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offer permanent positions to all qualified new entrants to the field, training in U.S. astronomy and astrophysics programs affords the ability to pursue many valuable career paths. BENEFITS OF ASTRONOMY TO THE NATION Astronomy Engages the Public in Science Astronomy stirs the public imagination and the human spirit. Indeed, the results of modern astronomical research are already deeply ingrained into our culture, and phrases like “light year”, “big bang” and “black hole” have joined the vernacular. The astronomy aisle of any fully-stocked bookstore includes large, beautiful picture books of the cosmos as well as more technical books about the advancing frontier—written by working astronomers, writers educated as astronomers, and journalists. About once per week on average, national television broadcasts an interview with a professional astronomer, a rate that increases dramatically during the semi-annual meetings of the American Astronomical Society (AAS). The steady stream of discoveries from space missions and ground-based telescopes generates hundreds of press stories per year and has made some facilities (such as the Hubble Space Telescope) into international icons. A single astronomical image can play a large role in defining our culture. The Eagle Nebula, framed by HST, is an inspiring work of art (see Figure 4-2). The iconic Apollo 8 photograph of Earth, rising over the lunar landscape and showing its blue oceans, dry land and clouds floating alone in the cosmic void with no visible, national boundaries, exhibited the unity of mankind far more effectively than any political speech (see Figure 4-3). No field but astronomy can deliver that message, bringing a value to society that may be beyond measure. Astronomy on television has come a long way since the 1980 PBS premier of Carl Sagan’s ground-breaking multipart documentary Cosmos. Many cable channels offer copious programming on a large variety of astronomical topics, and the big three networks occasionally offer specials on the universe too. Another barometer of the public’s cosmic curiosity comes from the popularity of IMAX-format films on space science, and the number of big-budget Hollywood movies that derive their plotlines directly or indirectly from space themes (including five of the top ten grossing movies of all time in America). The internet plays a pervasive role for public astronomy, attracting world-wide audiences on websites such as Galaxy Zoo (www.galaxyzoo.org, last accessed July 6, 2010) and on others that feature astronomical events, such as NASA missions. Astronomy applications are available for most mobile devices. Social networking technology even plays a role, e.g., tweets from the Spitzer NASA IPAC (http://twitter.com/cool_cosmos, last accessed July 6, 2010). Public interest in astronomy has caught the attention of corporate giants as well, who see commercial value and synergy with what astronomers do. The Microsoft World Wide Telescope, a corporate version of previously under-funded efforts of astronomers to accomplish similar ends, coordinates the world’s public-domain cosmic imagery into one resource, allowing people on home PCs to explore the cosmos as if they were at the helm of the finest ground and space-based telescopes. Meanwhile, Google’s interest in maps now extends to the universe, with their Google Earth, Google Sky, Google Moon, and Google Mars. These nascent corporate efforts to connect with the universe in the service of their users offers yet another indication of the breadth and depth of influence that cosmic discovery enjoys in our culture. America for a Brighter Economic Future of the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of Medicine. PREPUBLICATION COPY—SUBJECT TO FURTHER EDITORIAL CORRECTION 4-2
FIGURE 4‐2 The dust sculptures of the Eagle Nebula are evaporating as powerful starlight whittles away these cool cosmic mountains, leaving statuesque pillars. Credit: The Hubble Heritage Team, (STScI/AURA), ESA, NASA. FIGURE 4‐3 Earthrise from the moon taken by the Apollo 8 crew. Credit: NASA. PREPUBLICATION COPY—SUBJECT TO FURTHER EDITORIAL CORRECTION 4-3
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PREPUBLICATION COPY
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THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS 500 Fi
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COMMITTEE FOR A DECADAL SURVEY OF A
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Panel on Stars and Stellar Evolutio
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DOUGLAS FINKBEINER, Harvard Univers
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SPACE STUDIES BOARD CHARLES F. KENN
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activities 2 that have emerged from
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In addition to the 27 panel meeting
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Acknowledgment of Reviewers This re
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The Accelerating Universe 2-26 The
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APPENDIXES A Summary of Science Fro
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light up the universe, marking the
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RECOMMENDED PROGRAM Maintaining a b
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TABLE ES.4 Space: Recommended Activ
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Cosmic Dawn: Searching for the Firs
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this imprint would both probe funda
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important outcome will be to open u
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estimated to be on the order of $20
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observatories. For NASA an annual b
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surveys of large fields, enabling s
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RECOMMENDATION: U.S. investors in a
