Astronomy

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The extreme events that we hear about daily - hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions - are extreme in purely human terms, in the devastation they do. But this book moves our understanding of the extreme into extraterrestrial dimensions and gives us an awe-inspiring sense of what our solar system at its utmost can do. Martian dust devils taller than Mount Everest. A hurricane that lasts over 340 years. Volcanoes with 'lava' colder than Antarctica. Hail made of diamonds. Here, as the authors say, the 'WOW' factor i... read more

This four-part introduction to star watching is the work of astronomer Robin Kerrod. It consists of a "planisphere", two 128-page spiral-bound books and a torch, all packed into a sturdy case. The planisphere is two rotating discs fixed one above the other. It shows the constellations at different times during each night of the year and is designed to work best at latitude 35 degrees south. The first of the two manuals, Mapping the Skies, expands on what's shown on the planisphere. It has an introduction to the main constellations... read more

This is the definitive illustrated book on Hubble - the most successful telescope ever constructed, which changed the face of space and reveals the most provocative and unprecedented new images of the universe, gathered by Hubble over its nearly 20-year lifetime.

Both novice and advanced skywatchers will value this comprehensive and easy-to-use guide to the brilliant and ever-changing sights of the southern sky by night. Readers are introduced to the many and varied objects in the sky and their movements and changing appearances, as well as the ancient myths and legends entwined around the groupings of stars. Featured in this book are two groups of sky charts, designed so that readers can move easily between them. The 24 skyviews show the appearance of the whole night sky every two weeks (o... read more

Astronomer Richard Hall's engrossing account of the stars as seen from 'Down Under'. This personal tour of the night sky follows his popular series on New Zealand's National Radio.'Fifty thousand years ago, a small family of our ancestors huddled around a campfire. Robbed of vision, they were vulnerable in the darkness; the night is the time of the predator. As they listened to the crackle of the fire and the sounds of the night, they looked upwards. What, they wondered, were those mysterious lights in the sky' So begins astronomer... read more

"This well-written guide will beguile experienced star-spotters and absolute beginners alike." --"New Scientist" magazine

Over the past 200 years, our knowledge of stars has expanded enormously. From seeing myriad dots of different brightnesses, we moved on to measure distances, temperatures, sizes, chemical compositions, even ages, finding stars that dwarf our Sun and are dwarfed by it, some in their youth, others ancient. First published in 2001, Extreme Stars describes the lives of stars from a fascinating perspective. It examines their amazing extremes and results in an engaging overview of stellar evolution, suitable for anyone interested in view... read more

This is a lavishly illustrated volume celebrating 400 years since Galileo first used the telescope to gaze at the heavens. It is written by an internationally renowned BBC science correspondent. It is beautifully written, gorgeously packaged and eminently knowledgeable. This is a smart alternative to dry, academic studies of his life and works. Four hundred years ago, Galileo Galilei first used the telescope to gaze at the heavens. In honour of that anniversary, as well as the international year of astronomy, this lavishly illustra... read more

An introduction to prominent stars and constellations in the southern night sky in the form of a handy fold-out laminated card. Clear illustrations and a handy glow-in-the-dark feature makes the star charts simple and practical to use. Designed to be used as a star-finder, the charts highlight only the most prominent constellations and stars visible from cities throughout the Southern Hemisphere.

This is a new edition of the clearest, most authoritative guide to stars and planets you will find. From the planet Jupiter to a refracting telescope, discover all about the stars and planets in our solar system and the equipment you need to spot them. Each of the planets is illustrated and described in incredible detail while the complex process of locating planets in the night sky is made simple through charts, maps and diagrams. You'll find star charts to help you to locate and identify constellations and individual stars. Inter... read more

"Philip's Solar System Observer's Guide" is a practical and colourful introduction to our 'corner' of the Universe. It describes how to observe not only the planets but also the Moon, Sun, comets, meteors, asteroids and other objects found within our Solar System. It is ideal for users of binoculars and small- to medium-sized telescopes. Each chapter is devoted to a different object, and in each case the author explains how to find the object, how to observe it, what you can expect to see and how you can record your observations. T... read more

