Planet Hunters

Planet Hunters
Author: Lucas Ellerbroek
Publisher: Reaktion Books
Total Pages: 269
Release: 2017-09-15
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1780238789

Astronomers are on the verge of answering one of our most profound questions: are we alone in the universe? The ability to detect life in remote solar systems is at last within sight, and its discovery—even if only in microbial form—would revolutionize our self-image. Planet Hunters is the rollicking tale of the search for extraterrestrial life and the history of an academic discipline. Astronomer Lucas Ellerbroek takes readers on a fantastic voyage through space, time, history, and even to the future as he describes the field of exoplanet research, from the early ideas of sixteenth-century heretic Giordano Bruno to the discovery of the first exoplanet in 1995 to the invention of the Kepler Space Telescope. We join him on his travels as he meets with leading scientists in the field, including Michel Mayor, who discovered the first exoplanet, and Bill Borucki, principal investigator for NASA’s Kepler mission. Taken together, the experiences, passion, and perseverance of the scientists featured here make the book an exciting and compelling read. Presenting cutting-edge research in a dynamic and accessible way, Planet Hunters is a refreshing look into a field where new discoveries come every week and paradigms shift every year.

Planet Hunter

Planet Hunter
Author: Vicki O. Wittenstein
Publisher:
Total Pages: 49
Release: 2010
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 1590785924

He has discovered more planets than anyone in history. In this inspiring true story, winner of the American Institute of Physics Award, Geoff Marcy's love of space helped him overcome struggles in his studies until finally he became an astronomer. But he was not on track to make major discoveries. Eventually, he went back to the questions that thrilled him as a boy: Are we alone? Do Earth-like planets orbit the stars in the night sky? It would not be easy to find a planet outside our solarsystem. Others had tried and failed. But Marcy never gave up. Since 1995, he and his colleagues have discovered nearly half of the 380 known "extrasolar" planets. Stunning paintings transport the reader to the exotic worlds that he and others have found.

The Planet Hunters

The Planet Hunters
Author: Dennis B. Fradin
Publisher:
Total Pages: 184
Release: 1997
Genre: Astronomers
ISBN:

Provides historical information on astronomy, the discovery of the planets, and the people who have made such discoveries.

The Hunt for Planet X

The Hunt for Planet X
Author: Govert Schilling
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 293
Release: 2010-01-24
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0387778055

Ever since the serendipitous discovery of planet Uranus in 1871, astronomers have been hunting for new worlds in the outer regions of our solar system. This exciting and ongoing quest culminated recently in the discovery of hundreds of ice dwarfs in the Kuiper belt, robbed Pluto from its ‘planet’ status, and led to a better understanding of the origin of the solar system. This timely book reads like a scientific ‘who done it’, going from the heights of discovery to the depths of disappointment in the hunt for ‘Planet X’. Based on many personal interviews with astronomers, the well-known science writer Govert Schilling introduces the heroes in the race to be the first in finding another world, bigger than Pluto.

Incredible Stories from Space

Incredible Stories from Space
Author: Nancy Atkinson
Publisher: Page Street Publishing
Total Pages: 226
Release: 2016-12-20
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1624143296

Experience the Amazing Unmanned Journeys to Explore the Universe In Incredible Stories from Space, veteran space journalist Nancy Atkinson shares compelling insights from over 35 NASA scientists and engineers, taking readers behind the scenes of the unmanned missions that are transforming our understanding of the solar system and beyond. Weaving together one-on-one interviews along with the extraordinary sagas of the spacecraft themselves, this book chronicles the struggles and triumphs of nine current space missions and captures the true spirit of exploration and discovery. Full color images throughout reveal scientific discoveries and the stunning, breathtaking views of our universe, sent back to Earth by our robotic emissaries to the cosmos. -Travel along with the first mission to Pluto -Explore Mars alongside the Curiosity Rover -Join the unprecedented hunt for extrasolar planets -Unlock the mysteries of the cosmos with the iconic Hubble Space Telescope -Discover the latest findings in our solar system -See the future of space exploration with a preview of upcoming missions

Greyhound: Hunter of Hunters

Greyhound: Hunter of Hunters
Author: Jerry Posey
Publisher: Strategic Book Publishing
Total Pages: 557
Release: 2011-11
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1609764870

