Here is some detail on the books I have published or been involved in, and some links to encourage you to buy them if you would like… Note that if you are at a European University, getting books from Springer Link is a good idea; you can usually get the PDF version free if your university library has an online subscription to Springer e-books. (Go to the menu top right and log in with Shibboleth or whatever your University uses.)
Losing The Sky
This is a polemic about the problem of satellite mega-constellations, and the damage they are causing to our view of the night sky – for casual stargazers as well as professional astronomers. It is written at a popular level, has a foreword by Brian May, and is only £1.99 for the ebook, available from either Apple Books or Amazon, or Google Play Books. Amazon also has a paperback version for £5.99. Read more about it here.
Probability in Physics: an Introductory Guide..
This book, aimed at mid-level undergraduates, sets out the use of probability in physics, treating introductory ideas of both statistical physics and of statistical inference, as well the importance of probability in information theory, quantum mechanics, and stochastic processes. I try to present a harmonised view of frequentist and Bayesian approaches to inference, emphasising their complementary value. You can buy it direct from Springer, or of course from Amazon and other booksellers.
You can also get it from Springer Link.
Astronomical Measurement: a concise guide.
This is an undergraduate textbook covering atmosphere,optics, detectors, spectrographs and some general concepts. It is mercifully brief. You can buy it direct from Springer, or from Amazon and other booksellers. You can also get it from Springer Link.
Stars, Time, and Mountains: the work of Charles Piazzi Smyth, 1819-1900. A short booklet telling the story of the brilliant but flawed Victorian Astronomer, Charles Piazzi Smyth, and his Geologist wife, Jessica Piazzi Smyth. Piazzi Smyth showed that astronomy should be done from mountains, not from smoky cities; he started the Edinburgh Time Ball and One O’Clock Gun; he was a pioneer of photography, and a prolific artist, recording Victorian society. He was also a pioneering Egyptologist, although his own theories turned into a controversial obsession, that colour his reputation even today.This booklet was produced in 2019, Piazzi Smyth’s bicentenary year, in connection with a new exhibition at the Nelson Monument, Calton Hill, Edinburgh, and a dedicated website It is available on Amazon. All proceeds will be directed to the Royal Observatory (Edinburgh) Trust.
Thirty Years of Astronomical Discovery with UKIRT
I have one chapter in this lovely book, edited by Andy Adamson, John Davies, and Ian Robson. Available on Springer or Amazon or Springer Link (PDF free as described above). John Davies has also published a history of UKIDSS, The Life Story of an Infrared Telescope.