Interest in and knowledge of the techniques utilised to investigate our solar system has been growing rapidly for decades and has now reached a stage of maturity. Therefore, the time has now arrived for a book that provides a cohesive and coherent account of how we have obtained our present knowledge of solar system objects, not including the Sun. Remote and Robotic Investigations of the Solar System covers all aspects of solar system observations: the instruments, their theory, and their practical use both on Earth and in space. It explores the state-of-the-art telescopes, cameras, spacecraft and instruments used to analyse the interiors, surfaces, atmospheres and radiation belts of solar system objects, in addition to radio waves, gamma rays, cosmic rays and neutrinos. This book would be ideal for university students undertaking physical science subjects and professionals working in the field, in addition to amateur astronomers and anyone interested in learning more about our local astronomical neighbours.

Long used in undergraduate and introductory graduate courses, Astrophysical Techniques, Seventh Edition provides an accessible yet comprehensive account of the innovate instruments, detectors, and techniques employed in astronomy and astrophysics. Emphasizing the underlying unity of all astronomical observations, this popular textbook provides a coherent state-of-the-art account of the instruments and techniques used in current astronomy and astrophysics. Fully updated throughout, this seventh edition builds upon the sixth edition, covering improved techniques and cutting-edge methods in the field, as well as other exciting new developments in gravitational waves, dark matter and energy, the use of photonics, and astronomy education and outreach, in addition to further detailed discussions on the latest scientific instruments and individual detectors. The book is written in a very accessible manner, and most of the mathematics is accessible to those who have attended a mathematics course in their final years at school. Nevertheless, the treatment of the topics in general is at a sufficiently high level to be of use to those professionals seeking technical information in areas of astronomy with which they might not be completely familiar. Key Features: Details the instrumentation and theory of astronomical observations, including radio waves, gamma rays, cosmic rays, neutrinos, gravitational waves and dark matter and energy and more Presents the background theory and operating practice of state-of-the-art detectors and instruments Fully updated to contain the latest technology and research developments

From September 2007 to June 2008 the Space Studies Board conducted an international public seminar series, with each monthly talk highlighting a different topic in space and Earth science. The principal lectures from the series are compiled in Forging the Future of Space Science. The topics of these events covered the full spectrum of space and Earth science research, from global climate change, to the cosmic origins of life, to the exploration of the Moon and Mars, to the scientific research required to support human spaceflight. The prevailing messages throughout the seminar series as demonstrated by the lectures in this book are how much we have accomplished over the past 50 years, how profound are our discoveries, how much contributions from the space program affect our daily lives, and yet how much remains to be done. The age of discovery in space and Earth science is just beginning. Opportunities abound that will forever alter our destiny.

This book explores the questions of What, Why, When, How and Where we might find Extra-Terrestrials (a.k.a. Aliens) and their habitats throughout the Universe – and Who might they be? Starting from ourselves and the Earth and eventually speculating about life-forms that might span multiple Universes, it provides an accessible introduction to extra-terrestrial life, the search for extra-terrestrial intelligence and exoplanets. It will enable readers to appreciate, follow and sometimes answer questions on life and planets outside Earth. It details these exciting topics by pondering what comprises an alien life form and what suitable habitats might exist for them inside and out of our solar system. The book also looks ahead to the future and the realities of finding alien life and the possibilities of mankind leaving Earth and living on another planet. This guide is accessible to those without a formal scientific or mathematical background. It will also be of interest to students of astrobiology, astronomy, astrophysics, planets throughout the Universe, the origin and evolution of life-forms beyond the Earth and (perhaps) of the ultimate limits attainable by life in the Universe, who are looking to learn more about those same topics, but which are outside their own specialisms. Key Features: Combines the exciting topics of extra-terrestrial life, the search for life outside Earth and exoplanets into one accessible guide Contains no complex mathematical formulae or content Authored by a professional educator and a professional and amateur astronomer, with a life-long interest in getting everyone and anyone as fascinated by astronomy and its related subjects as he himself has been, since discovering the subject in early secondary school

In recent years, planetary science has seen a tremendous growth in new knowledge. Deposits of water ice exist at the Moon's poles. Discoveries on the surface of Mars point to an early warm wet climate, and perhaps conditions under which life could have emerged. Liquid methane rain falls on Saturn's moon Titan, creating rivers, lakes, and geologic landscapes with uncanny resemblances to Earth's. Vision and Voyages for Planetary Science in the Decade 2013-2022 surveys the current state of knowledge of the solar system and recommends a suite of planetary science flagship missions for the decade 2013-2022 that could provide a steady stream of important new discoveries about the solar system. Research priorities defined in the report were selected through a rigorous review that included input from five expert panels. NASA's highest priority large mission should be the Mars Astrobiology Explorer Cacher (MAX-C), a mission to Mars that could help determine whether the planet ever supported life and could also help answer questions about its geologic and climatic history. Other projects should include a mission to Jupiter's icy moon Europa and its subsurface ocean, and the Uranus Orbiter and Probe mission to investigate that planet's interior structure, atmosphere, and composition. For medium-size missions, Vision and Voyages for Planetary Science in the Decade 2013-2022 recommends that NASA select two new missions to be included in its New Frontiers program, which explores the solar system with frequent, mid-size spacecraft missions. If NASA cannot stay within budget for any of these proposed flagship projects, it should focus on smaller, less expensive missions first. Vision and Voyages for Planetary Science in the Decade 2013-2022 suggests that the National Science Foundation expand its funding for existing laboratories and establish new facilities as needed. It also recommends that the program enlist the participation of international partners. This report is a vital resource for government agencies supporting space science, the planetary science community, and the public.

The ARTEMIS mission was initiated by skillfully moving the two outermost Earth-orbiting THEMIS spacecraft into lunar orbit to conduct unprecedented dual spacecraft observations of the lunar environment. ARTEMIS stands for Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence and Electrodynamics of the Moon's Interaction with the Sun. Indeed, this volume discusses initial findings related to the Moon’s magnetic and plasma environments and the electrical conductivity of the lunar interior. This work is aimed at researchers and graduate students in both heliophysics and planetary physics. Originally published in Space Science Reviews, Vol. 165/1-4, 2011.