Astronomy and the Climate Crisis

Climate change is acknowledged as being one of the most important areas of research today. Increasing global temperatures will impact all of us to a greater or lesser extent. From the point of view of research it is an enormously important and complex subject. However, little attention is paid to its relationship to astronomy, the sun in particular but not exclusively. Though directed at an astronomically inclined readership, and providing some less well-known astronomically related information, studies and concepts, this book will also appeal to a broader public, who need to understand the subject of climate change and learn of all the various theories and possible solutions.

It has been said that music and astronomy go hand in hand. Antony Cooke's passion for both fields was clear very early in his life, but music ultimately would claim his career. A cellist of international renown, Cooke has been one of the leading players in the Hollywood recording industry for many years, having been Associate Professor of Cello at Northwestern University in Chicago until 1983. He is a U.S. citizen but was born in Australia and educated in London, receiving numerous prizes and awards, including the Gold Medal at the London Music Festival.The dual nature of Cooke's interests continued, astronomy remaining the counterbalance in his life. Always looking for ways to improve his existence at the eyepiece, he has constructed many telescopes over the years, with increasing sizes being the hallmark of his (often-quirky) designs. He has published four books for Springer, Visual Astronomy in the Suburbs (2003), Visual Astronomy Under Dark Skies (2005), Make Time for the Stars (2009) and recently, Dark Nebulae, Dark Lanes and Dust Belts (2012).