This Guide consists of a list of selected resources on physics and astronomy available in Auraria Library and on the Internet. It also suggests a research strategy or plan of action you can follow while doing research or simply looking for information on a topic. You may choose to use this suggested action plan in other libraries as well, because some of the resources listed here can be found in other libraries.

CHOOSE YOUR TOPIC

It is important to remember that you should choose a topic which is not only interesting to you but also appropriate to your capabilities and to the time available.

Looking through the Library's collection of physics and astronomy materials may help you decide on a topic. Information about astronomy and physics can be found in several collections, i.e., reference, periodicals, government documents, media and book collections, all located on the first floor of Auraria Library.  Books shelved on the second floor can be checked out. Within each collection area, library materials are arranged and located by call numbers. The call number refers to a subject. Most of the library materials in the areas of astronomy and physics, and other related areas are assigned the call numbers as listed:

QB Astronomy
QC Physics

Please note that most of the library materials are located and arranged first by type of
materials, and then by call numbers. For instance, many of the physics and astronomy journals will be shelved in the periodicals collection area in the QB & QC section while books are found in the QB & QC sections on the second floor.

For a more specific breakdown, use the Library of Congress Subject Headings and click on QB or QC, or ask reference librarians for more information.

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Find Journal Articles

The most current information, as well as historical information, can frequently be found in magazine and journal articles which tend to deal with more specific topics than books.

The "Find Articles" Guide provides information about locating journals and magazines.

IF AURARIA LIBRARY DOES NOT HAVE THE LIBRARY MATERIALS YOU NEED, ASK AT THE REFERENCE DESK. The Reference Desk staff can often help you locate other suitable information on your topic if the Library does not own the material you need...

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Online Indexes & Databases The following online indexes (databases) are located on the Auraria Library Homepage under article databases.

General Databases (recommended starting points).

article databases -- Go to this page for general databases that cover multiple subjects, contain full text and  scholarly, peer reviewed articles which appear in leading journals in various fields. 

Physics and Astronomy Specific Databases

Faculty, physics/astronomy majors, and students in upper division science courses are most likely to use these databases.

E-print archive (arXir.org) -- Includes full text of research papers. Covered areas include physics and related disciplines, mathematics, nonlinear sciences and computer science.

INSPEC -- The major database that indexes scientific and technical journals and conference proceedings in the fields of physics, electrical engineering and electronics, computing and control, and information technology. Includes abstracts. 1968-present.

NASA Technical Report Server -- Contains bibliographic citations for Scientific and Technical Aerospace Reports (STAR file series), journal articles, and conference proceedings (Open Literature file series), and citations from the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) collection.

SPIN web  -- Abstracts of some of the world's most significant physics literature, 1975+

Web of Science -- A multidisciplinary database that provides access to Science Citation Index and Social Science Citation Index. Over 7000 scholarly journals are indexed. 1990-present.

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Full Text Journal Articles

You will also find a variety of full text physics and astronomy journal articles in the following databases:

EbscoOnline -- EbscoOnline provides access to full text of many of the journals Auraria Library subscribes to. It provides tables of contents and abstracts of many more. Search by journal title or keyword, or browse the list of journal titles.

ECO (Electronic Collections Online) -- Full text of approximately 135 scholarly journals that Auraria Library subscribes to. 1995 - present, updates daily. Tip By selecting "List all Databases" on the far left column you may search up to three FirstSearch
databases at a time!

Highwire Press -- A large database of back issues of selected scholarly journals in the sciences and medicine. Many of the articles are full text and freely available, while some require a subscription. Most of the journals are published by not-for-profit scholarly societies and publishers.

IOP Journals (Institute of Physics)
Full text article access to all Institute of Physics (IOP) journals by journal. To search across several IOP journals go to their search page. Coverage: from the beginning publication date of each journal 

ScienceDirect -- Provides indexing, abstracts and full text article access to the Elsevier Science journal collection online. Auraria Library's subscription includes access to all the journals held by the CU-system libraries, approximately 900 titles. The collection includes journals in the life, physical, medical, technical, social sciences, and a few in the fine arts and humanities. Most journal coverage begins with 1996, although coverage varies.

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Reference Books

Once you have decided on your subject, you may want to find an overview or a definition of your topic. A good place to start is with subject encyclopedias or dictionaries, located on in the Reference section of the Library, the first floor.  

