Posted on by Nancy Atkinson

Blinding Gamma Ray Burst Was Directed at Earth

Artists depiction of GRB 080319B Credit: NASA/Swift/Mary Pat Hrybyk-Keith and John Jones

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On March 19, 2008 at 2:13 am EDT, NASA’s Swift satellite detected an explosion from the constellation Bootes, and sent an alert to ground-based telescopes. At the same moment, the Russian KONUS instrument on NASA’s Wind satellite and a robotic wide-field optical camera called “Pi of the Sky” in Chile captured the first visible light from this incredibly bright and powerful gamma ray burst. Within the next 15 seconds, the burst brightened enough to be visible in a dark sky to human eyes. For a few moments, the GRB had a million times the luminosity of the entire Milky Way Galaxy. It briefly crested at a magnitude of 5.3 on the astronomical brightness scale. Incredibly, the dying star was 7.5 billion light-years away. Astronomers say the reason this gamma ray burst was so bright was that it was aimed almost directly at Earth.

Observations of the event, formally named GRB 080319B, are giving astronomers the most detailed portrait of a GRB ever recorded. “You have to have the satellites in orbit and the rapid response telescopes on Earth in order take complete advantage this rare kind of event,” said David Burrows, head of the Swift X-ray telescope team, at today’s press conference detailing the GRB.

Judith Racusin of Penn State University and a team of 92 coauthors report on observations across the spectrum that began 30 minutes before the explosion and followed its afterglow for months. The team concludes the burst’s extraordinary brightness arose from an unusual two component jet that shot material directly toward Earth at 99.99995 percent the speed of light.

Telescopes around the world already were studying the afterglow of another burst when GRB 080319B exploded just 10 degrees away.

Immediately after the blast, Swift’s UltraViolet and Optical Telescope and X-Ray Telescope indicated they were effectively blinded. Racusin initially thought something was wrong. Within minutes, however, as reports from other observers arrived, it was clear this was a special event. A head-on burst directed towards Earth only occurs by chance only about once a decade, so GRB 080319B is a rare catch.

Gamma-ray bursts are the universe’s most luminous explosions. Most occur when massive stars run out of nuclear fuel. As a star’s core collapses, it creates a black hole or neutron star that, through processes not fully understood, drive powerful gas jets outward. These jets punch through the collapsing star. As the jets shoot into space, they strike gas previously shed by the star and heat it. That generates bright afterglows.


The team believes the jet directed toward Earth contained an ultra-fast component just 0.4 of a degree across. This core resided within a slightly less energetic jet about 20 times wider. “A normal signature is different from what we saw in this burst,” said Racusin . “In this object, we see two signatures of jets with two different properties.”

“Perhaps every gamma-ray burst has a narrow jet, but astronomers miss it most of the time,” says team member Stefano Covino. “We happened to view this monster down the barrel of the very narrow and energetic jet.”

These unique beacons of light were observed only 8 minutes after the trigger, and are the brightest bursts ever detected. Additional study of this event can also help provide more information on relativity and cosmology.

Burrows said if a similar event happened at our own galaxy, we would be in considerable trouble. “It’s been postulated that a nearby gamma ray burst directed at earth could affect our atmosphere, causing something like a nuclear winter. We are fortunate in that we don’t believe there are any stars in our galas that will produce a gamma ray burst.”

NASA, NASA News Audio

Posted on by Tammy Plotner

The Dragon Slayer – NGC 5985, NGC 5982, NGC 5981 by Ken Crawford

Draco Trio - By Ken Crawford

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There are wonderful tales which surround the circumpolar Draco constellation. According to Greek legend, Draco represents the dragon killed by Cadmus before founding the city of Thebes – or perhaps it represented the dragon which guarded the golden fleece and was eventually killed by Jason and his famous Argonauts. To the Romans, it was simply a creature killed by Minerva and tossed into the sky as stars to be remembered. The Egyptians called it Tawaret. But the most famous of all representations of Draco was one of the twelve labors that Hercules had to overcome. Many of us will never see the jewels that hide within the boundaries of this sprawling constellation, but thanks to the Herculean efforts of Ken Crawford – we can share in its mysteries…