This classic star atlas is ideal for both beginning astronomers and more experienced observers worldwide. The clear, full-color maps show stars, clusters and galaxies visible with binoculars or a small telescope. The atlas also features constellation boundaries and the Milky Way, and lists objects that are interesting to observe. This new edition features a clearer map of the Moon's surface, showing craters and features; a second Moon map, mirror reversed for users of telescopes with star diagonals; enhanced index charts showing th... read more

From the author of the bestselling Solar System iPad app, a glorious full-colour guide to our planetary neighbours from one of the world's top science writers.
In this title, bestselling author Marcus Chown leads us on a grand tour through the incredible diversity of planets, moons, asteroids, comets, and spacecraft that surround the Sun in our cosmic backyard. Illuminating his insightful and surprising text are a wealth of beautiful images and diagrams, printed in full colour, richly detailed and accurately based on real s... read more

Soon astronomers expect to find alien Earths by the dozens in orbit around distant suns. Before the decade is out, telltale signs that they harbor life may be found. If they are, the ramifications for all areas of human thought and endeavor - from religion and philosophy to art and biology - will be breathtaking. In "Strange New Worlds, renowned astronomer Ray Jayawardhana brings news from the front lines of the epic quest to find planets - and alien life - beyond our solar system. Only in the past fifteen years, after mille... read more

Anyone scanning the shelves today to learn about such urgent news from the universe should go directly 'J' and take down Ray Jayawardhana's Strange New Worlds. It begins with early speculation by ancient thinkers but moves quickly to a series of seemingly promising discoveries, beginning 160 years ago, that raised researchers' hopes only to frustrate them... [R]eading Strange New Worlds, I felt the thrill of briefly sharing in the efforts of these planet-seeking scientists and seeing the universe through their eyes. ..read more

An introductory guide to navigating your way around the night sky and identifying what you can see on any given night. Designed as a comprehensive introduction for the beginner and those who want to find out more, Collins Night Sky covers everything that can be seen with the naked eye and binoculars, as well as what is visible using a small telescope. There are sections on how to observe and understand the objects that comprise the night sky, the moon, the movements of the stars and planets throughout the year and astronomical ev... read more

The universe is all about extremes. Space has a temperature 270C below freezing. Stars die in catastrophic supernova explosions a billion times brighter than the Sun. A black hole can generate 10 million trillion volts of electricity. And hypergiants are stars 2 billion kilometres across, larger than the orbit of Jupiter. Extreme Cosmos provides a stunning new view of the way the Universe works, seen through the lens of extremes: the fastest, hottest, heaviest, brightest, oldest, densest and even the loudest. This is an astronomy b... read more

A planisphere is a hand held aid used to identify which stars and constellations are visible. It's easy to use. Just turn the disc so the date lines up with the current time and it shows you what the sky looks like now! This special double-sided design makes it easier to relate to what you see in the sky, giving a less distorted view compared to the more common, traditional single sided ones. Included is Quasar's unique Planet Finder card, which gives the approximate position of the five naked eye planets, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jup... read more

Considering the development of life on Earth, the existence of life in extreme environments and the potential for life elsewhere in the Universe, this book gives a fascinating insight into our place in the Universe. Chris Impey leads the reader through the history, from the Copernican revolution to the emergence of the field of astrobiology - the study of life in the cosmos. He examines how life on Earth began, exploring its incredible variety and the extreme environments in which it can survive. Finally, Impey turns his attention ... read more

We once had to abandon the idea of earth being at the centre of the universe. Now, we need to confront an even more profound possibility: the universe itself might just be one universe among many. "In Search of the Multiverse" takes us on an extraordinary journey, examining the most fundamental questions in science. What are the boundaries of our universe? Can there be different physical laws from the ones we know? Are there in fact other universes? Do we really live in a multiverse? This book is the ultimate search and Gribbin gui... read more

A complete reference to everything in our souther sky. It includes over 100 maps and charts, solar system, how to observe the night sky, types of stars and planets. Australian authors.