Seeing in the Dark: How Amateur Astronomers Are Discovering the Wonders of the Universe

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Simon and Schuster, 08.07.2003 - 400 Seiten
In Seeing in the Dark, a poetic love letter to science and to the skies, Timothy Ferris invites us all to become stargazers. He recounts his own experiences as an enthralled lifelong amateur astronomer and reports from around the globe -- from England and Italy to the Florida Keys and the Chilean Andes -- on the revolution that's putting millions in touch with the night sky. In addition, Ferris offers an authoritative and engaging report on what's out there to be seen -- what Saturn, the Ring nebula, the Silver Coin galaxy, and the Virgo supercluster really are and how to find them. The appendix includes star charts, observing lists, and a guide on how to get involved in astronomy.
Ferris takes us inside a major revolution sweeping astronomy, as lone amateur astronomers, in global networks linked by the Internet, make important discoveries that are the envy of the professionals. His ability to describe the wonders of the universe is simply magical, and his enthusiasm for his subject is irresistible.
 

Ausgewählte Seiten

Inhalt

Spaceflight
15
Amateurs
29
How Much Can You See?
42
Professionals
49
The Realm of the Sun
75
Moon Dance
103
Mars
121
Vermin of the Skies
161
Chimes at Midnight
212
Minerva at Dawn
289
Representative Bright Stars
303
F Further Reading
313
Notes
323
Glossary
341
Index
361
Urheberrecht

Jupiter
179

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Autoren-Profil (2003)

Timothy Ferris, called "the best popular science writer in the English language today" (The Christian Science Monitor) and "the best science writer of his generation" (The Washington Post), is the author of ten books, including the bestsellers The Whole Shebang and Coming of Age in the Milky Way. He has won the American Institute of Physics prize (twice), the American Association for the Advancement of Science prize, and has been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. A frequent contributor to The New Yorker, he lives in San Francisco and stargazes from his personal astronomical observatory on Sonoma Mountain in California's wine country. Visit his Web site at www.timothyferris.com.

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