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Through a series of twenty in-class, modestly mathematical, paper-and-pencil activities, students review the epic advancement of astronomical thought, from the rudimentary observations of prehistoric skywatchers to the development of modern astrophysics in the 20th century. In following the groundbreaking work of some of history's most famous astronomers, students better appreciate the fruits of modern research. Astronomy Activities and Laboratory Manual supplies what is missing from standard introductory college astronomy course; the essential story line that tells how astronomers came to know as much as they do about the universe.The activities require no specialized instructor training, equipment or individual materials beyond a pencil, straightedge, and standard calculator. They are designed for use in a classroom of any size, and are an easy way to introduce active-learning into the teaching of astronomy. The activities are also ideal for individual homework assignments or team study. The necessary mathematical background is introduced on an as-needed basis for every activity and is accessible for most undergraduate students. This learn-by-doing approach is sure to engage and excite your introductory astronomy students! ... Read more

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With this newly revised tenth edition of FOUNDATIONS OF ASTRONOMY, author Mike Seeds' goal is to help you use astronomy to understand science--and use science to understand what we are. Fascinating and engaging, this text will help you answer two fundamental questions: What are we? How do we know? This edition addresses the newest developments and latest discoveries in the exciting study of astronomy, including new data on Jupiter's ring system; new observations of the shapes of stars; new evidence of dark energy, quasars, and galaxy collisions; and a look inside supernova explosions. And for students looking for an interactive alternative to the print text, the FOUNDATIONS OF ASTRONOMY Online Version is the ideal solution. The Online Version gives you Web-based access to a digital version of Michael A. Seeds' best-selling astronomy textbook. If your instructor is using the Enhanced WebAssign? online homework management system, the Online Version includes access to your homework assignments as well, allowing you to quickly navigate between your homework and the text. Visit www.webassign.net/seeds to learn more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great
Ordered a book one week before my daughters class started, standard delivery and recieved it long before the class started. "Great Job" ... Read more

Product Description
In its first two editions, Practical Astronomy With Your Calculator enjoyed tremendous success.Using clear and logical ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

Astronomía con tu calculadora
Muy buen libro y absolutamente práctico. He encontrado en él lo que buscaba acerca de cálculos de efemérides planetarias.

kudos
the book came before the expected due date. It was better than I expected. Kudos.

Excellent book, but dated
A wonderful book full of equations. Excellent commentary on how to make calculations and the use of calculators. However, the data in the book is based on epoch 1990 and is out dated. With this being 2009, the data should be based on epoch J2000.0, and, with this epoch ending soon, the book should be updated to epoch J2010.0. This is just a fall back and calculations can still be made, but the resulting numbers are much larger to deal with. Otherwise, this is a valuable book for the equations and calculations.

Nice cookbook, nice price
If you're a beginning astronomer, the recipes in this book are well written out and you can port them easily to a calculator, computer or even a spreadsheet if you so wish. So it's a very good book indeed. But... You're left with a certain feeling that you want to know more. Where do all those fancy formulas come from? Conclusion : I will have to buy myself another introductory book on the subject!

Loved it!
If you're into astronomy and like to fly by the seat of your pants, this is your book.Combine it with a good reference, like Burnham's Celestial Handbook. ... Read more

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Astrophysics is a subject that is often - with some justification - regarded as extremely difficult, requiring at least degree-level mathematics as a prerequisite to its understanding. Consequently, many amateur astronomers just don't bother, and miss out on the fascinating fundamentals of the subject, and often on an understanding of exactly what they are observing.

Mike Inglis' quantitative approach to astrophysics cuts through all the incomprehensible mathematics, and explains all aspects of astrophysics in simple terms.

A unique feature of this book is the way that example objects for practical observation are given at every stage, so that practical astronomers can go and look at the objected or objects under discussion, using only commercial amateur equipment.

Customer Reviews (8)

Good but marred by many errors
The book promises to present a treatment of astrophysics which can be understood at a reasonably deep level while keeping the mathematics in the background. To a large extent, the author succeeds in doing this. The main text has almost no mathematics, while for those who wish to go a little deeper into the subject matter, there are boxed paragraphs which explain the topic in more detail.All in all, this is a good book to read, but unfortunately there are many typographical mistakes, which can in some cases confuse the reader. For instance, in box 1.3 on p8, the word "distance" in the first line of the third paragraph from the end should read "luminosity". In Table 1.2 on p9, the very last entry in the right hand column should be 100,000,000 and not 10,000,000.On p19, the statement that temperature is proportional to temperature is incorrect.It is, as the author states a few lines above, proportional to the fourth power of temperature, which is not the same thing.Clearly the author is trying to simplify matters for the non-mathematical reader, but this is not license to make incorrect statements.Many of the coordinates given for various objects are incorrect.An observer using a goto telescope and the author's coordinates to point to the famous double-double in Lyra would end up with the telescope pointing deep into the southern hemisphere.Same comment about 61 Cygni, NGC 891 etc, etc.
If the author is contemplating a second edition, it should be thoroughly proof-read before publication. I would also suggest that footnotes, rather than end of chapter notes would be less disruptive when reading the book.

