Download or read book Astronomy The Human Quest for Understanding written by Dale A. Ostlie and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2022-08-11 with total page 913 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since humans first looked up at the stars, astronomy has had a particular ability to stir the imagination and challenge the thinking of scientists and non-scientists alike. Astronomy: The Human Quest for Understanding is an introductory astronomy textbook specifically designed to relate to non-science majors across a wide variety of disciplines, nurture their curiosity, and develop vital science-based critical-thinking skills. This textbook provides an introduction to how science operates in practice and what makes it so successful in uncovering nature's secrets. Given that the study of astronomy dates back thousands of years, it is the ideal subject for tracing the development of the physical sciences and how our evolving understanding of nature has influenced, and been influenced by, mathematics, philosophy, religion, geography, politics, and more. This historical approach also illustrates how wrong turns have been taken, and how the inherent self-correcting nature of science through constant verification and the falsifiability of truly scientific theories ultimately leads us back to a more productive path in our quest for understanding. This approach also points out why, as a broadly educated citizenry, students of all disciplines must understand how scientists arrive at conclusions, and how science and technology have become central features of modern society. In discussing this fascinating and beautiful universe of which we are a part, it is necessary to illustrate the fundamental role that mathematics plays in decoding nature's mysteries. Unlike other similar textbooks, some basic mathematics is integrated naturally into the text, together with interpretive language, and supplemented with numerous examples; additional tutorials are provided on the book's companion website. Astronomy: The Human Quest for Understanding leads the reader down the path to our present-day understanding of our Solar System, stars, galaxies, and the beginning and evolution of our universe, along with profound questions still to be answered in this ancient, yet rapidly changing field.
Download or read book Astronomy the Human Quest for Understanding written by Dale A. Ostlie and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2022-08-11 with total page 913 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since humans first looked up at the stars, astronomy has had a particular ability to stir the imagination and challenge the thinking of scientists and non-scientists alike. Astronomy: The Human Quest for Understanding is an introductory astronomy textbook specifically designed to relate to non-science majors across a wide variety of disciplines, nurture their curiosity, and develop vital science-based critical-thinking skills. This textbook provides an introduction to how science operates in practice and what makes it so successful in uncovering nature's secrets. Given that the study of astronomy dates back thousands of years, it is the ideal subject for tracing the development of the physical sciences and how our evolving understanding of nature has influenced, and been influenced by, mathematics, philosophy, religion, geography, politics, and more. This historical approach also illustrates how wrong turns have been taken, and how the inherent self-correcting nature of science through constant verification and the falsifiability of truly scientific theories ultimately leads us back to a more productive path in our quest for understanding. This approach also points out why, as a broadly educated citizenry, students of all disciplines must understand how scientists arrive at conclusions, and how science and technology have become central features of modern society. In discussing this fascinating and beautiful universe of which we are a part, it is necessary to illustrate the fundamental role that mathematics plays in decoding nature's mysteries. Unlike other similar textbooks, some basic mathematics is integrated naturally into the text, together with interpretive language, and supplemented with numerous examples; additional tutorials are provided on the book's companion website. Astronomy: The Human Quest for Understanding leads the reader down the path to our present-day understanding of our Solar System, stars, galaxies, and the beginning and evolution of our universe, along with profound questions still to be answered in this ancient, yet rapidly changing field.
Download or read book Planet Quest written by Ken Croswell and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 1999 with total page 348 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Are we alone? In 1995 planet hunters discovered the first alien solar system around a star like our own Sun. Ken Croswell tells the fascinating story of this discovery and the people who made it, then explores the possibility that one day we may have the technology to travel to different solar systems and find life.
