Mode of access: World Wide Web.

System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Part of: Synthesis digital library of engineering and computer science.

Includes bibliographical references.

part I. Space. 1. Tools for understanding space -- 1.1. Powers of ten -- 1.2. Measuring distances in space -- 1.3. Scaling and scale models -- 1.4. Surface area, volume, mass, and density -- 1.5. References

2. Looking outward -- 2.1. Earth, Moon, and Sun -- 2.2. The solar system -- 2.3. Stars -- 2.4. HII regions and giant molecular clouds -- 2.5. Galaxies -- 2.6. Clusters of galaxies -- 2.7. Constellations and the view from Earth -- 2.8. From the Milky Way to 3c 273 -- 2.9. The deep field -- 2.10. The end of space -- 2.11. References

3. Looking inward -- 3.1. Self gravitation -- 3.2. The size of life -- 3.3. The microscopic -- 3.4. Molecules, atoms, and their part -- 3.5. The Planck length -- 3.6. References

part II. Time. 4. Tools for understanding time -- 4.1. Timelines -- 4.2. Light-travel distance -- 4.3. Look-back time -- 4.4. The cycle of time and the arrow of time -- 4.5. The Doppler effect -- 4.6. References

5. The present -- 5.1. Space, time, and spacetime -- 5.2. Right now and right here -- 5.3. Cosmology and the cosmological principal -- 5.4. Cosmological parameters -- 5.5. References

6. The past -- 6.1. Measuring the history of the universe -- 6.2. The beginning -- 6.3. A time-line to now -- 6.4. A graphical summary -- 6.5. A cosmic calendar -- 6.6. References

7. The future -- 7.1. The future at large scales -- 7.2. The future at small scales -- 7.3. References

part III. Evolution. 8. Evolution of the solar system -- 8.1. Components of the solar system -- 8.2. Overall properties of the solar system -- 8.3. The nebular hypothesis -- 8.4. The condensation sequence -- 8.5. The late heavy bombardment -- 8.6. Formation of the comets and asteroids

9. Stellar evolution -- 9.1. M, L, R, and T -- 9.2. The Hertzsprung-Russel diagram -- 9.3. Formation of stars -- 9.4. The main sequence -- 9.5. Evolutionary track of the sun -- 9.6. Lower-main-sequence stars -- 9.7. Upper-main-sequence stars -- 9.8. Stellar explosions -- 9.9. Star clusters and isochrones -- 9.10. What remains -- 9.11. Nucleosynthesis and evolution of the ism

10. The evolution of galaxies -- 10.1. Formation and evolution of the milky way -- 10.2. References

part IV. Process. 11. Fields -- 11.1. Newton's gravity -- 11.2. Einstein's gravitational field -- 11.3. The electric and magnetic fields -- 11.4. References

12. Waves -- 12.1. The nature of waves -- 12.2. Light : electromagnetic waves -- 12.3. Gravitational waves -- 12.4. Spiral density waves -- 12.5. Probability waves : quantum physics -- 12.6. References

13. Equilibrium -- 13.1. Static equilibrium -- 13.2. Dynamic equilibrium -- 13.3. References

part V. Structure. 14. The structure of energy and matter -- 14.1. The nature of energy -- 14.2. Symmetry -- 14.3. The standard model of particle physics -- 14.4. References

15. The interior structure of stars -- 15.1. Main sequence stars -- 15.2. Post-main sequence stellar structure

16. The structure of galaxies -- 16.1. Elliptical and lenticular galaxies -- 16.2. Spiral galaxies -- 16.3. The Hubble tuning-fork diagram -- 16.4. The de Vaucouleurs classification scheme -- 16.5. Irregular and peculiar galaxies -- 16.6. The causes of galactic structure -- 16.7. References

17. Large-scale structure of the universe -- 17.1. The [Lambda]-CDM model of cosmology -- 17.2. Entropy and gravity -- 17.3. The flat interaction and large-scale structure -- 17.4. References

A. Units and scientific notation -- A.1. Units and dimensions -- A.2. Scientific notation -- A.3. References.

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A brief overview of astronomy and cosmology is presented in five different ways, through the lenses of space, time, evolution, process, and structure. Specific topics are chosen for their contribution to a "big picture" understanding of the interconnectedness of knowledge in astronomy and cosmology. Thus, many topics (stellar astronomy for example) are treated in multiple sections, but from different viewpoints--for example, sizes and distances of stars (space); when stars appeared in the history of the universe (time); stellar evolution (evolution); hydrostatic equilibrium and stellar spectra (process); and stellar structure (structure). Some topics traditional to the introductory astronomy curriculum--eclipses and lunar phases, for example--are omitted altogether as they are inessential for the big-picture goals of the book, and excellent summaries are easily available elsewhere. On the other hand, the book treats some topics not usually covered in an introductory astronomy course, for example the roles played by equilibrium processes and symmetry in our understanding of the universe. The level is for the beginning undergraduate, with only basic skills in rudimentary algebra assumed. But more advanced students and teachers will also find the book useful as both a set of practical tools and a point of departure for taking stock (in five different ways) of the current state of knowledge in astronomy and cosmology.

Also available in print.

Title from PDF title page (viewed on January 26, 2020).