Astronomy Methods is an introduction to the basic practical tools, methods and phenomena that underlie quantitative astronomy. Taking a technical approach, the author covers a rich diversity of topics across all branches of astronomy, from radio to gamma-ray wavelengths. Topics include the quantitative aspects of the electromagnetic spectrum, atmospheric and interstellar absorption, telescopes in all wavebands, interferometry, adaptive optics, the transport of radiation through matter to form spectral lines, and neutrino and gravitational-wave astronomy. Clear, systematic presentations of the topics are accompanied by diagrams and problem sets. Written for undergraduates and graduate students, this book contains a wealth of information that is required for the practice and study of quantitative and analytical astronomy and astrophysics.

Modern Statistical Methods for Astronomy: With R Applications.

Astronomy is fundamentally an observational science and as such it is important for astronomers and astrophysicists to understand how their data are collected and analyzed. This book is a comprehensive review of current observational techniques and instruments. Featuring instruments such as Spitzer, Herschel, Fermi, ALMA, Super-Kamiokande, SNO, IceCube, the Auger Observatory, LIGO and LISA, the book discusses the capabilities and limitations of different types of instruments. It explores the sources and types of noise and provides statistical tools necessary for interpreting observational data. Due to the increasingly important role of statistical analysis, the techniques of Bayesian analysis are discussed, along with sampling techniques and model comparison. With topics ranging from fundamental subjects such as optics, photometry and spectroscopy, to neutrinos, cosmic rays and gravitational waves, this book is essential for graduate students in astronomy and physics. Electronic and colour versions of selected figures are available online at www. cambridge.org/9781107010468.

As evidenced by five Nobel Prizes in physics, radio astronomy in its 80-year history has contributed greatly to our understanding of the universe. Yet for too long, there has been no suitable textbook on radio astronomy for undergraduate students.Fundamentals of Radio Astronomy: Observational Methods is the first undergraduate-level textbook exclus

This book deals with the fundamentals of stellar interferometry with emphasis on aperture synthesis using sparse array of telescopes particularly at optical/IR wavelengths, the origin, properties, and optical effects of turbulence in the Earth's atmosphere, techniques developed to overcome image degradation. Studded with more than one hundred and fifty illustrations and tens of footnotes, it addresses the basic tricks of trade, current trend, motivation, methods, and path to future promise of true interferometry both from the ground and space. Also discussed are the technical challenge involved, such as beam transportation and recombination, detecting fringes using modern sensors, and image synthesis. Astronomical science that benefits from aperture synthesis imaging are highlighted as well.

This volume contains a selection of chapters based on papers to be presented at the Fifth Statistical Challenges in Modern Astronomy Symposium. The symposium will be held June 13-15th at Penn State University. Modern astronomical research faces a vast range of statistical issues which have spawned a revival in methodological activity among astronomers. The Statistical Challenges in Modern Astronomy V conference will bring astronomers and statisticians together to discuss methodological issues of common interest. Time series analysis, image analysis, Bayesian methods, Poisson processes, nonlinear regression, maximum likelihood, multivariate classification, and wavelet and multiscale analyses are all important themes to be covered in detail. Many problems will be introduced at the conference in the context of large-scale astronomical projects including LIGO, AXAF, XTE, Hipparcos, and digitized sky surveys.

Four signi?cant factors have led us to update this text. The ?rst is the breathtaking progress in technology, especially in receiver and digital techniques. The second is the advance of radio astronomy to shorter wavelengths, and the increased availab- ity of astronomical satellites. The third is a need to reorganize some of the chapters in order to separate the basic theory, that seldom changes, from practical aspects that change often. Finally, it is our desire to enhance the text by including problem sets for each chapter. In view of this ambitious plan, we have expanded the number of authors. In the reorganization of this edition, we have divided Chap. 4 of the 4th edition into two Chaps. 4 and 5. The ?rst remains Chap. 4, with a slightly different - tle, Signal Processing and Receivers: Theory. This was expanded to include digital processing and components including samplers and digitizers. In Chap. 5, Prac- cal Receiver Systems. we have relegated the presentations of maser and parametric ampli?er front ends, which are no longer commonly used as microwave receivers in radio astronomy, to a short section on “historical developments” and We have retained and improved the presentations of current state-of-the-art devices, cooled transistor and superconducting front ends. We have also included descriptions of local oscillators and phase lock loops. Chapters 5 and 6 in the 4th edition has now become Chap. 6, Fundamentals of Antenna Theory and Chap.

Proceedings of the 109th Colloquium of the International Astronomical Union, held in Gaithersburg, Maryland, 27-29 July, 1988