To deep sky observers, the group of NGC 5985, NGC 5982 and NGC 5981 is commonly known as the “Draco Trio”. Two barred spirals at different angles and a face on elliptical all in the same field of view is a rare sight and makes for a beautiful celestial portrait. The beautiful spiral is NGC 5985. The proper designation for the elliptical galaxy is NGC 5982. The catalog number for the edge-on is NGC 5981. While these galaxies span huge amounts of light years apart, they share telescopic space at RA: 15h 38m 40s Dec: +59°21’22” as a center and share photons in the eyepiece at around 25 arc minutes. While the Draco group is far too small to be considered its own galaxy cluster and has never been classified as a compact group, oddly enough all three are around 100 million light years away from the Sol System.

I did mention there were mysteries here, didn’t I? Then let’s explore them…

Take a closer look at the grand spiral, NGC 5985. It’s a Seyfert. According to research done by Simões Lopes (et al) it may also harbor a wonderful black hole right in there with its active galactic nucleus. “This result demonstrates a strong correlation between the presence of circumnuclear dust and accretion onto the central, supermassive black hole in elliptical and lenticular galaxies. Current estimates suggest the dust settling or destruction time is on order of 108 yr, and therefore the presence of dust in ~50% of early-type galaxies requires frequent replenishment and similarly frequent fueling of their central supermassive black holes. The observed dust could be internally produced (via stellar winds) or externally accreted, although there are observational challenges for both of these scenarios. Our analysis also reveals that approximately one-third of the early-type galaxies without circumnuclear dust have nuclear stellar disks. These nuclear stellar disks may provide a preferred kinematic axis to externally accreted material, and this material may in turn form new stars in these disks. The observed incidence of nuclear stellar disks and circumnuclear dust suggests that episodic replenishment of nuclear stellar disks occurs and is approximately concurrent with the fueling of the central AGN.”

But that’s not all, because there’s a quasar there, too. According to a 2001 study done by one of my heroes – Halton Arp and David Russell; “The distribution on the sky of clusters of galaxies shows significant association with relatively nearby, large, active galaxies. The pattern is that of clusters paired equidistant across a central galaxy with the apparent magnitudes and redshifts of their constituent galaxies being closely matched. The clusters and the galaxies in them tend to be strong X-ray and radio emitters, and their redshifts occur at preferred redshift values. The central, low-redshift galaxies often show evidence of ejection in the direction of these higher redshift clusters. In all these respects the clusters resemble closely quasars which have been increasingly shown for the last 34 years to be similarly associated with active parent galaxies. New, especially significant pairings of quasars are presented here, which are, at the same time, associated with Abell clusters of galaxies. It is argued here that, empirically, the quasars are ejected from active galaxies. They evolve to lower redshift with time, forming stars, and fragmenting at the end of their development into clusters of low-luminosity galaxies. The cluster galaxies can be at the same distance as their lower redshift parents because they still retain a component of their earlier, quasar intrinsic redshift.”

Now, let’s take a look at the quiet little elliptical – NGC 5982. Just this year it was studied by Del Burgo (et al) for its dust shell. According to the report: “Shells in Ellipticals are peculiar faint sharp edged features that are thought to be formed by galaxy mergers. We use Spitzer data in the wavelength range from 3.6 to 160 μm and HST/ACS optical data. After subtracting the galaxy models, residual images are used to identify the shells. We detect for the first time shells from mid-infrared data. The very different distributions of dust, warm gas and HI gas together with the presence of shells and a kinematically decoupled core suggest a minor merger in NGC 5982.”

