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Astronomy Today, 4/E
Eric Chaisson, Tufts University
Steve McMillan, Drexel University

ISBN-10: 0130915424
ISBN-13: 9780130915429

Publisher: Addison-Wesley
Copyright: 2002
Format: Cloth; 832 pp
Status: Out of Print

Suggested retail price: $92.00
This item is out of print and is no longer available for purchase.

For one or two-semester introductory astronomy course.

Chaisson/McMillan's writing style and pedagogically driven art program are recognized as being scientifically accurate yet accessible to non-science majors. The integrated media program contains the market's only E-book. It provides students with innovative and interactive tools to learn and test their understanding of astronomy concepts.

  • NEW - Concept Checks integrated into each chapter—These critical thinking questions are based on chapter Learning Goals.

    • Test students' conceptual understanding of a topic before they move on to the next topic.

  • NEW - Three new types of exercises have been added to the end of every chapter—Collaborative/Group Exercises allow students to work in groups either in or outside of class. Instructor's Notes for these Exercises available in the Instructor's Manual; Web Research Exercises require students to use the web, specifically the Destinations links on the Companion Website; and Sky Chart III Exercises: each chapter includes specific exercises for students to do using the planetarium software SkyChart III. Instructor's notes for these Exercises available on the CW.
  • NEW - More Precisely boxes now include additional quantitative material—Provide a more quantitative treatment of topics in the text or explore the physics of astronomical processes in greater depth.

    • Students who have the math skills can take advantage of the material but because it's in a box, it remains optional.

  • NEW - Answers to odd numbered end-of-chapter Problems—Provided in appendix.
  • NEW - Five additional Review and Discussion Questions and five additional quantitative Problems, ranked by difficulty—Added to the end of every chapter.

    • Students have more opportunities to test their conceptual understanding and practice their problem-solving skills.

  • NEW - Three versions of Astronomy Today, 4/E are available.

    • The full text (Chapters 1-28) is available in hardcover.

    • Volume I (Chapters 1-15) Astronomy Today: The Solar System. This volume is appropriate for a one-term course covering the solar system.

    • Volume II (Chapter 1-5 and 16-28) Astronomy Today: Stars and Galaxies. This volume is appropriate for a one-term course on the stars and galaxies.

  • NEW - Text and figures updated throughout—Updates include:

    • Provides students with the most current discoveries

    • Revised coverage of Doppler Effect

    • Emphasized use of ground-based telescopes for IR work

    • New discussion of Subaru, Gemini, and coverage of VLT

    • Updated discussion of AO, as well as IR and UV satellites

    • New coverage of Chandra and XMM

    • Updated story of CGRO

    • Extrasolar planets now included in discussion of comparative planetology

    • Updates on spacecraft exploration including new mission to Mercury, recent Mars failures, future Mars and Jupiter missions, updates on Galileo and Cassini, and missions to asteroids and comets

    • Expanded coverage of radioactive dating

    • Expanded coverage of lunar ice and Lunar Prospector impact

    • New coverage of tenuous lunar atmosphere and lunar magnetic fields

    • New discussion of Martian global topography, possible present-day liquid water, weathering and terraces in craters, the possible ancient northern ocean, and the Martian magnetic field all based on MGS data

    • Expanded coverage and revised figures of Galilean moons based on data from GEM mission

    • Updated coverage on water on Europa

    • New coverage of magnetic fields of Europa and Ganymede, and their implications

    • Update with illustration of NEAR mission at EROS

    • Includes discussion of cometary outbursts, comet Linear, Stardust and its objectives

    • Substantially revised account of the formation of jovian planets, giving equal weight to two possible scenarios and paving the way for the discussion of extrasolar planets.

    • Expanded discussion of and new photo on Kuiper belt and plutinos

    • Update on extrasolar planets

  • NEW - End-of-chapter summary—More closely follows Learning Goals stated at the beginning of the chapter.
  • Integrated Learning Goals—Stated at the beginning of each chapter and highlighted within the chapter when each goal is addressed.
  • Concept Link Icons—Refer students back to sections in the text where relevant physical principles or astronomical ideas are introduced.

    • Helps students understand how concepts are related and allows them to more easily see the “big picture.”

  • Spectrum Icons—Accompany every photograph.

    • Help students identify the wavelength at which the photo was taken.

  • H-R Diagrams and Acetate Overlays—All of the text's H-R diagrams are presented in a uniform format using real data whenever possible.

