Life on Mars

Life on Mars PDF Author: David A. Weintraub
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 069120926X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 326

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Book Description
The search for life on Mars—and the moral issues confronting us as we prepare to send humans there Does life exist on Mars? The question has captivated humans for centuries, but today it has taken on new urgency. As space agencies gear up to send the first manned missions to the Red Planet, we have a responsibility to think deeply about what kinds of life may already dwell there—and whether we have the right to invite ourselves in. Telling the complete story of our ongoing quest to answer one of the most tantalizing questions in astronomy, David Weintraub grapples with the profound moral and ethical questions confronting us as we prepare to introduce an unpredictable new life form—ourselves—into the Martian biosphere. Now with an afterword that discusses the most recent discoveries, Life on Mars explains what we need to know before we go.

Life on Mars

Life on Mars PDF Author: David A. Weintraub
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 069120926X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 326

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Book Description
The search for life on Mars—and the moral issues confronting us as we prepare to send humans there Does life exist on Mars? The question has captivated humans for centuries, but today it has taken on new urgency. As space agencies gear up to send the first manned missions to the Red Planet, we have a responsibility to think deeply about what kinds of life may already dwell there—and whether we have the right to invite ourselves in. Telling the complete story of our ongoing quest to answer one of the most tantalizing questions in astronomy, David Weintraub grapples with the profound moral and ethical questions confronting us as we prepare to introduce an unpredictable new life form—ourselves—into the Martian biosphere. Now with an afterword that discusses the most recent discoveries, Life on Mars explains what we need to know before we go.

Griffith Observatory

Griffith Observatory PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780940512542
Category : Astronomical observatories
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description


Starry Night Companion

Starry Night Companion PDF Author: John Mosley
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781894395045
Category : Astronomy
Languages : en
Pages : 196

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Book Description


Chasing New Horizons

Chasing New Horizons PDF Author: Alan Stern
Publisher: Macmillan + ORM
ISBN: 125009898X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 364

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Book Description
Called "spellbinding" (Scientific American) and "thrilling...a future classic of popular science" (PW), the up close, inside story of the greatest space exploration project of our time, New Horizons’ mission to Pluto, as shared with David Grinspoon by mission leader Alan Stern and other key players. On July 14, 2015, something amazing happened. More than 3 billion miles from Earth, a small NASA spacecraft called New Horizons screamed past Pluto at more than 32,000 miles per hour, focusing its instruments on the long mysterious icy worlds of the Pluto system, and then, just as quickly, continued on its journey out into the beyond. Nothing like this has occurred in a generation—a raw exploration of new worlds unparalleled since NASA’s Voyager missions to Uranus and Neptune—and nothing quite like it is planned to happen ever again. The photos that New Horizons sent back to Earth graced the front pages of newspapers on all 7 continents, and NASA’s website for the mission received more than 2 billion hits in the days surrounding the flyby. At a time when so many think that our most historic achievements are in the past, the most distant planetary exploration ever attempted not only succeeded in 2015 but made history and captured the world’s imagination. How did this happen? Chasing New Horizons is the story of the men and women behind this amazing mission: of their decades-long commitment and persistence; of the political fights within and outside of NASA; of the sheer human ingenuity it took to design, build, and fly the mission; and of the plans for New Horizons’ next encounter, 1 billion miles past Pluto in 2019. Told from the insider’s perspective of mission leader Dr. Alan Stern and others on New Horizons, and including two stunning 16-page full-color inserts of images, Chasing New Horizons is a riveting account of scientific discovery, and of how much we humans can achieve when people focused on a dream work together toward their incredible goal.

The Power of Stars

The Power of Stars PDF Author: Bryan E. Penprase
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319525972
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 353

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Book Description
Completely revised and updated, this new edition provides a readable, beautifully illustrated journey through world cultures and the vibrant array of sky mythology, creation stories, models of the universe, temples and skyscrapers that each culture has created to celebrate and respond to the power of the night sky. Sections on the archaeoastronomy of South Asia and South East Asia have been expanded, with original photography and new research on temple alignments in Southern India, and new material describing the astronomical practices of Indonesia, Malaysia and other Southeast Asian countries. Beautiful photographs of temples in India and Asia have been added, as well as new diagrams explaining the alignment of these structures and the astronomical underpinnings of temples within the Pallava and Chola cultures. From new fieldwork in the Four Corners region of North America, Dr. Penprase has included accounts of Pueblo skywatching and photographs of ceremonial kivas that help elucidate the rich astronomical knowledge of the Pueblo people. The popular “Archaeoastronomy of Skyscrapers” section of the book has been updated as well, with new interpretations of skyscrapers in Indonesia, Taiwan and China.With the rapid pace of discovery in astronomy and astrophysics, entirely new perspectives are emerging about dark matter, inflation and the future of the universe. The Power of Stars puts these discoveries in context and describes how they fit into the modern perspective of cosmology, which has arisen from the universal human response to the sky that has inspired both ancient and modern cultures.

