Product Description
Welcome to Cool Science Images for Curious Kids!Nimble Books believes in "no compromises" books for kids.We believe kids are pretty darned good little signal processors and that they deserve to see real images, not goofy pastel cartoons.Accordingly, these books provide you with beautiful images generated by real scientists in action.We don't try to explain all the science behind every image; our goal is to stimulate joy and wonder at the beauty of the natural world, so that you and your kids will be energized to learn more. ... Read more

Product Description
This book contains stunning images for use as a graphic resource, or inspiration. All the illustrations are stored in high-resolution format on the enclosed free CD-ROM and are ready to use for professional quality printed media and web page design. The pictures can also be used to produce postcards, or to decorate your letters, flyers, etc. They can be imported directly from the CD into most design, image- manipulation, illustration, word-processing and e-mail programs; no installation is required. For most applications, single images can be used free of charge. Please consult the introduction to this book, or visit our website for conditions. The Universe offers an unending source of the most electrifying and mysterious imagery conceivable. The selection of pictures for this book has been made by a well-known specialist in the field of popular astronomy, and is accompanied by short and lucid descriptions of what can be seen. The high-quality files on the accompanying CD-ROM allow for large-format prints. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Seeing what we can't see
Lots of beautiful photographs of the universe.Well worth having if you're into astronomy or just being a sky-gazer.

Great Pictures
There is some amazing pictures in this book.The pictures are large,and they are very clear.If you like viewing pictures from space this is the book to get.Looking at all those galaxies,you imagine what it would be like to be able to travel to them.You would have to assume out there that there is life,but whether there is intelligent life is the real question.I examine these pictures and you get amazed at the colours and complexity some have.I have never realy believed in the big bang theory.I watched Cosmos and it was a great series.But to have all started with a big bang makes no sense.My theory is this,when you push water you see the water turning in different directions,round twisters develope.Now every galaxy is basicly round,and most with a noticable tail.The same sort of tail you see in the water with the twisters.They go everywhere in the water,and when we look at pictures in space,it seems a mess of galaxies,but they are all turning.Why are they turning if it started with a bang,it would be scattered everywhere,there is no way they could form round galaxies from a big bang.Basic principles are at work here,back when Jesus walked they thought the world was flat.He would of had difficulties explaining such things to the people of the day.Our world is round,the solar system is round,the galaxy is round why then is it unfair to assume the universe is round,or at least those principles with the water are at work.Also the front cover has the 2 galaxies about to collide,or at least thats what it says on page 12 about it.However i believe these 2 galaxies are nowhere near each other.If you look at the one on the right it has a black tail over it from the galaxy on the left.You would not see that black tail if that galaxy was not under it.You see there is the clue,the black tail is over it.The one on the right also looks more faded.If you looked at it from a side view,you may see the distance between them could be vast.You see i think that thy rarely if ever collide,the same principles are at work here as they do with our planets turning,but they do not collide.But it certainly is a debatable picture.You can develope all sorts of theories from these pictures.It also has some great ones from the planets in the solar system.

There's sooooo much more to life than just our puny planet...
...

Came across this book three months ago and have not put it down since. EVERY picture is a work of art in itself! The mind boggles while viewing just one image and to realize that what you're actually looking at is millions and millions of worlds. You realize that there is no end to space, but the moment you realize it, it fades away in your mind and you're amazed all over again and wonder how something cannot have an end.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever looked at the sky (day or night) and wondered what else there might be behind our sky.
The pictures are stunning and the text explains clearly the times leading up to the Hubble Telescope's launch and workings since. ... Read more

Product Description
American author Tammy Plotner has teamed up with Finnish image-processing genius Jukka Metsavainio to produce this fun and informative book. Unlike a simple book of astronomical photographs, the images are rendered in stereovision, using a system that requires no special tools or 3D glasses but allows the viewer to see the full color photographs in breathtaking 3D perspective.Included are over 50 unique stereo full-color images from the Hubble Space Telescope and other sources that take you on an outward journey, from Earth, through the solar system, and deep into the expanding cosmos. In addition to seeing the fantastic stereographs of planets, star clusters, nebula, and galaxies, you will read the most current scientific information on each object.And you will be encouraged to return again and again to each photograph, to "see" more. Unlike those pictures that require red and blue glasses to view them, this stunningly simple concept – developed by the Victorians in England over 150 years ago – means that the paired stereo photographs will appear totally normal until viewed under certain conditions. Then the reader’s vision merges each pair into a breathtaking full-color astronomical image in three-dimensional stereo! ... Read more