As a planetary alignment transpires, Grant ("Greyhound") is startled to discover that his wife Amber is an alien and "The Goddess of the Universe and Galaxies." When Amber becomes pregnant with a child, whom a prophecy states will inherit her authority, Greyhound realizes he too possesses otherworldly powers, handed down by his grandfather. Greyhound becomes "Hunter of Hunters" - the most feared warrior in the Universe and Galaxies. While Amber shares her knowledge of the future with Greyhound, the Royals from the Galactic Government try to assassinate the unborn child. Greyhound must step up to the challenge and battle alien hunters, androids and Royals. Will Greyhound be able to save the future and see the prophecy of his future child's benevolent rule of the Universe and Galaxies realized? About the Author: Jerry Posey grew up in Louisville, Kentucky, and currently resides in Amarillo, Texas. He is at work on his next novel, Binary Code, which takes place in the world of computer fictional security. Mr. Posey would like to thank his wife Sheila Kocher, Brien Posey, Cara Nalepa, and Chris Posey for their support during the writing of Greyhound, Hunter of Hunters. Publisher's website: http: //SBPRA.com/JerryPosey

Asteroid Hunters

Asteroid Hunters
Author: Carrie Nugent
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 128
Release: 2017-03-14
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 1501120085

One of the top scientists in the field of asteroid hunting explains how, for the first time, humanity could have the knowledge to prevent a devastating asteroid impact. --

The Exoplanet Handbook

The Exoplanet Handbook
Author: Michael Perryman
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 973
Release: 2018-08-30
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1108329667

With the discovery of planets beyond our solar system 25 years ago, exoplanet research has expanded dramatically, with new state-of-the-art ground-based and space-based missions dedicated to their discovery and characterisation. With more than 3,500 exoplanets now known, the complexity of the discovery techniques, observations and physical characterisation have grown exponentially. This Handbook ties all these avenues of research together across a broad range of exoplanet science. Planet formation, exoplanet interiors and atmospheres, and habitability are discussed, providing in-depth coverage of our knowledge to date. Comprehensively updated from the first edition, it includes instrumental and observational developments, in-depth treatment of the new Kepler mission results and hot Jupiter atmospheric studies, and major updates on models of exoplanet formation. With extensive references to the research literature and appendices covering all individual exoplanet discoveries, it is a valuable reference to this exciting field for both incoming and established researchers.

The Lost Planets

The Lost Planets
Author: John Wenz
Publisher: MIT Press
Total Pages: 201
Release: 2019-10-08
Genre: Science
ISBN: 026204286X

A fascinating account of the pioneering astronomer who claimed (erroneously) to have discovered a planet outside the solar system. There are innumerable planets revolving around innumerable stars across our galaxy. Between 2009 and 2018, NASA's Kepler space telescope discovered thousands of them. But exoplanets—planets outside the solar system—appeared in science fiction before they appeared in telescopes. Astronomers in the early decades of the twentieth century spent entire careers searching for planets in other stellar systems. In The Lost Planets, John Wenz offers an account of the pioneering astronomer Peter van de Kamp, who was one of the first to claim discovery of exoplanets. Van de Kamp, working at Swarthmore College's observatory, announced in 1963 that he had identified a planet around Barnard's Star, the second-closest star system to the Sun. He cited the deviations in Barnard's star's path—“wobbles” that suggested a large object was lurching around the star. Van de Kamp became something of a celebrity (appearing on a television show with “Mr. Wizard,” Don Henry), but subsequent research did not support his claims. Wenz describes van de Kamp's stubborn refusal to accept that he was wrong, discusses the evidence found by other researchers, and explains recent advances in exoplanet detection, including transit, radial velocity, direct imaging, and microlensing. Van de Kamp retired from Swarthmore in 1972, and died in 1995 at 93. In 2009, Swarthmore named its new observatory the Peter van de Kamp Observatory. In the 1990s, astronomers discovered and confirmed the first planet outside our solar system. In 2018, an exoplanet was detected around Barnard's Star—not, however, the one van de Kamp thought he had discovered in 1963.

The Plant Hunter

The Plant Hunter
Author: Cassandra Leah Quave
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 385
Release: 2022-06-14
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1984879138

The uplifting, adventure-filled memoir of one groundbreaking scientist’s quest to develop new ways to fight illness and disease through the healing powers of plants. “A fascinating and deeply personal journey.” ­—Amy Stewart, author of Wicked Plants and The Drunken Botanist Traveling by canoe, ATV, mule, airboat, and on foot, Dr. Cassandra Quave has conducted field research everywhere from the flooded forests of the remote Amazon to the isolated mountaintops in Albania and Kosovo—all in search of natural compounds, long-known to traditional healers, that could help save us all from the looming crisis of untreatable superbugs. Dr. Quave is a leading medical ethnobotanist—someone who identifies and studies plants that may be able to treat antimicrobial resistance and other threatening illnesses—helping to provide clues for the next generation of advanced medicines. And as a person born with multiple congenital defects of her skeletal system, she's done it all with just one leg. In The Plant Hunter, Dr. Quave weaves together science, botany, and memoir to tell us the extraordinary story of her own journey.