxies, as well as a deeper view of the distant Universe approaching the dark ages, and an unprecedented view of the distant dusty Universe. Schneider also discusses the impressive support for the standard model of the Universe, which has been substantially strengthened by recent results, including baryon acoustic oscillations (an approach which has significantly matured over the years), results from the completed WMAP mission and from the first Planck results, which have confirmed and greatly improved on these findings, not least by measuring the gravitational lensing effect on the microwave background. Further, a new chapter focusing on galaxy evolution illustrates how well the observations of distant galaxies and their central supermassive black holes can be understood in a general framework of theoretical ideas, models, and numerical simulations.

Peter Schneider s "Extragalactic Astronomy and Cosmology" offers fundamental information on this fascinating subfield of astronomy, while leading readers to the forefront of astronomical research. But it seeks to accomplish this not only with extensive textual information and insights; the author s own passion for exploring the workings of the Universe, which can be seen in the text and the many supporting color illustrations, will further inspire the reader.
While this book has grown out of introductory university courses on astronomy and astrophysics and includes a set of problems and solutions, it will not only benefit undergraduate students and lecturers; thanks to the comprehensive coverage of the field, even graduate students and researchers specializing in related fields will appreciate it as a valuable reference work.

From the reviews of the first edition:

..".Masterful blending of observation and theory; lucid exposition... (D. E. Hogg, CHOICE, Vol. 44 (10), June, 2007)"

"Through the richness of the color illustrations and through the deep insight of the content, the book will most certainly lead the reader to the forefront of astronomical research in this very interesting and fascinating domain of astronomy. will not only be highly appreciated by undergraduate students in astronomy but also by graduate students and researchers involved in the field who will certainly appreciate its comprehensive coverage. (Emile Biemont, Physicalia Magazine, Vol. 29 (4), 2007)"
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It is generally believed that most of the matter in the universe is dark, i.e. cannot be detected from the light which it emits (or fails to emit). Its presence is inferred indirectly from the motions of astronomical objects, specifically stellar, galactic, and galaxy cluster/supercluster observations. It is also required in order to enable gravity to amplify the small fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background enough to form the large-scale structures that we see in the universe today. For each of the stellar, galactic, and galaxy cluster/supercluster observations the basic principle is that if we measure velocities in some region, then there has to be enough mass there for gravity to stop all the objects flying apart. Dark matter has important consequences for the evolution of the universe and the structure within it. According to general relativity, the universe must conform to one of three possible types: open, flat, or closed. The total amount of mass and energy in the universe determines which of the three possibilities applies to the universe. In the case of an open universe, the total mass and energy density (denoted by the Greek letter U) is less than unity. If the universe is closed, U is greater than unity. For the case where U is exactly equal to one the universe is "flat". This new book details leading-edge research from around the globe.

Through the lens of Chinese food, the authors address recent theories in social science concerning cultural identity, ethnicity, boundary formation, consumerism and globalization, and the invention of local cuisine in the context of rapid culture change in East and Southeast Asia.

There is a crisis in modern science that few theorists are willing to confront. In The Virtue of Heresy: Confessions of a Dissident Astronomer, renowned physicist and astronomer Hilton Ratcliffe, founding member of the Alternative Cosmology Group and co-discoverer of the CNO nuclear fusion cycle on the Sun’s surface, delivers to science aficionados his straightforward and highly compelling explanation of, and challenge to, many widely-held scientific beliefs that fall apart under scrutiny.

Ratcliffe not only points out the fallacy of commonly held beliefs often promoted by the global scientific community, but, through a close (and sometimes humorous) examination of theoretical physics, presents a convincing argument for alternative theory. The heresy of which he writes—that is, our unwillingness to accept at face value all that is spooned to us by ‘the experts’—is presented not as a liability, but as a virtue essential to the progress of scientific thought.