Download or read book A Ray of Light in a Sea of Dark Matter written by Charles Keeton and published by Rutgers University Press. This book was released on 2014-04-30 with total page 112 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What’s in the dark? Countless generations have gazed up at the night sky and asked this question—the same question that cosmologists ask themselves as they study the universe. The answer turns out to be surprising and rich. The space between stars is filled with an exotic substance called “dark matter” that exerts gravity but does not emit, absorb, or reflect light. The space between galaxies is rife with “dark energy” that creates a sort of cosmic antigravity causing the expansion of the universe to accelerate. Together, dark matter and dark energy account for 95 percent of the content of the universe. News reporters and science journalists routinely talk about these findings using terms that they assume we have a working knowledge of, but do you really understand how astronomers arrive at their findings or what it all means? Cosmologists face a conundrum: how can we study substances we cannot see, let alone manipulate? A powerful approach is to observe objects whose motion is influenced by gravity. Einstein predicted that gravity can act like a lens to bend light. Today we see hundreds of cases of this—instances where the gravity of a distant galaxy distorts our view of a more distant object, creating multiple images or spectacular arcs on the sky. Gravitational lensing is now a key part of the international quest to understand the invisible substance that surrounds us, penetrates us, and binds the universe together. A Ray of Light in a Sea of Dark Matter offers readers a concise, accessible explanation of how astronomers probe dark matter. Readers quickly gain an understanding of what might be out there, how scientists arrive at their findings, and why this research is important to us. Engaging and insightful, Charles Keeton gives everyone an opportunity to be an active learner and listener in our ever-expanding universe. Watch a video with Charles Keeton: Watch video now. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uc3byXNS1G0).
Download or read book Cosmic Order and Cultural Astronomy written by Rana Singh and published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing. This book was released on 2009-10-02 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Throughout the Indian subcontinent there are territories and areas wherein culture, geography, and the archetypal cosmos interact with each other to create a sacredscape that is infused with meaning, cultural performances and transcendent power. These sacred sites possess extensive mythological associations where believed that spirit can cross between different realms. In a broad perspective such studies falls within the realm of cultural astronomy, which has two broad areas, viz. archaeoastronomy, concerned with the study of the use of astronomy and its role in ancient cultures and civilizations; and ethnoastronomy that studies the use of astronomy and its role in contemporary cultures. The seven essays in this volume deals with the critical appraisal of studying cultural astronomy and cosmic order and its implications in India, illustrated with case studies like heritagescape of Khajuraho, where stone speaks; manescape of Gaya, where manes come and bless the devotees; Deviscape of Vindhyachal, where goddess resorts; Shivascape of Kashi, where Shiva dances in making order; Shaktiscape of Kashi, that possesses the spatial ordering of goddesses; and Naturscape of Chitrakut, where mother earth blesses.
Download or read book Neutron Stars written by Katia Moskvitch and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2020-09-15 with total page 321 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The astonishing science of neutron stars and the stories of the scientists who study them. Neutron stars are as bewildering as they are elusive. The remnants of exploded stellar giants, they are tiny, merely twenty kilometers across, and incredibly dense. One teaspoon of a neutron star would weigh several million tons. They can spin up to a thousand times per second, they possess the strongest magnetic fields known in nature, and they may be the source of the most powerful explosions in the universe. Through vivid storytelling and on-site reporting from observatories all over the world, Neutron Stars offers an engaging account of these still-mysterious objects. Award-winning science journalist Katia Moskvitch takes readers from the vast Atacama Desert to the arid plains of South Africa to visit the magnificent radio telescopes and brilliant scientists responsible for our knowledge of neutron stars. She recounts the exhilarating discoveries, frustrating disappointments, and heated controversies of the past several decades and explains cutting-edge research into such phenomena as colliding neutron stars and fast radio bursts: extremely powerful but ultra-short flashes in space that scientists are still struggling to understand. She also shows how neutron stars have advanced our broader understanding of the universe—shedding light on topics such as dark matter, black holes, general relativity, and the origins of heavy elements like gold and platinum—and how we might one day use these cosmic beacons to guide interstellar travel. With clarity and passion, Moskvitch describes what we are learning at the boundaries of astronomy, where stars have life beyond death.