Product Description
The ancient Egyptians were the first geographical planners to develop a system establishing an image of heaven on earth. This book completes ten years of research into how the Pyramid Field depicts The Constellation of Horus, the deity who bore the meaning of power and invincibility and who guarded the Pharaoh. Rather than randomly pick certain pyramids, Zitman is the first scholar able to make sense of the entire era of pyramid building. Is this depiction of Heaven on Earth an inheritance of the mythical Followers of Horus, who were said to rule Egyptian in Predynastic times? Zitman reveals how time and space were perceived by the Egyptians as sacred ingredients, and that they mixed into a divine master plan, which for the first time is unveiled in its entirety.

The precisions [of the Egyptians] were amazing by any standards, and there is no doubt that the Pyramids were astronomically designed. -- Patrick Moore ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Tough, but Excellent Read
"EGYPT: Image of Heaven" is divided into two parts.The first part argues convincingly that ancient peoples, especially the Egyptians and Sumerians, systematically associated their maps of the heavens with places on the Earth.In other words, its as if a god projected light through the celestial sphere onto the surface of the earth.Willem H. Zitman, the author, provides ample evidence of his theory.He demonstrates that the ancient Egyptians believed that the Nile and the Delta corresponded with the constellation scorpio/Osiris.Zitman believes that Robert Bauval is correct that the 3 main pyramids of Giza correspond to Orion's belt.But he goes further and shows that the ancient Egyptinas laid our their entire pyramid field in accordance with the constellation Orion/Horus.Zitman also provides evidence that the pyramid served a number of other functions for the ancient Egyptians as well.Rather than spoiling it for other readers I will not go into the details.

While mapping the star patterns on the earth's surface is interesting, Zitman connects up legends from original sources, as well as ancient artifacts (a Sumerian planisphere) to show the likely source of ancient Egyptian and Sumerian culture.This conclusion relies very strongly on two sources of absolute precision: 1) That the Egyptians and Sumerians were unbelievably anal retentive in laying down their system of latitude and longitude, and more importantly 2) That the ancient Sumerian planisphere is absolutely perfectly proportioned such that it points accurately to the source of both cultures.I do not have the necessary technical background to evalute the strength of either of these two critical assumptions.However, as a critical thinker, Zitman has met, and exceeded, my threshold of skepticism.In other words, I believe he is right.The final critical assumption of Part I is that Zitman has interpreted all of the evidence effectively and objectively.I am an amateur egyptologist and am familiar with almost all of the source materials and feel that he is not grasping or reaching unnecessarily.

Part II of the book discusses some of the archaeological and geological findings that support Zitman's placement of the source culture of the ancient Egyptians and Sumerians.Additionally, he backs up this portion of the book with further original source quotes from both cultures.Eventually, Zitman traces the root culture off of the coast of Africa and into the ocean.

I enjoyed the second half of the book more than the first.The first half is written for an audience of Egyptological non-believers and so drags through many tedious proofs.While dull, I absolutely appreciate Zitman's need to prove his points.However, I did have to read and re-read certain sections.Ultimately though, every shred of evidence proves necessary for his thesis.That is, there is nothing extraneous and pointless in his data.

Of the 50+ books I have read about ancient Egypt, this book ranks among my top 5 favorites.I look forward to seeing Zitman's theories explored by other authors and archaeological explorers. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (6)

thanks
Thank you so much!!
the item that i ordered has come in a really nice condition
that i expected.
thanks again.

Defective Binding
I bought this book as a gift and the first time the recipient browsed through the book the binding came unglued. Two other books I purchased for gifts from a different British publisher also had this problem. How does such defective binding glue get past the publisher's Quality Control?

Outstanding!
Very happy with the photos but they left out the most important one of all - the Deep Field image.

How did they make that mistake!!

Breath taking.
The pictures are spectacular and the text is informative without overwhelming.Just right for a leisurely journey through the universe.

