Product Description
Designed for the sophomore-level course in astrophysics for both astronomy and physics majors, Introduction to Modern Galactic Astrophysics and Cosmology specifically addresses the needs of courses that focus on galactic and extragalactic astronomy, and cosmology. Derived from the market-leading An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics, Second Edition, the text includes the latest results from relevant fields of astrophysics and advances in our theoretical understanding of astrophysical phenomena. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Subset of Introduction to Modern Astrophysics
Aimed at the advanced physics or astronomy undergraduate student, this is an offspring of Introduction to Modern Astrophysics, often called BOB (Big Orange Book).

The one problem most often reported about BOB is its size, 1400 pages. Consequently this new, less expensive, smaller book has been produced that is smaller, more compact, and aimed at specific subject areas. In this book numerous subjects have been simply left out. These include: optics, the Solar System, and pulsars. Other areas have been greatly reduced in size: stellar evolution and radiative transfer. What's left is the core material needed for a course in Galactic Astrophysics and Cosmology.

This new second edition, badly needed since the first edition is now ten years old. In these ten years, there seems to have been just about as much discovered as in the centuries before. Discoveries like the universe is not slowing down but, rather, is actually accelerating, Dark energy wasn't even imagined at that time (and isn't easy to imagine now).

The book is aimed at the advanced undergraduate level after the student has had several previous physics classes and mathematics through differential equasions. ... Read more

Product Description
There are many mysteries involving cosmic phenomena.Jerome Drexler used 14 of these and his analytical concept of dark matter (DM) relationism to discover a promising candidate for dark matter, the source of ultra-high energy cosmic rays, and theories for star formation, starburst galaxies, and the emergence of DM halos.To test the validity of his discoveries, Drexler used another 11 unexplained cosmic phenomena discovered by astronomers primarily during 2005.Utilizing his same promising dark matter candidate, Drexler was able to explain in a plausible manner all 11 of these recently discovered cosmic mysteries. Drexler's research has led not only to an identification of dark matter and to plausible explanations for the 25 cosmic phenomena, but also to a deeper understanding of many aspects of the cosmos, leading to a partial decoding of the cosmos. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Poses questions; posits answers
Drexler's book was sent to me unsolicited inviting my feedback and comments.I cannot call myself even an amateur cosmologist therefore I cannot assess how plausible the explanations in this book are.Furthermore, I have not actually read it cover to cover. Nevertheless, I award it 4 stars for the following reasons:
1.The topic is well laid out and is made very accessible via extremely short chapters listed in a detailed table of contents.It is well indexed. A glossary is also included.
2.Throughout the book, use is made of lists, both bulleted and numbered, e.g. pp 110-114, making it easy to follow his arguments.
3.More importantly, it lists 58 references (7 to his own work) as well as a further 30 suggested sources.Readers are cautioned not to assume agreement in these sources with Drexler's views.
4.The book is intended to be provocative and to generate further thought and discussion.The Preface states: "This book, "Comprehending and Decoding the Cosmos," deviates significantly from mainstream cosmological and astrophysical theories."
I would not, of course, recommend a book just because of its layout and style.I see this book as a thought-provoking re-examination of existing observations and theories in addition to offering solutions and new ideas.I leave it to others to comment on the plausibility of these.

CHALLENGING & PROVOCATIVE THEORIES ON DARK MATTER/RELATIONALISM
This is another fantastic book by Dr. Drexler. Dr. Drexler identifies dark matter as a viable candidate and explicates his theory cogently by describing in detail the astronomical evidence he found that justifies his theory and conclusion. His most recent book, "Comprehending and Decoding the Cosmos," published this year (2006), delineates and expounds his theory to an even greater extent. I queried him regarding the use of the term relationism vis-a-vis reductionistic practices. Dr. Drexler thoroughly explicated this complex theory that he has posited in significant detail.

Dark Matter, is deemed by many to be the most elusive mystery of the universe, which is probably attributable to its massive, extensive, and hard-to-detect characteristic. Dr. Drexler, in his 2006 sequel, astutely delineates 14 mysterious phenomena, along with his new analytical decoding concept of dark matter relationism, to discover and identify a very promising dark matter candidate compatible with these 14 cosmic elements. In the process, he has quite possibly brought the decades old quest to identify dark matter to a successful conclusion. He adroitly then locates and analyzes an additional 11 unexplained cosmic phenomena, which were discovered and reported by various astronomers mostly during 2005. Drexler again, utilizing his same promising dark matter candidate, plausibly explicates all 11 of these recently discovered cosmic mysteries in his May, 2006 sequel.

