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Author: Martin Beech
Publisher: Universal-Publishers
ISBN: 1627340645
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 216
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Book Description
Comets have not only blazed across the celestial vault throughout human history, they have embellished the night sky since the Earth itself formed some 4.5 billion years ago. Comets were among the first-born solid bodies in the solar system, and their frozen nuclei tell of the primordial chemistry and chaos that ultimately resulted in the formation of the planets, the evolution of life and us. For all this, however, comets have long been celestial oddities: they baffled our distant ancestors, and human society continues to marvel and speculate wildly at their appearance even to the present day. Cutting against the perceived constancy of the stars, comets seemingly present themselves at random times and they are often interpreted as harbingers of terrestrial change - both good and ill. How then are we to tame the comet: where do they form, how do they move, and can their appearances be predicted? Such questions have preoccupied astronomers for centuries but comets have only gradually allowed the secrets of their wayward flight to be revealed. In this book I explore the historical struggle to understand not only the place of comets within a societal context, but also the scientific quest to make their paths amenable to mathematical certitude. The latter narrative is the more technical in content, but it took tactile form with the invention, in 1732, of the cometarium, a mechanical device to demonstrate the first two of Kepler's planetary laws. And, this development was later paralleled, in the mid to late 19th century, by the development of various mechanical devices (analog computers) to help obtain solutions to Kepler's Problem - the problem which asks, exactly where in its orbit is a given comet at some specific set time. The telling of the wayward comets story covers the past two millennia of human history, and it takes us from the phenomenological musings of Aristotle, through the exactitude of Newton's gravitational theory and calculus, to the truly incredible study of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, by the European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft, in the modern era.
Author: Martin Beech
Publisher: Universal-Publishers
ISBN: 1627340645
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 216
Get Book Here
Book Description
Comets have not only blazed across the celestial vault throughout human history, they have embellished the night sky since the Earth itself formed some 4.5 billion years ago. Comets were among the first-born solid bodies in the solar system, and their frozen nuclei tell of the primordial chemistry and chaos that ultimately resulted in the formation of the planets, the evolution of life and us. For all this, however, comets have long been celestial oddities: they baffled our distant ancestors, and human society continues to marvel and speculate wildly at their appearance even to the present day. Cutting against the perceived constancy of the stars, comets seemingly present themselves at random times and they are often interpreted as harbingers of terrestrial change - both good and ill. How then are we to tame the comet: where do they form, how do they move, and can their appearances be predicted? Such questions have preoccupied astronomers for centuries but comets have only gradually allowed the secrets of their wayward flight to be revealed. In this book I explore the historical struggle to understand not only the place of comets within a societal context, but also the scientific quest to make their paths amenable to mathematical certitude. The latter narrative is the more technical in content, but it took tactile form with the invention, in 1732, of the cometarium, a mechanical device to demonstrate the first two of Kepler's planetary laws. And, this development was later paralleled, in the mid to late 19th century, by the development of various mechanical devices (analog computers) to help obtain solutions to Kepler's Problem - the problem which asks, exactly where in its orbit is a given comet at some specific set time. The telling of the wayward comets story covers the past two millennia of human history, and it takes us from the phenomenological musings of Aristotle, through the exactitude of Newton's gravitational theory and calculus, to the truly incredible study of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, by the European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft, in the modern era.
Author: Sara Schechner
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 0691227675
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 381
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Book Description
In a lively investigation into the boundaries between popular culture and early-modern science, Sara Schechner presents a case study that challenges the view that rationalism was at odds with popular belief in the development of scientific theories. Schechner Genuth delineates the evolution of people's understanding of comets, showing that until the seventeenth century, all members of society dreaded comets as heaven-sent portents of plague, flood, civil disorder, and other calamities. Although these beliefs became spurned as "vulgar superstitions" by the elite before the end of the century, she shows that they were nonetheless absorbed into the science of Newton and Halley, contributing to their theories in subtle yet profound ways. Schechner weaves together many strands of thought: views of comets as signs and causes of social and physical changes; vigilance toward monsters and prodigies as indicators of God's will; Christian eschatology; scientific interpretations of Scripture; astrological prognostication and political propaganda; and celestial mechanics and astrophysics. This exploration of the interplay between high and low beliefs about nature leads to the conclusion that popular and long-held views of comets as divine signs were not overturned by astronomical discoveries. Indeed, they became part of the foundation on which modern cosmology was built.
Author: David H. Levy
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 148995998X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 286
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Book Description
The brilliant trailing beauty of fiery comets has inspired fear, wonder, and awe since the dawn of human history. Brighter than stars, moving and disappearing in their own singular orbits, comets have been among the most mysterious elements in the sky, eluding our understanding until very recently. With the aid of space probes, scientists have discovered that these swiftly moving chunks of ice and carbon are more plentiful and far more dangerous than suspected. Scientists are also beginning to realize the monumental role played by comets in the development of the Earth and solar system. David Levy describes in dramatic detail the thrilling yet often devastating effects of comet collisions. In the dawn of our solar system, the Earth was barraged with comets that may have carried the materials necessary to lay the foundations for life on this planet. Levy also presents compelling evidence for later comet collisions, including those of the age of dinosaurs. Great impacts, Levy asserts, not only caused the extinction of the dinesaurs, but ushered in new species of life. As Levy so clearly explains, scientists are realizing that comet collisions are virtually inevitable. Levy reveals possible future collisions with the Earth and describes the terrible risks to life they would pose. He even shows how we might prepare to withstand the impact of large comets in the future.
