On Shelf at CCBC Libraries
The Little Book of Exoplanets by
A concise and accessible introduction to exoplanets that explains the cutting-edge science behind recent discoveries For centuries, people have speculated about the possibility of planets orbiting distant stars, but only since the 1990s has technology allowed astronomers to detect them. At this point, more than five thousand such exoplanets have been identified, with the pace of discovery accelerating after the launch of NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite and the Webb Space Telescope. In The Little Book of Exoplanets, Princeton astrophysicist Joshua Winn offers a brief and engaging introduction to the search for exoplanets and the cutting-edge science behind recent findings. In doing so, he chronicles the dawn of a new age of discovery--one that has rapidly transformed astronomy and our broader understanding of the universe. Scientists now know that many Sun-like stars host their own systems of planets, some of which may resemble our solar system and include planets similar to the Earth. But, Winn tells us, the most remarkable discoveries so far have been of planets with unexpected and decidedly un-Earth-like properties, which have upended what we thought we knew about the origins of planetary systems. Winn provides an inside view of the sophisticated detective work astronomers perform as they find and study exoplanets and describes the surprising--sometimes downright bizarre--planets and systems they have found. He explains how these discoveries are revolutionizing astronomy, and he explores the current status and possible future of the search for another Earth. Finally, drawing on his own and other scientists' work, he considers how the discovery of exoplanets and their faraway solar systems changes our perspectives on the universe and our place in it.
Call Number: QB820 .W56 2023
Universe: Exploring the Astronomical World by
Explore the stars and planets and beyond through 300 fascinating images - an international panel of experts take you on a journey through man's record of the universe - from ancient cave paintings to animation. Universe is a groundbreaking survey that celebrates the popular subject of astronomy through 300 images created by those who have tried to understand - or who have been inspired by - the beauty and mystery of stars, planets, and beyond. Carefully chosen by an international panel of experts and arranged to highlight thought-provoking contrasts and similarities, the selection includes paintings, photographs, sculpture, animation, prints, sketches, and digital renderings with iconic works by renowned photographers, artists, and astronomers alongside previously unpublished finds.
Call Number: QB43.3 .U566 2017
Welcome to the Universe by
The New York Times bestselling tour of the cosmos from three of today's leading astrophysicists Welcome to the Universe is a personal guided tour of the cosmos by three of today's leading astrophysicists. Inspired by the enormously popular introductory astronomy course that Neil deGrasse Tyson, Michael A. Strauss, and J. Richard Gott taught together at Princeton, this book covers it all--from planets, stars, and galaxies to black holes, wormholes, and time travel. Describing the latest discoveries in astrophysics, the informative and entertaining narrative propels you from our home solar system to the outermost frontiers of space. How do stars live and die? Why did Pluto lose its planetary status? What are the prospects of intelligent life elsewhere in the universe? How did the universe begin? Why is it expanding and why is its expansion accelerating? Is our universe alone or part of an infinite multiverse? Answering these and many other questions, the authors open your eyes to the wonders of the cosmos, sharing their knowledge of how the universe works. Breathtaking in scope and stunningly illustrated throughout, Welcome to the Universe is for those who hunger for insights into our evolving universe that only world-class astrophysicists can provide.
Call Number: QB982.T974 2016
Living with the Stars by
Living with the Stars tells the fascinating story of what truly makes the human body. The body that is with us all our lives is always changing. We are quite literally not who we were years, weeks, or even days ago: our cells die and are replaced by new ones at an astonishing pace. The entirebody continually rebuilds itself, time and again, using the food and water that flow through us as fuel and as construction material. What persists over time is not fixed but merely a pattern in flux.We rebuild using elements captured from our surroundings, and are thereby connected to animals and plants around us, and to the bacteria within us that help digest them, and to geological processes such as continental drift and volcanism here on Earth. We are also intimately linked to the Sun'snuclear furnace and to the solar wind, to collisions with asteroids and to the cycles of the birth of stars and their deaths in cataclysmic supernovae, and ultimately to the beginning of the universe. Our bodies are made of the burned out embers of stars that were released into the galaxy in massiveexplosions billions of years ago, mixed with atoms that formed only recently as ultrafast rays slammed into Earth's atmosphere. All of that is not just remote history but part of us now: our human body is inseparable from nature all around us and intertwined with the history of the universe.
Call Number: QH326.S37 2015
Guide to Stars and Planets by
A concise reference by a best-selling astronomy author. The Guide to Stars and Planets is a practical guide to the night sky featuring detailed maps of the moon and constellations, plus a host of recommendations on what to look for and when. In a compact format, this book is illustrated with charts, maps, and stunning photographs from the world's finest Earth- and space-based telescopes. A concise introduction offers a practical guide to telescopes, home observatories and astronomical photography for amateur astronomers. Detailed entries describe the following astronomical objects, organized by the closest to the furthest from Earth: The moon The sun The planets Solar system debris The stars The galaxies The constellations Observing eclipses, comets and meteors. The book highlights the most interesting objects that can be observed using the naked eye, binoculars or telescope. Detailed moon maps and charts identify significant features, and practical tips explain how to observe the sun safely. The Guide to Stars and Planets is an ideal introduction to astronomy and a concise reference for hobbyists of all levels of experience.
