This book collects contributions made at a meeting on astronomical instrumentation held at the Royal Greenwich Observatory to mark the seventieth birthday of Robert Hanbury Brown. Twenty-five contributors describe the impact of instrumentation on the advancement of astronomy today. The topics covered include radio interferometry and VLBI; optical interferometry; new technology telescopes; electronic detectors; image processing; and the Hubble Space Telescope. The book is a valuable synthesis of current thought and will be useful to observational astronomers generally.
Driven by discoveries, and enabled by leaps in technology and imagination, our understanding of the universe has changed dramatically during the course of the last few decades. The fields of astronomy and astrophysics are making new connections to physics, chemistry, biology, and computer science. Based on a broad and comprehensive survey of scientific opportunities, infrastructure, and organization in a national and international context, New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics outlines a plan for ground- and space- based astronomy and astrophysics for the decade of the 2010's. Realizing these scientific opportunities is contingent upon maintaining and strengthening the foundations of the research enterprise including technological development, theory, computation and data handling, laboratory experiments, and human resources. New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics proposes enhancing innovative but moderate-cost programs in space and on the ground that will enable the community to respond rapidly and flexibly to new scientific discoveries. The book recommends beginning construction on survey telescopes in space and on the ground to investigate the nature of dark energy, as well as the next generation of large ground-based giant optical telescopes and a new class of space-based gravitational observatory to observe the merging of distant black holes and precisely test theories of gravity. New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics recommends a balanced and executable program that will support research surrounding the most profound questions about the cosmos. The discoveries ahead will facilitate the search for habitable planets, shed light on dark energy and dark matter, and aid our understanding of the history of the universe and how the earliest stars and galaxies formed. The book is a useful resource for agencies supporting the field of astronomy and astrophysics, the Congressional committees with jurisdiction over those agencies, the scientific community, and the public.
In preparing the report, Astronomy and Astrophysics in the New Millenium , the AASC made use of a series of panel reports that address various aspects of ground- and space-based astronomy and astrophysics. These reports provide in-depth technical detail. Astronomy and Astrophysics in the New Millenium: An Overview summarizes the science goals and recommended initiatives in a short, richly illustrated, non-technical booklet.
The search -- Discoveries -- Observation -- Detection, recognition, and classification of cosmic phenomena -- The fringes of legitimacy : the need for enlightened planning.
This richly illustrated book discusses the ways in which astronomy expanded after 1945 from a modest discipline to a robust and modern science. It begins with an introduction to the state of astronomy in 1945 before recounting how in the following years, initial observations were made in hitherto unexplored ranges of wavelengths, such as X-radiation, infrared radiation and radio waves. These led to the serendipitous discovery of more than a dozen new phenomena, including quasars and neutron stars, that each triggered a new area of research. The book goes on to discuss how after 1985, the further, systematic exploration of the earlier discoveries led to long-term planning and the construction of new, large telescopes on Earth and in Space. Key scientific highlights described in the text are the detection of exoplanets (1995), the unexpected discovery of the accelerated expansion of the Universe (1999), a generally accepted model for the large-scale properties of the Universe (2003) and the ΛCDM theory (2005) that explains how the galaxies and stars of the present Universe were formed from minute irregularities in the (almost) homogenous gas that filled the early Universe. All these major scientific achievements came at a price, namely the need to introduce two new phenomena that are as yet unexplained by physics: inflation and dark energy. Probably the deepest unsolved question has to be: Why did all of this start with a Big Bang?
Propelling Understanding: Your Launchpad to Aerospace Engineering Excellence The realm of aerospace engineering is a confluence of science, ambition, and human endeavor, encapsulating the relentless pursuit of pushing boundaries and transcending terrestrial limitations. It is a domain that continually stretches the fabric of what is possible, melding imagination with the rigors of engineering precision. The Dictionary of Aerospace Engineering, with its extensive compilation of 6,000 meticulously curated titles, serves as a cornerstone for those engaged in this dynamic field, offering a wellspring of knowledge and a pathway to mastery. Embarking on the pages of this dictionary is akin to launching into a voyage through the core principles, advanced methodologies, and the ever-evolving technologies that are the hallmarks of aerospace engineering. Each entry is a beacon, illuminating complex terminologies and nuanced concepts, aiding both the seasoned engineer and the aspiring practitioner in navigating the vast expanse of aerospace engineering knowledge. The Dictionary of Aerospace Engineering is not merely a repository of terms but an edifice of understanding. It is a conduit through which the intricate and the arcane become accessible, where challenging concepts are decoded into comprehensible insights. This dictionary is an endeavor to foster a shared lexicon, to enhance communication, collaboration, and innovation across the aerospace engineering community. This comprehensive reference material transcends being a passive dictionary; it is a dynamic engagement with the multifaceted domain of aerospace engineering. Each term, each title is a testament to the relentless spirit of inquiry and the unyielding drive for innovation that characterizes the aerospace engineering sector. The Dictionary of Aerospace Engineering is an invitation to delve deeper, to engage with the lexicon of flight and space, and to emerge with a richer understanding and a sharpened expertise. It’s a portal through which the uninitiated become adept, the curious become enlightened, and the proficient become masters. Every term, every phrase is a step closer to unraveling the mysteries and embracing the challenges that propel the aerospace engineering domain forward. As you traverse through the entries of The Dictionary of Aerospace Engineering, you are embarking on a journey of discovery. A journey that will not only augment your understanding but will also ignite the spark of curiosity and the drive for innovation that are the hallmarks of excellence in aerospace engineering. We beckon you to commence this educational expedition, to explore the breadth and depth of aerospace engineering lexicon, and to emerge with a boundless understanding and an unyielding resolve to contribute to the ever-evolving narrative of aerospace engineering. Through The Dictionary of Aerospace Engineering, may your quest for knowledge soar to new heights and may your contributions to the aerospace engineering domain echo through the annals of human achievement.
An introduction to practical astrometry, dealing with the determination of positions, motions, distances and dimensions of celestial bodies ranging from quasars to artificial satellites. For this 2nd edition, the release of the Hipparcos and Tycho catalogs, the rise in CCD astrometry and the adoption of a new celestial reference frame by the IAU led to a significant modification of the text. And, especially, the outlook for astrometry has been completely rewritten.