It is a pity that a book of such promise looks to have been produced in a rush.I still have no hesitation in recommending it, but the reader should not necessarily accept everything in it as correct.

Simple, brief and enjoyable.
The Universe is full of Wonders which many of us may never be aware of, comprehend or fully appreciate. For many, the scientific methods and tools used to learn and understand the Universe seem to be out of the grasp. Unfortunately, even dedicated Amateur Astronomers are susceptible to this myth as many may believe that these scientific discoveries and methods belong to a special kind of people in science institutes and collages. This book comes to prove that it's possible to learn how to unravel and understand some of the universe's hidden treasures and mysteries without literally go out on a limb.
You start by understanding the Measurements of Star Magnitudes, Luminosity, and Temperature and even get a grasp on the most important tool used by Astronomers the popular tool HR Diagram. Know how to classify stars and understand their formation and demise. Learn how to appreciate the beauty of Clusters, Nebulas and the power of Supernova's and Black holes. I have to admit, there is a bit of math in there, you can easily follow its logic and apply it to real life examples and get the results that previously looked like Gobbledygook belonging to the realm of Mad Scientists. Its not easy reading, you do need to read it carefully, and reread it again and again to gain the level of understanding required to appreciate its contents. There are many books out there on Astronomy, some are quiet rich in content and literally quiet heavy, but this one is simple, brief and enjoyable.

Astrophysics IS easy!
I used to love day-dreaming about space when I was a kid. This book makes me feel that sense of wonder and amazement again - and I can understand most of it! I spent a day at the planetarium in New York, and I felt like I could deliver my own lecture to the audience. And the best thing is - I bought this for my son, and we share our interest in and awe for the universe.

Intended to help the amateur astronomer take a step into the physics of astronomy
This is a great little book. Whenever I give a talk on my astrophysics research (in high energy cosmic rays and neutrinos) to the amateur astronomers, I mention this book as a good step for expanding their knowledge of the science underlying their hobby. Professional and amateur astronomy are a long distance apart, though many scientists got interested in science first from looking at the skies. This book helps bridge the gap somewhat.

Got your telescope?Your binoculars?Your two eyes?Well, point them UP
Astrophysics (or at least a general introduction to it) really IS easy with this friendly book geared toward amateur astronomers.An introduction to the heavens, cobbled together with science and telescope viewing tips, doesn't sound much like a romantic outing but believe me, halfway through the book you'll begin lusting for a telescope.The author's enthusiasm is infectious. The text proceeds incrementally, and basic concepts are repeated often, so you'll be dropping terms like "Cepheid variable", "Roche lobe" and "type II supernova" at the breakfast table before you know it.

A word, though, about the Kindle addition.ANY text like this comes with pictures, diagrams, etc---and the Kindle (at least the small one) just isn't the right medium for them.I found myself frustrated often as I pressed sys, wormed the cursor over pictures, then sat very still trying to enlarge.It's not the Kindle's fault--I knew it'd be a problem, and now I don't have this great book on paper.Next time I'll remember to confine my Kindle purchaces strictly to novels. ... Read more

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This is the definitive treatment of the phenomenology of galaxies--a clear and comprehensive volume that takes full account of the extraordinary recent advances in the field. The book supersedes the classic text Galactic Astronomy that James Binney wrote with Dimitri Mihalas, and complements Galactic Dynamics by Binney and Scott Tremaine. It will be invaluable to researchers and is accessible to any student who has a background in undergraduate physics.

The book draws on observations both of our own galaxy, the Milky Way, and of external galaxies. The two sources are complementary, since the former tends to be highly detailed but difficult to interpret, while the latter is typically poorer in quality but conceptually simpler to understand. Binney and Merrifield introduce all astronomical concepts necessary to understand the properties of galaxies, including coordinate systems, magnitudes and colors, the phenomenology of stars, the theory of stellar and chemical evolution, and the measurement of astronomical distances. The book's core covers the phenomenology of external galaxies, star clusters in the Milky Way, the interstellar media of external galaxies, gas in the Milky Way, the structure and kinematics of the stellar components of the Milky Way, and the kinematics of external galaxies.