A Very Nice Balance
Pros - Lots of great photos with clear simple text, well organized comprehensive chapters (eg, nebulas, stars, planets, galaxies ....) in a medium sized compact binding.

Cons - Soft bound and layed out so several of the stunning pictures are split between the pages.

Overall a well thought out and produced book, a nice balance of quality, and quantity, handy size and usefulness. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (13)

excellent coffee table book
visually stunning and excellent coffee table book.if you are looking for a picture book of the universe for casual purusal this book will more than do.provides very brief, non-technical descriptions of what each photograph is of.not for heavy duty research.recreational reading only.once again, the photos are...wow!

The Best Images of the Universe at your Fingertips!!!
++++++

"Astronomy is one of the sublimest fields of human investigation.The mind that grasps its facts and principles receives something of the enlargement and grandeur belonging to the science itself.It is a quickener of devotion."

The above is a quotation uttered by American educator Horace Mann in the 1800s.It eloquently sums up my feelings when I viewed the images (the majority of which are taken from our Galaxy) and read their accompanying text in this fascinating book by M. K. Baumann, W. Hopkins, L. Nolletti, and M. Soluri (with astronomy consultant R. Villard).

Stephen Hawking, who wrote the book's forward, tells us that "the [spectacular] images in this book represent some of the most up-to-date and high-definition data available."Yes, the more than 180 images are truly spectacular and were selected because they were judged to be the "most important" examples to highlight a particular topic.(The earliest image was taken May 1967 and the most recent was taken Jan. 2005.)Each photographic image has a standard data area that gives key information about the image.For example the data area of the image that's on the front cover of this book (shown above by Amazon) might be as follows:

(1)Identification icon of the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft.(I will explain more about these icons below.)
(2)Saturn with its moon Enceladus appearing near its south pole
(3)Visible-light image (metallic color added)
(4)Cassini orbiter (Note that this spacecraft consists of this orbiter and the Huygens probe)
(5)16 May 2004
(6)12.5 million miles (20 million km) from Earth

Each topic is presented alphabetically with a brief, easy-to-understand, descriptive, and interesting text to explain a topic. The letters covered are from "A" to "W" (excluding "K," "O," and "Q").Topics under each letter range from one to several.For example, under "A" are two topics covering four pages but under "C" are six topics covering ten pages.

Thus each topic generally has three pieces of information.For example, the first topic under "A" is "Asteroid."Then there is:

(1) a descriptive text of an asteroid
(2) an actual image of an asteroid--in this case asteroid Eros
(3) a data area for asteroid Eros (which, as shown above, has (i) an identification icon (ii) image description (iii) image type (iv) image source (v) date image taken and (vi) distance celestial object is from Earth).

At the end of the book are three sections.One section lists with a brief description the mechanical and human image-makers that made the images in this book possible.Another well-written section explains the science behind the images used in this book.The last section is a glossary of important terms.

The section regarding the image-makers is one I found especially interesting.Over forty image-makers are listed and well described.These image-makers are divided into four groups:

(1) Earth-based (like observatories)
(2) Near-Earth (like space-based telescopes)
(3) Spacecraft, probes, & cameras
(4) Individuals (who work with accessible and mobile equipment).

The identification icons I mentioned in the sample data area above are in this image-makers section.Any icon that appears in the book can be matched with the same icon in this section.For example, the icon of the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft mentioned in the sample data area above can be matched with the identical icon in the above-mentioned third group. Then below the icon is a brief description of this spacecraft that I found quite interesting.

Finally, I did find some problems with this book.I should emphasize that these in no way affect the book's readability but I found them to be irritations:

(1)There is no introduction.There is a four-paragraph blurb on the inside front jacket flap that promotes the book and at the same time tries to give some indication of what to find in it.It does not do the latter very well.For example, how to use the icons is not explained at all.There should have been a good introduction included within the book itself.
(2)Three astronomical images located on the first two pages are not explained at all.Why?
(3)There are no references for the text.True, we are given the names of almost sixty scientists and space professionals who shared their knowledge.But throughout the book's pages are certain figures that must have been looked up somewhere.These sources are not given credit.
(4)The glossary is somewhat redundant.For example, the first word in the glossary is "asteroid."But as I mentioned above, it's a topic in the main section of this book!Why include it in the glossary?I found this for several other words as well.
(5)Right after the index of this book (that is, on the very last page) is a description of a newly discovered phenomenon that is "a telltale trace of other Earth-like planets out beyond our solar system."I found this VERY interesting.Why was it on the very last page of the book?It should have been included in the main narrative.