Dictionaries/Encyclopedias

Astronomy and astrophysics encyclopedia.  REF QB14 .A873 1992
Cambridge dictionary of astronomy.  REF. QB14 .M55 2001
Dictionary Of Astronomy.  REF QB14 .I53 1997
Dictionary of physics. REF QC5 .C43 1999 
Dictionary of pure and applied physics. REF QC5 .D485 2001 
Encyclopedia of applied physics. REF QC5 .E543 1991
Encyclopedia of physics. REF QC5 .E545 2005 
McGraw-Hill dictionary of physics. REF QC5 .M424 1997
Twentieth century physics. REF QC7 .T84 1995

Handbooks

AIP physics desk reference. REF QC61 .P49 2003
American Institute of Physics handbook.  REF QC61 .A5 1972 
CRC handbook of chemistry and physics.  REF QD65 .H3
The Cambridge handbook of physics formulae. REF QC61 .W67 2000
Handbook of physical quantities.  REF QC61 .H36 1997 
Practicing scientist's handbook: a guide for physical and terrestrial scientists and
engineers.  REF QC173.397 .M67

Data Tables

Absorption spectra in the ultraviolet and visible region.  2nd FL. QC437 .L322
Aldrich library of infrared spectra.  REF QC457 .A43 1981
International critical tables of numerical data, physics, chemistry and technology.  REF Q199 .N32
Massachusetts Institute of Technology wavelength tables.  REF. QC453 .M36 1969

Directories

American Men and Women of Science.  REF Q141 .A474

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Search for Books

Auraria Library Online Catalog  Use the Library online catalog (Skyline) to find books in the library and to find out if the Library subscribes or has access to specific journals.

Prospector: the Colorado Unified Catalog  Use Prospector to determine which major Colorado library may own a particular book.  You may also request a book that Auraria Library does not own, and it will be delivered to the Auraria Library for you to pick up.

NetLibrary  This is a database of online, full-text books.  Some physics and astronomy books are included. Other eBooks. 

National Academy Press read over 2000 books published by the National Academy of Sciences, free online.

WorldCat This database contains the book records of nearly every library in the United States, and many foreign libraries. Use to request items not found through Skyline or Prospector. 

Tip: Link to the Guide Find Books and Other Material to learn how to find and request materials that are not available at Auraria Library. 

You may use ILL (Interlibrary loan) to order journal and magazine articles that Auraria Library doesn't own and you cannot locate in Skyline or Prospector. You may use WorldCat to request books, dissertations, videorecordings and other materials that Auraria doesn't own.

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Internet Resources

Astronomy and Physics

Astronomy 

Astrometry Department of the U.S. Naval Observatory --  Information related to the positions and motions of the stars and planets

Astronomical Survey Projects 

Astronomy Tools --  Daily almanac, sky calendar and moon phases

Astroweb 

Atomic Line List --  Compilation of approximately 923,000 allowed, intercombination and forbidden atomic transitions with wavelengths in the range from 0.5 Å to 1000 µm

Bradford Robotic Telescope -- Ask the telescope to look at anything in the northern night sky. 

Center for Earth and Planetary Studies -- At the Smithsonian Institute  Space shuttle photographs & more

Earth and Moon Viewer

Galileo Project --  Information about the space flight, including images 

Galileo Solid State Imaging (SSI) Full Data Releases -- Images from the space flight

Hubble Space Telescope Photographs

Mars Global Surveyor -- Images from Mars

Mars Web

NASA website

Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking Website

Near-Earth Object Program -- Information on comets and asteroids that approach the Earth's orbit.

Nine Planets -- Detailed information about the planets & moons of the solar system

Optical Astronomy -- Comprehensive list of world observatories & telescopes

Planetary Data System at NASA -- Archives and distributes digital data from past and present NASA planetary missions, astronomical observations, and laboratory measurements.

Students for the Exploration and Development of Space @ the University of Arizona

Solar and Lunar Eclipses -- @ the Old Farmers Almanac

Solar System Live

Star myths

Stephen Hawking's Universe

Sunrise-Sunset-Twilight and Moonrise-Moonset-Phase Calculations

Universe Today -- A current awareness service which gathers space exploration news stories from around the Internet.

Physics

High Energy Physics Information Center -- Includes educational resources

How Things Work -- Explanations of physics in everyday life

International Solar Terrestrial Physics

NIST Chemistry WebBook -- Thermochemical and spectroscopic data

Physical Reference Data (NIST) -- Spectroscopic data, reference databases

Review of Particle Physics -- Particle property data

The Soundry -- An interactive, and educational web site about sound

ThermoDex -- Indexes thermodynamics and physical property resources

Visual Quantum Mechanics -- Online interactive program

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Explanation of Location Codes

REF = Reference Stacks on Main level near Reference Desk
INDEX = Index Stacks on Main level near Reference Desk  GOVPUB = Stacks on Main level near Government Publications office
GOV PUB CD-ROM = In the CD-ROM Cluster by the Government Publications Office on Main level
PERIOD = Periodicals Department Main Level, Most Recent Issues in Current Periodicals