Throughout, the book emphasizes the observational basis for current understanding of galactic astronomy, with references to the original literature. Offering both new information and a comprehensive view of its subject, it will be an indispensable source for professionals, as well as for graduate students and advanced undergraduates. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Clearly written; NOT out of date; Very broad & detailed Overview of Galaxies
Some reviewers say they don't understand the math or the concepts in this book; and have therefore given it bad reviews. In actual fact, this is a widely recommended and widely used university-level textbook about galaxies for those people with a physics/algebra orientation; people who understand equations, graphs, and detailed technical diagrams. So why criticize this book for being too technical? Furthermore, this book is NOT out-of-date; as a regular reader of the Astrophysical Journal,I assure you that this book is not dated, despite the 1998 publication date...it emphasizes the basic core of securely-known ideas about galaxies!
This textbook is a remarkably deep and wide-ranging overview; it covers most of the significant topics within extragalactic astronomy, in great detail, at a level similar to that of scientific papers which are currently being written on galaxies. Thus, if you want to reach that level of knowledge where you fully understand what professional astronomers are doing NOW, get yourself a copy of Binney & Merrifield.
Warning! A mid-level amateur astronomer will find this book much too hard, as it is nominally at the
"upper-undergraduate through to professional scientist" level. However, a very-persistent advanced amateur astronomer (knowing some physics) can understand this book's numerous long sections of cogent descriptive material that have only few equations intruding. This book is NOT crammed with equations, and most of the equations are simple enough for someone with a year of university maths. The authors wisely resort to graphs, in order to make physical/mathematical concepts more accessible to "the lesser brethren".
In summary, this book is a comprehensive view of galaxies; so reading it is an efficient way to teach yourself much of what is securely known about galaxies by professional astronomers. The alternative method of obtaining expert galaxian knowledge is infinitely more time-consuming; looking up concepts and ideas piecemeal, then stitching together scattered bits & pieces of information. This heavy-duty work is also a superb backup reference for really serious astronomers; many times, my heavily laden shelves of"galaxies books" contained no answer when I needed a clear explanation of something in the Astrophysical Journal...but Binney and Merrifield often had what I needed.

Basic knowledge
Published in 1998 the text is somewhat dated in this fast moving field. It does, however, provide a sound knowledge base required for understanding recent discoveries in astronomy and astrophysics. Filled with charts, data and formulae it's for the casual reader.

A standard in the field
This book is a standard reference that every galactic & stellar astronomer must own. It is ideal for a PhD student to learn from. This book is far better than it's companion Galactic Dynamics by Binney & Tremaine. Much more readable and digestible. It is however less rigorous in its mathematical treatment of the dynamics in the galaxy... obviously.

Confused, inaccurate, and dated
As one of the major textbooks of astrophysics intended for serious students, I find this very disappointing. It contains much that is inaccurate and dated, and important sections, for example on stellar structure and evolution, are confused and lacking detail.

A mine of information for undergrad (and grad) students
"Galactic Astronomy" treat a lot of astrophysics topics (galaxies, Milky Way, stellar evolution and more) with precision and clarity. The complete index allows rapid search. A good book for the first approach to astrophysics problem, not exhaustive for all the subject treated. ... Read more

Product Description
This guide is based on contemporary information from astronomers around the world, and space probes around the galaxy. It contains illustrations of exploding stars and how black holes are formed, star maps so the reader can navigate the night sky, and recommended internet links. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A most educational resource for budding astronomers
The collaborative effort of Lisa Miles and Alastair Smith under the editorship of Judy Tatchell, The Usborne Internet-Linked Book Of Astronomy & Space is an exciting look into the wonders of the galaxy for young readers. Each page is filled with facts about heavenly bodies, spectacular full-color illustrations, and thematically appropriate reference website addresses on the World Wide Web that young people can access in order to learn more about the objects and mysteries of the cosmos. A most educational and enjoyable resource for budding astronomers, The Usborne Internet-Linked Book Of Astronomy & Space is ideal for personal, school, and community library collections. ... Read more

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Arny: Explorations-An Introduction to Astronomy, 4th edition, is built on the foundation of its well known writing style, accuracy, and emphasis on current information. This new edition continues to offer the most complete technology/new media support package available. That technology/new media package includes: 23 Interactives including 17 NEW and 6 originals converted from Java to Flash(located on the text website and Digital Content Manager CD); Online Learning Center (that allows instructors to take their course to the web if they choose); and Starry Night Planetarium Software (packaged free with each new text). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

great price
much cheeper then new. and its was still new. don't ever buy from campus book stores again, amazon is the way to go

Necessary for a Class
This book was necessary for a class but I also found it interesting and I am learning a lot more that I did not know before.

Far from the best!
I am teaching an introductory astronomy course this semester, and chose to use this book because others before me had used it.In the end, I was very disappointed.The author devotes very few pages to several important topics, while devoting too much material to trivial information.The figures, while adequate, could be greatly improved.There is also not much math in this text, and on occasion I have found a few things that were downright wrong.Online support (for either students or instructors) was minimal.However, the copy of Starry Night Pro included with the text makes it almost worth the purchase price, and we ended up designing several labs around this excellent program.

Explorations
This book is very detailed and the CD-Rom has excellent pictures.The only downfall is that the mathmatical functions are not detailed enough for me.

up to date introduction
A very solid, and up to date discussion of modern astronomy. Well suited for undergraduate astronomy majors taking a first course. You get a coherent formulation of our best understanding of galaxy formation on a cosmological scale. And also how first and second generation stars appear and evolve. Then, within a stellar system, how planets can condense out of gas.

Naturally, our solar system is well described. From both observations made on Earth and by satellites (especially the Hubble), and by US and Russian probes.

