The Invisible Universe: The Story of Radio Astronomy (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780387308166)

Hidden from human view, accessible only to sensitive receivers attached to huge radio telescopes, the invisible universe beyond our senses continues to fascinate us. In the Milky Way galaxy, radio astronomers listen patiently to the ticking of pulsars that tell of star death and states of matter of awesome densities. This is the story of radio astronomy, of how radio waves are generated by stars, supernova, quasars, colliding galaxies, and by the very beginnings of the universe itself. This revised edition provides an update on the state of radio astronomy and those sections no longer regarded as cutting edge have been removed. With this book, aimed at a lay audience, you learn what astronomers are doing with those huge dishes dotted around the world. With each of these observatories, the scientists collect and analyze their data, "listening" to the radio signals from space, in order to learn what is out there, and perhaps even if someone else may be listening as well.