Author: J. P. Cloud
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 1450267025
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 192
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Book Description
As a result of an atmospheric disaster, the human visual color spectrum on Earth becomes distorted. Green becomes blue- blue becomes green- and the color Red becomes invisible to everyone on the planet! The skies are green- the trees and grass are bluePeoples ?esh appears a translucent gray, covered with blue blood veins. This happens to everyone- the young, the old, the rich and powerfulall over the world! Can you imagine not being able to see red anymore? Could you live in a World Without Red?
Author: Brian Desborough
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 0595219578
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 468
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Book Description
In this explosive and compelling book, author Brian Desborough explores the activities of the thirteen interconnected family bloodlines that collectively comprise the secret group known as the Illuminati. His years spent aiding survivors of Satanic ritual abuse and mind control has provided the author with an in-depth knowledge of Illuminati history and their future plans for the human race. The culmination of three decades of intensive research, this provocative book is designed to take readers out of their comfort zone and examine the historical and archaeological data, which reveal that: · Israel was created not by illiterate pastoralists, as is claimed by biblical scholars, but by skilled Kenite copper smelters. · The Dead Sea Scrolls were not written at Khirbat Qumran. · The Temple Mount is not the site of the Temples of Solomon and Herod. Applying a synthesis of history, politics, science and covert intelligence sources, the author explores such diverse subjects as mind control, advanced energy systems, terrestrially constructed flying saucers, extraterrestrials, and the planned double-cross of the western Illuminati factions by China and Russia. Oriented toward both the scholar and layperson, this revealing book is a "must read" for those interested in history, politics or high technology.
Author: Allen A. Debus
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476652740
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 415
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Book Description
The incomprehensible notion of a very large chunk of ice or rock from outer space smashing into the Earth has only become mainstream within the past two centuries. Though early writers imagined the utterly fantastic consequences of comet collisions and speculated on the devastation they might wreak, it was not until the 1980s when scientists finally resolved that dinosaurs were extinguished by an asteroid 66 million years ago. This startling announcement captivated the media and tilted the science fiction world but in reality, history may have been punctuated repeatedly by such events. This book collects and analyzes ideas of asteroid, comet, and planetary impacts with Earth spanning two centuries, from the first realization of extinctions in fossil records to the new millennium, reflected in scores of sci-fi stories, films, and televised science documentaries. The author examines social and geopolitical fears tied to the prospect of a cosmic-borne catastrophe. Science, fiction, and speculation are artfully melded.
Author: Jon Erickson
Publisher: Infobase Publishing
ISBN: 1438109628
Category : Asteroids
Languages : en
Pages : 273
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Book Description
Looks at asteroids, comets and meteorites, including what they are, how they are formed, how they have affected the history of Earth, and definitions of related terms.
Author: Martin Beech
Publisher: World Scientific
ISBN: 9811224935
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 572
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Book Description
Hurtling through the atmosphere, in a blaze of light and reverberating percussions, the arrival of a meteorite on Earth is a magical, rare, and precious sight. These characteristics have accordingly ensured a long, yet often controversial history. For all this, meteorites are cosmic messengers. They tell us about the entire history of the solar system, their story carrying us from the very earliest moments, when solid material first began to form in the solar nebula. Indeed, meteorites played a key role in the origins of Earth's oceans and the genesis of life. Meteorites additionally tell us about the origin and evolution of the asteroids, and they tell us about impacts upon the Moon as well as the volcanic history of planet Mars. Much is known about the structure and chemistry of meteorites, but for all this, they still harbor many scientific mysteries that have yet to be resolved.
Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 942
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Book Description
Author: Martin Beech
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3031444434
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 344
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Book Description
This book provides a detailed biographical account of the industrious late nineteenth-century astronomer William Frederick Denning who, in later life, rose to be a celebrated public figure and a highly respected amateur astronomer. The book also examines Denning’s many contributions to the astronomy of his time. As an indomitable promotor of amateur astronomy, Denning was closely involved in the formation of the short-lived, but historically pivotal, Observational Astronomy Society (OAS) in 1869. Readers will learn about the origins and the observational programs initiated by the OAS, and the author also presents a series of biographical sketches of its most industrious members. Furthermore, by examining Denning’s letters and publications, the author shows how he helped to nurture the growth of amateur astronomy, also teaching amateur observers how to make their efforts scientifically useful. A stalwart observer and enthusiast himself, Denning was a key player in the development of meteor astronomy in England, culminating in his being invited, in 1922, to be the first President of Commission 22 (meteors, meteorites and interplanetary dust) of the newly formed International Astronomical Union. The text follows the development and rapid growth of meteor astronomy during the nineteenth century, focusing upon the key observations and important theoretical advances. In addition, it pays tribute to pioneering practitioners, who, along with Denning, set out to unravel the story and secrets of the shooting stars. While not an openly forthright or strident figure, Denning, at the height of his career, became embroiled in two public and controversial issues. The first related to his pseudo-scientific theory of optical blurring, and his belief that large-aperture telescopes performed less efficiently than smaller-aperture telescopes when used in the study of planetary disks. The second concerned the mysterious issue of stationary meteor shower radiants—an apparent observational reduction that was completely at odds with both the standard theories of gravitational dynamics and the generally accepted notion of meteoroid stream structure. The book explores these two controversies and uses them to examine Denning’s outlook on scientific methodology.
