This symposium was dedicated to science opportunities with the VLT. All major areas of astronomical research were discussed in the plenary sessions, ranging from where we stand in cosmology to the new frontiers in the solar system. The workshops published in this volume focussed on different ways of finding clusters of galaxies at high redshift, on gravitational lensing by distant compact clusters, on the use of stellar populations as distance, age or abundance indicators, and on the extraordinary progress made in the discovery of extrasolar planets. This book affords a glimpse of what will be at the center of astrophysical research in the forthcoming decade. It is addressed to researchers and graduate students.

This 2007 volume presents the lectures from the sixteenth Winter School of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, which was dedicated to extrasolar planets. Research into extrasolar planets is one of the most exciting fields of astrophysics, and the past decade has seen a research leap from speculations on the existence of planets orbiting other stars to the discovery of around 200 planets to date. The book covers a wide range of issues, from the state-of-the-art observational techniques used to detect extrasolar planets, to the characterizations of these planets, and the techniques used in the remote detection of life. It also looks at the insights we can gain from our own Solar System, and how we can apply them. The contributors, all of high-standing in the field, provide a balanced and varied introduction to extrasolar planets for research astronomers and graduate students, bridging theoretical developments and observational advances.

Exoplanets: Finding, Exploring, and Understanding Alien Worlds probes the basis for possible answers to the fundamentals questions asked about these planets orbiting stars other than our Sun. This book examines what such planets might be like, where they are, and how we find them. Until around ten years ago, the only planets that we knew about were within the Solar System. The first genuine planet beyond the confines of the Solar System was discovered only 1988. Since then another 350 or so exoplanets have been detected by various methods, and most of these haven been found in the last ten years. Although many more exoplanets discoveries may be expected to occur even as this book is being read, a large enough data set is now available to form the basis for an informed general account of exoplanets. The topic hence is an extremely "hot" one - all the more so because the recently launched Kepler spacecraft should soon start uncovering many more exoplanets, some perhaps comparable with the Earth (and therefore possibly alternative homes for mankind, if we could ever reach them). Exoplanets: Finding, Exploring, and Understanding Alien Life gives a comprehensive, balances, and above all accurate account of exoplanets.

For the first time in human history, we know for certain the existence of planets around other stars. Now the fastest-growing field in space science, the time is right for this fundamental source book on the topic which will lay the foundation for its continued growth. Exoplanets serves as both an introduction for the non-specialist and a foundation for the techniques and equations used in exoplanet observation by those dedicated to the field.

Marvel at the wonders of the universe, from stars and planets to black holes and nebulae, in this exploration of our solar system and beyond. Universe opens with a look at astronomy and the history of the Universe, using 3D artworks to provide a comprehensive grounding in the fundamental concepts of astronomy, including the basic techniques of practical astronomy. The core of the book is a tour of the cosmos covering the Solar System, the Milky Way, and galaxies beyond our own. Explanatory pages introduce different celestial phenomena, such as galaxies, and are followed by catalogs that profile the most interesting and important examples. A comprehensive star atlas completes the picture, with entries on each of the 88 constellations and a monthly sky guide showing the night sky as it appears throughout the year as viewed from both the northern and southern hemispheres.

Provides an overview of the developments in the search for planetary-sized bodies orbiting Sun-like stars. Discusses the formation and evolution of stars and the processes leading to the formation of protoplanetary discs, planetesimals, embryonic planets and complete planetary systems. Also examined are the techniques currently being employed for the detection of extrasolar planets and the results of those searches, as well as the theoretical problems posed by giant planets with small orbital radii and those in eccentric orbits, brown dwarfs, and the possible planets around pulsars. The final chapter speculates on finding habitable and inhabited worlds. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

This book deals with an effect in celestial mechanics that has become quite important in exoplanet research. The Lidov-Kozai effect reveals itself in coherent periodic variations (which can be very large) of the inclination and eccentricity of an orbiting body in the presence of an inclined perturber. The effect is known to be important in the motion of many asteroids and planetary satellites. What is more, now it attracts more and more interest in the astronomical and astrophysical community due to its relevance for many exoplanetary systems. Recent years witnessed major advancements in its theory. It would be no exaggeration to say that nowadays the Lidov-Kozai effect becomes one of the most studied astrophysical effects. This book covers the multitude of the Lidov-Kozai effect’s modern applications and its theory developments. It will be useful for researchers and students working in astrophysics, celestial mechanics, stellar dynamics, theoretical mechanics, space missions design, depending on the interests of the reader. The book is self-contained. It provides the full detailed coverage of the effect’s theory and applications.

Session I : Primordial nucleosynthesis and the first stars in the Universe -- Session II : First stars in the Galaxy -- Session III : Chemical abundances in the high red-shift Universe -- Session IV : Chemical abundance constraints on mass assembly and star formation in local galaxies and the Milky Way -- Session V : Extrasolar planets: the chemical abundance connection -- Session VI : Abundance surveys and projects in the era of future large telescopes.

Astronomy is the science of everything – with the exception of the Earth and everything on it and inside. Astronomy has a rich heritage dating back to the myths and legends of antiquity and the course of civilization has been greatly affected by mankind’s interpretation of what they saw in the starry sky and experienced through seasonal changes associated with the Sun and Moon. Early astronomy is associated with the definition of calendars which were needed to predict the dates of such as religious festivals and the numbers of months. A gradual shift of emphasis from astronomy to its sister, astrophysics, which took place through the 19th century, is generally attributed to the measurement of reliable stellar distances and the development of spectroscopy as a tool for understanding the physical nature of stars. Many paradigms in astronomy and its many subfields are continuously being shaken. New insights in the intricacy and elegance of the cosmos are steadily being obtained. Every few decennia, our concepts of the Universe are challenged and substantially modified. The reasons for this are the continuous development of new observing techniques and instruments for observatories both ground-based and in space, in addition to considerable progress in mathematics and physics, including computational ability. Our Universe harbors numerous phenomena and processes representing conditions that cannot be duplicated in terrestrial laboratories. Astronomy therefore frequently leads to fundamentally new insight and knowledge far beyond astronomy itself. Last but not least, it represents a first inspiring introduction to natural science, especially among young people, which is an extra motivation to many scientists to contribute to the Astronomy and Astrophysics Theme of this Encyclopedia. The book on Astronomy and Astrophysics with contributions from distinguished experts in the field, represents a first inspiring introduction to natural science, especially among young people, which is an extra motivation to many scientists to contribute to the Astronomy and Astrophysics Theme of this Encyclopedia. The first chapter which treats the development of astronomy and astrophysics in a historical perspective is followed by an account of the impact of astronomy on human culture and civilization. Observational astronomy is facing a number of environmental challenges. The nature and complexity of these and how the associated problems are met and overcome are described in the third article. Various aspects of our solar system are covered by authoritative articles on the Sun, planets including their satellites and smaller bodies, plus a review of the laws of motions and orbits of celestial bodies. The detection and studies of exo-solar planetary systems is rapidly developing field in astronomy which is treated in a separate chapter. Then follow fascinating up-to-date overviews on stars describing their formation, structure and life cycles. Stars are the building blocks of larger cosmic entities leading to the enigmatic galaxies composed of billions of stars, and gradually to clusters of galaxies. The final chapters cover the origin and evolution of galaxies and the large-scale structure of the Universe, including dark matter and dark energy which are among the most fascinating problems of physics today. These two volumes are aimed at the following five major target audiences: University and College students Educators, Professional practitioners, Research personnel and Policy analysts, managers, and decision makers and NGOs.