The CD will appeal to some of you. Arny has put considerable effort into it. But the main text stands well, even if the CD is missing. ... Read more

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The eight articles and dozens of photographs and drawings in this book introduce the reader to the ancient astronomers--their observatories, their instruments, and their explorations of the awesome regularities (and shocking irregularities) that appear in the sky.The authors draw upon a wide range of disciplines--history, archaeology, technology, even mythology in discussing their subjects. This book is one endeavor toward a reconstruction of the past of the human mind, using all available evidence: text, myth, spade; yet, there is a difference. That difference is that in the world of the heavens there are real phenomena, striking or subtle, enduring or transient, which can be invoked today to challenge or to support the inferences of the archeologist, epigrapher, historian, or mythologist.The authors go back to one sole source: real human beings watching the real sky; if we do so reflectively, we can share at every glance the roots of the power of human thought, the thought which once married science and literature, art and number, wonder and insight, when thoughtful people were still rather few under this ceaseless sky. ... Read more

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This is an introductory textbook on spherical and positional astronomy. It is entirely suitable for use by students with no prior knowledge of classical astronomy. At the same time, it is sufficiently comprehensive to make it a useful background reference book for anyone engaged in practical astronomy. The first three chapters sketch essential background: mathematical techniques and coordinate systems. Successive chapters then give treatments of refraction, aberration, stellar parallex, precession, nutation and proper motion. An entire chapter is devoted to astrographic plate measurements. The gravitational two-body problem is solved and applied to solar system dynamics. Novel areas include a full treatment of binary star orbits and two chapters on developments in radio astronomy. Worked examples and problems to be solved by the reader ensure that this is a valuable textbook. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The best book on the subject
I am only aware of a few books on the subject of spherical astronomy (which might be summarized as the science of pointing a telescope at an astronomical target).There is the voluminous and technicalExplanatory Supplement to the Astronomical Almanac published by the US Naval Observatory in cooperation with the British Royal Observatory, the dated Textbook on Spherical Astronomy by W. M. Smart first published in 1931, and this book.The first book is not a good introduction to the subject, although it would be considered the authoritative reference by practitioners.The second book is getting quite long in the tooth, although it has gone through at least six editions including one revision by the author of the current book.Then there is this book, which covers the subject using thoroughly modern notation and covers both general and special relativity as they affect the pointing of telescopes, which are missing from W. M. Smart's book.Furthermore, I find the author does very well at explaining the subject at the level of an advanced undergraduate (with the exception of the coverage of general relativity, which requires more background in physics).

So if you are interested in learning how to point a telescope, or you want to understand the derivations of the formulas in the "Explanatory Supplement", this is the book for you.

Spherical Astronomy
Spherical Astronomy by Robin Michael Gree ... Read more

Product Description
Leading experts explain the discoveries of modern astrophysics in an illustrated companion to the American Museum of Natural History's newly renovated Rose Center for Earth and Space. Cosmic Horizons illuminates the most recent discoveries of modern astrophysics with essays by leading astronomers, including NASA scientists. The book also features profiles of astronomers such as Carl Sagan and Georges Lemaître (father of the Big Bang theory), case studies that cover the controversial evidence for the possibility of life on Mars, and stunning four-color photographs throughout. Written for the general reader, Cosmic Horizons makes the complex, abstract areas of astronomy and astrophysics—from the Big Bang to black holes—accessible and comprehensible to the public. Complementing the museum's acclaimed new Frederick Phineas and Sandra Priest Rose Center exhibition, the book investigates how the universe expands to produce galaxies, stars, and planets, and, perhaps, life on other worlds. It also examines some of the emerging technologies that make these discoveries possible. With more than eighty full-color images and a resource section that includes a bibliography and an extensive glossary, Cosmic Horizons offers a new appreciation of the complexities of time and space and a greater understanding of our fragile planet and the universe beyond. Four-color illustrations throughout.

The New Press is pleased to announce the publication of this new title with the American Museum of Natural History, a collaboration that began with the publication of Epidemic! in 2000.

Founded in 1869, the American Museum of Natural History in New York City is one of the world's preeminent institutions for scientific research and education, visited by more than four million people annually. Three new titles, Earth, The Biodiversity Crisis, and Cosmic Horizons, are companion volumes to three major new permanent exhibitions at the museum: the David S. and Ruth L. Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth, the Hall of Biodiversity, and the Frederick Phineas and Sandra Priest Rose Center for Earth and Space. ... Read more

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This is a very useful reference book for working astronomers and astrophysicists. Forming the proceedings of a recent IAU meeting where the availability and the needs of atomic and molecular data were discussed, the papers published here discuss existing and planned instruments for astronomical spectroscopy from earth-orbiting satellites. In particular, the atomic and molecular parameters that are, or will be, needed for analysis of the data obtained by these instruments are considered. A number of significant shortcomings in the available databases are identified. The needs highlighted will be of interest to laboratory astrophysicists, both experimentalists and theorists, who can produce the data required. A second group of papers provides a current inventory of atomic and molecular data compilations. ... Read more

