Discover the sparkling world of stars, from their beautiful births to their dramatic deaths. Learn about our very own star, the Sun, as well as best-friend binary star pairs and dense neutron stars. Gaze at gorgeous galaxies and marvel at the Milky Way. Find out the answers to questions such as: * What's inside the Sun? * Where are the Pillars of Creation? * Why do stars twinkle? * How fast does a pulsar spin? * Which galaxy is a cannibal? * How long would it take to travel across the Milky Way? Perfect for the new curriculum, this fascinating title is packed full of astounding information and number-based jaw-dropping facts and figures to inspire future astronauts and space scientists.
Provides information on the properties and behavior of the spiral galaxy known as the Milky Way; discusses the origin and evolution of stars, nebulae, and other galaxies; and offers an historical survey of the study of galaxies.
In this approachable and fascinating biography of the galaxy, an astrophysicist and folklorist details everything humans have discovered—from the Milky Way's formation to its eventual death, and what else there is to learn about the universe we call home. After a few billion years of bearing witness to life on Earth, of watching one hundred billion humans go about their day-to-day lives, of feeling unbelievably lonely, and of hearing its own story told by others, The Milky Way would like a chance to speak for itself. All one hundred billion stars and fifty undecillion tons of gas of it. It all began some thirteen billion years ago, when clouds of gas scattered through the universe's primordial plasma just could not keep their metaphorical hands off each other. They succumbed to their gravitational attraction, and the galaxy we know as the Milky Way was born. Since then, the galaxy has watched as dark energy pushed away its first friends, as humans mythologized its name and purpose, and as galactic archaeologists have worked to determine its true age (rude). The Milky Way has absorbed supermassive (an actual technical term) black holes, made enemies of a few galactic neighbors, and mourned the deaths of countless stars. Our home galaxy has even fallen in love. After all this time, the Milky Way finally feels that it's amassed enough experience for the juicy tell-all we've all been waiting for. Its fascinating autobiography recounts the history and future of the universe in accessible but scientific detail, presenting a summary of human astronomical knowledge thus far that is unquestionably out of this world. NAMED A BEST BOOK OF 2022 BY PUBLISHERS WEEKLY AND SCIENCENET NAMED A BEST AUDIOBOOK OF 2022 BY BOOKPAGE
This review examines all the key physical processes involved in the formation and evolution of the Milky Way, based on an international meeting held in Granada (Spain).
This textbook provides a comprehensive and lucid modern introduction to galaxies for advanced undergraduate students in astronomy and physics. Basic astrophysics, multiwavelength observations and theoretical concepts are carefully combined to develop an integrated understanding. All the necessary background astronomy is included and mathematics has been kept to the minimum required to enable the student to quickly grasp the essence of a calculation, or the basis for a method. The clear and friendly style of the text, thorough coverage of fundamentals, extensive use of up-to-date observations, and helpful problems make this an ideal introduction to galaxies and thorough preparation for more advanced texts and the research literature.
