Discovering Pluto

Discovering Pluto PDF Author: Dale P. Cruikshank
Publisher: University of Arizona Press
ISBN: 081653831X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 502

Get Book Here

Book Description
Discovering Pluto is an authoritative account of the exploration of Pluto and its moons, from the first inklings of tentative knowledge through the exciting discoveries made during the flyby of the NASA New Horizons research spacecraft in July 2015. Co-author Dale P. Cruikshank was a co-investigator on the New Horizons mission, while co-author William Sheehan is a noted historian of the Solar System. Telling the tale of Pluto’s discovery, the authors recount the grand story of our unfolding knowledge of the outer Solar System, from William Herschel’s serendipitous discovery of Uranus in 1781, to the mathematical prediction of Neptune’s existence, to Percival Lowell’s studies of the wayward motions of those giant planets leading to his prediction of another world farther out. Lowell’s efforts led to Clyde Tombaugh’s heroic search and discovery of Pluto—then a mere speck in the telescope—at Lowell Observatory in 1930. Pluto was finally recognized as the premier body in the Kuiper Belt, the so-called third zone of our Solar System. The first zone contains the terrestrial planets (Mercury through Mars) and the asteroid belt; the second, the gas-giant planets Jupiter through Neptune. The third zone, holding Pluto and the rest of the Kuiper Belt, is the largest and most populous region of the solar system. Now well beyond Pluto, New Horizons will continue to wend its lonely way through the galaxy, but it is still transmitting data, even today. Its ultimate legacy may be to inspire future generations to uncover more secrets of Pluto, the Solar System, and the Universe.

Discovering Pluto

Discovering Pluto PDF Author: Dale P. Cruikshank
Publisher: University of Arizona Press
ISBN: 081653831X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 502

Get Book Here

Book Description
Discovering Pluto is an authoritative account of the exploration of Pluto and its moons, from the first inklings of tentative knowledge through the exciting discoveries made during the flyby of the NASA New Horizons research spacecraft in July 2015. Co-author Dale P. Cruikshank was a co-investigator on the New Horizons mission, while co-author William Sheehan is a noted historian of the Solar System. Telling the tale of Pluto’s discovery, the authors recount the grand story of our unfolding knowledge of the outer Solar System, from William Herschel’s serendipitous discovery of Uranus in 1781, to the mathematical prediction of Neptune’s existence, to Percival Lowell’s studies of the wayward motions of those giant planets leading to his prediction of another world farther out. Lowell’s efforts led to Clyde Tombaugh’s heroic search and discovery of Pluto—then a mere speck in the telescope—at Lowell Observatory in 1930. Pluto was finally recognized as the premier body in the Kuiper Belt, the so-called third zone of our Solar System. The first zone contains the terrestrial planets (Mercury through Mars) and the asteroid belt; the second, the gas-giant planets Jupiter through Neptune. The third zone, holding Pluto and the rest of the Kuiper Belt, is the largest and most populous region of the solar system. Now well beyond Pluto, New Horizons will continue to wend its lonely way through the galaxy, but it is still transmitting data, even today. Its ultimate legacy may be to inspire future generations to uncover more secrets of Pluto, the Solar System, and the Universe.

Into the Black

Into the Black PDF Author: Rowland White
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1501123637
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 480

Get Book Here

Book Description
On April 12, 1981, NASA's Space Shuttle Columbia blasted off from Cape Canaveral: a state-of-the-art flying machine, and the world's first real spaceship: a winged rocket plane, the size of an airliner, and capable of flying to space and back before preparing to fly again. Less than an hour after departure tiles designed to protect the ship from the blowtorch burn of re-entry were missing from the heat shield. White recaptures the historic moments leading up to the launch of the Columbia, her daring maiden flight, and her life and death struggle to return, using interviews, NASA oral histories, and recently declassified material.

NASA Scientific and Technical Publications

NASA Scientific and Technical Publications PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Aeronautics
Languages : en
Pages : 410

Get Book Here

Book Description


NASA SP.