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"Fred Schaaf is one of the most experienced astronomical observers of our time. For more than two decades, his view of the sky--what will be visible, when it will be visible, and what it will look like--has encouraged tens of thousands of people to turn their eyes skyward."
--David H. Levy, Science Editor, Parade magazine, discoverer of twenty-one comets, and author of Starry Night and Cosmic Discoveries

"Fred Schaaf is a poet of the stars. He brings the sky into people's lives in a way that is compelling, and his descriptions have all the impact of witnessing the stars on a crystal clear dark night."
--William Sheehan, coauthor of Mars: The Lure of the Red Planet and The Transits of Venus

The night sky holds endless fascination for anyone who chooses simply to look up and observe, but with so much to see, it can be difficult to know where to start. This remarkable book introduces you to the fifty best sights in astronomy and tells you exactly how to see them. In no time at all, you will learn how to find and appreciate the Orion group of constellations; the Summer Triangle; Venus, Jupiter, and Mars; the best meteor showers; man-made satellites; star clusters; novae; variable stars; and more.

The sights are presented according to the field of view necessary to see them. Your eyes and a clear night sky are all you need to view the sights in the first part of the book, before moving on to those that can be observed through binoculars and, finally, a telescope. Concise descriptions and explanations of these spectacular visual wonders will deepen your appreciation of them and spur further exploration. You will also find the essential basic information on astronomical observation you need to get started, including observing conditions, techniques, telescopes, and astronomical measurements.

Once you start gazing, you'll see that the sky really is the limit--and discovering its amazing treasures will become your lifetime passion. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Joy of "Just Looking"
I was introduced to amateur astronomy about six years ago, and have recently realized that "I just enjoy looking." I didn't enjoy trying to take astro-photographs or much of the science, certainly not the chemistry! I just want the "WOW" factor, as Dean Koenig describes it.I think Fred Schaaf's recent book, 50 Best Sights in Astronomy and How to See Them, was written just for me (ISBN: 978-0-471-69657-5, $19.95 MSR in paper, available on Amazon).

My library has some 18 other books on astronomy, and I've used many - some have a large number of tables (even the chemical composition of stars, asteroids, and the like) and most have star charts, many have diagrams of both telescopes and azimuth and equatorial systems and even graphs of comparative radiations - after all, science is important. I use some of them occasionally to determine a particular fact and to confirm what I have in my telescope, but few of them (other than those with color pictures) qualify as "enjoyment reading." But Schaaf is truly the "poet of the stars" that William Sheehan has called him, and has written a book that is as enjoyable to read on a cloudy night as a rainy afternoon.

Consider his Sight 13 - Bright Comet with Long Tail:"Of all the wonders in the heavens, there are two that have inspired fear and awe more often than any others: eclipses and comets. ... There is a central reason that comets were feared by our ancestors: of all the heavens' major kinds of sights, comets seemed to be the only ones that were spectacularly unpredictable and variable." Or, his Sight 26 - The Pleiades: "Everyone is first awed b y the strangeness and splendor, then moved to affection by the gentle loveliness of the Pleiades. Almost every culture in the world and throughout history has imagined the cluster as something gentle and delicate - a group of maidens, a flock of doves, or a mother hen and its chicks."

Schaaf has organized his book by Sights from the widest to narrowest view - starting, justly, with the entire night sky, 180, as Astronomy's Greatest Sight, and moving to 100, naked-eye scans, to 50 to 15 groupings, and then to 15 to 1 and finally less than 1. For the novice he quickly explains what is necessary, telescopes or binoculars, for enjoyable viewing and relates personal stories as to his own viewings. I think those personal stories are some of the best parts of his book (although he does include a few spectacular color plates for the truly visual of us). The method of organizing by size of the Sight works very well.

If you've forgotten the joy that can come from "just looking" at the heavens, 50 Best Sights is a wonderful way to recover the awe and appreciation for their beauty. A good pair of binoculars and a planisphere,are all that is necessary to enjoy most of Schaaf's Sights; a small quality rich field scope works for many of the rest. A "big" scope isn't necessary to "just look." ... Read more

Product Description
Edited by renowned author and broadcaster Ian Ridpath, with the help of over 20 expert contributors, the second edition of this highly popular dictionary contains over 4,200 up-to-date entries on all aspects of astronomy.Readers will find a galaxy of informative, vividly written entries on everything from space exploration and the equipment involved, to astrophysics, cosmology, and the concept of time. The dictionary also features biographical entries on eminent astronomers--ranging from Galileo to Edwin Hubble--as well as world-wide coverage of observatories and telescopes. Appendices include tables of Apollo lunar landing missions, and the constellations. Entries are supported by numerous tables and diagrams. The text has been fully revised and updated for the second edition, and includes information on new space missions, both those planned for the future and those that have recently come to fruition (such as the Huygens Probe of Saturns moon Titan). It also boasts entry-level Internet links (accessed via a regularly updated website), and in-depth features on topics such as the Big Bang, Dark matter, and Gamma-ray bursts. ... Read more

Product Description

This book outlines the fundamentals of this fascinating branch of astronomy, and explores the forefront of astronomical research. The author’s passion for the topic shines with an intensity that rivals the book’s many colourful illustrations, and will deeply inspire the reader. The cogently written text introduces the reader to the astronomy of galaxies, their structure, their active galactic nuclei, their evolution and their large scale distribution. Starting with a detailed description of our Milky Way, and a review of modern observational and theoretical cosmology, the book goes on to examine the formation of structures and astronomical objects in the early universe.