Download or read book The Disordered Cosmos written by Chanda Prescod-Weinstein and published by Bold Type Books. This book was released on 2021-03-09 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From a star theoretical physicist, a journey into the world of particle physics and the cosmos—and a call for a more liberatory practice of science. Winner of the 2021 Los Angeles Times Book Prize in Science & Technology A Finalist for the 2022 PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award A Smithsonian Magazine Best Science Book of 2021 A Symmetry Magazine Top 10 Physics Book of 2021 An Entropy Magazine Best Nonfiction Book of 2020-2021 A Publishers Weekly Best Nonfiction Book of the Year A Kirkus Reviews Best Nonfiction Book of 2021 A Booklist Top 10 Sci-Tech Book of the Year In The Disordered Cosmos, Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein shares her love for physics, from the Standard Model of Particle Physics and what lies beyond it, to the physics of melanin in skin, to the latest theories of dark matter—along with a perspective informed by history, politics, and the wisdom of Star Trek. One of the leading physicists of her generation, Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein is also one of fewer than one hundred Black American women to earn a PhD from a department of physics. Her vision of the cosmos is vibrant, buoyantly nontraditional, and grounded in Black and queer feminist lineages. Dr. Prescod-Weinstein urges us to recognize how science, like most fields, is rife with racism, misogyny, and other forms of oppression. She lays out a bold new approach to science and society, beginning with the belief that we all have a fundamental right to know and love the night sky. The Disordered Cosmos dreams into existence a world that allows everyone to experience and understand the wonders of the universe.
Download or read book Einstein s Shadow written by Seth Fletcher and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2018-10-09 with total page 311 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Einstein’s Shadow follows a team of elite scientists on their historic mission to take the first picture of a black hole, putting Einstein’s theory of relativity to its ultimate test and helping to answer our deepest questions about space, time, the origins of the universe, and the nature of reality Photographing a black hole sounds impossible, a contradiction in terms. But Shep Doeleman and a global coalition of scientists are on the cusp of doing just that. With exclusive access to the team, journalist Seth Fletcher spent five years following Shep and an extraordinary cast of characters as they assembled the Event Horizon Telescope, a worldwide network of radio telescopes created to study black holes. He witnessed the team’s struggles, setbacks, and breakthroughs, and, along the way, Fletcher explored the latest thinking on the most profound questions about black holes: Do they represent a limit to our ability to understand reality? Or will they reveal the clues that lead to the long-sought theory of everything? Fletcher transforms astrophysics into something exciting, accessible, and immediate, taking us on an incredible adventure to better understand the complexity of our galaxy, the boundaries of human perception and knowledge, and how the messy endeavor of science really works. Weaving a compelling narrative account of human ingenuity with excursions into cutting-edge science, Einstein’s Shadow is a tale of great minds on a mission to change the way we understand our universe—and our place in it.
Download or read book The First Galaxies in the Universe written by Abraham Loeb and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2013-01-15 with total page 572 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides a comprehensive, self-contained introduction to one of the most exciting frontiers in astrophysics today: the quest to understand how the oldest and most distant galaxies in our universe first formed. Until now, most research on this question has been theoretical, but the next few years will bring about a new generation of large telescopes that promise to supply a flood of data about the infant universe during its first billion years after the big bang. This book bridges the gap between theory and observation. It is an invaluable reference for students and researchers on early galaxies. The First Galaxies in the Universe starts from basic physical principles before moving on to more advanced material. Topics include the gravitational growth of structure, the intergalactic medium, the formation and evolution of the first stars and black holes, feedback and galaxy evolution, reionization, 21-cm cosmology, and more. Provides a comprehensive introduction to this exciting frontier in astrophysics Begins from first principles Covers advanced topics such as the first stars and 21-cm cosmology Prepares students for research using the next generation of large telescopes Discusses many open questions to be explored in the coming decade
Download or read book Exoplanets written by Donald Goldsmith and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2018-09-10 with total page 129 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “How do alien, faraway worlds reveal their existence to Earthlings? Let Donald Goldsmith count the ways. As an experienced astronomer and a gifted storyteller, he is the perfect person to chronicle the ongoing hunt for planets of other stars.” —Dava Sobel Astronomers have recently discovered thousands of planets that orbit stars throughout our Milky Way galaxy. With his characteristic wit and style, Donald Goldsmith presents the science of exoplanets and the search for extraterrestrial life in a way that Earthlings with little background in astronomy or astrophysics can understand and enjoy. Much of what has captured the imagination of planetary scientists and the public is the unexpected strangeness of these distant worlds, which bear little resemblance to the planets in our solar system. The sizes, masses, and orbits of exoplanets detected so far raise new questions about how planets form and evolve. Still more tantalizing are the efforts to determine which exoplanets might support life. Astronomers are steadily improving their means of examining these planets’ atmospheres and surfaces, with the help of advanced spacecraft sent into orbits a million miles from Earth. These instruments will provide better observations of planetary systems in orbit around the dim red stars that throng the Milky Way. Previously spurned as too faint to support life, these cool stars turn out to possess myriad planets nestled close enough to maintain Earthlike temperatures. The quest to find other worlds brims with possibility. Exoplanets shows how astronomers have broadened our planetary horizons, and suggests what may come next, including the ultimate discovery: life beyond our home planet.
