Stars Above, Earth Below: A Guide to Astronomy in the National Parks (Springer Praxis Books / Popular Astronomy)

Stars Above, Earth Below uses photographs and sky charts to form a connection between what is seen on the ground and in the sky, and looks at the deeper scientific meaning behind these sights. Nordgren describes other objects in the Solar System with features similar to those on Earth and links the geological features seen in the national parks to the very latest NASA spacecraft discoveries on other planets and their moons. Additionally, historical context is discussed to show why we humans (who have lived in and around our national parts for tens of thousands of years) have always been astronomers. The first book to make direct connections between astronomy and the landscapes, processes and cultures one experiences in the US National Parks Each chapter ties a specific astronomical phenomenon to a particular National Park or type of park and concludes with a "See for yourself" section that shows you how to see the planets, stars, nebulae, moons, etc. that are described within that chapter A personal guide showing the reader the astronomical phenomena that you can see for yourself when visiting the U.S. National Parks Cover 1 Stars Above, Earth Below: A Guide to Astronomy in the National Parks 3 ISBN: 9781441916488 4 Table of Contents 6 Preface 8 Acknowledgments 11 How to use this book 12 1 Come see the Milky Way 15 See for yourself: our Galaxy 42 Binoculars 42 Scorpius and Antares 42 Sagittarius and the heart of the Milky Way 43 The Lagoon Nebula (Messier 8 or M8) 43 The Summer Triangle 43 The Milky Way 46 The globular cluster in Hercules (Messier 13 or M13) 46 The North Galactic Pole 46 Further reading 47 2 Black hole Sun 49 See for yourself: eclipses of the Sun, Moon and satellites 78 Viewing a solar eclipse (safely) 78 Orbiting spacecraft 78 Further reading 82 3 Tides on a cosmic shore 83 See for yourself: moons, planets, stars and galaxies 113 Jupiter and its moons 113 Algol - the Demon Star 113 Beta Lyrae 116 The Moon 116 Mira - the Wonderful Star 116 M51 - the Whirlpool Galaxy 117 Further reading 117 4 Worlds of fire and ice 119 See for yourself: the Solar System 155 Model Solar System 155 Observing Jupiter's moons through binoculars 158 Observing Saturn through binoculars 159 Further reading 160 5 Red rock planet 161 See for yourself: Mars 197 Mars at opposition 197 Martian surface 198 Further reading 200 6 Glaciers and Goldilocks: a tale of three planets 201 See for yourself: greenhouse planets 236 Venus in evening and morning 236 Transit of Venus 238 Grinnell Glacier repeat photography, 1900-2007 239 Further reading 240 7 Autumn Moon 241 See for yourself 280 Moon phases 280 Moon features through binoculars or 'scope 280 Meteor showers 280 Further reading 284 8 Our cosmic connection 285 See for Yourself: The Stars 325 Personal Chaco solar calendar 325 Color and temperatures of stars 325 Stellar evolution in a single night 328 Further reading 330 9 Worlds without number 331 See for yourself: other stars with planets 366 'See' an extrasolar planet 366 Further reading 370 10 Far away and long ago: the Universe before you 371 See for yourself: powers of 10 through the Universe 404 Further reading 409 11 Starry sky national park 411 See for yourself: light pollution 444 Sky Quality Meter: http://unihedron.com/projects/darksky/ 444 The United States at night 444 Astronomical phenomena: zodiacal light 445 Gegenschein 445 M33 445 The Globe at Night: http://www.globe.gov/globeatnight/ 448 Do for yourself 448 Enjoy the night 448 Cover a flashlight 448 Shield your lights 448 Use light only when needed 449 Use less light 449 Talk to your neighbors 449 Build support for a community light ordinance 449 Further reading 449 Index 451 1441916482,9781441916488 Springer-Verlag Gmbh 2010 Cover......Page 1 Stars Above, Earth Below: A Guide to Astronomy in the National Parks......Page 3 ISBN: 9781441916488......Page 4 Table of Contents ......Page 6 Preface ......Page 8 Acknowledgments ......Page 11 How to use this book ......Page 12 1 Come see the Milky Way......Page 15 Scorpius and Antares......Page 42 The Summer Triangle......Page 43 The North Galactic Pole......Page 46 Further reading......Page 47 2 Black hole Sun......Page 49 Orbiting spacecraft......Page 78 Further reading......Page 82 3 Tides on a cosmic shore......Page 83 Algol - the Demon Star......Page 113 Mira - the Wonderful Star......Page 116 Further reading......Page 117 4 Worlds of fire and ice......Page 119 Model Solar System......Page 155 Observing Jupiter's moons through binoculars......Page 158 Observing Saturn through