Call Number: QB63.M64 2005
Stars and Planets by
In this new edition of their classic guide, Ian Ridpath and Wil Tirion bring the night sky down to earth with brand new sky charts, diagrams, and photos that enrich the clear, engaging text. Stars and Planets will delight both latent astronomers who have yet to touch a telescope and the more star-savvy who have spent many a night outside craning their necks behind a lens. The introduction presents the basics of astronomical observation while answering such questions as: How did constellations come to be? Do the stars within them have anything to do with one another? Do stars really flicker? Next comes the book's centerpiece: an excellent series of maps of the night sky from hemisphere to hemisphere, month to month and, above all, charts showing all 88 constellations, including some 5,000 stars. The text vividly relates the human history behind each constellation and notes their most prominent stars while offering sundry stimulating facts. The second section focuses on the astrophysics behind stars, galaxies, the sun, the planets, comets and meteors, and more. Striking full-color photos, maps, and illustrations appear on almost every page. The guide concludes with helpful tips on the optical tools of the trade and on astrophotography. Astrophysicists and amateur skywatchers agree that Stars and Planets is simply the most user-friendly, compact source of celestial information available. No one should leave home at night without it. Up-to-date full-color photos and data, including recent planetary images Monthly maps of the night sky as seen from latitudes throughout the world Charts of all 88 constellations, with data and notes on bright stars and other objects of interest Illustrated introduction to stars, nebulae, galaxies, and the solar system Advice on choosing and using binoculars and telescopes
Call Number: QB63.R52 2001
Streaming Video
- What Are Stars?The Milky Way is made up of approximately 15 billion stars. What are stars, and how are they formed? This program will discuss that and more, including our most famous star: the Sun. We’ll also learn about the planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
Astronomical Units by Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre
Astronomy 101 by Professor MJ Clark
- Astronomy 101 AssignmentRanking Task Writing Project by Prof. MJ Clark
Online from CCBC Libraries
The Observer's Guide to Planetary Motion by
To the naked eye, the most evident defining feature of the planets is their motion across the night sky. It was this motion that allowed ancient civilizations to single them out as different from fixed stars. "The Observer's Guide to Planetary Motion" takes each planet and its moons (if it has them) in turn and describes how the geometry of the Solar System gives rise to its observed motions. Although the motions of the planets may be described as simple elliptical orbits around the Sun, we have to observe them from a particular vantage point: the Earth, which spins daily on its axis and circles around the Sun each year. The motions of the planets as observed relative to this spinning observatory take on more complicated patterns. Periodically, objects become prominent in the night sky for a few weeks or months, while at other times they pass too close to the Sun to be observed. "The Observer's Guide to Planetary Motion" provides accurate tables of the best time for observing each planet, together with other notable events in their orbits, helping amateur astronomers plan when and what to observe. Uniquely each of the chapters includes extensive explanatory text, relating the events listed to the physical geometry of the Solar System. Along the way, many questions are answered: Why does Mars take over two years between apparitions (the times when it is visible from Earth) in the night sky, while Uranus and Neptune take almost exactly a year? Why do planets appear higher in the night sky when they're visible in the winter months? Why do Saturn's rings appear to open and close every 15 years? This book places seemingly disparate astronomical events into an understandable three-dimensionalnbsp; structure, enabling an appreciation that, for example, very good apparitions of Mars come around roughly every 15 years and that those in 2018 and 2035 will be nearly as good as that seen in 2003. Events are listed for the time period 2010-2030 and in the case of rarer events (such as eclipses and apparitions of Mars) even longer time periods are covered. A short closing chapter describes the seasonal appearance of deep sky objects, which follow an annual cycle as a result of Earth's orbital motion around the Sun.
Publication Date: 2014
The Inner Planets by
Designed to meet the needs of both general readers and students, The Solar System Singles cover all major topics on Earth's solar system as it is understood from the latest perspectives. Each of the 35-45 essays begins with standard, ready-reference information. An ""Overview"" section details basic information about the subject and discusses the main facts about the topic. ""Knowledge Gained/Methods of Study/Applications"" details how the topic is investigated, what scientific knowledge we have accumulated, or the uses of the knowledge we have gained. ""Context"" addresses the topic from the larger perspective of the history of solar-system science and its relevance for humankind. ""Further Reading"" is an annotated selection of the most important print resources for further study. Lastly, ""See Also"" lists cross-references to other essays in the set. Each set is heavily illustrated. The Inner Planets Table of Contents: Auroras; Earth System Science; Earth's Age; Earth's Atmosphere; Earth's Composition; Earth's Magnetic Field at Present; Earth's Magnetic Field: Origins; Earth's Magnetic Field: Secular Variation; Earth's Magnetosphere; Earth's Origin; Earth's Rotation; Earth's Shape; Earth's Structure; Earth-Sun Relations; Gemini Program; Global Energy Balance; Habitable Zones; Interplanetary Travel; Mars: Illusions and Conspiracies; Mars: Possible Life; Mars: Surface Experiments; Mars's Atmosphere; Mars's Craters; Mars's Polar Caps; Mars's Satellites; Mars's Valleys; Mars's Volcanoes; Mars's Water; Mercury; Planetary Orbits; Planetology: Comparative; Planetology: Comparison of Venus, Earth, and Mars; Van Allen Radiation Belts; Venus's Atmosphere; Venus's Craters; Venus's Surface Experiments; Venus's Surface Features; Venus's Volcanoes; Viking Program.
