The Astrophysics Spectator

The basic layout of the site is as survey paths, which can be found under the Surveys link at the top of this and most other pages on this site. Each survey begins with a basic overview of the subject. Part of this overview include simulators of astrophysical phenomena that allow the reader to experiment with the phenomena. The later pages in a survey present the subject in greater and more mathematical depth. A path ends with research pages that describe current research projects and results in astrophysics.

The links at the top of each page are Home, which is the current home page of this site, Commentary, which is an index of short essays on topics loosely related to astrophysics, Surveys, which is the index of survey paths, Research, which is the index of research pages and the page leading to recent news items, Background, which is the index page for all background information on astrophysics, including survey pages, simulator pages, tables, bibliographic references, and lists of web resources, Previously, which is an index of previous home pages, and Site Info, which describes the site and its author, and gives contact information.

On the home page is found an addition link. This is the Store link, which leads to reviews of worthwhile books on astronomy and other relates subjects. Links on these pages enable the reader to buy these books from Amazon.com, which helps to financially sustain this web site.

Each Wednesday, a new issue of The Astrophysics Spectator is published that comprises a new home page, a new commentary, whatever news the author notices, and background, research, and simulator pages added to the survey paths. The home page acts as an index to the newly added pages. This site also has an RSS channel, whose link is given at the bottom of the right-hand column of this page.

July 20, 2005

This week I introduce the The Astrophysics Spectator Gift Shop. This shop gives the reader the opportunity to buy merchandise carrying the logos and images of this web site.

The Gift Shop is hosted by CafePress.com. This company sells a wide variety of clothing and housewares. Among the items they sell are tee shirts, sweat shirts, hats, mugs, steins, mouse pads, coasters, and tote bags. Images are printed onto each item on demand.

The Astrophysics Spectator Gift Shop sells items that carry the logos of this web site. Currently two logos are available: the white logo found on the home page, and the red logo found on the Site Info page. The white logo is available as a ten-inch by ten-inch image on tee shirts and sweat shirts (eight-inch by eight-inch on the Raglan Shirt). It is available as a 3-inch by 3-inch image on the mugs and steins. The red logo is available only on mugs and steins at this time.

Two additional images are currently available on items in the shop, an image based on the image to the right that shows a cat looking at the galaxies, and the image found on the “Gravitational Wave” survey path that shows a cat watching the Cat's Eye Nebula rise over the ocean waves. The first image is available on mugs and steins, and the second image is available on tee shirts and sweat shirts.

The gift shop is reached through a link on the Store page. I plan to add many new items and many new imges to the shop over the coming months, so I invite you to come and browse the Gift Shop often.

Store

The Astrophysics Spectator Gift Shop. The link to this site sits on the Store page of this web site. The top-level page for the Gift Shop presents the images that can be printed onto items. If you follow the link below each image, you will see the items available with the image. On the left-hand side of each page, you will find a drop-down box that enables you to find particular items (mugs, etc.), a list of links to each available image, and a list of links back to The Astrophysics Spectator. (continue)