I have personally purchased multiple copies of Dr. Drexler's 2003 and 2006 books for family members and friends at the University of Maine. I read with chagrin Dr. Marc "DM"s negative reviews on these books, which interestingly were both written and posted on May 31, 2006. I vehemently disagree with Dr. Marc's and JMK's reviews and evaluations, both of which bring to mind the saying attributable to Herbert Spencer: "Contempt prior to investigation..." Although Dr. Marc characterizes himself as a professional astronomer, I am constrained to believe that he is a grant-seeking, self-promoter, who perhaps has not even read Dr. Drexler's two books. As a professional man, with graduate degrees myself, I eschew hasty judgments when pondering the theories of colleagues and others. I have therefore indicated that neither of Dr. Marc's reviews were helpful to me, and in closing, I strongly urge every professional cosmologist, astronomer, astrophysicist, or interested novice, to read Dr. Drexler's books with an inquisitive and open mind. Do not be influenced by the pejorative and negative views espoused by Dr. Marc.

Baryons as Dark Matter
Since the discovery of DM, which many believe constitutes most of the mass of the universe, there has been a debate regarding the baryonic or non-baryonic nature of DM.Current scientific research favors non-baryonic particles with huge new detectors being built today that actually exclude baryons. At its heart, Drexler's book is philosophical in its approach, taking a contrarian view in the debate.Citing Ockham's razor and top-down vision, the author sorts recent astrophysics data of others to analyze and resolve the DM issue, asserting that DM consists of relativistic protons, i.e. baryons.A large amount of data is reviewed and the considerations seem persuasive.Not mentioned as a baryonic argument in favor of DM is another philosophical consideration relating to the significance of man in the Universe.If man is significant and perhaps even central in the universe, as Primack suggests in his new book, it would be a shame if the baryons of which we are made turn out to be cosmologically weird stuff.Drexler's book is worth a read.

Comprehending and Decoding the Cosmos: Discovering Solutions to Over a Dozen Cosmic Mysteries by Utilizing Dark Matter Relationi
I have read this book and it is another fine book by the Scientist, Mr. Drexler.I have followed Drexler's career since his days at Bell Labs-his founding of the Drexler Technology (Lasercard), his numerous patents -- He would not publish a book with research that is false.Did the other reviewer really read the book?I HAVE READ IT FROM COVER TO COVER AND IT OPENED MY MIND TO NEW IDEAS ABOUT THE COSMOS,ETC.EVERYONE WHO IS INTERESTED IN GOOD , LOGICAL RESEARCH SHOULD READ THIS BOOK.

DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK!!
There are many reasons why Jerome Drexler's theory of dark matter is not widely accepted amongst astronomers. I am a professional astronomer working at a research establishment in California. The idea that relativisic protons can be responssible for the dark matter of the Universe seems ridiculous to me and this is why:

1. If dark matter consisted of relativistic particles (such as relativistic protons) then this is what astronomers would refer to as Hot Dark Matter. Hot Dark Matter has been ruled out as a form of dark matter because it does not allow the structures we see in the Universe. The reason because the particles are at such high velocities that they can never become gravitationally bound to each other, and all structure is wiped out. Galaxies cannot form, stars cannot form, planets cannot form. This would be a huge problem. This is why astronomers have come to believe in Cold Dark Matter (slow moving massive particles).

2. Protons are charged particles (they have positive charge). Any moving charged particle has both an electric and a magnetic field associated with it. Relativistic charged particles would create a huge electric and magnetic field. This would be easily observed. However, it has never been observed.

3. The Cold Dark Matter Particle (the WIMP) has never been observed for a reason. It's predicted mass lies just beyond the energies we can probe with our current particle accelerators. The next generation of particle accelerators will be able to probe these energies. These new particle accelerators will be coming online in the next 2 to 5 years, so watch this space. Admittedly, if we don't find the predicted WIMP (or neutralino as it is strictly called), then we do have to go back to the drawing boad.

