Astronomy

First Space Encyclopedia (DK First Reference)

The latest title in DK's First Reference series introduces the universe, visiting all the planets of our solar system and their moons, as well as our Sun and other stars, black holes, asteroids, comets, and other galaxies. Up to date with the latest astronomical theories, First Space Encyclopedia includes information about the great Pluto debate and the recent discovery of an Earth-like planet, as well as pictures from the latest voyages by shuttles, rovers, and probes, and the conflicting evidence on aliens and UFOs. And of course, young space enthusiasts will want to know all about the cool technology behind what astronauts wear, what they do to train, and even what they eat. All of this and more is ready to reference in a thorough and accessible hardcover volume just right for young scholars.

The Usborne First Encyclopedia of Space

Planets, Stars, and Galaxies: A Visual Encyclopedia of Our Universe

Finally, it's here! The farthest reaches of our universe captured in atlas form for young readers. Planets, Stars, and Galaxies is the space book that pushes the boundaries of man's ultimate frontier. The engaging, educational text, written in collaboration with National Geographic experts, includes the latest discoveries about our universe; while specially commissioned artwork by the author illuminates page after page.

Exciting as well as enlightening, Planets, Stars, and Galaxies belongs on every family bookshelf, providing easy reference for school reports and compelling reading on the myriad mysteries beyond our world. With vivid illustrations and superb photography, this beautiful book puts the wonders of space into every child's hands. This engaging, provocative reference work includes: the new solar system including dwarf planets Pluto, Ceres, and Eris;the latest developments in space exploration, science, and research—how a star is born and dies, "weird worlds," the "galactic zoo," and more;fun facts about space and amazing new images—Saturn's rings, Jupiter's moons, and Hubble's deep-space view;first-hand accounts from scientists and astronauts—what it's like to study the universe and to live in space;a fascinating look into our future in space: What space travel might hold in a reader's own lifetime—moon colonies, hotels on Mars? How will the universe end?questions to ponder, such as "Is there other life in the universe?"an illustrated timeline of space research and exploration, star charts, moon maps, fact boxes, and helpful scientific diagrams.

Encyclopedia of Volcanoes

Volcanoes are unquestionably one of the most spectacular and awe-inspiring features of the physical world. Our paradoxical fascination with them stems from their majestic beauty and powerful, if sometimes deadly, destructiveness.
Notwithstanding the tremendous advances in volcanology since ancient times, some of the mystery surrounding volcanic eruptions remains today. The Encyclopedia of Volcanoes summarizes our present knowledge of volcanoes. Through its thematic organization around the melting of the earth, it provides a comprehensive source of information on the multidisciplinary influences of volcanic eruptions--both the destructive as well as the beneficial aspects.
The majority of the chapters focus on the geoscience-related aspects of volcanism (radioactive heat source, melting rock, ascent of magma, surface phenomena associated with exiting magma, extraterrestrial volcanism, etc.). In addition, complementary chapters discuss the multidisciplinary aspects of volcanism; these include the history of volcanology, geothermal energy resources, interaction with the oceans and atmosphere, health aspects of volcanism, mitigation of volcanic disasters, post-eruption ecology, and the impact of eruptions on organismal biodiversity.

In addition to its appeal to educators, students, and professional and amateur scientists, the Encyclopedia of Volcanoes functions as an important information resource for administrators and officials responsible for developing and implementing volcanic hazard mitigation around the world.

* The first and only reference work to cover all aspects of volcanology
* More than 80 separate peer-reviewed articles--all original contributions by leading authors from major institutions of science around the world, commissioned for this work
* An integrated transition from the volcanic process through hazards, risk, and societal impacts, with an emphasis on how volcanoes have influenced and shaped society
* Convenient single-volume format with topics arranged thematically--articles provide coverage of nine different aspects of volcanology
* Each entry in the Encyclopedia begins with an outline of the article content and a concise definition of the subject of the article
* 3,000 Glossary entries explain key terms
* Further Reading lists appear at the end of each entry
* Extensive cross-referencing system links related articles
* Sixteen pages of color will convey the science and excitement of this often violent phenomena
* Large 8 1/2" x 11" page size, easy-to-read double-column format

DK Space Encyclopedia

The final frontier is conquered in the DK Space Encyclopedia and Eyewitness Encyclopedia of Space CD-ROM, the most beautiful, best organized family information sources yet for our galaxy and beyond. In the section called "Observing the Universe," space buffs will discover detailed diagrams of various telescopes, along with explanations of how they're used to pick up light, radio waves, and other emissions from faraway objects. In "Exploring Space," you'll find out how rockets work to launch satellites, people, and gear into space. If you're curious about what it's like to live in space, check out the information on astronauts' daily routines--did you know one astronaut smuggled a ham sandwich into his capsule after hearing how bad NASA's food was?