Ah, ha! So, it’s always the quiet ones that get ya’, huh? Then it might interest you to know that NGC 5982 may also contain its own black hole, a peculiar population of stars, a low luminosity active galactic nucleus and may have even been a product of a black hole merger! What more, new globular clusters may have formed during these interactions without the benefits of gaseous materials. Simply too cool…

Now… How about the wild looking edge-on, NGC 5981? Science loves to examine what it just can’t quite see and in the case of this highly inclined spiral, we’ve found out that the stellar disc just might be cut off – or foreshortened. According to a 2007 work done by Florido (et al); “This is the first work reporting observations of the truncation of a stellar disc, in both the optical and the NIR spectral ranges. No galaxy has been observed at both wavelengths with the required depth. The optical radial profiles of spiral galaxy discs seem to suggest a double exponential behaviour, whilst NIR profiles seem to show a real truncation. NGC 6504 has a real truncation in both the optical and the NIR radial profiles. A double exponential does not fit the observed optical profile. The truncation radius is larger in the V band than in the NIR by ~10 arcsec, about 3 kpc (equivalent to about 10%).”

But, just because its equipment is a little shorter than most, does that mean it doesn’t produce as many stars? Not hardly. It just means its peanut-shaped central bulge may be embedded in a dark halo. Thanks to the work of Joop Schaye who also took a look at NGC 5981, we know a little more about these properties. “We study global star formation thresholds in the outer parts of galaxies by investigating the stability of disk galaxies embedded in dark halos. The disks are self-gravitating, contain metals and dust, and are exposed to UV radiation. We find that the critical surface density for the existence of a cold interstellar phase depends only weakly on the parameters of the model and coincides with the empirically derived surface density threshold for star formation. Furthermore, it is shown that the drop in the thermal velocity dispersion associated with the transition from the warm to the cold gas phase triggers gravitational instability on a wide range of scales. The presence of strong turbulence does not undermine this conclusion if the disk is self-gravitating. Models based on the hypothesis that the onset of thermal instability determines the star formation threshold in the outer parts of galaxies can reproduce many observations, including the threshold radii, the column densities, and the sizes of stellar disks as a function of disk scale length and mass.”

While we’ll never see the Draco Trio in the telescope eyepiece as well as what this incredible image by Ken Crawford presents, we welcome the Dragon Slayer for the opportunity it gives us to take a closer look at another cosmic mystery. Is the Draco Group really a galaxy group? Perhaps. According to independent research papers done by both Giuricin and Garcia, this small group of friends collectively known as the NGC 5866 Group (because it’s the brightest) is located to the northwest of both the M101 Group and its companion galaxies which makes it proximity. Also nearby is the M51 Group, home to the Whirlpool Galaxy, the Sunflower Galaxy, and several others. The distances to these three groups was gathered by studying their individual members and science has found they are similar – and perhaps part of a much larger, more loose association than we’ve yet discovered.

But we’re learning…

Many thanks to AORAIA member Ken Crawford for the use of the spectacular image and the awesome research challenge it posed! My gratitude for the inspiration and the learning challenge…

Posted on by Nancy Atkinson

Oops, TW Hydrae b Isn’t a Planet; Just a Sunspot

Artists depiction of what the TW Hydrae system might have looked like. Credit: Max Planck Institute

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You gotta love this about science; someone is always checking your work. Early this year a new exoplanet discovery was announced: TW Hydrae b, a huge planet about ten times as massive as Jupiter. Astronomers thought the planet was in a super-tight orbit around its host star (TW Hydrae), circling in only 3.56 days at a distance of about 6 million kilometers, which is about 4 percent of the distance from the Sun to the Earth. However, another group of astronomers decided to analyze some new optical and infrared data to confirm the radial velocity signal of the planet. Something didn’t seem right, so they ran a few more tests and computer models and determined what they were seeing wasn’t a planet. It was a big sunspot. “Our model shows that a cold spot covering 7% of the stellar surface and located at a latitude of 54 deg can reproduce the reported RV variations,” the astronomers reported in their paper. The rest of the astronomical world must agree with the new determination, as TW Hydrae b has now been dropped from the Planet Quest New Worlds Atlas (a fun site to peruse.) But nature doesn’t like a void, — and astronomers have been working hard in the planet-search department, — so, three new extra solar planets have been discovered and added to the atlas, for a current planet count of 309.