In conclusion, if you're an armchair astronaut like me, you'll appreciate this visually stunning and informative book that reveals the awesome beauty and mystery of the cosmos!!!

(first published 2005;forward by S. Hawking;the Milky Way;celestial phenomena from "A" to "W;"science behind the images;the image makers;main narrative 175 pages;glossary;index;picture credits; acknowledgements;Earthshine)

+++++

Wow! The Ideal Picture Book
Not many things in the world can literally take your breath away. Maybe it was your first kiss, or maybe when your son or daughter finally became part of the living. But this book cannot be excepted from that category, because these pictures seem to live and breathe just as we do. Light years and light years away.

Mars is viewed up so close, you feel like you're actually breathing in the dusty storms of the planet and you're surrounded by barren red wasteland, where life might once have existed. Jupiter's moon, Europa, has so many stunning pictures, as each one depicts its greenish-blue hue cracked with red lines and ice that fit in with the satellite so icily, but coolly. And don't get me even STARTED on the nebulae! They are so unbelievably beautiful - swirls of reds tingling with blue and a shiver of yellow belting down an orange, with sparkles and beauty outlining every inch of it. I think the nebulae deserve fifty chapters just for themselves.

All the pictures are arranged alphabetically from their title, from A for Asteroid to W for WMAP (check the book if you don't know what that is ;D), this book has it all. All the pictures are high-definition and just a frightful wonder to look at, staring at the deep, stellar field of space.

But as another reviewer said, don't miss out on the captions! There's an universe of information to be read, and they just can't be ignored because the pictures are so gorgeous. They're extremely factual and faultless, and only glorify the images with much information, unlike other space books where one-liners just dismiss the true meaning behind the pictures.

This book is highly recommended. I can't imagine a better source to start a lifelong interest in space, or to simply indulge in the beauty of space.

Fabulous coffee-table book for astronomy buffs at bargain price
Splendid images, combined with descriptions of what you're viewing, abound in this book, available for less than $20.

It's arranged alphabetically, so you can either browse from page 1 onward, or go to your favorite subject, such as "galaxy" or "black hole." And, it runs from our backyard to the edges of the universe, so whether your interests are planetary, interstellar, or deep space, there's plenty here for you.

The text material greatly adds to the value of the book (if that is possible).

For instance, under the pictures of different types of galaxies, readers will get an explanation of how barred spirals or ellipticals are believed to develop. But, that's not all.

In the caption for each photo, the authors carefully note what satellite, explorer craft, or telescope took the picture, what wavelength it was used, how it was filtered, etc. and otherwise brought to "normal" visible light, etc.

And, that's not all. There's more for backyard astronomers with telescopes.

In all pictures of nebulae, M or NGC numbers are provided for nebulae so identified.

A striking collection of images culled from world archives
Stephen Hawking provides the foreword to WHAT'S OUT THERE: IMAGES FROM HERE TO THE EDGE OF THE UNIVERSE. Here are nearly two hundred of the most important images ranging from close-ups of Mars to views of the most distant nebula. An alphabetical arrangement allows for quick and easy reference and topics which lend to commentary by experts as they accompany striking color photos. Photos have been culled from archives and astronomical sources from around the world and beyond the planet and provide an amazing A-Z picture record of striking images. Very highly recommended; especially for college-level astronomy holdings.
... Read more

Product Description
The search for understanding creates more than answers; it also produces instruments, books, maps, and other tools made and used by those seeking knowledge. The Universe Unveiled uniquely focuses on these artifacts and devices resulting from the attempts to decipher the Universe from the late fifteenth to the early twentieth century. Beautiful, full-color photographs capture these extremely rare and sometimes unusual curios.Beginning with the discovery of ways to keep time, The Universe Unveiled depicts the shift from an Earth-centered understanding of the Universe to a Sun-centered view, the mapping of the stars, and the ever-expanding knowledge of the heavens using telescopes. It also examines the developing technologies of navigation and of the measuring and mapping of the Earth. In addition to rare European curios, the book is illustrated with non-Western and American works.With more than 250 full-color images, this unique volume will delight the inventive as well as the curious.Amazon.com Review
Sextant, octant, armillary sphere; sundial, moondial, astrolabe. Premodern scientific instruments seem romantic and mysterious. Romantic because they can be very beautiful, works of art the like of which cannot be found amongmore practical, goal-oriented modern instruments. Mysterious because mostof us no longer have any idea which instruments were which, or how theywere used.