NASA SP. PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Aeronautics
Languages : en
Pages : 408

Get Book Here

Book Description


An Anxious Peace

An Anxious Peace PDF Author: Hans Mark
Publisher: Texas A&M University Press
ISBN: 1623497272
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 690

Get Book Here

Book Description
By any measure, Hans Mark was a warrior of the Cold War. Born in Mannheim, Germany, in 1929, he spent his early childhood in Vienna before escaping the Nazi Anschluss in 1938 and eventually emigrating to the United States, settling in New York. He graduated from high school in 1947, went west to attend the University of California, Berkeley, and later earned a PhD in physics from MIT. His work in nuclear engineering soon set him on a path that would be shaped by aeronautics, space exploration, and national defense. It was through advanced technology that Mark believed the United States could win the Cold War. In An Anxious Peace, Mark recounts in detail his life as a twentieth-century “rocket man.” Here is the inside story of one who—in a career spanning more than six decades—was on the technological front line, from long-range bombers to the space shuttle. Along the way, Mark reveals many never-before-told stories from life at NASA and more. Readers will revel in learning the background behind the decision to place a plaque on Pioneer 10, a space probe that the NASA Ames Research Center designed to fly past the asteroid belt, Jupiter, and Saturn to collect data and images. Mark tells how he, Carl Sagan, and NASA insider John Naugle kept secret the addition of the now iconic 6x9-inch aluminum “message from humanity” until the probe had been launched. To this day Mark is pushing for a manned mission to Mars. One thing is sure: Hans Mark has left a major impact on academic and scientific communities that will be felt for decades to come.

A to Z of Scientists in Space and Astronomy

A to Z of Scientists in Space and Astronomy PDF Author: Deborah Todd
Publisher: Infobase Publishing
ISBN: 1438109237
Category : Astronomers
Languages : en
Pages : 337

Get Book Here

Book Description
Profiles more than 130 scientists from around the world who made important contributions in the fields of space and astronomy, including John Couch Adams, Albert Einstein, and Plato.

The Century of Space Science

The Century of Space Science PDF Author: J.A. Bleeker
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 9401003203
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 1819

Get Book Here

Book Description
One of the most attractive features of the young discipline of Space Science is that many of the original pioneers and key players involved are still available to describe their field. Hence, at this point in history we are in a unique position to gain first-hand insight into the field and its development. To this end, The Century of Space Science, a scholarly, authoritative, reference book presents a chapter-by-chapter retrospective of space science as studied in the 20th century. The level is academic and focuses on key discoveries, how these were arrived at, their scientific consequences and how these discoveries advanced the thoughts of the key players involved. With over 90 world-class contributors, such as James Van Allen, Cornelis de Jager, Eugene Parker, Reimar Lüst, and Ernst Stuhlinger, and with a Foreword by Lodewijk Woltjer (past ESO Director General), this book will be immensely useful to readers in the fields of space science, astronomy, and the history of science. Both academic institutions and researchers will find that this major reference work makes an invaluable addition to their collection.

International Aerospace Abstracts

International Aerospace Abstracts PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Aeronautics
Languages : en
Pages : 502

Get Book Here

Book Description


The Principles of Astronomical Telescope Design

The Principles of Astronomical Telescope Design PDF Author: Jingquan Cheng
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 0387887911
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 643

Get Book Here

Book Description
This book presents a complete summary of the author's twenty five years of experience in telescope design. It provides a general introduction to every aspect of telescope design. It also discusses the theory behind telescope design in depth, which makes it a good reference book for professionals. It covers Radio, Infrared, Optical, X-Ray and Gamma-Ray wavelengths. Originally published in Chinese.

Electronic Imaging in Astronomy

Electronic Imaging in Astronomy PDF Author: Ian S. McLean
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3540765824
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 576

Get Book Here

Book Description
The second edition of Electronic Imaging in Astronomy: Detectors and Instrumentation describes the remarkable developments that have taken place in astronomical detectors and instrumentation in recent years – from the invention of the charge-coupled device (CCD) in 1970 to the current era of very large telescopes, such as the Keck 10-meter telescopes in Hawaii with their laser guide-star adaptive optics which rival the image quality of the Hubble Space Telescope. Authored by one of the world’s foremost experts on the design and development of electronic imaging systems for astronomy, this book has been written on several levels to appeal to a broad readership. Mathematical expositions are designed to encourage a wider audience, especially among the growing community of amateur astronomers with small telescopes with CCD cameras. The book can be used at the college level for an introductory course on modern astronomical detectors and instruments, and as a supplement for a practical or laboratory class.