Foundations of Astronomy
This newly revised and updated Sixth Edition of FOUNDATIONS OF ASTRONOMY shows students their place in the universe — not just their location, but also their role as planet dwellers in an evolving universe. Fascinating and engaging, the book illustrates how science works, and how scientists depend on evidence to test hypotheses.
Through a discussion of this interplay between evidence and hypothesis, Seeds provides not just a series of facts, but also a conceptual framework for understanding the logic of astronomical knowledge. Fascinating and vivid, the book conveys the author's love of the subject, shows students how the universe can be described by a small set of physical laws, and illustrates how they can comprehend their place in the universe by understanding these laws, not through memorization of facts. The book's use of mathematics is incorporated into the body of the text (as well as in separate sections for easy reference), but the arguments of the text do not depend on mathematical reasoning, allowing math-averse students to easily follow the story. The revision covers the history of astronomy, elementary physics concepts, stars and galaxies, the origins of the universe, and the Solar System.
1116753191
Foundations of Astronomy
This newly revised and updated Sixth Edition of FOUNDATIONS OF ASTRONOMY shows students their place in the universe — not just their location, but also their role as planet dwellers in an evolving universe. Fascinating and engaging, the book illustrates how science works, and how scientists depend on evidence to test hypotheses.
Through a discussion of this interplay between evidence and hypothesis, Seeds provides not just a series of facts, but also a conceptual framework for understanding the logic of astronomical knowledge. Fascinating and vivid, the book conveys the author's love of the subject, shows students how the universe can be described by a small set of physical laws, and illustrates how they can comprehend their place in the universe by understanding these laws, not through memorization of facts. The book's use of mathematics is incorporated into the body of the text (as well as in separate sections for easy reference), but the arguments of the text do not depend on mathematical reasoning, allowing math-averse students to easily follow the story. The revision covers the history of astronomy, elementary physics concepts, stars and galaxies, the origins of the universe, and the Solar System.
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Foundations of Astronomy

Foundations of Astronomy

by Michael A. Seeds, Dana Backman
Foundations of Astronomy

Foundations of Astronomy

by Michael A. Seeds, Dana Backman

Hardcover(Eleventh Edition)

$164.95 
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Overview

This newly revised and updated Sixth Edition of FOUNDATIONS OF ASTRONOMY shows students their place in the universe — not just their location, but also their role as planet dwellers in an evolving universe. Fascinating and engaging, the book illustrates how science works, and how scientists depend on evidence to test hypotheses.
Through a discussion of this interplay between evidence and hypothesis, Seeds provides not just a series of facts, but also a conceptual framework for understanding the logic of astronomical knowledge. Fascinating and vivid, the book conveys the author's love of the subject, shows students how the universe can be described by a small set of physical laws, and illustrates how they can comprehend their place in the universe by understanding these laws, not through memorization of facts. The book's use of mathematics is incorporated into the body of the text (as well as in separate sections for easy reference), but the arguments of the text do not depend on mathematical reasoning, allowing math-averse students to easily follow the story. The revision covers the history of astronomy, elementary physics concepts, stars and galaxies, the origins of the universe, and the Solar System.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781439050354
Publisher: Cengage Learning
Publication date: 01/01/2010
Series: Available 2011 Titles Enhanced Web Assign Series
Edition description: Eleventh Edition
Pages: 654
Product dimensions: 9.00(w) x 10.90(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Mike Seeds was a professor of physics and astronomy at Franklin and Marshall College (F&M) in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, from 1970 until his retirement in 2001. In 1989 he received F&M College’s Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching. Mike’s love for the history of astronomy led him to create upper-level courses on archeoastronomy and on the Copernican Revolution (“Changing Concepts of the Universe”). His research interests focused on variable stars and automation of astronomical telescopes. Mike is coauthor with Dana Backman of FOUNDATIONS OF ASTRONOMY, 14th Edition (2019); STARS AND GALXIES, 10th Edition (2019); THE SOLAR SYSTEM, 10th Edition (2019); and ASTRO, 3rd Edition (2018), all published by Cengage. He was senior consultant for creation of the 20-episode telecourse accompanying his book HORIZONS: EXPLORING THE UNIVERSE.

Dana Backman taught with Mike Seeds in the physics and astronomy department at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, from 1991 until 2003. He invented and taught a course titled “Life in the Universe” in F&M’s interdisciplinary foundations program. Dana has also taught introductory solar system astronomy at Santa Clara University, plus introductory courses on astronomy, astrobiology, cosmology and the science of climate change in Stanford University’s continuing studies program. His research interests focused on infrared observations of planetary system formation and evolution of the solar system’s Kuiper belt. Dana is employed by the SETI Institute in Mountain View, California, as lead for the Astronomy Activation Ambassadors teacher professional development program at NASA’s Ames Research Center. Dana is coauthor with Mike Seeds of FOUNDATIONS OF ASTRONOMY, 14th Edition (2019); STARS AND GALAXIES, 10th Edition (2019); THE SOLAR SYSTEM, 10th Edition (2019); and ASTRO, 3rd Edition (2018), all published by Cengage.

Table of Contents

PART 1: EXPLORING THE SKY. 1. The Scale of the Cosmos. 2. The Sky. 3: The Cycles of the Moon. 4: The Origin of Modern Astronomy. 5: Newton, Einstein, And Gravity. 6. Light and Telescopes. PART 2: THE STARS. 7. Starlight and Atoms. 8. The Sun - Our Star. 9. The Family of Stars. 10. Binary Stars. 11. The Interstellar Medium. 12. The Formation of Stars. 13. Stellar Evolution. 14. The Deaths of Stars. 15. Neutron Stars and Black Holes. PART 3: THE UNIVERSE. 16. The Milky Way Galaxy. 17. Galaxies. 18. Galaxies with Active Nuclei. 19. Cosmology. PART 4: THE SOLAR SYSTEM. 20. The Origin of the Solar System. 21. Planet Earth. 22. The Moon and Mercury: Airless Worlds. 23. Venus and Mars. 24. Jupiter and Saturn. 25. Uranus, Neptune, And Pluto. PART 5: LIFE. 27. Life on Other Worlds. Afterword. Appendix A: Units and Astronomical Data. Appendix B: Observing the Sky. Glossary. Answers to Even-Numbered Problems. Index.
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