I don't understand how this book has come to be published. The people deciding it should be published are obviously not professional astronomers. However, Jerome Drexler has never had his theory published in an astronomical journal. The reason is because it has never made it past the peer review stage... because his theory is simply WRONG. It does not stand up to experimental tests or what we know about the Universe. ... Read more

Product Description

Beginning with basic facts about the observable universe, this book reviews the complete range of topics that make up a degree course in cosmology and particle astrophysics. The book is self-contained - no specialised knowledge is required on the part of the reader, apart from undergraduate math and physics. This paperback edition targets students of physics, astrophysics and cosmology from advanced undergraduate to early graduate level.

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Designed for the sophomore-level course in astrophysics for both astronomy and physics majors, Introduction to Modern Stellar Astrophysics, Second Edition specifically addresses the needs of courses that focus on stellar structure and evolution. Derived from the market-leading An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics, the Second Edition has been updated to include the latest results from relevant fields of astrophysics and advances in our theoretical understanding of astrophysical phenomena. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Essential
This book is essential to anyone who wants to learn properly stellar astrophysiscs as a sort of "dictionary" related to this subject.

Introduction to Modern Stellar Astrophysics
I have taught 2-3 classes in astrophysics at the undergraduate level and found this a useful textbook.The book is essentially the stellar parts of the larger one volume text by the authors and it is a lot easier to carry around than the "big orange book."The layout of the material is logical and gets the student through the material using basic calculus arguments so it is good for students who have finished their core calculus sequence and have had some exposure to differential equations and are just starting in their upper level courses.The text strikes a good balance between mathematical and descriptive arguments.

I think the discussion is thin sometimes as the authors go from one topic to the next with a single sample calculation in between.Having looked at other texts though this is still one of the best at getting the student from Keplerian orbitsto stellar interiors in a semester.I prefer it to Zeilik's book.The problems are not so cookbook as the one reviewer makes out and they help the student confirm their understanding of the material.The longer problems make nice short projects.I think they are well chosen and work out nicely _most_ of the time.I like the model Cepheid numerical exercise.One caveat below on the numerics in the text.

The authors have included a simple stellar structure fortran code they use for HW problems.Using the formulas derived in the text is surely a good thing.It shows the student how it all fits together... Right?However the code uses a simple shooting method integrating inward from the surface to "find" the solution that satisfies both the surface _and_ the core boundary conditions for a fixed input mass.This is ridiculously numerically unstable and requires the student to find that the correct solution is, say, between 0.9991 and 0.9992 by trial and error.It would have been trivial to modify the program to try to find a root instead of having the student type in a single mass for a run, have the solution diverge as it goes deeper into the star, and get a useless "wow, that didn't work-- please try again" error message.The second edition of the book does not fix this, but does add a pretty graphical interface...The students working with this program to solve the suggested end of chapter problems quickly learn there is no way to guess the answer and then stop trying.Why not fix the underlying code?

Despite the numerical caveat I like the book a lot and will use it again when I teach the course again (supplementing the stellar code with a lecture on numerical methods to the students so they can fix it themselves - once you modify the code it actually _is_ useful and I have used it in class).

Nice Text
Modern Stellar Astrophysics was a nice book. It was organized very well and presented the material in an orderly fashion. I thought that it lacked depth though. It gave many concepts, but they lacked mathematical examples to go with those concepts. A good book for people who already understand modern physics, but for those without a deep understanding of modern physics it will leave many open questions. Lastly, the homework questions at the end of the chapters resembled those examples throughout the chapters themselves very closely and even identically, thus answering them takes absolutely no analytical skills just mere copying.

Update:given that I really enjoyed this book I am updating this review.This book is really excellent for people with advanced knowledge of modern physics.However, it is not a good book for people without at least an introductory course in modern physics and possibly a course in quantum mechanics.This book does not rigorously attempt to teach physics, rather it assumes prior knowledge.Given that said, this book is very enjoyable book to read for those with the background knowledge; it takes a history of astrophysics approach.Really great book and I am scoring this book a perfect 5.