Download or read book A Grand and Bold Thing written by Ann K. Finkbeiner and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2010-08-17 with total page 263 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: LATE IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, what had been a fevered pace of discovery in astronomy for many years had slowed. The Hubble Space Telescope continued to produce an astonishing array of images, but the study of the universe was still fractured into domains: measuring the universe’s expansion rate, the evolution of galaxies in the early universe, the life and death of stars, the search for extrasolar planets, the quest to understand the nature of the elusive dark matter. So little was understood, still, about so many of the most fundamental questions, foremost among them: What was the overall structure of the universe? Why had stars formed into galaxies, and galaxies into massive clusters? What was needed, thought visionary astronomer Jim Gunn, recently awarded the National Medal of Science, was a massive survey of the sky, a kind of new map of the universe that would be so rich in detail and cover such a wide swath of space, be so grand and bold, that it would allow astronomers to see the big picture in a whole new way. So was born the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, a remarkable undertaking bringing together hundreds of astronomers and launching a new era of supercharged astronomical discovery, an era of “e-science” that has taken astronomy from the lonely mountaintop observatory to the touch of your fingertips. Critically acclaimed science writer Ann Finkbeiner tells the inside story of the Sloan and how it is revolutionizing astronomy. The Sloan stitched together images of deep space taken over the course of five years, providing a remarkably detailed, three-dimensional map of a vast territory of the universe, all digitized and downloadable for easy searching on a personal computer, and available not only to professional astronomers but to the public as well. Bringing together for the first time images of many millions of galaxies—including the massive structure known as the Sloan Great Wall of galaxies, never seen before—the Sloan is allowing astronomers and armchair enthusiasts alike to watch the universe grow up, providing so many discoveries at such a fast pace that, as one astronomer said, it’s like drinking out of a fire hose. They are watching galaxies forming and galaxies merging with other galaxies, seeing streams of stars swirling out from galaxies, and forming a new understanding of how the smooth soup of matter that emerged from the Big Bang evolved into the universe as we know it. Ann Finkbeiner brings the excitement and the extraordinary potential of this new era of astronomy vividly to life and allows all readers to understand how they, too, can become part of the discovery process. A Grand and Bold Thing is vital reading for all.
