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Scott Kelly is a former NASA astronaut who spent 340 consecutive days in space aboard the International Space Station and holds the record for longest duration spaceflight by an American. Scott and his identical twin brother, Mark Kelly, are the only two siblings who have traveled to space. Their unique relationship was the basis of a biomedical experiment to study the effects of microgravity on human physiology, which is an important issue in the planning of a potential long-duration mission to Mars. Scott chronicles his personal and professional story in an open and inviting manner, infusing his account with dry and somewhat self-deprecating humor as he discusses the challenges he had to overcome to be accepted into the elite and highly competitive astronaut corps. Kelly offers fascinating glimpses into life aboard the ISS, reflecting on problems such as the lack of privacy, the psychological issues that often arise, and the cultural differences that emerge among the ISS's international team of astronauts. Kelly also shares the joys of fellowship among the crew and the simple wonder of looking out the window. The book includes color photographs and is a must-read for anyone interested in human spaceflight.Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers.

To ancient civilizations, the Moon was an important aspect of many mythologies. With the advent of the telescope and the theories of Kepler and Newton, the Moon was recognized as a close companion of the Earth, coupled to it by gravity. The discussion evolved into speculation about the Moon's origin, what it was made of, and whether it ever supported life. The dawning of the space age enabled a profound advance in our understanding of this familiar object. In a remarkably engaging and lucid narrative, Leatherbarrow (emer., Univ. of Sheffield, UK) guides the reader through the steps that achieved answers to many of these important questions. It is now hypothesized that the Moon was formed as the result of a collision between the Earth and a smaller protoplanet, resulting in the remnant, the nascent Moon, slowly cooling and evolving. It might have suffered a major collision itself. Most of the visible craters resulted from impacts, but some are extinct volcanoes. There is still much to be learned, and the final chapter suggests opportunities for studies by amateurs, even in the space age. The Moon is an excellent example of science writing at its finest.Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and general readers.

Most people think of astronomy as an image-making profession, but its real workhorse is spectroscopy: the spreading of light into its component wavelengths (colors) and the analysis of the patterns that emerge. Spectroscopy is to astronomy what fingerprints are to forensic investigators. Walker has put together one of the most comprehensive references on the subject published to date. Relying on his own small telescope, he has compiled an atlas of spectra from a variety of astronomical sources that can be used to classify almost any object observable with telescopes that are typically available to amateurs. This book nicely bridges the vast gap between what students will find in most textbooks and the references used by practitioners. Want to tell a white dwarf star from a red giant star? A nebula from a galaxy? Here's how! This richly illustrated atlas of spectra makes the identification process relatively easy. Moreover, the introduction to each chapter provides an accessible primer on the astrophysics behind the spectra. An extensive bibliography will lead the novice spectroscopist into as much detail as desired. A companion volume focuses on the instrumentation, reduction, and analysis of spectra. This labor of love belongs on any serious amateur's desk--even professionals will find it quite useful.Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers.

This book ponders the evolution of the universe, from the big bang, the emergence of stars, and the consequent creation of heavy elements to the eventual emergence of life. Unlike countless other semi-technical, scientific explorations of these topics, Universe in Creationstarts from an unusual premise. According to Gould (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics), the universe has a "building plan," an ongoing act of creation that includes humans (and perhaps other alien lifeforms) at its pinnacle. This plan isn't identified with a God or any other sentient being, but emerges ab initio, evolving from the cold neutral hydrogen of the cosmic dark ages into complex, DNA-based life. Gould's narrative is equal parts scientific, historical, and philosophical, with many charming nuggets of insight and historical anecdotes. He also briefly discusses several tangential topics, such as the nature of random numbers and their relationship to convergent evolution--or the nature of time and its relation to the roles of observers in quantum mechanics. This reviewer is tempted to use the word "quirky" to describe this book, and while it is just that, it is also engaging, informative, and wise.Summing Up: Highly recommended. Undergraduates, high school students, and general readers.