An Excellent Comprehensive Introduction to the subject..
This is an excellent introduction to Stellar Astrophysics, covering from the very start the essential concepts needed to undertake the subject, and gradually building up untill a nice introductory level is achieved. The book is well organized: divided into two blocks, starts by setting a solid basis upon which later presents the subject. In the first and introductory part, the essential astronomical concepts are explained, and in the second part the author gets into the actual Astrophysics of Stars. The book is pleasant on several levels;conceptually, coherently and aesthetically, all this while making use of a clear, straightforward matheticall formalism which is simple enough to follow.It is well suited for an introductory course at the undergraduate level, and one of the few books which actually bridges the gap between the high-level available pieces and the general public oriented literature on the subject. ... Read more

Product Description
This book is a valuable introduction to astrophysical plasmasand fluids for graduate students of astronomy preparing either for aresearch career in the field or just aspiring to achieve a decentdegree of familiarity with 99% of the cosmos.
The contents provide a true representation of the phenomenal diversityof dominant roles that plasmas and fluids play in the near and farreaches of the universe. The breadth of coverage of basic physicalprocesses is a particularly attractive feature of this textbook. Byfirst using the Liouville equation to derive the kinetic, thetwo-fluid and single-fluid, descriptions of a plasma and a fluid, andthen demonstrating the use of these descriptions for specificsituations in the rest of the book, the author has probably chosen themost efficient way of handling this large technical subject. The twomajor astrophysical issues, fluid or plasma configurations and theirradiative signatures, figure prominently throughout the book. Theproblems are designed to give the reader a feel for the quantitativeproperties of celestial objects. ... Read more

Product Description

The foundations are thoroughly developed together with the required mathematical background from differential geometry developed in Part III.

The author also discusses the tests of general relativity in detail, including binary pulsars, with much space is devoted to the study of compact objects, especially to neutron stars and to the basic laws of black-hole physics.

This well-structured text and reference enables readers to easily navigate through the various sections as best matches their backgrounds and perspectives, whether mathematical, physical or astronomical.

Very applications oriented, the text includes very recent results, such as the supermassive black-hole in our galaxy and first double pulsar system

Customer Reviews (1)

A Masterpiece
For the graduate student of physics or mathematics who has the requisite background in modern differential geometry, Straumann's text presents themost mathematically honest and thorough introduction to general relativity currently available in book form.This book is a masterpiece and belongs in the company of the classic books by Misner, Thorne and Wheeler, Penrose and Rindler, and Hawking and Ellis.

Potential readers must understand that there has been an uneasy truce between modern differential geometry and general relativity for nearly a century.While mathematicians developed the subject of Riemannian geometry along largely coordinate-free lines, reaching ever greater levels of abstraction and geometric insight, physicists continued to develop the related subject of semi-Riemannian (also called pseudo-Riemannian) geometry along coordinate-based lines, mired in complex index computations and the awkward notation that accompanies them.This is reflected in the Introduction to an excellent 1990 text on semi-Riemannian geometry in which the authors, explaining their choice of title, offer the semi-humorous lament, "Any possible title would mislead somebody.'Tensor Analysis' suggests to a mathematician an ungeometric, manipulative debauce of indices, with tensors ill-defined as 'quantities that transform according to' unspeakable formule."

Misner, Thorne and Wheeler introduced a generation of students to the power of modern, coordinate-free methods in general relativity in the early 1970s in their classic book "Gravitation," citing the wonderful book by Bishop and Goldberg as their standard reference forsemi-Riemannian geometry.Sadly, however, the modernization of the subject that MTW initiated did not seem to entirely catch on within the physics community.A number of very recent texts on general relativity have been printed in the past decade by highly reputable publishers, all written in an entirely index-based approach that was already becoming outdated and deficient over 30 years ago.The serious student of relativity already faces considerable challenges in mastering the formidable mathematical preliminaries to the subject;the work surely need not be compounded in difficulty by total reliance on obscure, unmotivated, index-based computational gymnastics. What students need is a thoroughly modern and enlightened introduction that teaches them to move comfortably and effortlessly between index-free and index-based approaches, permitting them to read and understand both the older and modern literature, both the physics and mathematical literature.

Straumann's book offers an introduction to general relativity that is completely modern in its approach to the mathematics.The final five chapters, covering roughly 100 pages, provide concise but readable introductions to basic manifold theory, Lie differentiation, differential forms and integration on manifolds, and the theory of affine connections (this latter does not provide an introduction as thorough as is found in volume 1 of Kobayashi and Nomizu---there simply is not room to study Ehresmann's approach to connections in this overview).Any student who has been fortunate enough to study the mathematical preliminaries from a modern treatment, such as Barrett O'Neill's wonderful Semi-Riemannian Geometry with Applications to Relativity, will be able to master the mathematical material in Straumann without undue stress.