Download or read book Sumerian Mythology written by A.J. Kingston and published by A.J. Kingston. This book was released on 101-01-01 with total page 262 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 📚 Discover the Enigmatic World of Sumerian Mythology: Unveil the Secrets of the Anunnaki Gods 🌌 Embark on an extraordinary journey through time and space with our captivating book bundle: "Sumerian Mythology: Ancient Anunnaki Gods From Nibiru To Earth." Delve deep into the mystique of ancient civilizations, cosmic connections, and the celestial beings who shaped the course of humanity. 🌟 What's Included in the Bundle? 🌟 📖 Book 1 - The Celestial Enigma: Anunnaki's Journey From Nibiru To Sumerian Civilization Step into the cosmic realm of Nibiru and trace the captivating journey of the Anunnaki to the cradle of Sumerian civilization. Uncover the mysteries that shroud their arrival on Earth and their profound influence on the rise of an advanced society. 📖 Book 2 - Echoes Of Eridu: Unraveling The Anunnaki Influence In Early Human History Explore the echoes of the Anunnaki's presence in the dawn of human existence. Journey to the ancient city of Eridu and witness their lasting impact on human evolution, from the birth of agriculture to the enchanting tapestry of myths that continue to resonate. 📖 Book 3 - Gateways Of Nibiru: Sumerian Mythology And The Cosmic Connections Of The Anunnaki Open the gates to the cosmic connections between Nibiru and Earth. Decode the intricate tapestry of Sumerian beliefs, as we unravel the messages and insights the Anunnaki imparted to humanity. Through symbolism and cosmic interplay, witness the profound link between the divine and the mortal. 📖 Book 4 - Sumer's Cosmic Rulers: Exploring Anunnaki Deities And Their Impact Across Millennia Embark on a sweeping exploration across ages, unveiling the enduring legacy of Anunnaki deities in human civilizations. From ancient pantheons to modern spirituality, trace their influence that echoes not only in religious practices but also in the foundations of governance, lineage, and cosmic order. 🌌 Why You Should Dive Into This Bundle 🌌 ✨ Immerse yourself in the mysteries of Sumerian mythology, where the celestial and earthly realms converge, shaping human culture and beliefs. ✨ Explore the profound connections between Nibiru, the Anunnaki, and our world, unraveling cosmic secrets and enduring truths. ✨ Witness the echoes of the Anunnaki's presence in myths, rituals, and the enduring threads of human civilization. ✨ Discover the enduring power of these ancient narratives, as they transcend time to captivate modern imaginations. 🌍 Experience the Cosmos Through the Eyes of the Anunnaki 🌍 Unearth the forgotten tales, decipher the cosmic symbols, and traverse the epochs to uncover the legacy of the Anunnaki in our "Sumerian Mythology" book bundle. Each volume holds a key to unlocking the enigma of our past, bridging the celestial and earthly, and resonating with the eternal questions that have shaped human existence. 🛍️ Get Your Bundle Today and Embark on a Cosmic Journey! 🛍️
Download or read book Wayfarers in the Cosmos written by George V. Coyne and published by Crossroad Publishing. This book was released on 2002 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With the embarrassing Galileo condemnation far, far behind them, the time is ripe for a book by Vatican officials about how the Official Church sees the staggering developments in modern astronomy. Coyne and Omizzolo take readers through the history of human understandings of heavens to arrive at a deep understanding of what many secular physicists are themselves saying about the cosmos: that a loving Creator stands behind it all.
Download or read book CAP2005 Conference Proceedings written by and published by European Space Agency. This book was released on with total page 401 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Parallax written by Alan W. Hirshfeld and published by Courier Corporation. This book was released on 2013-01-01 with total page 338 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This lively and entertaining history of the long struggle to measure the distance to the stars will appeal to general readers as well as to amateur and professional astronomers. Readers will encounter fascinating historical characters, from ancient Greeks to 19th-century scientists. Well illustrated, with contemporary pictures plus extensive notes on further reading. 2002 edition.
Download or read book Empire of the Stars written by Arthur I. Miller and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. This book was released on 2005 with total page 402 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A history of the idea of "black holes" explores the tumultuous debate over the existence of this now well-accepted phenomenon, focusing particular attention on Indian scientist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar.
Download or read book Understanding Humans as Nature s Masterpiece written by Amrahs Hseham and published by Mahesh Dutt Sharma. This book was released on 2024-01-28 with total page 190 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book, "Understanding Humans as Nature’s Masterpiece," explores the many aspects of human nature that make us truly remarkable. From our complex cognitive abilities to our emotional depth and capacity for empathy, this book delves into the many facets of what it means to be human. In the following pages, you will discover the incredible history of our species. You will explore the biological and psychological foundations of human behavior, including our unique capacity for language, self-awareness, and moral reasoning. You will also learn about the many ways in which humans have contributed to the world, from art and literature to science and technology. Our remarkable inventions, from the wheel to the internet, have revolutionized the way we live and interact with each other.