binoculars......Page 159 Further reading......Page 160 5 Red rock planet......Page 161 Mars at opposition......Page 197 Martian surface......Page 198 Further reading......Page 200 6 Glaciers and Goldilocks: a tale of three planets......Page 201 Venus in evening and morning......Page 236 Transit of Venus......Page 238 Grinnell Glacier repeat photography, 1900-2007......Page 239 Further reading......Page 240 7 Autumn Moon......Page 241 Meteor showers......Page 280 Further reading......Page 284 8 Our cosmic connection......Page 285 Color and temperatures of stars......Page 325 Stellar evolution in a single night......Page 328 Further reading......Page 330 9 Worlds without number......Page 331 'See' an extrasolar planet......Page 366 Further reading......Page 370 10 Far away and long ago: the Universe before you......Page 371 See for yourself: powers of 10 through the Universe......Page 404 Further reading......Page 409 11 Starry sky national park......Page 411 The United States at night......Page 444 M33......Page 445 Shield your lights......Page 448 Further reading......Page 449 Index ......Page 451 As an example, one chapter will begin by explaining the causes of tides one sees while visiting the Atlantic Ocean along Maine's Acadia National Park.-Tides are a direct visible example of how planetary bodies affect one another. The planet Jupiter, which one can see in the sky during specific times of the year, has a moon upon which it exerts such enormous tides that its frozen interior has melted resulting in a liquid ocean far larger and deeper than our own. While standing on our ocean's shores, marvelling at the life we see in tidal pools, we are able to understand the causes of another planet's ocean and wonder what the prospect of life may be beneath its waves. In another chapter, the author explores volcanism, one of the most spectacular geological activities that can shape a planet.- In Sky Above, Earth Below, Tyler Nordgren examines a range of astronomical topics and makes the connection between them and the landscapes, processes and cultures which one can see and experience within specific US National Parks. For each park and topic this story unfolds in three steps: what does the reader see for his or herself? What is the scientific cause or explanation of what the reader sees? And finally, what is the big picture about ourselves, our world, or our Universe, towards which understanding of this object or process leads? The author takes us the length and breadth of the US from the coast of Maine to the Rocky Mountains, from the Grand Canyon to Hawaii, exploring these natural links between the features of the parks and features of our Universe.- In Stars Above, Earth Below , Tyler Nordgren examines a range of astronomical topics and makes the connection between them and the landscapes, processes, and cultures which can be seen and experienced within specific U.S. National Parks. For each park and topic the story unfolds in three steps: what does the reader see for him - or herself? What is the scientific cause or explanation of what is seen? And finally, what is the big picture about ourselves, our world, and our Universe? The author takes us the length and breadth of the U.S., from the coast of Maine to the Yellowstone volcano, from the depths of the Grand Canyon to the heights of the Rocky Mountains, exploring the natural links between the features of the parks and those of our Universe. TOC:Come see the Milky Way - Yosemite and the National Park System.- Eclipses and Science - Grand Tetons and Chaco Culture National Historic Park.- Exploring New Frontiers - Yellowstone National Park.- Tides and Our Cosmic Connection - Acadia National Park.- Pele's Planet - Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.- Seasons of Fire - Great Smokey Mountains.- Red Rock Planet - Arches and Zion National Parks.- The Goldilocks Planet - Glacier National Park.- The Lives of the Stars - Chaco Culture National Historic Park.- Worlds Bountiful and Strange - Rocky Mountain National Park.- Creation Stories - Grand Canyon National Park.- Our Natural Heritage Above the Horizon Visitors to the caldera of Kilauea in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park will see an analogue to calderas on Jupiter's moon, Io, the most volcanically active body in the Solar System.-Astronomers using telescopes atop Mauna Kea, an extinct volcano right next to Kilauea, make regular observations of Io and thus attempt to understand its volcanic activity so as to better understand our own.- A great way to learn/teach astronomy. Uses photographs and sky charts to form a connection between what is in the sky and seen on the ground