Books Popular Science Medien Bücher Springer Nature

To Mars and Beyond, Fast!

As advanced in-space propulsion moves from science fiction to reality, the Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket, or VASIMR® engine, is a leading contender for making 'Mars in a month' a possibility. A paradigm shift in space transportation, this book is an in-depth and compelling story co-written by its inventor. It traces the riveting history of the development of the VASIMR® engine. This landmark technology is grounded in concepts of advanced plasma physics. It cross-pollinates ideas and disciplines to offer a new, practical, and sustainable solution for in-space transportation beyond low Earth orbit in the decades to come. Invented by the co-holder of the world’s spaceflight record, astronaut Franklin Chang Díaz, the VASIMR® engine is developed by Ad Astra Rocket Company in its Texas facilities with NASA as part of the NextSTEP VASIMR® partnership. With adequate funding, the first spaceflight of the VASIMR® engine is imminent. Plasma rockets feature exhaust velocities far above those achievable by conventional chemical rockets. The VASIMR® engine is the most advanced high-power plasma propulsion system operating in the world today and it may place long, fast interplanetary journeys withinour reach in the near future.

41.50 EUR

Mapping Antarctica

Everyone likes maps and maps are always used to illustrate the many books on the Antarctic. Here the focus is reversed with contemporary maps telling the story – one that should be attractive to the widest audience as it is a unique approach complimenting what has gone before and providing something different for all interested in Antarctica.

59.00 EUR

Apollo Mission Control

This book describes the history of this now iconic room which represents America’s space program during the Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz and early Space Shuttle eras. It is now a National Historic Landmark and is being restored to a level which represents the day the flight control teams walked out after the last lunar landing missions. The book is dedicated to the estimated 3,000 men and women who supported the flights and tells the story from their perspective. It describes the rooms of people supporting this control center; those rooms of engineers, analysts and scientists most people never knew about. Some called it a “shrine” and some called it a “cathedral.” Now it will be restored to its former glory and soon thousands will be able to view the place where America flew to the moon.

39.00 EUR

Web Information Systems Engineering – WISE 2007 Workshops

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75.50 EUR

Understanding Gaia

This book is the first to provide a comprehensive, readily understandable report on the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission that will meet the needs of a general audience. It takes the reader on an exciting journey of discovery, explaining how such a scientific satellite is made, presenting the scientific results available from Gaia to date, and examining how the collected data will be used and their likely scientific consequences. The Gaia mission will provide a complete and high-precision map of the positions, distances, and motions of the stars in our galaxy. It will revolutionize our knowledge on the origin and evolution of the Milky Way, on the effects of mysterious dark matter, and on the birth and evolution of stars and extrasolar planets. The Gaia satellite was launched in December 2013 and has a foreseen operational lifetime of five to six years, culminating in a final stellar catalogue in the early 2020s. This book will appeal to all who have an interest in the mission and the profound impact that it will have on astronomy.

33.00 EUR

Astrophotography is Easy!

There are many books covering different facets of astrophotography, but few of them contain all the necessary steps for beginners in one accessible place. Astrophotography is Easy! fills that void, serving as a guide to anybody interested in the subject but starting totally from scratch. Assuming no prior experience, the author runs through the basics for how to take astrophotos using just a camera—including cell phones and tablets—as well as a telescope and more sophisticated equipment. The book includes proven techniques, checklists, safety guidelines, troubleshooting tips, and more. Each chapter builds upon the last, allowing readers to master basic techniques before moving on to more challenging material. Also included is a comprehensive list of additional books and resources on a variety of topics so readers can continue expanding their skills. Astrophotography Is Easy! doesn’t simply teach you the basic skills for becoming an astrophotographer: it provides you with the foundations you will need for a lifelong pursuit.

27.50 EUR

The Semantic Web - ISWC 2004

The 3rd International Semantic Web Conference (ISWC 2004) was held Nov- ber 7–11, 2004 in Hiroshima, Japan. If it is true what the proverb says: “Once by accident, twice by habit, three times by tradition,” then this third ISWC did indeed ?rmly establish a tradition. After the overwhelming interest in last year’s conference at Sanibel Island, Florida, this year’s conference showed that the Semantic Web is not just a one-day wonder, but has established itself ?rmly on the research agenda. At a time when special interest meetings with a Sem- tic Web theme are springing up at major conferences in numerous areas (ACL, VLDB, ECAI, AAAI, ECML, WWW, to name but a few), the ISWC series has established itself as the primary venue for Semantic Web research. Response to the call for papers for the conference continued to be strong. We solicited submissions to three tracks of the conference: the research track, the industrial track, and the poster track. The research track, the premier venue for basic research on the Semantic Web, received 205 submissions, of which 48 were accepted for publication. Each submission was evaluated by three p- gram committee members whose reviews were coordinated by members of the senior program committee. Final decisions were made by the program co-chairs in consultation with the conference chair and the senior program committee. The industrial track, soliciting papers describing industrial research on the - mantic Web, received 22 submissions, of which 7 were accepted for publication.

