Horizons: Exploring the Universe / Edition 12

by Michael A. Seeds, Dana Backman

Overview

In this fully updated new Seventh Edition, Mike Seeds shows students their place in the universe and not just their location, but their role as planet dwellers in an evolving universe. He also emphasizes how science works as opposed to just teaching facts about astronomy. This enthusiastic author inspires students' imaginations, sense of wonder, and excitement for new discoveries. At the same time, Seeds strives to arm students with a solid understanding of the process of science. Crafting a story about astronomy, Seeds hopes that students will be able to ask questions of nature and gradually puzzle out the beautiful secrets of the physical world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781111430207
Publisher:	Cengage Learning
Publication date:	01/01/2011
Series:	Textbooks Available with Cengage YouBook Series
Edition description:	Older Edition
Pages:	512
Product dimensions:	8.90(w) x 10.80(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Mike Seeds was a professor of physics and astronomy at Franklin and Marshall College 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 Horizons: Exploring the Universe, 12th edition (2012); Universe: Solar System, Stars, and Galaxies, 7th edition (2012); Stars and Galaxies, 8th edition (2013); The Solar System, 8th edition (2013); and ASTRO, 2nd edition (2013), all published by Cengage. He was senior consultant for creation of the 20-episodetelecourse accompanying his book Horizons: Exploring the Universe.


Dana Backman taught 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 interdisciplinaryFoundations program. Dana now teaches introductory Solar System astronomy at Santa Clara University and introductory astronomy, astrobiology, and cosmology courses in Stanford University s Continuing Studies Program. His research interests focus on infrared observations of planet formation, models of debris disks around nearby stars, and evolution of the solar system s Kuiper belt. Dana is employed by the SETI Institute in Mountain View, California, as director of education and public outreach for SOFIA (the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy) at NASA sAmes Research Center. Dana is coauthor with Mike Seeds of Horizons: Exploring the Universe, 14th edition (2018); Universe: Solar Systems, Stars, and Galaxies, 7th edition (2012); Stars and Galaxies, 8th edition (2013); The Solar System, 8th edition (2013); and ASTRO, 2nd edition (2013), all published by Cengage.

Table of Contents

PART I: THE SKY. 1. THE SCALE OF THE COSMOS. 2. THE SKY. The Stars. The Sky and Its Motion. Window on Science. Window on Science. 3. CYCLES OF THE SKY. The Cycle of the Sun. Window on Science. The Cycles of the Moon. Astronomical Influences on Earth's Climate. Window on Science. 4. THE ORIGIN OF MODERN ASTRONOMY. Pre-Copernican Astronomy. Copernicus. Window on Science. Tycho Brahe. Johannes Kepler. Window on Science. Galileo Galilei. Isaac Newton and Orbital Motion. Window on Science. Window on Science. 5. ASTRONOMICAL TOOLS. Radiation: Information from Space. Optical Telescopes. Window on Science. Special Instruments. Radio Telescopes. Space Astronomy. PART II: THE STARS. 6. ATOMS AND STARLIGHT. Atoms. Window on Science. The Interaction of Light and Matter. Stellar Spectra. 7. THE SUN-OUR STAR. The Solar Atmosphere. Data File One. Solar Activity. Window on Science. Nuclear Fusion in the Sun. Window on Science. Avoiding Hasty Judgments: Scientific Faith. 8. THE PROPERTIES OF STARS. Measuring the Distances to Stars. Intrinsic Brightness. The Diameters of Stars. The Masses of Stars. Window on Science. The Family of Stars. Window on Science. 9. THE FORMATION AND STRUCTURE OF STARS. The Birth of Stars. Window on Science. Understanding Science: Separating Facts from Theories. Fusion in Stars. Stellar Structure. Window on Science. Main-Sequence Stars. The Orion Nebula. 10. THE DEATHS OF STARS. Giant Stars. Window on Science. The Deaths of Low- and Medium-Mass Stars. The Evolution of Binary Systems. The Deaths of Massive Stars. Window on Science. 11. NEUTRON STARS AND BLACK HOLES. Neutron Stars. Window on Science. Black Holes. Window on Science. PART III: THE UNIVERSE OFGALAXIES. 12. THE MILKY WAY GALAXY. The Discovery of the Galaxy. Window on Science. The Origin of the Milky Way. Window on Science. Spiral Arms and Star Formation. The Nucleus. 13. GALAXIES. The Family of Galaxies. Window on Science. Window on Science. Measuring the Properties of Galaxies. The Evolution of Galaxies. 14. GALAXIES WITH ACTIVE NUCLEI. Active Galactic Nuclei. Window on Science. Window on Science. Quasars. 15. COSMOLOGY. The Structure of the Universe. Window on Science. Window on Science. The Big Bang. Refining the Big Bang: Theory and Observation. PART IV: THE SOLAR SYSTEM. 16. THE ORIGIN OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM. The Great Chain of Origins. Window on Science. Window on Science. A Survey of the Solar System. Window on Science. The Story of Planet Building. 17. THE EARTHLIKE PLANETS. The Early History of Earth. Data File Two. The Moon. Data File Three. Window on Science. Mercury. Data File Four. Window on Science. Venus. Data File Five. Mars. Data File Six. Window on Science. 18. WORLDS OF THE OUTER SOLAR SYSTEM. Jupiter. Window on Science. Data File Seven. Saturn. Data File Eight. Window on Science. Uranus. Data File Nine. Neptune. Data File Ten. Pluto. Data File Eleven. 19. METEORITES, ASTEROIDS, AND COMETS. Meteorites. Window on Science. Asteroids. Comets. PART V: LIFE. 20. LIFE ON OTHER WORLDS. Window on Science. The Origin of Life. Communication with Distant Civilizations. Window on Science. Afterword. Appendix A: Units and Astronomical Data. Appendix B: Observing the Sky. Glossary. Answers to Even-Numbered Problems. Index.

Editorial Reviews

The latest edition of this introduction to astronomy includes additions and rewrites reflecting recent discoveries about the Earth's past climate, new technologies in telescopes and space observation, and the latest research in black holes and galaxies. Covers origins of modern astronomy, astronomical tools, properties of stars, the structure of the universe, and the possibility of life beyond Earth. Includes color photos and diagrams, and appendices on astronomical coordinates and time and astronomical data, plus a glossary. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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