Astronomers are on the verge of answering one of our most profound questions: are we alone in the universe? The ability to detect life in remote solar systems is at last within sight, and its discovery—even if only in microbial form—would revolutionize our self-image. Planet Hunters is the rollicking tale of the search for extraterrestrial life and the history of an academic discipline.
Astronomer Lucas Ellerbroek takes readers on a fantastic voyage through space, time, history, and even to the future as he describes the field of exoplanet research, from the early ideas of sixteenth-century heretic Giordano Bruno to the discovery of the first exoplanet in 1995 to the invention of the Kepler Space Telescope. We join him on his travels as he meets with leading scientists in the field, including Michel Mayor, who discovered the first exoplanet, and Bill Borucki, principal investigator for NASA’s Kepler mission. Taken together, the experiences, passion, and perseverance of the scientists featured here make the book an exciting and compelling read.
Presenting cutting-edge research in a dynamic and accessible way, Planet Hunters is a refreshing look into a field where new discoveries come every week and paradigms shift every year.
Lucas Ellerbroek is an astronomer and researcher in comet and planet formation at the University of Amsterdam. Andy Brown is a translator specializing in Dutch. His translations include The Encyclopaedia of Liars and Deceivers and The Making of a Man, both published by Reaktion Books. He lives in The Netherlands.
Table of Contents
Introduction: New Marbles 1 The Century of Bruno 2 The Little Sand Reckoner 3 An Inquisitive Mind and Defective Sight 4 The Order of the Dolphin 5 The Tenacious Inventor 6 A Planet in Pegasus 7 The Hut in the Car Park 8 Goldilocks and the Red Dwarfs 9 Beer in Space 10 The Space Rebels 11 The Planetary Circus
Glossary of Terms References Bibliography Acknowledgements Index