173.67 EUR

Astrophysics is Easy!

Astrophysics is a subject that is often - with some justification - regarded as extremely difficult, requiring at least degree-level mathematics as a prerequisite to its understanding. Consequently, many amateur astronomers just don't bother, and miss out on the fascinating fundamentals of the subject, and often on an understanding of exactly what they are observing. Mike Inglis' quantitative approach to astrophysics cuts through all the incomprehensible mathematics, and explains all aspects of astrophysics in simple terms. A unique feature of this book is the way that example objects for practical observation are given at every stage, so that practical astronomers can go and look at the objected or objects under discussion, using only commercial amateur equipment.

38.00 EUR

On The Move to Meaningful Internet Systems 2003: OTM 2003 Workshops

missions in fact also treat an envisaged mutual impact among them. As for the 2002 edition in Irvine, the organizers wanted to stimulate this cross-pollination with a program of shared famous keynote speakers (this year we got Sycara, - ble, Soley and Mylopoulos!), and encouraged multiple attendance by providing authors with free access to another conference or workshop of their choice. We received an even larger number of submissions than last year for the three conferences (360 in total) and the workshops (170 in total). Not only can we therefore again claim a measurable success in attracting a representative volume of scienti?c papers, but such a harvest allowed the program committees of course to compose a high-quality cross-section of worldwide research in the areas covered. In spite of the increased number of submissions, the Program Chairs of the three main conferences decided to accept only approximately the same number of papers for presentation and publication as in 2002 (i. e. , around 1 paper out of every 4–5 submitted). For the workshops, the acceptance rate was about 1 in 2. Also for this reason, we decided to separate the proceedings into two volumes with their own titles, and we are grateful to Springer-Verlag for their collaboration in producing these two books. The reviewing process by the respective program committees was very professional and each paper in the main conferences was reviewed by at least three referees.

173.67 EUR

Semantic Multimedia

There is currently no description available

61.50 EUR

Cruise Ship Astronomy and Astrophotography

Enrich your next sea vacation with this fun how-to guide to observing and doing astrophotography on water. Collecting together the author’s five decades of astrophotography and teaching experience, this book shares all the practical information you will need to start on your own astronomy adventure. Part I is full of practical advice on what to pack, the best ways to enjoy the night sky from your cruise ship observatory, specific astronomical objects and events to look out for, and myriad other useful tips. Part II gives you a crash course on astrophotography at sea, teaching you the nitty-gritty details of taking pictures of the night sky. Proof that it can be done is provided by the many amazing color astrophotographs taken by the author while following the steps laid out in this book.

33.00 EUR

Web Technologies and Applications

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128.00 EUR

Space Mining and Manufacturing

This book produces convincing evidence that exploiting the potential of space could help solve many environmental and social issues affecting our planet, such as pollution, overcrowding, resource depletion and conflicts, economic inequality, social unrest, economic instability and unemployment. It also touches on the legal problems that will be encountered with the implementation of the new technologies and new laws that will need to be enacted and new organizations that will need to be formed to deal with these changes. This proposition for a space economy is not science fiction, but well within the remit of current or under development technologies. Numerous technologies are described and put together to form a coherent and feasible road map that, if implemented, could lead humankind towards a brighter future.

35.50 EUR

Friendship 7

In this spellbinding account of an historic but troubled orbital mission, noted space historian Colin Burgess takes us back to an electrifying time in American history, when intrepid pioneers were launched atop notoriously unreliable rockets at the very dawn of human space exploration. A nation proudly and collectively came to a standstill on the day this mission flew; a day that will be forever enshrined in American spaceflight history. On the morning of February 20, 1962, following months of frustrating delays, a Marine Corps war hero and test pilot named John Glenn finally blazed a path into orbit aboard a compact capsule named Friendship 7. The book’s tension-filled narrative faithfully unfolds through contemporary reports and the personal recollections of astronaut John Glenn, along with those closest to the Friendship 7 story, revealing previously unknown facts behind one of America’s most ambitious and memorable pioneering space missions. Friendship 7. The book’s tension-filled narrative faithfully unfolds through contemporary reports and the personal recollections of astronaut John Glenn, along with those closest to the Friendship 7 story, revealing previously unknown facts behind one of America’s most ambitious and memorable pioneering space missions. Friendship 7 story, revealing previously unknown facts behind one of America’s most ambitious and memorable pioneering space missions.

