Böcker av Barry R. PARKER

On the desolate, snow-topped peak of the highest mountain in Hawaii the view of the heavens is truly breathtaking. Since the "discovery" of Mauna Kea in 1963, astronomers worldwide have been vying for the opportunity to stargaze from its vantage point. Nine domes now stand on the peak, making this the world's largest observatory complex. Each dome is the brainchild of extraordinary scientists - pioneers who, amidst fierce competition and frigid, treacherous conditions - fought for their dreams to build the largest, most magnificent telescopes on Earth. Barry Parker, award-winning science writer, relates the intriguing stories of the founding of this observatory complex and goes on to interview some of the great astronomers of our time as they work at this inspiring site. Bringing the public for the first time into the rarefied air of the control rooms, Parker describes what marvelous challenges these astronomers pursue, night after night, through these massive telescopes. Using brilliant, colorful images from the world's most powerful infrared telescopes and data taken by the enormous Keck telescope - the largest in the world - the scientists at Mauna Kea capture visions of the most distant galaxies ever seen, and use them to look deeply into our past to try to determine our future. Through imagination and genius, the scientists at Mauna Kea have made significant strides in formulating answers to the most fascinating astronomical questions. What can the exploding galaxies in the outer reaches of space tell us about our universe in its infancy? Could the enormous black holes at the cores of galaxies actually be "seeds," central to forming these vast systems of stars? Will our universe, like a dying star, come to an end, and, if so, what dramatic events will lead to this fate? Parker clearly and eloquently explains the theories of these astronomers and describes one of their most ambitious efforts-the quest of finding life in other galaxies. Parker, whose earlier work The New York Times Book Review called "physics for poets," has penned a new masterpiece. This unforgettable book evokes the excitement of living and working at this exquisite site and dares us to imagine the awesome forces that power and shape our universe.

The renowned scientific writer Dr. Barry Parker stirs our secret yearnings--this time to revisit the past or travel far into the future--as he takes us on a thrilling ride through space and time. Since Einstein's discovery of the Special Theory of Relativity, which proved that time is not absolute, the imaginative scribblings of science fiction writers took on a new meaning.

He had worked for months on one of the most famous problems in science-the problem of three bodies moving around one another under mutual gravita tional attraction-and what he was seeing dismayed and trou bled him. Poincare was shocked and dismayed by the result-so disheartened he left the problem and went on to other things.

Is the Big Bang Theory more viable today than it was at its inception 70 years ago? The prolific and ever-curious author, Barry Parker, confronts the most controversial and significant debate of modern cosmology. Big Bang bashing has been indulged in since the birth of this magnificent theory. But is it justified? In an impartial and balanced presentation, Parker introduces the distinctive personalities responsible for the breakthroughs and advances in this burgeoning field.

I remember sitting spellbound, watching the movie When Worlds Collide. Two planets hurled through space toward Earth while scientists and engineers frantically raced to complete a rocket ship that would take them to safety. A collision of two objects in space, say, two stars, I was sure would be a spectacular event.

I remember once watching a presentation of the creation of the universe in a planetarium. In Creation I have attempted to take you back to the begin ning-the big bang explosion-so that you can watch the uni verse grow and evolve.