    • A unique set of transparency overlays demonstrate to students how the H-R diagram helps us organize our information about the stars and track their evolutionary histories.

MEDIA
  • Astronomy Today E-book—Free with the purchase of a new text. This browser-based CD-ROM is a fully hyper-linked version of the text with integrated videos and animations. Approximately 60 videos are integrated into the text, 12 of which are NEW from the Wright Center. Concept Links, key terms, and end-of-chapter material are hyper-linked to the section they were introduced. Students can access the Companion Website, which includes additional material, from the E-book.
  • SkyChart III Planetarium Software—Now available on the E-book CD-ROM. The student version of this advanced planetarium program that accurately simulates and displays the sky as it appears in the present as well as thousands of years in the past or future.
  • Companion Website—The Astronomy Today CW is organized by chapter and provides students with additional images, videos, and animations, links to related material on the web, and 150-250 graded multiple choice and true/false questions with hints. The Companion Website now contains 15 algorithmically based quantitative problems, 25-35 multiple choice and 15 true false questions for an increase of 50% more questions. Modules include Images, Animations, True/False, Multiple Choice, Destinations, and teaching notes for Sky Chart III Exercises.
  • Image Bank CD-ROM—Includes all of the art and many photographs from the 4/E of Astronomy Today can easily import these images into a commercial presentation software like PowerPoint.

  • Concept Checks integrated into each chapter—These critical thinking questions are based on chapter Learning Goals.

    • Test students' conceptual understanding of a topic before they move on to the next topic.

  • Three new types of exercises have been added to the end of every chapter—Collaborative/Group Exercises allow students to work in groups either in or outside of class. Instructor's Notes for these Exercises available in the Instructor's Manual; Web Research Exercises require students to use the web, specifically the Destinations links on the Companion Website; and Sky Chart III Exercises: each chapter includes specific exercises for students to do using the planetarium software SkyChart III. Instructor's notes for these Exercises available on the CW.
  • More Precisely boxes now include additional quantitative material—Provide a more quantitative treatment of topics in the text or explore the physics of astronomical processes in greater depth.

    • Students who have the math skills can take advantage of the material but because it's in a box, it remains optional.

  • Answers to odd numbered end-of-chapter Problems—Provided in appendix.
  • Five additional Review and Discussion Questions and five additional quantitative Problems, ranked by difficulty—Added to the end of every chapter.

    • Students have more opportunities to test their conceptual understanding and practice their problem-solving skills.

  • Three versions of Astronomy Today, 4/E are available.

    • The full text (Chapters 1-28) is available in hardcover.

    • Volume I (Chapters 1-15) Astronomy Today: The Solar System. This volume is appropriate for a one-term course covering the solar system.

    • Volume II (Chapter 1-5 and 16-28) Astronomy Today: Stars and Galaxies. This volume is appropriate for a one-term course on the stars and galaxies.

  • Text and figures updated throughout—Updates include:

    • Provides students with the most current discoveries

    • Revised coverage of Doppler Effect

    • Emphasized use of ground-based telescopes for IR work

    • New discussion of Subaru, Gemini, and coverage of VLT

    • Updated discussion of AO, as well as IR and UV satellites

    • New coverage of Chandra and XMM

    • Updated story of CGRO

    • Extrasolar planets now included in discussion of comparative planetology

    • Updates on spacecraft exploration including new mission to Mercury, recent Mars failures, future Mars and Jupiter missions, updates on Galileo and Cassini, and missions to asteroids and comets

    • Expanded coverage of radioactive dating

    • Expanded coverage of lunar ice and Lunar Prospector impact

    • New coverage of tenuous lunar atmosphere and lunar magnetic fields

    • New discussion of Martian global topography, possible present-day liquid water, weathering and terraces in craters, the possible ancient northern ocean, and the Martian magnetic field all based on MGS data

    • Expanded coverage and revised figures of Galilean moons based on data from GEM mission

    • Updated coverage on water on Europa

    • New coverage of magnetic fields of Europa and Ganymede, and their implications

    • Update with illustration of NEAR mission at EROS

    • Includes discussion of cometary outbursts, comet Linear, Stardust and its objectives

    • Substantially revised account of the formation of jovian planets, giving equal weight to two possible scenarios and paving the way for the discussion of extrasolar planets.

    • Expanded discussion of and new photo on Kuiper belt and plutinos

    • Update on extrasolar planets

  • End-of-chapter summary—More closely follows Learning Goals stated at the beginning of the chapter.

