With the advent of CCDs and webcams, the focus of amateur astronomy has to some extent shifted from science to art. Visual work in astronomy has a rich history. Today, imaging is now more prominent. However there is still much for the visual amateur astronomer to do, and visual work is still a valid component of amateur astronomy. Paul...

The planets Mercury,Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn—all visible to the naked eye—were known to ancient peoples. In fact, the Romans gave these planets their names as they are known today. Mercury was named after their god Mercury, the fleet-footed messenger of the gods, because the planet seems especially fast moving when viewed...

"For beginners and professionals in search of answers." -- Stephen Joel Trachtenberg, President Emeritus and University Professor of Public...

Practically next door to us in our Solar System, Mars is the most Earth-like of all the worlds held in perpetual motion by the Sun’s gravity. It is a planet that has fascinated and intrigued humans since prehistoric times. The Greeks named it Ares, after their god of war. The connection was easy to make because of the planet’s...

“Weird Worlds” is the third book in David Seargent’s “Weird” series. This book assumes a basic level of astronomical understanding and concentrates on the “odd and interesting” aspects of planetary bodies, including asteroids and moons. From our viewpoint here on Earth, this work features the most...

The Ruby Way takes a “how-to” approach to Ruby...

The manned mission is seen as a first step towards a Mars surface exploration base-station and, later, establishing permanent settlement. The location and use of Mars’s natural resources is vital to enable cost-effective long-duration human exploration and exploitation missions as well as subsequent human colonization. Planet resources...