Foundations of Astronomy (Available 2011 Titles Enhanced Web Assign) - Hardcover

Seeds, Michael A.; Backman, Dana

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 143905035X ISBN 13: 9781439050354

Publisher: Cengage Learning, 2010

Synopsis

With this newly revised Eleventh Edition of FOUNDATIONS OF ASTRONOMY, the authors' goals are to help you use astronomy to understand science--and use science to understand what we are. Fascinating, engaging, and visually vibrant, this text will help you answer two fundamental questions: What are we? And how do we know? This edition addresses the newest developments and latest discoveries in the exciting study of astronomy, including information to emphasize observations over the entire electromagnetic spectrum; new data on star formation and stellar structure; new insight on global warming and ozone depletion; updated information on the Kuiper belt and dwarf planets; and much more. For students looking for an interactive alternative to the print text, the FOUNDATIONS OF ASTRONOMY Online Version delivers the ideal solution.

About this title

About the Author:

Mike Seeds was a professor of physics and astronomy at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, from 1970 until his retirement in 2001. In 1989 he received F&M College's Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching. Mike's love for the history of astronomy led him to create upper-level courses on archaeoastronomy and on the Copernican Revolution ("Changing Concepts of the Universe"). His research interests focused on variable stars and automation of astronomical telescopes. Mike is coauthor with Dana Backman of Horizons: Exploring the Universe, 12th edition (2012); Universe: Solar Systems, Stars, and Galaxies, 7th edition (2012); Stars and Galaxies, 8th edition (2013); The Solar System, 8th edition (2013); and ASTRO, 2nd edition (2013), all published by Cengage. He was senior consultant for creation of the 20-episode telecourse accompanying his book Horizons: Exploring the Universe.

Dana Backman taught in the physics and astronomy department at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, from 1991 until 2003. He invented and taught a course titled "Life in the Universe" in F&M's interdisciplinary Foundations program. Dana now teaches introductory Solar System astronomy at Santa Clara University and introductory astronomy, astrobiology, and cosmology courses in Stanford University's Continuing Studies Program. His research interests focus on infrared observations of planet formation, models of debris disks around nearby stars, and evolution of the solar system's Kuiper belt. Dana is employed by the SETI Institute in Mountain View, California, as director of education and public outreach for SOFIA (the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy) at NASA's Ames Research Center. Dana is coauthor with Mike Seeds of Horizons: Exploring the Universe, 14th edition (2018); Universe: Solar Systems, Stars, and Galaxies, 7th edition (2012); Stars and Galaxies, 8th edition (2013); The Solar System, 8th edition (2013); and ASTRO, 2nd edition (2013), all published by Cengage.

Review:

"The historical material in Chapters 4 and 5 is very sensitively presented, nuanced, and really quite up-to-date with respect to contemporary historical researches. It is a distinct cut above most of the texts I have been asked to review."

"I was impressed with the clarity of the illustrative color figures and the effective use of very recent science results (e.g. images from Chandra). I will certainly recommend the book for concept-based courses in astronomy."

"FOUNDATIONS is a remarkably well written book on introductory astronomy. The figures and diagrams are clear, instructive, visually aesthetic and of exceptionally high quality. I commend the author for this book which includes the latest discoveries in the various fields of astronomy."

About this edition

• Publisher: Cengage Learning
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 143905035X
• ISBN 13: 9781439050354
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 672