Synopses & Reviews
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Built from the ground up on our new understanding of the universe, The Essential Cosmic Perspective, Fourth Edition, Media Update retains all of the features that have made this book so popular, and includes updated supplements that enhance the book’s pedagogy to make it the most effective book in the astronomy market. This edition features optional quantitative reasoning boxes, basic equations throughout the book, new end-of-chapter problems, and a consolidated math appendix for professors who want to emphasize quantitative understanding in their course. Key figures have been annotated to guide student interpretation of difficult concepts. New two-page Cosmic Context illustration spreads throughout the book, and at the end of every part, visually tie together key concepts from across chapters and put them in context, driving home main ideas in a meaningful way. Our Place in the Universe, Discovering the Universe for Yourself, The Science of Astronomy, Making Sense of the Universe: Understanding Motion, Energy, and Gravity, Light: The Cosmic Messenger, Formation of Planetary Systems: Our Solar System and Beyond, Earth and the Terrestrial Worlds, Jovian Planet System, Asteroids, Comets, and Dwarf Planets: Their Nature, Orbits, and Impacts, Our Star, Surveying the Stars, Star Stuff, The Bizarre Stellar Graveyard, Our Galaxy, Galaxies and the Foundation of Modern Cosmology, Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Fate of the Universe, The Beginning of Time, Life in the Universe. For all readers interested in learning the basics of Astronomy.'
Table of Contents
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Part 1: Developing Perspective
Chapter 1: Our Place in the Universe
Chapter 2: Discovering the Universe for Yourself
Chapter 3: The Science of Astronomy
Part 2: Key Concepts for Astronomy
Chapter 4: Making Sense of the Universe: Understanding Motion, Energy, and Gravity
Chapter 5: Light: The Cosmic Messenger
Part 3: Learning from Other Worlds
Chapter 6: Formation of Planetary Systems: Our Solar System and Beyond
Chapter 7: Earth and the Terrestrial Worlds
Chapter 8: Jovian Planet System
Chapter 9: Asteroids, Comets, and Dwarf Planets: Their Nature, Orbits, and Impacts
Part 4: Stars
Chapter 10: Our Star
Chapter 11: Surveying the Stars
Chapter 12: Star Stuff
Chapter 13: The Bizarre Stellar Graveyard
Part 5: Galaxies and Beyond
Chapter 14: Our Galaxy
Chapter 15: Galaxies and the Foundation of Modern Cosmology
Chapter 16: Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Fate of the Universe
Chapter 17: The Beginning of Time
Part 6: Life on Earth and Beyond
Chapter 18: Life in the Universe\n
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