Astronomy a beginner's guide to the universe - Chaisson, Eric.; McMillan, S. (Stephen) 1955-. (Englewood Cliffs, NJ Prentice Hall, 1995)
Table of Contents: Preface. -- 1. Introduction to Astronomy: Measuring the Universe -- 2. The Copernican Revolution: The Birth of Modern Science -- 3. Light and Matter: The Inner Workings of the Cosmos -- 4. Telescopes: The Tools of Astronomy -- 5. The Solar System: An Introduction to Comparative Planetology -- 6. The Earth-Moon System: Our Cosmic Backyard -- 7. The Terrestrial Planets: A Study in Contrasts -- 8. The Jovian Planets: Giants of the Solar System -- 9. Moons, Rings, and Pluto: Small Worlds Among Giants -- 10. Interplanetary Debris: Understanding Our Past -- 11. The Sun: Our Parent Star -- 12. Measuring The Stars: Giants, Dwarfs, and the Main Sequence -- 13. The Interstellar Medium: Birthplace of Stars -- 14. Stellar Evolution: From Middle Age to Death -- 15. Stellar Explosions: Novae, Supernovae, and The Formation of Heavy Elements -- 16. Neutron Stars and Black Holes: Strange States of Matter -- 17. The Milky Way Galaxy: A Grand Design -- 18. Normal Galaxies: The Large-Scale Structure of the Universe -- 19. Active Galaxies and Quasars: Limits of the Observable Universe -- 20. Cosmology: The Big Bang and the Fate of the Universe -- 21. Life in the Universe: Are We Alone? ¬-- Appendix Tables. Glossary. Photo Credits. Index. Star Charts.
Includes index.
Keywords: Astronomy