Publication Date: 2013
The Outer Planets by
Designed to meet the needs of both general readers and students, The Solar System Singles cover all major topics on Earth's solar system as it is understood from the latest perspectives. Each of the 35-45 essays begins with standard, ready-reference information. An ""Overview"" section details basic information about the subject and discusses the main facts about the topic. ""Knowledge Gained/Methods of Study/Applications"" details how the topic is investigated, what scientific knowledge we have accumulated, or the uses of the knowledge we have gained. ""Context"" addresses the topic from the larger perspective of the history of solar-system science and its relevance for humankind. ""Further Reading"" is an annotated selection of the most important print resources for further study. Lastly, ""See Also"" lists cross-references to other essays in the set. Each set is heavily illustrated. The Outer Planets Table of Contents: Callisto; Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 Collides with Jupiter; Enceladus; Europa; Ganymede; Iapetus; Io; Jovian Planets; Jupiter's Atmosphere; Jupiter's Great Red Spot; Jupiter's Interior; Jupiter's Magnetic Field & Radiation Belts; Jupiter's Ring System; Jupiter's Satellites; Miranda; Neptune's Atmosphere; Neptune's Great Dark Spots; Neptune's Interior; Neptune's Magnetic Field; Neptune's Ring System; Neptune's Satellites; Planetary Orbits; Planetary Ring Systems; Planetology: Comparative; Saturn's Atmosphere; Saturn's Interior; Saturn's Magnetic Field; Saturn's Ring System; Saturn's Satellites; Titan; Triton; Uranus's Atmosphere; Uranus's Interior; Uranus's Magnetic Field; Uranus's Rings; Uranus's Satellites; Uranus's Tilt; Voyager Program.
Publication Date: 2013
Journey of the Universe by
An epic story of the emergence of the universe and of the community of life, with a new vision for how we might bring forth a vibrant Earth Community Today we know what no previous generation knew: the history of the universe and of the unfolding of life on Earth. Through the astonishing combined achievements of natural scientists worldwide, we now have a detailed account of how galaxies and stars, planets and living organisms, human beings and human consciousness came to be. And yet . . . we thirst for answers to questions that have haunted humanity from the very beginning. What is our place in the 14-billion-year history of the universe? What roles do we play in Earth's history? How do we connect with the intricate web of life on Earth? In Journey of the Universe Brian Thomas Swimme and Mary Evelyn Tucker tell the epic story of the universe from an inspired new perspective, weaving the findings of modern science together with enduring wisdom found in the humanistic traditions of the West, China, India, and indigenous peoples. The authors explore cosmic evolution as a profoundly wondrous process based on creativity, connection, and interdependence, and they envision an unprecedented opportunity for the world's people to address the daunting ecological and social challenges of our times. Journey of the Universe transforms how we understand our origins and envision our future. Though a little book, it tells a big story--one that inspires hope for a way in which Earth and its human civilizations could flourish together. This book is part of a larger project that includes a documentary film, an educational DVD series, and a website. For more information, please consult the website, journeyoftheuniverse.org.
Publication Date: 2011
Wandering Stars by
The space vehicle spectaculars of recent years have been revealing the full scope and beauty of our own solar system but have also shown that a growing number of other stars too have planetary bodies orbiting around them. The study of these systems is just beginning. It seems that our galaxy contains untold numbers of planets, and presumably other galaxies will be similar to our own. Our solar system contains life, on Earth: do others as well? Such questions excite modern planetary scientists and astro-biologists. This situation is a far cry from ancient times when the five planets that can be seen from Earth without a telescope were called the "wandering stars".This notebook-cum-workbook provides an introduction to those profound and still-developing modern studies. Written by an expert in the field, it is pitched at a level suitable for beginning students. It is designed particularly for self-study but can also provide background support for students attending lecture courses or teachers developing such courses. The reader is encouraged to add to the arguments of the book as the subject develops. A special feature here is a substantial glossary of terms and people which serves as a starting point for further entries. Wandering Stars is a key to unlock the door to an exciting and fascinating universe which is still the object of active discovery.
Publication Date: 2006
Philip's guide to stars and planets by
Introduction to astronomy -- Astronomical photography -- Sun's family -- Moon -- Sun -- Planets -- Solar system debris -- Stars -- Galaxies -- New astronomy -- Constellations -- Time chart of astronomy -- Time chart of space research -- Glossary -- Constellation names.
Publication Date: 2004
