David A. Weintraub

Virginia Trimble

An inspiring anthology of writings by trailblazing women astronomers from around the globe The Sky Is for Everyone is an internationally diverse collection of autobiographical essays by women who broke down barriers and changed the face of modern astronomy. Virginia Trimble and David Weintraub vividly describe how, before 1900, a woman who wanted to study the stars had to have a father, brother, or husband to provide entry, and how the considerable intellectual skills of women astronomers were still not enough to enable them to pry open doors of opportunity for much of the twentieth century. After decades of difficult struggles, women are closer to equality in astronomy than ever before. Trimble and Weintraub bring together the stories of the tough and determined women who flung the doors wide open. Taking readers from 1960 to today, this triumphant anthology serves as an inspiration to current and future generations of women scientists while giving voice to the history of a transformative era in astronomy. With contributions by Neta A. Bahcall, Beatriz Barbuy, Ann Merchant Boesgaard, Jocelyn Bell Burnell, Catherine Cesarsky, Poonam Chandra, Xuefei Chen, Cathie Clarke, Judith Gamora Cohen, France Anne Córdova, Anne Pyne Cowley, Bożena Czerny, Wendy L. Freedman, Yilen Gómez Maqueo Chew, Gabriela González, Saeko S. Hayashi, Martha P. Haynes, Roberta M. Humphreys, Vicky Kalogera, Gillian Knapp, Shazrene S. Mohamed, Carole Mundell, Priyamvada Natarajan, Dara J. Norman, Hiranya Peiris, Judith Lynn Pipher, Dina Prialnik, Anneila I. Sargent, Sara Seager, Gražina Tautvaišienė, Silvia Torres-Peimbert, Virginia Trimble, Meg Urry, Ewine F. van Dishoeck, Patricia Ann Whitelock, Sidney Wolff, and Rosemary F. G. Wyse.

Women Astronomers in Their Own Words

The Sky Is for Everyone

Virginia Trimble possesses the rare ability to distill the deepest meanings of astronomy and astrophysics and articulate them in a manner smoothly accessible to professionals and the public alike. This superb collection takes us on an exciting odyssey back in time, out in space, and finally, down to earth again. It begins in the Fertile Crescent, with phenomena and physical structures that have long been the subject of intense debate. Were the unique air shafts burrowed through Cheops' pyramid simply for ventilation? Or were the openings purposefully placed to provide a path to the heavens for the soul of the deceased Pharaoh? Could a real astronomical event have been associated with the Star of Bethlehem and what would its significance have been to astrologers of the time? Trimble then guides us through our vast, astonishing universe, providing a close-up look at the formation of galaxies, a glimpse into the lives and deaths of stars, and thoughts on the elusive nature of dark matter. We are brought back to earth with a sobering examination of the obstacles that lie in the path of scientific research today. We are then treated to intimate portraits of noted scientists - Martin Rees, Beatrice Tinsley, among others who helped chart the course of twentieth-century astronomy. With wit, charm, and an uncanny ability to illuminate technical implications with master strokes of simplicity, Virginia Trimble weaves two important themes. First, that we really understand much of what our universe is like on a large scale; and second, that unanswered questions are at least as exciting as those we think we've answered.

Visit to Small Universe

Dhruba Jyoti Saikia

This unique book contains a biographical portrait, accounts of Chandrasekhar's role and impact on modern science, historical perspectives and personal reminiscences, several of which appeared in Physics Today, and reviews by leading experts in areas which Prof. Chandrasekhar pioneered. The reviews, which appeared in the Bulletin of the Astronomical Society of India, are either based on papers presented by scholars in the Chandrasekhar Centennial Symposium at the University of Chicago during 15-17 October 2010, or were additional reviews covering topics not represented at the conference by other distinguished astrophysicists. It provides a glimpse of some of the most exciting areas of modern astrophysics as a tribute to Prof Chandrasekhar on his birth centenary.

Fluid Flows To Black Holes: A Tribute To S Chandrasekhar On His Birth Centenary

Thomas R. Williams

Katherine Bracher

Richard Jarrell

Jordan D. Marché

F. Jamil Ragep

The Biographical Encyclopedia of Astronomers is a unique and valuable resource for historians and astronomers alike. The two volumes include approximately 1550 biographical sketches on astronomers from antiquity to modern times. It is the collective work of about 400 authors edited by an editorial board of 9 historians and astronomers, and provides additional details on the nature of an entry and some summary statistics on the content of entries. This new reference provides biographical information on astronomers and cosmologists by utilizing contemporary historical scholarship. Individual entries vary from 100 to 1500 words, including the likes of the superluminaries such as Newton and Einstein, as well as lesser-known astronomers like Galileo’s acolyte, Mario Guiducci. A comprehensive contributor index helps researchers to identify the authors of important scientific topics and treatises.

Virginia Trimble

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