Customer Reviews (4)

Saul
I highly recommend Peter Schneider's Introduction to Extragalactic Astronomy and Cosmology. Schneider book is written at an under graduate level. Schneider explains what is observed, the standard theories, and the current astronomical puzzles. His explanation of the mathematical models is very clear. In a few paragraphs he explains the fundamental equations that are used to create each model and then compares the models to observations. His emphasis is on the model as a tool to understand what is observed and to do or understand quantifiable analysis. Every subject covered is first rate.

As others noted above the text is written on high quality paper and includes very clear pictures and diagrams to explain each subject. I have a copy of Carroll and Ostlie's An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics which I would also recommend, however, I found Schneider's textbook to be a better reference if you want to understand the fundamentals of each subject and how the different subjects and observations are connected.

issue with kindle version
I am only addressing the kindle version and not the substance of this book, for which I defer to the other reviewers. I have a hardback edition, which I never opened until I recently bought the digital edition for the kindle DX. I first opened the dgital version on the iphone 3G and I was pleasantly surprised to see the *color* pictures rendered beautifully on the iphone screen. I did not read very far, however,when I noticed an unfinished sentence at location 281-286 right above the legend for FIG. 1.3 in the digital version (iphone and kindle). I checked the paper edition.The text there is in two columns, and the text that is missing from the digital version appears right after FIG. 1.3 on the left column of the paper edition.
I don't know whether there are other errors in the digital version. The purpose of this review is to alert readers and Amazon to exercise better quality control on the digital versions of the books.
I gave four stars to bring attention to this issue. By the way, I prefer reading the book on the iphone because of the crispresolution and color.

Most Impressive
I have to second an earlier reviewer's take on this book - it's simply great. It is very up to date and thorough, and the writing is engaging. It's obvious Prof. Schneider loves astronomy and enjoys making it clear and accessible. Often I felt he went out of his way to include all the steps in a logical progression, whether or not he felt some were "obvious."

The book's many graphs and full color photos are a particular highlight. Never have I seen visual aids used to such impressive and educational effect. Want to see the ellipses of individual stars orbiting the 4 million solar mass black hole in the center of the galaxy? The image is right here, along with dozens of others. Note that this is a book for people who are comfortable with calculus-based math and physics. But while the important math is there, complex derivations and pages of notation are thankfully absent. It seems that Prof. Schneider included only the math that needed to be there and no more, leaving words and graphs to tell as much of the story as possible.

This book is almost like an encyclopedia: everything that is written covers essential topics succinctly yet completely. Three appendices cover fundamental astronomical concepts for those who would like a brief review. The section on recommended literature is right on the money and includes useful online references.

While I think this book would be an excellent textbook there are no student questions or problems. Had they been included the book would have been much longer than its already considerable 460 pages. For those looking for exercises I recommend "An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics," 2nd edition (2006), by Carroll and Ostlie.

The last 20 years has changed our understanding of the universe tremendously. This book does a great job of explaining all these new advances to those of us who aren't professional astronomers. Highly recommended.

Fantastic book
Can a textbook in cosmology really become a coffee-table book?In my house, yes, but then this book is really beautiful.The color photos are stunning, and there are enough of them to keep the topic very exciting, as if cosmology weren't rather awesome to begin with.Also many charts/diagrams, a bunch of formulas, and lots of highly informative text.If it sounds like I'm only looking at the pictures, though, I am not.I'm a physicist wanting to reacquaint myself with cosmology, which I enjoyed back in graduate school.The actual text is appropriate to a grad school audience, and it is quite thorough -- but not suitable to the general public. ... Read more

Product Description
Comprehensive, authoritative coverage of interferometric techniques for radio astronomy

In this Second Edition of Interferometry and Synthesis in Radio Astronomy, three leading figures in the development of large imaging arrays, including very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI), describe and explain the technology that provides images of the universe with an angular resolution as fine as 1/20,000 of an arcsecond.

This comprehensive volume begins with a historical review followed by detailed coverage of the theory of interferometry and synthesis imaging, analysis of interferometer response, geometrical relationships, polarimetry, antennas, and arrays. Discussion of the receiving system continues with analysis of the response to signals and noise, analog design requirements, and digital signal processing.