GJ 832 b is about half the size mass of Jupiter and orbits 3.4 AU from its tiny host star. The star is a yellow, sun-like G star, about 16 light years from Earth. It was found with the Anglo-Australian Telescope. Astronomers say it has the largest angular distance from its star among radial velocity detected exoplanets, which makes it a potentially interesting target for future direct detection.

HD 205739 b was also just announced:. This exoplanet is 1.37 times the size mass of Jupiter, and orbits about .9 AU from its star, a blue to white star, which is 1.22x the size of the sun, and 294 light years from Earth. It has an eccentric orbit, and astronomers believe there may be an additional planet in this system, because of how the planet orbits.

Another planet found by the same astronomical team is HD 154672 b. This is a biggie, at about five times the size mass of Jupiter, but only about .6 AU distant from its star, which is just about sun-size, and about 213 light years from Earth. The planet has an orbital period of 163.9 days.

These last two planets were found using the N2K Doppler planet search program with the Magellan telescopes.

Sources: arXiv (here, here and here) and Twitter, PlanetQuest

Posted on by Nancy Atkinson

China To Launch Manned Mission This Month

China's Long March rocket. Credit: Xinhua

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China will launch its third manned space mission in late September, sending three astronauts into Earth orbit. The mission will feature China’s first-ever space walk, according to the Xinhua News Agency, the official news agency of China. The Shenzhou 7 launch will take place sometime between Sept. 25 and 30, from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern Gansu province. The space walk will be broadcast live using cameras mounted on the inside and outside of the spacecraft.

The Long March rocket was loaded with fuel on Sunday. “All the major systems involved in the launching are now in the final preparation. The main tests for the spacecraft, the Long-March II-F rocket, suits for the space walk and a satellite accompanying the fly have also been finished,” said the spokesman.

On April 12, China launched a new space tracking satellite to assist with the Shenzhou-7 spacewalk mission. The new space tracking ship is the sister ship of the Yuanwang-5, which was put into use a year ago. Xinhua said the two vessels will play a key role in the Shenzhou-7 mission.

In 2003, China became the third country in the world — along with the United States and Russia — to send a human into orbit. It followed with a two-man mission in 2005.

China also launched the Chang’e 1 moon orbiter in October of 2007.

Source: Xinhua

Posted on by Tammy Plotner

UT Reader Promotes IYA in “Canoe Africa”

Canoe Africa Team

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If you haven’t heard of UT reader, Brian Sheen, you will over the next few months. Brian is not only a reader here, but he’s also a member of the Roseland Observatory in Cornwall and he’s about to embark on an adventure that most of us only dream about. Four men, one canoe, one river, 2,500 miles, in six months…

Brian Sheen
Brian Sheen
Canoe Africa is a unique project ready to launch by the UK astronomer just as soon as the proverbial waters reach safe levels. Brian and a small team of scout leaders will begin their journey on foot in the mountains of Guinea, at the source of one of the longest rivers in the world – the Niger. Then it’s into a dugout canoe to travel almost 2,500 miles passing through the countries of Guinea, Mali, Niger, Benin and Nigeria, with their epic journey stopping about 100 miles away from wilds of the Niger Delta. Along the way they will meet with local scout troops for support and company in their journey, but there’s much more to the story than just a deliverance.

