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Astronomy Today Vol 1: The Solar System, 6/E
Eric Chaisson
Steve McMillan

ISBN-10: 0136155499
ISBN-13: 9780136155492

Publisher: Addison-Wesley
Copyright: 2008
Format: Paper; 480 pp
Published: 07/19/2007

Suggested retail price: $75.33
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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.

  • The “Process of Science” is integrated into the text narrative. In particular the focus on scientific discovery and scientific method, or “how we know what we know”, is now a much more integral part of the text.
  • Part-opening essays emphasize the human endeavor aspect of science. Each part opener introduces a discovery and provides a historical context to the chapters that follow.
  • Discovery Boxes explore a wide variety of interesting supplementary topics, providing students with insight into how scientific knowledge evolves, and emphasizing the process of science. 
  • Concept Checks provide critical-thinking questions, based on chapter Learning Goals, that test students’ conceptual understanding of a topic before moving on to the next subject.
  • An Expanded Glossary features over 900  terms, including definitions of words students may not know, but are not necessarily "scientific" terms
  • Concept Link Icons refer students back to previous sections in the text to help students understand how concepts are related and allow them to more easily see the “big picture.”
  • Spectrum Icons accompany each photo in the text, identifying the wavelength used to capture the image and reinforcing for students how light influences the way we see things.

 


The “Process of Science” is integrated into the text narrative. In particular the focus on scientific discovery and scientific method, or "how we know what we know", is now a much more integral part of the text

  • End-of-chapter summaries have been reworked, tyingdirectly to the learning goals and linking to key figures in the chapter.
  • Expanded Glossary features over 900 terms, including definitions of words students may not know, but are not necessarily "scientific" terms
  • Revised art program provides more direct and accurate representations of astronomical objects.
  • All chapter content has been thoroughly revised for currency.:

     

     

    Added coverage of adaptive optics, the CHARA array, SST, and the future of HST in Chapter 5; Introduction of Eris and the issue of Pluto’s demotion in Chapter 6; Updated planetary exploration discussion in Chapter 6 to add new missions now at Venus, Mars, and Saturn; Significant updates on Martian water from the Mars Exploration Rovers, Mars Express, and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter in Chapter 10; Updates on the Cassini-Huygens missions to Saturn and Titan; Updates in Chapter 14 on the Stardust and Deep Impact missions; Updates on observations and properties of extrasolar planets in Chapter 15. Expanded discussion of extremophilic life and stellar and galactic habitable zones in Chapter 28; and much much more.

    • Part 1: Astronomy and the Universe

     

    Chapter 1. Charting The Heavens: The Foundations of Astronomy

    1.1 Our Place in Space

    1.2 Scientific Theory and the Scientific Method

    1.3 The "Obvious" View

    1.4 Earth's Orbital Motion

    1.5 Astronomical Timekeeping

    1.6 The Motion of the Moon

    1.7 The Measurement of Distance

    Chapter Review

     

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

    2.1 Ancient Astronomy

    2.2 The Geocentric Universe

    2.3 The Heliocentric Model of the Solar System

    2.4 The Birth of Modern Astronomy

    2.5 The Laws of Planetary Motion

    2.6 The Dimensions of the Solar System

    2.7 Newton's Laws

    2.8 Newtonian Mechanics

    Chapter Review

     

    Chapter 3. Radiation: Information from the Cosmos

    3.1 Information from the Skies

    3.2 Waves in What?

    3.3 The Electromagnetic Spectrum

    3.4 Thermal Radiation

    3.5 The Doppler Effect

    Chapter Review

     

    Chapter 4. Spectroscopy: The Inner Workings of Atoms

    4.1 Spectral Lines

    4.2 Atoms and Radiation

    4.3 The Formation of Spectral Lines

    4.4 Molecules

    4.5 Spectral-Line Analysis

    Chapter Review

     

    Chapter 5. Telescopes: The Tools of Astronomy

    5.1 Optical Telescopes

    5.2 Telescope Size

    5.3 Images and Detectors

    5.4 High-Resolution Astronomy

    5.5 Radio Astronomy

    5.6 Interferometry

    5.7 Space-Based Astronomy

    5.8 Full-Spectrum Coverage

    Chapter Review

     