33.00 EUR

First Light and Beyond

Amateur astronomers who have been disappointed by the results of an observing session can take comfort in the guidance of this book, which advises how to still gain useful experience in seemingly "failed" nights at the telescope. In a world with imperfect seeing conditions, incredible observing sessions are often mixed with less inspiring ones, discouraging the amateur observer. This book is designed to minimize subsequent disappointment for astronomers who encounter a few bad observing sessions, helping novice observers take something worthwhile away each and every time they go out under the night sky, regardless of the observations that were originally planned. Almost every observer remembers his first sight of ringed Saturn, hanging in the blackness of space. Practitioners agree that there is something special about visual observing. Real-time observations at the eyepiece can provide fleeting yet intense feelings that connect us with the universe in unique ways. But when expectations aren't met at the eyepiece, there are other ways to profit from the practice of astronomy. These rewards, though less showy, are well worth cultivating. This is a book that will help the reader see what constitutes a “successful” visual observing session. It explains the nature of the objects that the observer is seeing and advises how best to use their equipment. There are many hints and tips about how best to locate, recall, and record observations, including suggestions for trips to areas where there are dark skies and to public observatories. Amateur astronomy is a journey from the urban backyard all the way to dark rural skies, and with this guide the journey can be smooth.

41.50 EUR

Federation over the Web

The lives of people all around the world, especially in industrialized nations, continue to be changed by the presence and growth of the Internet. Its in?uence is felt at scales ranging from private lifestyles to national economies, boosting thepaceatwhichmoderninformationandcommunicationtechnologiesin?uence personal choices along with business processes and scienti?c endeavors. In addition to its billions of HTML pages, the Web can now be seen as an open repository of computing resources. These resources provide access to computational services as well as data repositories, through a rapidly growing variety of Web applications and Web services. However, people’s usage of all these resources barely scratches the surface of the possibilities that such richness should o?er. One simple reason is that, given the variety of information available and the rate at which it is being extended, it is di?cult to keep up with the range of resources relevant to one’s interests. Another reason is that resources are o?ered in a bewildering variety of formats and styles, so that many resources e?ectively stand in isolation. This is reminiscent of the challenge of enterprise application integration, - miliar to every large organization be it in commerce, academia or government. Thechallengearisesbecauseoftheaccumulationofinformationandcommuni- tion systems over decades, typically without the technical provision or political will to make them work together. Thus the exchange of data among those s- tems is di?cult and expensive, and the potential synergetic e?ects of combining them are never realized.

93.59 EUR

Mars One

This book dissects the hype and hubris of the Mars One venture. Every aspect of the mission design is scrutinized, from the haphazard selection process to the unproven mission architecture. A controversial project, many professional astronauts consider Mars One a reckless attempt, yet it gained popular attention. This go-to reference guide provides the reader with insights into the myriad issues arising from the project's loss of funding, loss of sponsorship, loss of TV rights. It explains what contributed to an overly optimistic assessment of Mars One's mission-specific technology, and what captivated the public and the many willing candidates despite these flaws. From the author of Survival and Sacrifice in Mars Exploration (2015) among many more books on spacefaring, this is yet another up-to-the-minute account of an emerging player in the private space market from an expert on the subject.

35.50 EUR

The ShortTube 80 Telescope

Welcome to the first comprehensive guide to one of the world’s most popular telescopes: the ShortTube 80 refractor. With its ultra-portability, versatility, and relatively low cost, this telescope continues to delight generations of stargazers. Starting in the field under a dark sky, the author walks the reader through a typical evening of stargazing, where the ShortTube 80 brings many astronomical treasures into focus. From there, he provides an in–depth account of the optical properties of the ShortTube 80 refractor and the accessories and mounting arrangements that maximize its potential both as a spotting ‘scope by day and an astronomical ‘scope by night. The main text discusses how the versatile ShortTube 80 can be used to study deep sky objects, the Sun, the Moon, bright planets and even high-resolution projects, where the instrument's features can be optimized for the observation of tight double and multiple stars. It explores how the ShortTube 80 can image targets using camera phones, DSLRs and dedicated astronomical CCD imagers. Packed with practical advice gained from years of firsthand stargazing experience, this book demonstrates exactly why ShortTube 80 has remained a firm favorite among amateur astronomers for over three decades, and why it is likely to remain popular for many years to come.