At the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, Stephenson, Bolt, and Friedman helpcurate one of the best collections of astronomy instruments in the world.The Universe Unveiled is a dazzling catalog of the most beautiful,ancient, and important objects from the Adler (the first planetarium in theWestern Hemisphere) and other museums. Alongside hundreds of gorgeous, clear photographs, they have written a text that gives a real, though brief, idea of how the instruments, maps, and charts were actually used. Most of the objects were made in Europe between 1450 and 1800, but the authors also do a creditable job of discussing Chinese and Islamic astronomy. Altogether, the book is a rare combination of eye candy and intellectual nutrition, which could only really be bettered if it were packaged with the actual instruments. As is, it can make your hands itch with a kind of tactile curiosity, while it caters to your eyes and mind. --Mary Ellen Curtin ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Great value for the money
This book has a great many beautiful photos of old astronomical instruments.The variety and to some degree the quality, if not the size of the photos rivals those found in my *much* more expensive copy of Dekker's "Globes at Greenwich".The text is competent, but really stands mostly as a stand for the photos, although it's worth noting that there is some explanatory information here I've never seen elsewhere: for example, the description and photos of "volvelles", little working paper models of the heavens included in some rare old books on the heavens.Good book, great value.

Astronomical instruments pictorial history
Very well presented historic maps of the heavens and pictures of astronomical instruments.However the text itself is quite brief and writtenonly to describe the pictures, with little background provided. Students and others seeking more insights into stronomical history and how the instruments were used will need to seek out other publications for more depth.

Delightful!
Anybody with even the remotest interest in astronomy or the histroy of science is going to love looking at the pictures in this book!
Anybody who's familiar with Stephenson's other books, The Music of the Heavens and Kepler's Physical Astronomy, are likely to be disappointed with the text. Those other books are masterpieces of definitive scholarship. The present book is intended to be a popular book, but I was still expecting better explanations. But you will probably be too busy admiring the pictures to notice!

The Universe Unveiled
Truly beautiful photographs--truly dreadful writing.

More Than A Coffee Table Book
THE UNIVERSE UNVEILED: Instruments and Images Through History is so much more than a 'coffee table book.'The extraordinary photographs of the rare instruments and maps housed in the Adler Planetarium in Chicago illustrate how many are works of art in their own right.The text is concise and richly informative without being overly 'academic.'With all the current emphasis on the space station, exploration of our solar system and the universe itself, this is an excellent chance to see how the fifteenth through nineteenth century people set the stage for our present explorations.Anyone with an interest in the history of astronomy, maritime navigation or earth and planetary mapping will count this as a special addition to their library. ... Read more

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Ice, Rock, and Beauty is a book for anybody who lives in the solar neighborhood, and takes an interest in its significance to us as residents.

Human experience of the Solar System is changing rapidly. Techniques of observation from Earth-based telescopes continue to develop, while missions such as Voyager, Galileo, Cassini, and the Hubble Space Telescope have yielded many stunning images.

So although most people have some knowledge of the essential structure of the Solar System, relatively few are familiar with the amazing diversity of objects that travel with and amongst the planets in their journeys around the Sun.

The book gathers images from a rich pool, many from national and international organizations such as NASA and ESA, some directly from academic astronomers, and a few from private individuals. Together they tell a story of the Solar System, and of its beauty, that has not been told before.