    Part 2: Our Planetary System

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

    6.1 An Inventory of the Solar System

    6.2 Measuring the Planets

    6.3 The Overall Layout of the Solar System

    6.4 Terrestrial and Jovian Planets

    6.5 Interplanetary Matter

    6.6 Spacecraft Exploration of the Solar System

    6.7 How Did the Solar System Form?

    Chapter Review

     

    Chapter 7. Earth: Our Home in Space

    7.1 Overall Structure of Planet Earth

    7.2 Earth's Atmosphere

    7.3 Earth's Interior

    7.4 Surface Activity

    7.5 Earth's Magnetosphere

    7.6 The Tides

    Chapter Review

     

    Chapter 8. The Moon and Mercury: Scorched and Battered Worlds

    8.1 Orbital Properties

    8.2 Physical Properties

    8.3 Surface Features on the Moon and Mercury

    8.4 Rotation Rates

    8.5 Lunar Cratering and Surface Composition

    8.6 The Surface of Mercury

    8.7 Interiors

    8.8 The Origin of the Moon

    8.9 Evolutionary History of the Moon and Mercury

    Chapter Review

     

    Chapter 9. Venus: Earth's Sister Planet

    9.1 Orbital Properties

    9.2 Physical Properties

    9.3 Long-Distance Observations of Venus

    9.4 The Surface of Venus

    9.5 The Atmosphere of Venus

    9.6 Venus's Magnetic Field and Internal Structure

    Chapter Review

     

    Chapter 10. Mars: A Near Miss for Life?

    10.1 Orbital Properties

    10.2 Physical Properties

    10.3 Long-Distance Observations of Mars

    10.4 The Martian Surface

    10.5 Water on Mars

    10.6 The Martian Atmosphere

    10.7 Martian Internal Structure

    10.8 The Moons of Mars

    Chapter Review 

     

    Chapter 11. Jupiter: Giant of the Solar System

    11.1 Orbital and Physical Properties

    11.2 The Atmosphere of Jupiter

    11.3 Internal Structure

    11.4 Jupiter's Magnetosphere

    11.5 The Moons of Jupiter

    11.6 Jupiter's Ring

    Chapter Review 

     

    Chapter 12. Saturn: Spectacular Rings and Mysterious Moons

    12.1 Orbital and Physical Properties

    12.2 Saturn's Atmosphere

    12.3 Saturn's Interior and Magnetosphere

    12.4 Saturn's Spectacular Ring System

    12.5 The Moons of Saturn

    Chapter Review 

     

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

    13.1 The Discoveries of Uranus and Neptune

    13.2 Orbital and Physical Properties

    13.3 The Atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune

    13.4 Magnetospheres and Internal Structure

    13.5 The Moon Systems of Uranus and Neptune

    13.6 The Rings of the Outermost Jovian Planets

    Chapter Review

     

    Chapter 14. Solar System Debris: Keys to Our Origin

    14.1 Asteroids

    14.2 Comets

    14.3 Beyond Neptune

    14.4 Meteoroids

    Chapter Review

     

    Chapter 15. The Formation of Planetary Systems: The Solar System and Beyond

    15.1 Modeling Planet Formation

    15.2 Formation of the Solar System

    15.3 Terrestrial and Jovian Planets

    15.4 Solar System Regularities and Irregularities

    15.5 Planets Beyond the Solar System

    15.6 Is Our Solar System Unusual?

    Chapter Review

     

    Part 3: Stars And Stellar Evolution

     

    Chapter 16. The Sun: Our Parent Star

    16.1 Physical Properties of the Sun

    16.2 The Solar Interior

    16.3 The Solar Atmosphere

    16.4 Solar Magnetism

    16.5 The Active Sun

    16.6 The Heart of the Sun

    16.7 Observations of Solar Neutrinos

    Chapter Review

     

    Chapter 28. Life In The Universe: Are We Alone?

    28.1 Cosmic Evolution

    28.2 Life in the Solar System

    28.3  Intelligent Life in the Galaxy

    28.4  The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

    Chapter Review

     

    For Astronomy


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