26.00 EUR

Quality-Driven Query Answering for Integrated Information Systems

The Internet and the World Wide Web (WWW) are becoming more and more important in our highly interconnected world as more and more data and information is made available for online access. Many individuals and governmental, commercial, cultural, and scientific organizations increasingly depend on information sources that can be accessed and queried over the Web. For example, accessing flight schedules or retrieving stock information has become common practice in todays world. When accessing this data, many people assume that the information accessed is accurate and that the data source can be accessed reliably. These two examples clearly demonstrate that not only the information content is important, the information about the quality of the data becomes an even more crucial and critical aspect for individuals and organizations when they make plans or take decisions based on the results of their queries. More precisely, having access to information of known quality becomes critical for the well-being and indeed for the functioning of modern industrialized societies. Surprisingly, despite the urgent need for clear concepts and techniques to judge and value quality and for technology to use such (meta) information, very few scientific results are known and available. Few approaches are known to use quality measures for accessing and querying information over the Web. Only a limited number of products on the IT market address this burning problem.

47.00 EUR

Using Sequence Generator Pro and Friends

This guide is specifically aimed at those who are using—or want to use—Sequence Generator Pro. SGP is a “session management” software package that controls the telescope, mount, camera, and ancillary equipment to target and secure images during a night of imaging astronomical objects. The book begins with a special tutorial to get up and running with SGP. With a comprehensive reference section, it takes the user in detail through the various aspects of user and equipment profiles, equipment definitions, the sequencer, and other essential elements of SGP. Finally, it focuses on how to get the most out of the ancillary programs—target databases, autoguiders, plate solvers, planetarium software, and other applications. Oftentimes, technical guides can end up being far denser than the processes they intend to explain. Many of the insights provided by SGP expert Alex McConahay are beyond what can be found in the official program documentation. In this book, the reader will find in-depth, yet straightforward practical advice on how to automate nightly astroimaging sessions with Sequence Generator Pro.

33.00 EUR

The Electric Century

This book is about how electricity has profoundly changed the way we live, work, and play. Some twenty topics are covered, with an abundance of graphs and images to build a comprehensive picture. Each looks at the developments, and the people who initiated them, together with how one led to the next and their subsequent impact on society. Topics include electric supply, lighting through X-rays, and all those appliances that make our homes so comfortable. Most homes at the end of the twentieth century were full of electrical equipment, much of which was regarded as essential. It ran from lights, washing machines, fridges, freezers, kettles, telephones and so on, to the more subtle things such as wipers and starter motors on cars. In 1900, in all but a tiny minority of houses, there were none of these things. It is very difficult for us now to imagine a world without electrical equipment everywhere, and yet it has only taken a century. The Electric Century examines how we got from then to now. The nineteenth is often described as the century of steam from the impact it had on employment and transport, and The Electric Century makes a similar claim as the description of the twentieth. Electricity and the equipment using it are so pervasive that they have affected every corner of modern life.

33.00 EUR

PHP and MySQL Manual

PHP is rapidly becoming the language of choice for dynamic Web development, in particular for e-commerce and on-line database systems. It is open source software and easy to install, and can be used with a variety of operating systems, including Microsoft Windows and UNIX. This comprehensive manual covers the basic core of the language, with lots of practical examples of some of the more recent and useful features available in version 5.0. MySQL database creation and development is also covered, as it is the developer database most commonly used alongside PHP. It will be an invaluable book for professionals wanting to use PHP to develop their own dynamic web pages. Key Topics: - Basic Language Constructs - Manipulating Arrays and Strings - Errors and Buffering - Graphic Manipulation - PDF Library Extension - MySQL Database Management - Classes and Objects Concepts Features and Benefits: Explains how to use PHP to its full extent - covering the latest features and functions of PHP version 5.0, including the use of object-oriented programming Describes how to link a database to a web site, using the MySQL database management system Shows how to connect PHP to other systems and provides many examples, so that you can create powerful and dynamic web pages and applications Contains lots of illustrated, practical, real-world examples - including an e-commerce application created in PHP using many of the features described within the book

177.00 EUR