Astrophysics of Life: Proceedings of the Space Telescope Science Institute Symposium, held in Baltimore, Maryland May 6-9, 2002

This volume, based on a meeting held at the Space Telescope Science Institute, lays the astrophysical groundwork for locating habitable places in the Universe. Written by leading scientists in the field, it covers a range of topics relevant to the search for life in the universe, including extrasolar planet searches and properties; the history of the solar system; star and planet formation; the habitability of planets and search strategies.