For Akiva Jaap Vroman "a day in the infinite past" is nonsense. All the days that have elapsed belong to a past of countable days; they started on a first day a finite number of days ago. Time began this first day. It follows that an eternal past does not exist. Vroman bases his reasoning on a simple mathematical law: an infinite quantity remains the same infinite quantity if a finite quantity, however large, is subtracted from it. "On God, Space, and Time" devotes itself to this proof. "On God, Space, and Time" is rooted in the epistemological thinking of Immanuel Kant and Jean Piaget and the law of Leucippus, and draws from the somewhat disparate fields of psychology, physiology, mathematics, and physics. Vroman discusses the modern vindication of the existence of the Creator using ontological arguments, which observe the cosmos solely through our sense-perceptions and the world of space and matter. He balances this worldview with a discussion of brain chemistry and physiology in "God, Mind, and Body" showing that the world of space and matter is nothing but an interpretation made by our working mind. Vroman also describes the Spanish-based Jewish philosophers of the Middle Ages who came close to solving the Genesis-Creation contradiction, which cannot be reconciled through the external world of Greek philosophy. As we travel through time with Vroman, who ranges easily and poetically over important concepts and influential thinkers, we encounter a variety of subjects: Spinoza's new definition of God and the authority of reason in the age of Descartes, Leibniz, and Newton; Jewish idealists, such as Nachman Krochmal, Solomon L. Steinman, Solomon Formstecher, and Samuel Hirsch; the concept of space-time; and Johann Gottlieb Fichte, Arthur Schopenhauer, Max Wentscher, and Charles Darwin. He presents engaging, worthwhile discussions of futurology; the astrological world of sub-lunar events; religious eschatology, specifically the Jewish and Christian Messiah; apocalyptic revelation in psychological science, the future of the universe, God and moral virtue, the medical approach to the question of life and death, and finally, personal thoughts on religious worship and service based on reason and moral sense. "On God, Space, and Time"a valuable historical synthesis of Western thought on man's vision of God, and consequently reality. This volume will interest many, particularly those intrigued by philosophy, religion, and futurology.

Dynamical systems provide powerful methods for the study of profound properties of many-dimensional nonlinear systems. In this unique book, the authors offer a consistent geometrical treatment of observational cosmology from the concepts of the theory of dynamical systems. The dynamics of clusters of galaxies differ drastically from stellar dynamics, thus requiring a mathematical approach to large-scale problems. Since mathematical techniques are not a familiar tool in this field, a full summary of the elementary ideas of differential geometry, ergodic theory and catastrophe theory are also considered in this exploratory text. Readership: Mathematicians, astrophysicists, and cosmologists, as well as anyone interested in the many subject disciplines related to geometrical and topological aspects of the large-scale universe.

The subject of high-energy astrophysics is typically linked with satellite missions, though it was launched by a balloon looking for sources of radioactivity other than those found on Earth. The balloon experiments discovered what came to be called "cosmic" radiation. The study of cosmic rays has since been a fruitful field of high-energy astrophysics, yielding the discovery of the positron and currently focused on what their highest energies might be. Other high-energy particles include neutrinos from the Sun and other sources and a variety of particles more theoretical in nature, ranging from WIMPS (Weakly Interacting Massive Particles) to magnetic monopoles. All of these types of high-energy particles and sources will be discussed, including the modern missions used to detect them, their findings, discoveries that resulted from them, and details on the technical aspects of the experiments designs.

The orbits of the planets are ellipses - Keplera (TM)s Law is a relation on spatial coordinates where time t is eliminated. In this treatise we first develop a static equation of motion for the Moon by separating space and time in Keplera (TM)s sense; this lunar distance formula can be applied in tidal dynamics. Next, a static geodesic equation is derived for the restricted 3-body problem. Then we handle the resonance phenomena in the solar system; small divisors do not interfere as they disappear together with time t. Finally, with two rotating primaries and a test body we proceed with the investigation into gravitational waves.

The subject of high-energy astrophysics is typically linked with satellite missions, though it was launched by a balloon looking for sources of radioactivity other than those found on Earth. The balloon experiments discovered what came to be called "cosmic" radiation. The study of cosmic rays has since been a fruitful field of high-energy astrophysics, yielding the discovery of the positron and currently focused on what their highest energies might be. Other high-energy particles include neutrinos from the Sun and other sources and a variety of particles more theoretical in nature, ranging from WIMPS (Weakly Interacting Massive Particles) to magnetic monopoles. All of these types of high-energy particles and sources will be discussed, including the modern missions used to detect them, their findings, discoveries that resulted from them, and details on the technical aspects of the experiments designs.