Brian is no stranger to long distance canoeing, nor is this his first time in West Africa. Forty years ago he was there providing relief with the Red Cross during the Niger Crisis, and returned again in 1981 to canoe 150 miles through the Delta from Onitsha to Port Harcourt. While the team will be promoting the UK Scouting Movement, astronomer Sheen also sees this as a unique opportunity to promote the International Year of Astronomy. “The vision of the International Year of Astronomy (IYA2009) is to help the citizens of the world rediscover their place in the Universe through the day- and night time sky, and thereby engage a personal sense of wonder and discovery. All humans should realize the impact of astronomy and basic sciences on our daily lives, and understand better how scientific knowledge can contribute to a more equitable and peaceful society.”

How does Universe Today tie into this? Thanks to being a constant reader, Brian discovered the Celestron Sky Scout and the Coronado PST. When he wrote me telling me what he was going to do and asking for help locating a French version of the Celestron SkyScout, not only did I find him the correct update, but I found more support for his project as well. Thanks to Michelle Meskill from Celestron International, Celestron Life: IYA has donated speakers for the journey as well! Now, not only will the Celestron SkyScout speak in French when needed – but is now able to reach large groups of people at once!

Map Provided by BBC
Map Provided by BBC

Brian will soon be on his way down the River Niger with binoculars, solar scope, Celestron SkyScout and more. We wish him the best of luck on his IYA Journey and look forward to bringing you further updates on our fearless UT reader and his African Astronomy Adventures during the coming months. Brille sur…

Posted on by Nancy Atkinson

Clumps Growing on Phoenix Lander Legs

Clumps of material have adhered to the legs of the Phoenix Mars Lander, and the clumps continue to change and grow. The science team has discussed various possible explanations for these clumps. One suggestion is that they may have started from a splash of mud if Phoenix’s descent engines melted icy soil during the landing. Another is that specks of salt may have landed on the strut and began attracting atmospheric moisture that freezes and accumulates. The clumps are concentrated on the north side of the strut, usually in the shade, so their accumulation could be a consequence of the fact that condensation favors colder surfaces. Below, compare images taken on September 1, 2008, or the 97th Martian Day or sol, since landing with another image taken about three months earlier, on Sol 8.

Sol 97 image under the lander. Credit: NASA/JPL/Caltech/U of AZ

Sol 8 image from under the lander. Credit: NASA/JPL/Caltech/U of AZ

Phoenix’s Robotic Arm Camera took both images. The top image from Sol 97 was taken at about 4 a.m. local solar time. The view in this Sol 97 image is southward. Illumination is from the early morning sun above the northeastern horizon. This is quite different from the illumination in the Sol 8 image, bottom which was taken in mid-afternoon.

The two images also show a contrast in the flat, smooth patch of exposed ice underneath the lander. Phoenix team members believe the ice was exposed from the spacecraft’s thrusters as it landed. In the latest image, the patches of ice exposed underneath the lander seem to be partly covered by darker material left behind as ice vaporizes away. The flat patch in the center of the image has the informal name “Holy Cow,” based on researchers’ reaction when they saw the initial image of it.

Source: Phoenix Gallery

Posted on by Nancy Atkinson

‘Laser Comb’ To Measure the Accelerating Universe

Back in April, UT published an article about using a device called a ‘laser comb’ to search for Earth-like planets. But astronomers also hope to use the device to search for dark energy in an ambitious project that would measure the velocities of distant galaxies and quasars over a 20-year period. This would let astronomers test Einstein’s theory of general relativity and the nature of the mysterious dark energy. The device uses femto-second (one millionth of one billionth of a second) pulses of laser light coupled with an atomic clock to provide a precise standard for measuring wavelengths of light. Also known as an “astro-comb,” these devices should give astronomers the ability to use the Doppler shift method with incredible precision to measure spectral lines of starlight up to 60 times greater than any current high-tech method. Astronomers have been testing the device, and hope to use one in conjunction with the new Extremely Large Telescope which is being designed by ESO, the European Southern Observatory.

