[IMAGE: Fanciful portrait of Ptolemy] [IMAGE: Space shuttle in orbit]
You have reached the home page of a book-on-the-web.
    A button at the end of each text file brings you
back here. Its contents (full list further below) cover:

  •     I.   Astronomy of the Earth's motion in space.
  •     II.   Newtonian mechanics.
  •     III.   The Sun
  •     VI.   Spaceflight and spacecraft
  •                                  and .... an introduction for teachers

    It also contains


      •     The author is looking for collaborators, including someone who may one day assume the main responsibility for these web sites. If interested, please click here.

    Active Links:
    An overview of this site and two sister sites.         http://www.phy6.org/prospect.htm
        "tared and zipped" compressed version of this set (3.5 Mb) http://www.phy6.org/stargaz.tar.gz .
        "tar" version joining all files (no compression, 6.8 Mb) at http://www.phy6.org/stargz.tar
        Recent addition:         Welcome to my World, a diverse collection of writings.
    •       Spanish translation of "Stargazers" by J. M. Mendez
    •       French translation of "Stargazers" by Dr. Guy Batteur (partially completed).
    •       A set of lesson plans for teachers.
    •       A message for home-schooling parents here

    •       Volunteer translators for this site and related ones--please contact me (below).
          Also, comments and questions are welcome. Please send them to the author:
                                 David P. Stern,   education["at" symbol]phy6.org .
     For easy reading, view this site with size 12-14 "Times" font (but print out with size 10 or 12). The material is a coherent, self-contained course at the high-school level, rich in history.

    .
    Of special interest to teachers:

    "From Stargazers to Starships" follows an earlier site "The Exploration of the Earth's Magnetosphere". "Stargazers" deals with the world of gravity--of massive planets and stars, and the way spaceflight is achieved despite their strong pull. "Exploration" on the other hand looks at the hot (but usually rarefied) gases which fill most of space, which are ruled by magnetic and electric forces rather than by gravity. The polar aurora, the radiation belts, the solar wind, magnetic storms, "space weather", cosmic radiation--this is the site which tells you all about them.

    Author and Curator:   Dr. David P. Stern
         Greenbelt, Maryland                                 Mail to Dr.Stern:   education["at" symbol]phy6.org .

    Last updated: 20 November 2003