"Planets and Moons" introduces all the worlds of our solar system, from Mercury out to Neptune and Pluto. Fantastic photos of the planets taken by fly-by probes and the Hubble space telescope show unbelievable details like mountains, craters, and giant canyons. Moving farther away from home, "The Stars" takes you on a tour of our own sun and our stellar neighbors. The life cycle of a star is shown, as well as such strange things as novas, binary stars, rotating variables, and black holes. "Galaxies and Beyond" introduces basic cosmology, the study of the universe, with sections on the Milky Way and other galaxies as well as the latest theories about the size and age of the universe. Finally, readers get tips on how to observe astronomical objects and events, a time line of discoveries, and short biographies of major figures in the field. The DK Space Encyclopedia and Eyewitness Encyclopedia of Space CD-ROM are packed with amazing pictures, diagrams, and facts that no space fan should miss. (Ages 9 and older) --Therese Littleton

The essential reference guide to space science and astronomy.

From the latest dramatic images transmitted by the Hubble Telescope to the possibility of fossil life from Mars, space stories are hitting the headlines as never before. as we begin the third millennium, more and more people are looking outside out world for a truly cosmic vision of the future. the DK Space Encyclopedia celebrates our newfound status as citizens of the universe, rather than mere inhabitants of planet Earth. Comprehensive and thoroughly up to date, the DK Space Encyclopedia is the definitive guide to the cosmos. The defining achievements of the 20th century has been the exploration of space. On a practical level, access to space has transformed the way we live. communications, weather forecasting, mineral prospecting, and even warfare are all now controlled from Earth orbit. and out more distant forays into space have yielded astonishing rewards. Like Renaissance navigators who sailed uncharted oceans, our probes have been discovering "new worlds" -- in this case, not strange continents but our neighboring planets. Just a few decades ago, these planets were fuzzy disks even the world's biggest telescopes. Now they are future destinations for humankind, with mountains, valleys, canyons, volcanoes, atmospheres, and possible even primitive life-forms. Unlike brain surgery, astronomy is one of the few sciences in which the amateur can play an active -- even important -- role. The DK Space Encyclopedia includes a detailed section on practical astronomy, with clear star maps,advice on what to observe, and even instructions for making a simple telescope. Equipment used by today's amateurs -- including computers and charge-coupled devices that amplify light -- is more sophisticated than that available to professionals just a generation ago. As a result, backyard stargazers are able to complement the work done by top scientists at the world's greatest observatories and by the Hubble Space Telescope. The DK Space Encyclopedia shows that anyone can become an astronomer: The sky's the limit.

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Universe

In the spirit of Stephen Hawking's best-selling A Brief History of Time, The Encyclopedia of the Universe is a riveting sourcebook that provides intriguing insight into the discovery and explanation of the universe. From the theories of the Ancient Greeks and findings of Copernicus and Galileo to today's understanding of black holes, the development of time machines, even the search for extra-terrestrial life, the Encyclopedia brings key scientific concepts and historical events alive.

An innovative organizational scheme of a matrix of book routes makes the Encyclopedia easy to follow. Lively use of color, graphics, and navigational icons presents a logical flow of information that works equally well for science buffs and amateur astronomers, as well as for the serious student. The Encyclopedia also includes a complete guide to the solar system, with star maps, tools, techniques, and projects.

This remarkable reference has a wealth of features that put it in a class of its own. Authored and validated by a high-caliber team of more than a dozen writers and scholars from key astronomical institutions in both the United States and Great Britain, it is undoubtedly the most detailed single-volume, illustrative reference on the universe ever published.

The Firefly Encyclopedia of Astronomy

An extensive astronomy reference, beautifully illustrated and expertly written.

The Firefly Encyclopedia of Astronomy is organized A-Z with concise details on each topic. The pages are profusely illustrated with vivid computer graphics, photography and archival images. Included are accessible contributions by 650 world-leading astronomers covering:

• History from the Big Bang to present
• Famous astronomer bios
• Key space missions since the launch of Sputnik
• The work of observatories worldwide.

"Backyard stargazing is a lot more fun when you understand what you're looking at. The Orion Nebula is pretty in any telescope, but the view is all the more inspiring when you know that the light you're seeing left the nebula as the Roman Empire fell and that new stars are continually forming from the glowing gas.