Astronomers use instruments called spectrographs to spread the light from celestial objects into its component colors, or frequencies, in the same way water droplets create a rainbow from sunlight. They can then measure the velocities of stars, galaxies and quasars, search for planets around other stars, or study the expansion of the Universe. A spectrograph must be accurately calibrated so that the frequencies of light can be correctly measured. This is similar to how we need accurate rulers to measure lengths correctly. In the present case, a laser provides a sort of ruler, for measuring colors rather than distances, with an extremely accurate and fine grid.

New, extremely precise spectrographs will be needed in experiments planned for the future Extremely Large Telescope.

“We’ll need something beyond what current technology can offer, and that’s where the laser frequency comb comes in. It is worth recalling that the kind of precision required, 1 cm/s, corresponds, on the focal plane of a typical high-resolution spectrograph, to a shift of a few tenths of a nanometre, that is, the size of some molecules,” explains PhD student and team member Constanza Araujo-Hauck from ESO.

The new calibration technique comes from the combination of astronomy and quantum optics, in a collaboration between researchers at ESO and the Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics. It uses ultra-short pulses of laser light to create a ‘frequency comb’ – light at many frequencies separated by a constant interval – to create just the kind of precise ‘ruler’ needed to calibrate a spectrograph.

The device has been tested on a solar telescope, a new version of the system is now being built for the HARPS planet-finder instrument on ESO’s 3.6-metre telescope at La Silla in Chile, before being considered for future generations of instruments.

More information on laser combs.

Source: ESO

Posted on by Nancy Atkinson

GOCE Launch Delayed

Artist rendition of the GOCE Satellite in orbit. Credit: ESA

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The launch of ESA’s GOCE satellite (the ‘sexy’ spacecraft) will be delayed. During launch preparations yesterday (Sunday, Sept. 7) a problem was discovered with a guidance and navigation subsystems on the launch vehicle’s upper stage. To fix the problem, guidance and navigation unit will have to be replace. The upper stage, which includes the GOCE satellite, will have to be de-mated from the rest of the Breeze KM rocket and brought in from the launch site to be repaired. The launch, which will take place at the Plesetsk cosmodrome in northern Russia, is now scheduled for October 5 at 16:21 CEST.

The satellite and upper stage will be brought to an integration room. Once in the clean room, the protective fairing that shelters the satellite will be opened and the spacecraft and its adaptor system will be dismounted in order to allow access to the Breeze KM equipment to be replaced.

GOCE, which stands for Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer will investigate and map Earth’s gravitational field. ESA officials say the satellite and its mission will not be affected by this launch delay.


Source: ESA

Posted on by Nancy Atkinson

Water on Mars Was Prolonged, Study Shows

Valley Networks on Mars. Image: NASA

Previous studies of Mars indicated that while water was certainly present on the Red Planet in the ancient past, it may have only been on the surface for a short time, present in short catastrophic floods. However, a new study suggests that ancient features on Mars called valley networks were carved by recurrent floods during a long period when the Martian climate may have been much like that of some arid or semiarid regions on Earth. “Our results argue for liquid water being stable at the surface of Mars for prolonged periods in the past,” said Charles Barnhart, a graduate student in Earth and planetary sciences at the University of California, Santa Cruz. “Precipitation on Mars lasted a long time–it wasn’t a brief interval of massive deluges.”

Scientists estimate that the valley networks on Mars were carved out more than 3.5 billion years ago. Studies based on climate models have suggested that catastrophic events such as asteroid impacts could have created warm, wet conditions on Mars, causing massive deluges and flooding for periods of hundreds to thousands of years.

But using a sophisticated computer model to simulate the processes that formed the valley networks shows that those short period conditions would result in features not seen in the Martian landscape, because water would accumulate inside craters and overflow, carving exit breaches that cut through the crater walls, Barnhart said.

“Our research finds that these catastrophic anomalies would be so humid and wet there would be breaching of the craters, which we don’t see on Mars,” he said. “The precipitation needs to be seasonal or periodic, so that there are periods of evaporation and infiltration. Otherwise the craters overflow.”