(NOTE: Volume 1 contains Chs. 1-15 and Volume 2 contains Chs. 1-5 and 16-28.)

ASTRONOMY AND THE UNIVERSE.

 1. Charting the Heavens: The Foundation of Astronomy.

Our Place in Space. The Obvious View. Earth's Orbital Motion. The Motion of the Moon. The Measurement of Distance.

 2. The Copernican Revolution: The Birth of Modern Science.

Ancient Astronomy. The Geocentric Universe. The Heliocentric Model of the Solar System. The Birth of Modern Astronomy. The Laws of Planetary Motion. The Dimensions of the Solar System. Newton's Laws.

 3. Radiation: Information from the Cosmos.

Information from the Skies. Waves in What? The Electromagnetic Spectrum. The Distribution of Radiation. The Doppler Effect.

 4. Spectroscopy: The Inner Workings of Atoms.

Spectral Lines. The Formation of Spectral Lines. Molecules. Spectral-Line Analysis.

 5. Telescopes: The Tools of Astronomy.

Optical Telescopes. Telescope Size. High-Resolution Astronomy. Radio Astronomy. Interferometry. Space-Based Astronomy. Full-Spectrum Coverage.

OUR PLANETARY SYSTEM.

 6. The Solar System: An Introduction to Comparative Planetology.

An Inventory of the Solar System. Planetary Properties. The Overall Layout of the Solar System. Terrestrial and Jovian Planets. Interplanetary Debris. Spacecraft Exploration of the Solar System.

 7. The Earth: Our Home in Space.

Overall Structure of Planet Earth. Earth's Atmosphere. Earth's Interior. Surface Activity. Earth's Magnetosphere. The Tides.

 8. The Moon and Mercury: Scorched and Battered World.

Orbital Properties. Physical Properties. Surface Features on the Moon and Mercury. Rotation Rates. Lunar Cratering and Surface Composition. The Surface of Mercury. Interiors. The Origin of the Moon. Evolutionary History of the Moon and Mercury.

 9. Venus: Earth's Sister Planet.

Orbital Properties. Physical Properties. Long-Distance Observations of Venus. The Surface of Venus. The Atmosphere of Venus. Venus's Magnetic Field and Internal Structure.

10. Mars: A Near Miss for Life?

Orbital Properties. Physical Properties. Long-Distance Observations of Mars. The Surface of Mars. The Martian Atmosphere. Martian Internal Structure. The Moons of Mars.

11. Jupiter: Giant of the Solar System.

Orbital and Physical Properties. The Atmosphere of Jupiter. Internal Structure. Jupiter's Magnetosphere. The Moons of Jupiter. Jupiter's Ring.

12. Saturn: Spectacular Rings and Mysterious Moons.

Orbital and Physical Properties. Saturn's Atmosphere. Saturn's Interior and Magnetosphere. Saturn's Spectacular Ring System. The Moons of Saturn.

13. Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto: The Outer Worlds of the Solar System.

The Discovery of Uranus. The Discovery of Neptune. Physical Properties of Uranus and Neptune. The Atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune. Magnetospheres and Internal Structure. The Moon Systems of Uranus and Neptune. The Rings of the Outermost Jovian Planets. The Discovery of Pluto. Physical Properties of Pluto. The Origin of Pluto.

14. Solar System Debris: Keys to Our Origin.

Asteroids. Comets. Meteoroids.

15. The Formation of Planetary System: The Birth of Our World.

Modeling the Origin of Our Solar System. The Condensation Theory. The Differentiation of the Solar System. The Role of Catastrophes. Planets Beyond the Solar System.

STARS AND STELLAR EVOLUTION.

16. The Sun: Our Parent Star.

Physical Properties of the Sun. The Solar Interior. The Solar Atmosphere. The Active Sun. The Heart of the Sun. Observations of Solar Neutrinos.

17. Measuring the Stars: Giants, Dwarfs and the Main Sequence.

The Distance to the Stars. Stellar Motion. Luminosity and Apparent Brightness. Stellar Temperatures. Stellar Sizes. The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram. Extending the Cosmic Distance Scale. Stellar Masses.

18. The Interstellar Medium: Gas and Dust Among the Stars.

Interstellar Matter. Emission Nebulae. Dark Dust Clouds. 21-Centimeter Radiation. Interstellar Molecules.