Astronomy 101

Astronomy 101 PDF Author: Carolyn Collins Petersen
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1440563608
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 288

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Book Description
Explore the curiosities of our galaxy with this comprehensive, digestible guide to astronomy! Too often, textbooks obscure the beauty and wonder of outer space with tedious discourse that even Galileo would oppose. Astronomy 101 cuts out the boring details and lengthy explanations, and instead, gives you a lesson in astronomy that keeps you engaged as you discover what's hidden beyond our starry sky. From the Big Bang and nebulae to the Milky Way and Sir Isaac Newton, this celestial primer is packed with hundreds of entertaining astronomy facts, charts, and photographs you won't be able to get anywhere else. So whether you’re looking to unravel the mystery behind black holes, or just want to learn more about your favorite planets, Astronomy 101 has all the answers—even the ones you didn’t know you were looking for.

Uranus

Uranus PDF Author: Jay T. Bergstralh
Publisher: University of Arizona Press
ISBN: 9780816512089
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 1104

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Book Description
Uranus occupies a unique niche in the history of western thought; for while the planets from Mercury to Saturn had been known since pre-antiquity, Uranus was the first to be discovered, in 1781, through scientific investigation. Contemporary investigation of Uranus culminated in the Voyager 2 encounter in 1986. The results of that achievement, as well of concurrent research on the planet, are reviewed by 84 international authorities in this massive volume. Because Uranus' remoteness has prevented its being studied as intensively by earth-based observation as have other members of the solar system, most of what is known about the planet—its magnetic field and magnetosphere and satellites—were learned from the Voyager data, which is viewed here from a variety of perspectives. While the book is intended to serve as a comprehensive review, it also reports a substantial amount of original research results not previously published.

Observer's Guide to Variable Stars

Observer's Guide to Variable Stars PDF Author: Martin Griffiths
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3030009041
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 322

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Book Description
This book contains everything you need to know about variable stars -- stars whose brightness varies noticeably over time. The study of variable stars has been a particularly popular area of research for amateurs for many years; the material contained herein serves as both an introduction to amateur astronomers and a useful reference source for seasoned variable star observers. With its thorough, non-mathematical descriptions of variable stars and tips for how to see them, this book enables novices and experts alike to set off into the field and observe a wide range of delightful sights. It strikes a balance between easily visible objects that can be seen in any telescope or binoculars, and variable stars that are a direct challenge to those with large aperture equipment or access to photometric tools and methods. After helping the observer differentiate between variable star types, the author goes on to explain the skills needed to operate a telescope and other equipment, as well as how to couple filters to a CCD camera or digital SLR camera in order to photometrically record these celestial objects. Further, the book includes an observational guide to 50 objects for study, with finder charts and data about light curves for ease of identification, along with the stars’ celestial coordinates, magnitudes, and other pertinent information.

Space Exploration

Space Exploration PDF Author: Carolyn Collins Petersen
Publisher: Amberley Publishing Limited
ISBN: 1445656043
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 442

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Book Description
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.

Choosing and Using Astronomical Filters

Choosing and Using Astronomical Filters PDF Author: Martin Griffiths
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 1493910442
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 279

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Book Description
As a casual read through any of the major amateur astronomical magazines will demonstrate, there are filters available for all aspects of optical astronomy. This book provides a ready resource on the use of the following filters, among others, for observational astronomy or for imaging: Light pollution filters Planetary filters Solar filters Neutral density filters for Moon observation Deep-sky filters, for such objects as galaxies, nebulae and more Deep-sky objects can be imaged in much greater detail than was possible many years ago. Amateur astronomers can take photographs that rival those of professional observatories! The ability to do this has been brought about by the revolution in CCD cameras and improved filters. The book pinpoints which astronomical objects are best observed with which filters. Post-processing (using Photoshop) is also discussed, since it is helpful in further improving filtered astro images. The last part of the book is an observational guide to 100 deep sky objects that benefit from the use of filters – all personally observed by the author – with notes on the filters used (or potentially of use) in their observation and imaging. There are also notes on their celestial coordinates, magnitudes and other pertinent information.