Valley Networks on Mars. Credit: NASA
Valley Networks on Mars. Credit: NASA

The researchers used a landform evolution model to simulate how the surface of Mars would evolve under different climate conditions. They ran more than 70 simulations under varied conditions and performed statistical analyses to determine which yielded the best match to the observed topography of martian valleys.

The results suggest that valley networks formed on Mars during a semiarid to arid climate that persisted for tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of years. Episodic flooding alternated with long dry periods when water could evaporate or soak into the ground. Rainfall may have been seasonal, or wet intervals may have occurred over longer cycles. But conditions that allowed for the presence of liquid water on the surface of Mars must have lasted for at least 10,000 years, Barnhart said.

A paper describing their findings has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Geophysical Research–Planets.

Source: UC Santa Cruz

Posted on by Mark Mortimer

Book Review: Alien Volcanoes

Alien Volcanoes

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Brilliant plumes of iridescent lava thrown skyward both awe and thrill us. Active volcanoes diminish our sense of importance as they shake the very ground and spread ash throughout the skies. But as Rosaly Lopes and Michael Carroll describe in their book “Alien Volcanoes“, these forceful displays dominate the shape of the Earth. As well, they are the prime candidates for being responsible for shaping many other nearby planets and moons.

Volcanoes act as release valves for Earth. Heat, whether from nuclear reactions or tidal pull, gets generated within Earth and needs to get out to the cold of space. In some locations, the heat slowly radiates in a predictable, almost controlled manner. At others, the heat builds up within Earth’s crust then bursts in a brief violent display of shear power. Bursts like these can release huge amounts of heat and greatly rearrange the landscape, as seen at Krakatoa. The resulting landscape reflects the type of heat flow. And, similar landscape occurs elsewhere in the solar system. Thus, the authors expect similar underlying processes for heat release, no matter where it takes place.

This book by Lops and Carroll brings together the scientific details and visual beauty of volcanoes throughout our solar system. Its beginning goes through the reasoning for the production of heat in Earth and other planets. It mentions that volcanoes have over 4 billions years of history, but the focus is on how they effect humans. From Iceland and the mid-Atlantic ridge to black smokers in the Pacific, the book both describes with words and illustrates with many pictures the way humans have been pummelled, cajoled and sustained by the heat and minerals forced out the Earth’s curst.

With this background, the authors then swing their gaze from Earth to other planets. Though probes are just beginning to acquire three dimensional views of planet surfaces, the authors provide sound evidence of volcanic activity. For example, Olympus Mons is an obvious volcano, but are the Martian caves really lava tubes or odd constructs of other processes? The authors suggest the former and provide sound reasoning. We also read that Venus has nearly 90 percent of its surface showing volcanic features. Even tiny Enceladus gets mentioned because of striking evidence that cryovolcanism occurs on its surface.

Yet, by starting with Earth and then stepping to other planets and moons, the authors demonstrate and utilize the commonality of volcanism. Enhancing this are pictures throughout the text that show common features: shields, domes, and flows. From this, the reader can appreciate and identify elements in foreign landscapes. And, this seems to be the goal of the authors, to share knowledge and perhaps incite a little emotional interest in this subject. And, they succeed wonderfully.

This book’s mixture of history, science, photography and artwork encapsulates volcanism into a captivating advertisement. Having a frame of reference that extends through hundreds of millions of years and across the solar system propels the reader off their chair. Perplexing images of incomplete ridges and fractures on distant moons builds the reader’s desire to know more. With this, the reader gets caught up into the scientific process. And this is how science books deliver, they translate specific technical detail into excitement and interest for the general, interested reader.

Blasts from volcanoes are so rare that they draw attention worldwide. But our world isn’t the only one with these amazing heat outlets as shown by Rosaly Lopes and Michael Carroll in their book “Alien Volcanoes“. We can’t effect these heat outlets nor predict bursts. However, with this book, we can look upon this land shaping process with acceptance, understanding and, still, a fair amount of awe.

Read more reviews online or purchase a copy from Amazon.com