19. Star Formation: A Traumatic Birth.

Star-Forming Regions. The Formation of Stars Like the Sun. Stars of Other Masses. Observations of Cloud Fragments and Protostars. Shock Waves and Star Formation. Star Clusters.

20. Star Evolution: The Life of a Star.

Leaving the Main Sequence. The Evolution of a Sunlike Star. The Death of a Low-Mass Star. Evolution of Stars More Massive. Observing Stellar Evolution in Star Clusters. The Evolution of Binary-Star Systems.

21. Stellar Explosions: Novae, Supernovae, and the Formation of the Heavy Elements.

Life after Death for White Dwarfs. The End of a High-Mass Star. Supernova Explosions. The Formation of the Elements. The Cycle of Stellar Evolution.

22. Neutron Stars and Black Holes: Strange States of Matter.

Neuron Stars. Pulsars. Neutron-Star Binaries. Gamma-Rays Bursts. Black Holes. Black Holes and Curved Space. Space Travel Near Black Holes. Observational Evidence for Black Holes.

GALAXIES AND COSMOLOGY.

23. The Milky Way Galaxy: A Grand Design.

Our Parent Galaxy. Measuring the Milky Way. The Large-Scale Structure of Our Galaxy. The Formation of the Milky Way. Galactic Spiral Arms. The Mass of the Milky Way Galaxy. The Galactic Center.

24. Normal Galaxies: The Large-Scale Structure of the Universe.

Hubble's Galaxy Classification. The Distribution of Galaxies in Space. Galaxy Masses. Galaxy Formation and Evolution. Hubble's Law.

25. Active Galaxies and Quasars: Limits of the Observable Universe.

Beyond the Local Realm. Properties of Active Galaxies. Quasi-Stellar Objects. The Central Engine of an Active Galaxy. Quasars as Cosmic Probes. Active Galaxy Evolution.

26. Cosmology: The Big Bang and the Fate of the Universe.

The Universe on the Largest Scales. The Expanding Universe. The Fate of the Universe. Will the Universe Expand Forever? The Geometry of Space. The Cosmic Microwave Background.

27. The Early Universe: Toward the Beginning of Time.

Back to the Big Bang. The Evolution of the Universe. The Formation of Nuclei and Atoms. The Inflationary Universe. The Formation of Structure in the Universe.

28. Life in the Universe: Are We Alone?

Cosmic Evolution. Life in the Solar System. Intelligent Life in the Galaxy. The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence.

APPENDICES.

Appendix I: Scientific Notation.

Appendix II: Astronomical Measurement.

Appendix III: Tables.

Appendix IV: Using SkyChart III.

Glossary.

Answers to Concept Check Questions.

Answers to Self-Test Questions.

Index.

Star Charts.

    With Astronomy Today, Sixth Edition, trusted authors Eric Chaisson and Steve McMillan communicate their excitement about astronomy and awaken students to the universe around them. Thoroughly updated, the revised edition focuses on the process of scientific discovery and scientific method, making “how we know what we know” a more integral part of the text with attention to clearly and concisely presenting scientific terms to the non-science student. In addition, the authors have taken great care to identify places where they could clarify or simplify an explanation, better define a term, and discuss the process used in making a discovery.  This editionoffers the most complete and innovative learning package available for one- or two-semester introductory courses in astronomy.

     

    Alternate Versions

    • Astronomy Today, Volume 1:  The Solar System, 5/e – Focuses primarily on planetary coverage for a 1-term course.  Includes Chapters 1-16, 28.
    • Astronomy Today, Volume 2:  Stars and Galaxies, 5/e – Focuses primarily on stars and stellar evolution for a 1-term course.  Includes Chapters 1-5 and 16-28.

     

  • 0132400855Astronomy Today, 6/E
    Chaisson & McMillan
    © 2008 | Addison-Wesley | Cloth; 848 pages | Instock
    ISBN-10: 0132400855 | ISBN-13: 9780132400855
    URL: http://www.aw-bc.com/chaisson
    Brief Description | Buy from myPearsonStore

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  • 0130086975CC with eBook, 4/E
    Chaisson & McMillan
    © 2002 | Addison-Wesley | Electronic Package | Estimated Availability: 01/31/2002
    ISBN-10: 0130086975 | ISBN-13: 9780130086976

  • 0130086967Netlibrary eBook, 4/E
    Chaisson & McMillan
    © 2002 | Addison-Wesley | Electronic Book | Estimated Availability: 01/31/2002
    ISBN-10: 0130086967 | ISBN-13: 9780130086969

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