The authors detail special requirements of VLBI including atomic frequency standards, broadband recording systems, and antennas in orbit.Further major topics include:

• Calibration of data and synthesis of images
• Image enhancement using nonlinear algorithms
• Techniques for astrometry and geodesy
• Propagation in the neutral atmosphere and ionized media
• Radio interference
• Related techniques: intensity interferometry, moon occultations, antenna holography, and optical interferometry

Interferometry and Synthesis in Radio Astronomy, Second Edition is comprehensive in that it provides an excellent overview of most radio astronomical instrumentation and techniques. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

amazing engineering feats
You can think of this as a course in very specialised antenna design. Certainly, the broad concepts would be immediately recognisable to any engineer who has built antennas. But here the sources that are being detected are at far reaches indeed. Correspondingly, the sizes of each radio dish far exceeds your typical antenna in industrial or military use.

Of course, the book points out that radio telescopes further enhance their resolving power by positioning these dishes at precise distances from each other, and adjusting the phases of incoming signals accordingly. To someone new to radio astronomy, one of the impressive achievements is that an array of dishes can thus be combined into one large telescope, spanning several kilometers.

The book then shows how this is taken to a logical limit of VLBI. Where arrays at different locations across the globe might combine their signals, giving a telescope comparable to the size of the globe, for greater resolution. A tribute to how engineering helps drive advances in pure research. ... Read more

Product Description
Thoroughly updated and re-conceived, Astronomy, Ninth Edition, equips the introductory astronomy student with the essential tools for understanding the cosmos. Michael Zeilik has revised the pedagogy of his successful textbook based on recent research in astronomy education. Significantly shorter than the previous edition, the ninth edition is organized into four concept clusters: Cosmic Distances, Heavenly Motions, Celestial Light and Spectra, and Scientific Models. Material has been streamlined throughout to make the descriptions, concepts, and explanations clearer. Each chapter ends with a concise summary of the concepts in each cluster.Each chapter contains at least one Celestial Navigator, a concept map that provides a visual guide of major concepts in the chapter and explicity shows their connections.Throughout, illustrations have been updated to be clearer and more understandable to the novice student. Michael Zeilik, Professor of Physics and Astronomy and former Presidential Lecturer at the University of New Mexico, specializes in innovative, introductory courses for the novice, non-science major student.In 1998, he was appointed a Research Fellow at the National Institute of Science Education.Zeilik's work has been supported by grants from the National Science Foundation, NASA, the Exxon Educational Foundation, and the Slipher Fund of the National Academy of Sciences.In 1997, the 8th edition of Astronomy: The Evolving Universe won a Texty Award from the Text and Academic Authors Association. In 2002 he was awarded the Astronomy Education Prize by the American Astronomical Society. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

great condition but it was the wrong book
the book was in great condition no marks or highlights but it was the wrong book. the book was for my girlfriend that hasn't ever bought books online. she didn't check the ibn number.

Starry, starry night...
Zeilik's book is one of the earliest systematic astronomy texts I ever read, beginning with the third edition back in 1982.That edition had four primary sections - Part I: Changing Concepts of the Cosmos; Part II: The Planets, Past and Present; Part III: The Universe of Stars and Galaxies; and Part IV: Cosmic Evolution.

Part I looks at the general structure of the universe, how it was conceived in the past, and how it is viewed today.Much of what is covered here falls under the general heading of cosmology.Zeilik has an interest in the history of astronomy, and it shows clearly in the text.He explores, among other topics, the Anasazi prehistoric astronomy discoveries, the Ptolemaic geocentric model, Tycho Brahe/Kepler's achievements, the discoveries of Newton and Galileo, and finally the birth of modern astrophysics.Some basic physics is introduced along the way, to make sense of radiation and optics, as well as gravitation and space-time concepts.

Part II looks at the nine planets of our solar system, including their satellites (moons), and the asteroids and other solar system objects (comets, etc.).Planetary sciences are among the fastest developing sciences around, so a lot of the information contained here is basic, and some updating is required.There is no mistake that the most current version of this text is now in its ninth edition.The final chapter in this subject looks at some of the theories of the origin and development of the solar system.

Part III looks at the universe beyond the planets, looking first at the sun as a typical small star, and then going further afield to look at the Milky Way, our local galaxy in some detail.This includes a look at other major formations and stars within the galaxy - some named stars of interest as well as celestial objects such as nebulae, and a discussion of interstellar distances and distribution (Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, etc.).The structure, kinematics and dynamics of spiral galaxies are explored, and then other types of galaxies (elliptical, etc.) and galactic clusters.

The final section, Part IV, looks at general evolution and development of the universe.Stellar evolution is the first subject, as one of the primary vehicles of universal development.The different ways in which a star dies are explored - white dwarves, neutron stars, supernovae, black holes, pulsars.The larger ideas of the origins and ultimate fate of the universe (cosmology again, at the end) are explored, including a brief discussion of the origins of life in the universe, and short discussions on topics such as SETI (called CETI here, Communication with ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence).