"It's appropriate that professionals and amateurs should come together to produce such a work, because at the dawn of the twenty-first century the line between the two communities is becoming blurred. Technology is putting state-of-the-art capabilities into the hands of backyard observers, many of whom are now collaborating with professionals to study phenomena as diverse as Martian dust storms and bursts of energetic radiation from distant galaxies.

"Wherever your astronomical interests take you, this encyclopedia will be a welcome and valuable companion."

Rick Fienberg
Editor-in-Chief of Sky and Telescope magazine

The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Stars

This unique encyclopedia provides a fascinating and fully comprehensive description of stars and their natures and is filled with beautiful color images. The book begins by telling the story of astronomy, from ancient constellations and star names to the modern coordinate system. Further chapters explain magnitudes, distances, star motions and the Galaxy at large. Double stars, clusters and variables are introduced and once the different kinds of stars are in place, later chapters examine stellar evolution, beginning with the interstellar medium and star formation, proceeding to our Sun and its characteristics and then the ageing process of solar-type and high mass stars. The book ends by showing how this information can be combined into a grand synthesis. Detailed cross-referencing enables the reader to explore topics in depth and makes this an invaluable work both for beginners and those with a more advanced interest in stars and stellar evolution.

This unique encyclopedia provides a fascinating and fully comprehensive description of stars and their natures and is filled with beautiful color images. The book covers the story of astronomy, explanations of technical terms and the life cycle of stars and is an invaluable work for both beginners and advanced readers.

The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Meteorites

In recent years, meteorites have caught the imagination of scientist and collector alike. An army of people are now actively searching for them in the hot and cold deserts of Earth. Fascinating extraterrestrial rocks in meteorites are our only contact with materials from beyond the Earth-Moon system. Using well known petrologic techniques, O. Richard Norton reveals in vivid color their extraordinary external and internal structures and taking readers to the atomic level, describes the environment within the solar nebula that existed before the planets accreted. Extensively illustrated, this volume is a valuable guide to assist searchers in the field in recognizing the many classes of meteorites and it is a superb reference source for students, teachers and scientists who wish to probe deeper these amazing rocks from space. O. Richard Norton is a contributing editor for Meteorite magazine and the author of The Planetarium and Atmospherium and Rocks from Space (Mountain Press, 1998). For the last 40 years, he has taught astronomy and space sciences at various US institutions.

This beautifully illustrated book provides a thorough guide to rocks from beyond the Earth. Over 300 illustrations, many of them in full color, introduce the reader to the various classes of meteorite and discuss their internal structure, source and formation. It is a valuable reference source for collectors, scientists, students and teachers.

History of Astronomy: An Encyclopedia (Garland Encyclopedias in the History of Science, Vol 1)

Easy-to-understand essays by experts in the field
Tracing the history of the oldest science from the ancient world to the space age, this encyclopedia begins with a brilliant synopsis of the development of astronomy from preliterate cultures to the present and ends with the biography of the pioneer astrophysicist Fritz Zwicky. Requiring no advanced knowledge of mathematics or physics it brings together current scholarly thinking and the state of the art of astronomy in over 300 carefully researched and easy-to-grasp essays-each written and signed by an expert.

Covers key fields, individuals, and institutions
Major entries explore the historical development of the major fields of astronomy: astrophysics, celestial mechanics, solar system astronomy, and the study of variable stars, comets, double stars, and nebulae. Experts discuss the growth of astronomy in nations and regions: United States, Latin America, Japan, Australia, New Zealand. There are biographies of important individuals and histories of landmark institutions.

The work of top instrument experts
Illustrated entries by leading experts on the development of astronomical instrumentation range from the astrolabe to the Hubble Space Telescope. Historians of science discuss important topics in the social history of astronomy, such as the history of amateurs, literature and astronomy, women in astronomy, astronomy and the Roman Catholic Church, and the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.

Special features:
Covers astronomy from early cultures to the present * Includes more than 300 authoritative essays * Contains biographies of important individuals and histories of landmark institutions * Explores the historical development of the major fields of astronomy * International entries chart astronomy in Latin America, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States * Main Selection of the Astronomy Book Club

Entries cover five categories:
Historical overviews (calendars, telescopes) * Observatories (Royal Greenwich Observatory, Paris Observatory) * Regional contexts (England, France, China) * Social history (women in astronomy, Copernican Revolution) * Biographies (Euler, Lindblad, Newton )