Customer Reviews (1)

Fascinating
There are introductory sections that explore the Solar System zone by zone, using 'thumbnail' images and clear text to address profound issues such as the lasting impact of the Copernican Revolution. The main parts of the book are set out in two-page spreads, each with a large image facing related text. This attractive layout makes it easy to dip in, to take the stunning images one at a time. Some of the objects are familiar, such as the now much-imaged rings of Saturn, and some are not, like the crazy pathways of Cruithne or the model of the Oort cloud. Each spread has a helpful graphic, a schematic representation of the Solar System that helps the reader to know where they are, and the text is divided into three sections. One of these provides concise and straightforward factual information about the feautured object, and another does the same job for the source of the image. The main texts are full of stimulating insights, thoughtful personal comments, and unexpected takes. The theme running through is of the impact of remote objects on human awareness and human life. This is no mere catalogue of the diversity of Solar System bodies, but a book that puts humanity into the science. ... Read more

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December 2003 issue of Astronomy Magazine features images from Hubble, Neutrinos, skyshooting with webcams, starting your own astronomy library and more! Awesome issue of this great magazine. ... Read more

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Celestial Images celebrates the Golden Age of astronomical charts. Illustrations of cosmologies and heavenly phenomena entered an innovative phase at the time of the Renaissance, when the invention of printing improved the means of disseminating scientific knowledge and advances in astronomy revealed new information to be portrayed. This fortuitous conjunction engendered printed astronomical charts of surprising accuracy and delicate beauty.

Assembled here from the Mendillo Collection of Antiquarian Astronomical Charts and Maps are over eighty examples of some of the finest celestial cartography created. There are star charts (maps of the constellations and the full celestial sphere), charts of planetary systems (cosmologies), and a smaller third category, charts of celestial phenomena (such as nebulae, comets, and eclipses). Together, they pay homage to the time when simple systems explained the universe and humankind held friendly commerce with the skies. ... Read more

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Catalogo dell'omonima mostra allestita presso il Museo di Storia della Scienza di Firenze (18 giugno - 18 dicembre 2004). We have chosen to base the story of this World View Network project on the scholarly giants Nicolaus Copernicus, Thyco Brahe, Johann Kepler, Galileo Galilei and Isaac Newton. There were more of course, but these five made the all-important advancements. The history of how the modern concept of the Universe was created is a journey through two centuries from Frombork in northern Poland, the island of Ven in the Sound between Denmark and Sweden, Prague of the Holy Roman Empire, the scholarly centre in Florence to Cambridge and Woolsthorpe. When Newton fitted the final piece of the puzzle to his law of gravity, it confirmed Copernicus heliocentric hypothesis. Abbiamo scelto di tracciare la storia di questo progetto World View Network intorno a Nicolo Copernico, Tycho Brahe, Johann Kepler, Galileo Galilei e Isaac Newton perche, anche se di giganti della scienza ve ne furono molti altri, questi cinque compirono i passi determinanti. La storia di come fu creata la moderna concezione dellUniverso si articola percio in un viaggio di due secoli attraverso Frombork, nella Polonia settentrionale, lisola di Hven, nel Sound fra la Danimarca e la Svezia, la Praga capitale del Sacro Romano Impero, il grande centro culturale che fu Firenze, per giungere fino a Woolsthorpe e a Cambridge. E quando Newton colloco lultima tessera del rompicapo, la legge di gravitazione, questa torno a confermare lipotesi eliocentrica di Copernico. English text / Testo in inglese, traduzione italiana in appendice. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Science News, published by Science Service, Inc. on October 9, 2010. The length of the article is 2848 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Black hole silhouette: scientists attempt to image a shadow and its tumultuous ring.(Cover story)
Author: Charles Petit
Publication: Science News (Magazine/Journal)
Date: October 9, 2010
Publisher: Science Service, Inc.
Volume: 178Issue: 8Page: 22(5)

Article Type: Cover story

Distributed by Gale, a part of Cengage Learning ... Read more

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Beautiful book of pictures of the stars and planets of our universe...each picture has an explanation. ... Read more

