“The book is beautifully produced and illustrated, and notable for the care that has gone into the choice of appropriate and unusual illustrations. Recommended.” (SSR, December 2009)
“This is an up-to-date, well-written, first-year undergraduate textbook … .Many people will enjoy reading it.” (The Observatory Magazine, August 2009)
“A very well thought-out book that lucidly covers a comprehensive range of topics in an attractive format … .Bang up-to-date, and all cut up into convenient, self-contained sections that can be read in a dip-in, dip-out sort of way.” (Astronomy Now, January 2009)
Introduction to Astronomy & Cosmology is based on a successful course given by the author to give first year university students a thorough grounding in modern astronomy and to describe the techniques that have given rise to many exciting discoveries. The book also aims to show that astronomy is a wonderful showcase for fundamental physics and how it determines the fabric of the Universe.
The Chapters are Organised as Follows:
- Astronomy, an observational science
- Our Solar System I – the Sun
- Our Solar System II – the Planets
- Extra-solar Planets
- Observing the Universe
- The Properties of Stars
- Stellar Evolution – the life and death of stars
- Galaxies and the Large Scale Structure of the Universe
- Cosmology – the origin and evolution of the universe
Every concept is accompanied by worked examples including problems at the end of each chapters. Complex mathematics are not required to use this book.
This highly illustrated textbook, including numerous colour images, though primarily written for undergraduates, will also be of interest to amateur astronomers and students studying astronomy in senior school.
From the Back Cover
Introduction to Astronomy & Cosmology is based on a successful course given by the author to give first year university students a thorough grounding in modern astronomy and to describe the techniques that have given rise to many exciting discoveries. The book also aims to show that astronomy is a wonderful showcase for fundamental physics and how it determines the fabric of the Universe.
The Chapters are Organised as Follows:
- Astronomy, an observational science
- Our Solar System I – the Sun
- Our Solar System II – the Planets
- Extra-solar Planets
- Observing the Universe
- The Properties of Stars
- Stellar Evolution – the life and death of stars
- Galaxies and the Large Scale Structure of the Universe
- Cosmology – the origin and evolution of the universe
Every concept is accompanied by worked examples including problems at the end of each chapters. Complex mathematics are not required to use this book.
This highly illustrated textbook, including numerous colour images, though primarily written for undergraduates, will also be of interest to amateur astronomers and students studying astronomy in senior school.
About the Author
Ian Morison began his love of astronomy when, at the age of 12, he made a telescope out of lenses given to him by his optician. He went on to study Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy at Oxford and in 1970 was appointed to the staff of the University of Manchester where he now teaches astronomy, computing and electronics.
He is a past president of the Society for Popular Astronomy, one of the UK’s largest astronomical societies. He remains on the society’s council and holds the post of instrument advisor helping members with their choice and use of Telescopes.
He lectures wi9dely on astronomy, has co-authored books for amateur astronomers and writes regularly for the two UK astronomy magazines. He also writes a monthly sky guide for the Jodrell Bank Observatory’s web site and produces an audio version as part of the Jodrell Bank Podcast. He has contributed to many television programmes and is a regular astronomy commentator on local and national radio. Another activity he greatly enjoys to take amateur astronomers on observing trips such as those to Lapland to see the Aurora Borealis and on expeditions to Turkey and China to observe total eclipses of the Sun.
In 2003 the Minor Planets Committee of the International Astronomical Union named asteroid 15,727 in his honour, citing his work with MERLIN, the world’s largest linked array of radio telescopes, and that in searching for intelligent life beyond our Solar System in Project Phoenix. In 2007 he was appointed to the post of Gresham Professor of Astronomy. Dating from 1597, this is the oldest astronomy professorship in the world and was once held by Christopher Wren.
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