Astronomy and Space Exploration

A wide-ranging exploration of our universe -- from "what makes the wind blow?" to "how was the moon formed?" -- in questions-and-answer format, written in vintage Asimov style. "A fine introduction to modern astronomical theory." -- LIBRARY JOURNAL

It was all part of man's greatest adventure--landing men on the Moon and sending a rover to Mars, finally seeing the edge of the universe and the birth of stars, and launching planetary explorers across the solar system to Neptune and beyond.
The ancient dream of breaking gravity's hold and taking to space became a reality only because of the intense cold-war rivalry between the superpowers, with towering geniuses like Wernher von Braun and Sergei Korolyov shelving dreams of space travel and instead developing rockets for ballistic missiles and space spectaculars. Now that Russian archives are open and thousands of formerly top-secret U.S. documents are declassified, an often startling new picture of the space age emerges:
the frantic effort by the Soviet Union to beat the United States to the Moon was doomed from the beginning.

BookPage Notable Title
A grand overview of the dynamic and endlessly fascinating field of astronomy, Lives of the Planets describes a scientific field in the midst of a revolution.

Now expanded and updated, this third edition of a basic reference for amateur astrophotographers includes equipment recommendations, photographic techniques, digital photography, computerized telescopes and information on observing.

The first illustrated history of NASA ever to be published, this book tells the remarkable story of space exploration from the early twentieth century to the present day.

"The Real Mars" relates the history of a planet that has piqued human curiosity and study for centuries. 130 color and b&w photos.

"A Brief History of Time, published in 1988, was a landmark volume in science writing and in world-wide acclaim and popularity, with more than 9 million copies in print globally. The original edition was on the cutting edge of what was then known about the origins and nature of the universe. But the ensuing years have seen extraordinary advances in the technology of observing both the micro- and the macrocosmic world--observations that have confirmed many of Hawking's theoretical predictions in the first edition of his book.
Now a decade later, this edition updates the chapters throughout to document those advances, and also includes an entirely new chapter on Wormholes and Time Travel and a new introduction. It make vividly clear why "A Brief History of Time has transformed our view of the universe.

World-renowned physicist and author Stephen Hawking presents a revolutionary look at the momentous discoveries that changed our perception of the world with this first-ever compilation of five classic works of physics and astronomy.

Stephen Hawking's phenomenal, multimillion-copy bestseller, A Brief History of Time, introduced the ideas of this brilliant theoretical physicist to readers all over the world.
Now, in a major publishing event, Hawking returns with a lavishly illustrated sequel that unravels the mysteries of the major breakthroughs that have occurred in the years since the release of his acclaimed first book.
The Universe in a Nutshell
- Quantum mechanics
- M-theory
- General relativity
- 11-dimensional supergravity
- 10-dimensional membranes
- Superstrings
- P-branes
- Black holes
One of the most influential thinkers of our time, Stephen Hawking is an intellectual icon, known not only for the adventurousness of his ideas but for the clarity and wit with which he expresses them.

Astronomy is one of the oldest sciences, and one which has repeatedly led to fundamental changes in our view of the world. This book covers the history of our study of the cosmos from prehistory to a survey of modern astronomy and astrophysics. It does not attempt to cover everything, but deliberately concentrates on the important themes and topics, including stellar astronomy in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries--the source of many important concepts in modern astronomy--and the Copernican revolution, which led to the challenge of ancient authorities in many areas other than astronomy. This is an essential text for students of the history of science and for students of astronomy who require a historical background to their studies.

Dramatic images never before published in a single volume. Stargazers will be astonished to see in color pictures what were once fuzzy photographs. These dramatic, unforgettable images will bring into sharp focus how the Universe is unfolding in new and astonishing ways.

Space travel has gone from fantasy to reality in just fifty years where will we be fifty years from now? This breathtaking book follows our projections for space exploration in the 1950s to our actual accomplishments today and goes on to predict the spacecraft, commerce, ecology, and manned explorations yet to come in the next 50 years. Lavishly illustrated, with a visionary foreword by Ray Bradbury as well as an adventurous text by NASA's chief historian and an expert on the U.S. space program, "Imagining Space" will inspire science fiction enthusiasts, pop culture fans, and anyone who has ever looked up at the stars in wonder.

The untold story of the American moon shot that almost ended in a fatal catastrophe, told by the flight's commander, offers a thrilling chronicle of courage, heroism, and adventure.

This 2000 Edition of Sir Patrick Moorea (TM)s classic book has been completely revised in the light of changes in technology. Not only do these changes include commercially available astronomical telescopes and software, but also what we know and understand about the universe. There are many new photographs and illustrations. Writing in the easy-going style that made him famous as a writer and broadcaster, Sir Patrick introduced astronomy and amateur observing together, so that his reader gets an idea of what he is observing at the same time as how to observe. Almost half the book is Appendices. These are hugely comprehensive and provide hints and tips, as well as data (year 2000 onwards) for pretty well every aspect of amateur astronomy. This is probably the only book in which all this information is collected in one place.

This practical and well-illustrated introduction to night sky observing by naked eye, binoculars or telescopes includes information on equipment, astrophotography, and detailed maps of moon and constellations.

In this captivating story of adventure and exploration, expert David West Reynolds presents a complete and engaging reconstruction of all the key events and personalities in the Apollo program. 400 photos and illustrations.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Carl Sagan traces our exploration of space and suggests that our very survival may depend on the wise use of other worlds. This stirring book reveals how scientific discovery has altered our perception of who we are and where we stand, and challenges us to weigh what we will do with that knowledge. Photos, many in color.

Readers will gain the most comprehensive view available on what President Bush's new space vision will do for human exploration of the Solar System-and how nearly everything NASA does will change as a result.

Developed by one of the foremost designers of astronomical maps, "The Cambridge Star Atlas" features maps of worldwide night skies, year-round. Includes 52 full-color star maps and a double-page Moon map.

A vibrant collection of essays on the cosmos is delivered by the nation's best-known astrophysicist, who is popular for his monthly "Universe" essays in Natural History magazine.

"Together, Villard and Cook bid us join them on an odyssey to planets of dust and moisture and vapor, to infinite worlds out there in the grand universal expanse." --Dr. James White, Editor of "Mercury Magazine "Fasten your seatbelts for a grand tour of the universe--and of the new ideas and discoveries that are bringing it to life. Anyone who wants to know how we got here, where we may be going, and what's out there--will want this spectacular and authoritative guide from two masters of word and image." --Dr. Roy Gould, Director, NASA-Smithsonian Education Forum on the Structure and Evolution of the Universe"What a combination! Author Ray Villard's long experience at the Space Telescope Science Institute has prepared him well to write such a book, and Lynette Cook's legendary artwork is, in a word, magnificent." --David H. Levy, Science

When the future began...
The men had it. Yeager. Conrad. Grissom. Glenn. Heroes ... the first Americans in space ... battling the Russians for control of the heavens ... putting their lives on the line.
The women had it. While Mr. Wonderful was aloft, it tore your heart out that the Hero's Wife, down on the ground, had to perform with the whole world watching ... the TV Press Conference: "What's in your heart? Do you feel with him while he's in orbit?"
The Right Stuff. It's the quality beyond bravery, beyond courage. It's men like Chuck Yeager, the greatest test pilot of all and the fastest man on earth. Pete Conrad, who almost laughed himself out of the running. Gus Grissom, who almost lost it when his capsule sank. John Glenn, the only space traveler whose apple-pie image wasn't a lie.