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departments and the community as a
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dominate spending; (2) private-publ
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us was certainly evident during the
Page 52 and 53: BOX 2-1 Other Worlds Around Other S
Page 54 and 55: FIGURE 2‐2 The source 3C 75, show
Page 56 and 57: FIGURE 2‐3 Numerical simulation o
Page 58 and 59: FIGURE 2‐4 Left panel: Image of t
Page 60 and 61: FIGURE 2‐6 Top: Schematic of the
Page 62 and 63: Most stars with masses smaller than
Page 64 and 65: BOX 2-2 The Origin of Planets After
Page 66 and 67: send material raining into the cent
Page 68 and 69: BOX 2-4 Lifecycles in Galaxies One
Page 70 and 71: Stars Stars are the most observable
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Page 74 and 75: The Nature of Inflation As describe
Page 76 and 77: FIGURE 2‐11 Pie chart showing the
Page 78 and 79: An important clue to the nature of
Page 80 and 81: Studying the properties of neutron
Page 82 and 83: FIGURE 2‐14 A possible pathway is
Page 84 and 85: partners and makes recommendations
Page 86 and 87: As astronomy research has blossomed
Page 88 and 89: are increasingly relevant. The Euro
Page 90 and 91: TABLE 3-1 Currently Operating OIR F
Page 92 and 93: 29% 1990 44% US Priv US Fed Other E
Page 94 and 95: CONCLUSION: Complex and high-cost f
Page 96 and 97: Space Observatories The Laser Inter
Page 98 and 99: Physics Division (PHY); the Mathema
Page 101: 4 Astronomy in Society Astronomy of
Page 105 and 106: FIGURE 4‐5 President Obama takes
Page 107 and 108: Astronomy Inspires in the Classroom
Page 109 and 110: teaching the scientific method. The
Page 111 and 112: where the fraction of astronomers h
Page 113 and 114: Percentage of AAS Membership by Fie
Page 115 and 116: 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 PL SO IM AG SF IN S
Page 117 and 118: FIGURE 4‐12 Number (top panel) an
Page 119 and 120: Professional training needs to acco
Page 121: assistant and associate professor p
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Page 126 and 127: THEORY Emerging Trends in Theoretic
Page 128 and 129: Central to the Galaxies across Cosm
Page 130 and 131: TABLE 5‐2 Support for astrophysic
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Page 134 and 135: FIGURE 5‐7 Highly cited HST publi
Page 136 and 137: y optical and radio astronomers are
Page 138 and 139: FIGURE 5‐8 Number of PhDs per yea
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Page 144 and 145: FIGURE 5‐9 The richness of the su
Page 146 and 147: RECOMMENDATION: NASA and NSF suppor
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Page 150 and 151: FIGURE 6‐3 NASA mission cost over
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FIGURE 6‐5 Gemini North with Sout
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TOWARD FUTURE PROJECTS, MISSIONS, A
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3. Investment in new and upgraded i
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etween several competing elements i
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7 Realizing the Opportunities The p
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FIGURE 7.1 Survey time line showing
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SCIENCE OBJECTIVES FOR THE DECADE T
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Box 7.1 Implementing a Cosmic Dawn
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JWST, with its superb mid-infrared
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optical imaging of brighter galaxie
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Box 7.3 Implementing the Physics of
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FIGURE 7.2 Multiwavelength images o
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Recommendations for New Space Activ
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FIGURE 7.4 Science accomplishments
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significance of mergers in the buil
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independent advice committee review
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committee review. It could range be
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Laboratory Astrophysics As describe
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Recommendations for New Ground-Base
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Program for instrumentation and fac
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excel at high spectral and spatial
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The committee reviewed a technical
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FIGURE 7.10 ACTA would be, like the
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Advanced Technologies and Instrumen
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LISA as soon as possible subject to
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FIGURE 7.14 DOE recommended program
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A Summary of Science Frontiers Pane
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PLANETARY SYSTEMS AND STAR FORMATIO
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A preliminary recommended program w
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certified as independent work perfo
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penalty based on an assessment of s
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The results show excellent correlat
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$12 MILLION TO $40 MILLION RANGE CM
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decadal research strategy with reco
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CFP CHIPSat CIP CGRO CMB CMU CoBRA
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NRC NSB NSF NSF-AGS NSF-ARC NSF-AST
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