Discovering the Universe

by Kaufmann, William J.; Comins, Neil F.

• ISBN13: 9781429205191
• ISBN10: 1429205199
• Edition: 8th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-01-11
• Publisher: W. H. Freeman

Summary

Discovering the Universeis the bestselling brief text for descriptive one-term astronomy courses (especially those with no mathematics prerequisites). Carried along by the book's vibrant main theme, "the process of scientific discovery," the Eighth Edition furthers the book's legacy for presenting concepts clearly and accurately while providing all the pedagogical tools to make the learning process memorable.

Table of Contents

Preface

Part I Understanding Astronomy

Discovering the Night Sky

What If . . . Earth’s Axis Lay on the Ecliptic?

Gravitation and the Motion of the Planets

Light and Telescopes

What If . . . Humans Had Infrared-Sensitive Eyes?

Atomic Physics and Spectra

Part II Understanding the Solar System

Formation of the Solar System and Other Planetary Systems

Earth and Moon

What If . . . The Moon Didn’t Exist?

The Other Terrestrial Planets

The Outer Planets

What If . . . We Lived on a Metal-Poor Earth?

Vagabonds of the Solar System

The Sun: Our Extraordinary Ordinary Star

Understanding the Stars

Characterizing Stars

The Lives of Stars from Birth Through Middle Age

What If . . .The Earth Orbited a 1.5 M Sun?

The Deaths of Stars

What If . . . A Supernova Exploded Near Earth?

Black Holes: Matters of Gravity

Understanding the Universe

The Milky Way Galaxy

Galaxies

What If . . . The Solar System Were Located Closer to the Center of the Galaxy?

Quasars and Other Active Galaxies

Cosmology

Astrobiology

Appendices

Glossary

Answers to Margin Questions and Computational Questions

Index

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.