One of the useful aspects of this text is the 'Beyond the Book' sections after each chapter.These include information about periodicals (often the best way to find the latest information on astronomy topics), additional books and other resources.There are learning objectives listed at the beginning of each chapter, and convenient summaries, and some short exercises at the end of each chapter also.

There are several useful appendices, including lists of stars, planetary data, periodic table, and other such information.A very good glossary and index round out the book, making it an excellent text book for both classroom and independent use.

Great book for all
If you were ever interested in what is going on above in heavens, but didn't want to trouble yourself with too much equations and other non-esential stuff, then this is the book for you. It is a textbook, and itreads as a textbook. You'll find that everything is included: from ourSolar system, to the nuclear processes in the stars, to the black holes.Descriptions are as they should be for the non-pros: comprehensive andsimple (yet not trivial), well presented (love those many color pictures)and to the point. Great for an occasional star-gazer as well as astronomystudents to revise their knowledge. And the Night Spectra Quest is a neatbeginner's tool to examining star spectra. If you get more interested afterstudying this book, I recommend "An Introduction to ModernAstrophysics", which goes more deeply into the study of astrophysicsand cosmology. ... Read more

Product Description
This fascinating ethnography explores how the Crow Indianshave blended scientific observation with religious symbolism to developtraditions that are a cornerstone of their culture. For centuries, the Crowpeople have kept a careful watch on the heavens above them--particularly thecycles and movements of the stars, the sun, the moon, and certain planets.Their interpretations of these cosmic phenomena have shaped the principlesby which the Crow live, providing a sense of right and wrong and an attendantset of values and ethics. The Crow speak of this celestial wisdom as "the starswe know." In this illustrated volume, McCleary provides description and background but lets the Crow star knowledge unfold through the words ofcontemporary tribal elders, whose narratives describe the origins andorganization of the universe and the history of constellations that have specialreligious interpretation and history. A valuable contribution to the study ofNative American theology as well as an important record of Crow oraltraditions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great info compiled in an easy-to-read book
I had bought this for a class and was very pleased with the info.But what pleased me even more was the fact that it is not a huge book.Knowing you do not have to read such a huge book for a class makes it that much more enjoyable to read.But overall, found the content very interesting and was extremely happy with being assigned this book to read.

Down to earth view of indigenous astronomy
In the New Age, hanging out with the 'star people' is one of the favorite activities of the cotton-candy fluff crowd.Instead of the superficial 'sweetness and light' one finds in that type of approach, Tim McCleary documents the words of the Crow people themselves.An anthropologist, he speaks the Crow language, and he was also adopted into a Crow family, where knowledge of the stars is usually passed on only through family membership ties.He also teaches at the Crow college, Little Big Horn College http://www.lbhc.cc.mt.us/.

The foreword by Claire Farrer is an education in itself, being a survey of many of the major works on native peoples, their astronomical systems, and what those systems tell us about the native cultures.Many explore quite in depth how those cultures not only viewed life, but used the stars and constellations in a way that had an impact on their daily lives, particularly when it came to planting and harvesting crops.She does however leave out Anthony Aveni, the father of archaeoastronomy.

Talking to many Crow elders, Dr. McCleary recorded their words of what is known about the meaning, use, and purpose of the Crow (Absaroke) constellations.Many are used to keep track of the seasons and weather.Not only when the changes were coming, but even how severe the entire winter season might be, for instance.Sadly, some of this knowledge has vanished.Two constellations are named but the actual stars they refer to and the stories for them are no longer known.

A chart with the 14 Crow stars and constellations and their correlation to those more commonly taught in contemporary Western European astronomy will be referred back to quite often.While occasional mention is made of medicine men showing someone how to connect with stars and constellations, no details of how to do that are given.In a personal communication, the author told me that about a third of the elders he had talked to have passed on, making the oral history found in this book that much more valuable.

Only 127 pages, the ten chapter book includes one chapter on the stars and the sweatlodge.The section on further readings is a `best of the best' of works about the Crow people only; it's not a comprehensive `Native American astronomy list'.The foreword more than adequately provides that list.

If you want a book on indigenous peoples and their philosophies and practices regarding the stars, that emphasizes practice rather than academic documentation and sometimes speculation, this is one I would suggest.
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Customer Reviews (1)

Up to date, Complete, and Fascinating
This is a huge, up to date, single volume encyclopedia. It is not a text, but an alphabetical listing of just about everything there is to know about the subject. More than most astronomy books, this one contains a lot more information about the various space oriented NASA projects. I can't say that every mission is documented, but in looking several up I couldn't find any that were missing. Likewise other aspects of space technology aren't left out. You don't find discussions for instance on the de Laval nozzle in most other books.

On the astronomical side, his discussions on dark enery and dark matter are as good as any I've seen. This is not to say that he claims to know what they are, but he gives a good description what the leading current theories say. I notice that he has no comment on the speed of gravity (which nobody seems to know), but I guess you have to draw the line somewhere.

One problem with this book is putting it down. It is so big, and has so much information that you tend to want to read it from beginning to end. Except that you get distracted and start jumping around as something new grabs your interest. ... Read more