Space and Astronomy.pdf

THE FACTS ON FILE

space

astronomy

HANDBOOK

Revised Edition

jOSEpH A. ANgELO, jR.

Adjunct professor, Science Department, Valencia Community College

and

The Facts On File Space and Astronomy Handbook, Revised Edition

or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or

by any information storage or retrieval systems, without permission in writing from

the publisher. For information contact:

Facts On File, Inc.

An imprint of Infobase Publishing

132 West 31st Street

New York NY 10001

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Angelo, Joseph A.

The Facts on File space and astronomy handbook / Joseph A. Angelo, Jr.—Rev. ed.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-0-8160-7388-7

1. Astronomy—Handbooks, manuals, etc. 2. Space sciences—Handbooks,

manuals, etc. I. Facts on File, Inc. II. Title. III. Title: Space and astronomy.

QB43.3.A44 2009

520— dc22

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Please call our Special Sales Department in New York at (212) 967-8800 or

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You can find Facts On File on the World Wide Web at

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Text design adapted by James Scotto-Lavino

Illustrations by Sholto Ainslie

Printed in the United States of America

Bang FOF 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

2008051761

To my sons, Joseph and James,

who grew up in the red glare of the rockets from Cape Canaveral

as the United States reached for the stars.