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This comprehensive electronic book on CD-ROM presents a collection of technical reports and images of NASA s first major tragedy, the Apollo 1 launch pad fire. This collection includes a complete reproduction of the entire review board report, including all appendices. There are over 150 image files showing the mission preparations and the aftermath of the accident.On January 27, 1967, tragedy struck the Apollo program when a flash fire occurred in command module 012 during a launch pad test of the Apollo/Saturn space vehicle being prepared for the first piloted flight, the AS-204 mission. Three astronauts, Lt. Col. Virgil I. Grissom, a veteran of Mercury and Gemini missions; Lt. Col. Edward H. White, the astronaut who had performed the first United States extravehicular activity during the Gemini program; and Roger B. Chaffee, an astronaut preparing for his first space flight, died in this tragic accident. A seven-member board, under the direction of the NASA Langley Research Center Director, Dr. Floyd L. Thompson, conducted a comprehensive investigation to pinpoint the cause of the fire. The final report, completed in April 1967 was subsequently submitted to the NASA Administrator. The report presented the results of the investigation and made specific recommendations that led to major design and engineering modifications, and revisions to test planning, test discipline, manufacturing processes and procedures, and quality control. With these changes, the overall safety of the command and service module and the lunar module was increased substantially. The AS-204 mission was redesignated Apollo I in honor of the crew.The fire which claimed the lives of Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee stunned the nation and rocked the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The disaster had the potential to bring a permanent halt to American efforts in space exploration. Rather than bury its head in the sand, NASA launched a full-scale investigation of the fire, and voluntarily put the entire Apollo program, including its administration, policies and procedures under the scrutiny of a review board. Based on the board's findings, NASA rolled up its sleeves and went to work to resolve the problems that had been identified. A successful failure is a mission which fails to reach its objectives and yet still achieves an element of success. Apollo I never left the launch pad. However, the information gained from this fatal mission paved the way for a totally redesigned Apollo spacecraft, eleven Apollo space flights and six lunar landings. Although Grissom, White and Chaffee never walked on the moon, their sacrifice helped to make it possible for us collectively to take "one giant leap for mankind". It is crucial to remember the hard lessons learned from Apollo I and eulogies are part of that remembering. Yet, Grissom, White and Chaffee may be honored best by continuing the work they began. Each of them believed that reaching the moon was not meant to be an end but a beginning. Thirty years ago, Grissom considered manned missions to Mars and crews assembling, living and working on space stations as realistic follow-ups to a lunar landing. While he recognized the place of ever-improving technology, White was emphatic about the need for mannedmissions: "You'll never satisfy man's curiosity unless a man goes himself." ... Read more

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Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: The Lunar Orbiter Image Recovery Project (LOIRP) is a NASA project to digitize data tapes from the five 1966 and 1967 Lunar Orbiter spacecraft that were sent to the Moon. The tapes from the Lunar Orbiter missions were primarily used to locate landing sites for the manned Apollo missions, and once those missions were over, the data was largely forgotten. The original tapes were carefully archived for 20 years in Maryland. When the tapes were released back to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, in about 1986, the decision of whether to scrap the tapes became the responsibility of archivist Nancy Evans. She instinctively decided that the tapes should be preserved. She recalled, "I could not morally get rid of this stuff". Within a few years, Nancy Evans was able to start a small project with funding from NASA and some assistance from Mark Nelson at Caltech. Eventually, they managed to find four rare Ampex FR-900 tape driveshighly specialized drives that had only been used by government agencies such as the FAA, USAF, and NASA. (The FR-900's transport was adapted from the 2" Quadruplex videotape format, only in the FR-900's case, the drive was designed to record a wideband analog signal of any type for instrumentation or other purposes, rather than specifically a video signal as in 2" Quad's case.) Over time, they also collected documentation and spare parts for the tape drives from government surplus. The project was successful at getting raw analog data from the tapes, but in order to generate the images, they discovered that they needed the specialized demodulation hardware that had been used by the Lunar Orbiter program, which no longer existed. They attempted to get funding from NASA or private sources to build ... More: http://booksllc.net/?id=20304405 ... Read more

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High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Planetary nomenclature, like terrestrial nomenclature, is a system of uniquely identifying features on the surface of a planet or natural satellite so that the features can be easily located, described, and discussed. The task of assigning official names to features is taken up by the International Astronomical Union since its founding in 1919. When images are first obtained of the surface of a planet or satellite, a theme for naming features is chosen and a few important features are named, usually by members of the appropriate IAU task group (a commonly accepted planet-naming group). ... Read more

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An introduction to astronomy for students of astronomy or physics and the general science reader. This book is illustrated in full colour throughout and includes satellite photographs, many of them taken by NASA. It also provides the reader with star maps. ... Read more