One final piece of history to fully drive home the point. Richard Bishop and Barrett O'Neill introduced the notion of warped product manifolds to Riemannian geometry in the 1960s, providing one way of decomposing amanifold into two smaller and "simpler" parts.Beem and Ehrlich observed in 1982 that many of the well-known exact solutions to Einstein's equations are natural examples of warped products.The use of warped product formulas offers significant simplification of the analysis of these exact solutions.The use of warped products became central in O'Neill's 1983 book on semi-Riemannian geometry, and in Beem, Ehrlich and Easley's 1996 book on Global Lorentzian Geometry.Other authors have been slower to recognize and employ this powerful tool, and the reader will barely find warped products mentioned at all in modern texts on general relatitivy. In stark contrast, Straumann's book contains an entire section on warped products and makes full use of the simplifying formulas throughout:another sign of the progressive nature of the book.

I recommend this book in the strongest possible terms to all serious students of general relativity.If your background in differential geometry in inadequate, then I recommend purchasing O'Neill's book along with Straumann's as a packaged set.I view the O'Neill/Straumann pair as the current successors to the tradition begun by the Bishop and Goldberg/Misner, Thorne, and Wheeler books of an earlier era.

Dr. Straumann already updated this book in 2004 to a far more extensive second edition.We can only hope that as developments in our understanding of the large-scale structure of the universe progress through observational astronomy, Dr. Straumann will continue to update his book to include recent experimental and theoretical results.




... Read more

Product Description
Through use of a lecture-slide format, this book presents an astrophysics detective story that chronicles Jerome Drexler's literature search for astronomical clues and evidence to unveil the nature of dark matter.

There are a number of mysteries in astrophysics and cosmology that have remained unsolved for decades. What is dark matter? How exactly are stars created? In 1998, it was determined from supernova studies that the expansion of the Universe was accelerating, thereby creating the mystery of dark energy. Astrophysicists have developed mutually exclusive, single-phenomenon theories for each of these three phenomena, but not a unified theory for all three of them. The author's original goal was to identify dark matter, a decades-old mystery. In the process, he developed a new theory for dark matter and illuminated the nature of dark energy and the process of Sun formation.

Since dark matter may have been instrumental in the creation of galaxies and stars, the author decided to test his new dark matter theory on the formation of the Sun. The results were very encouraging.

He next sought a possible link between dark matter and the accelerating expansion of the Universe, which is attributed to the mysterious dark energy. Using his dark matter theory and the laws of physics, the author explained the accelerating expansion of the Universe in a plausible manner.

This book chronicles the author's search for a unified astrophysical theory and how it finally evolved. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

I agree with the other one-star reviewers
I have a PhD in cosmology, and I agree that this is pseudoscience, plain and simple.This author's ideas are all ruled out by the data.

Out of the Mainstream
This book presents a theory of dark energy that does not reflect mainstream thinking.Read THE EXTRAVAGANT UNIVERSE by Robert P. Kirshner for a more comprehensive and valid interpretation of dark energy and its relationship to dark matter.

Ellen Jackson, author
THE MYSTERIOUS UNIVERSE: SUPERNOVAE, DARK ENERGY, AND BLACK HOLES
(A book for young adults)

IF YOU WANT TO LEARN ABOUT ASTRONOMY AND COSMOLOGY DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK
I am a professional astronomer. I can tell you that there are serious problems with Jerome Drexler's theory and I agree strongly with the review given by JMK. For anyone interested in Cosmology, Dark Matter and Dark Energy, there are much better books out there, books that pain a picture of a more generally accepted theory.

Beware -- read skeptically
I am a professional astrophysicist, and regularly order books in my field from Amazon.I was dismayed to see this book automatically suggested to me as one I may be interested in, alongside astronomy books by actual scientists and reputable journalists.The format and promotional copy (not to mention the strikingly similar "customer" reviews) are enough to set off warning flags, and although I've only browsed the online excerpts, they contain a number of troubling errors.I must profess skepticism, to say the least, that further reading would leave me impressed by the author's novel theories of dark energy, star formation, or indeed his grasp of the basics of modern cosmology.

Feel free to buy this book and judge for yourself.But I would hate to see anyone purchase this, mistaking it for a fair introduction to the exciting and thriving field of modern cosmology.There are many excellent such popular introductions--I suggest Charles Seife's Alpha and Omega as one recent example, or books by Brian Greene, Alan Guth, or Martin Rees.

Beware of the e-version !!
At first I was happy to download this book.

But now, I find I am unable to read it on my upcoming vacation.

The publisher restricts my ability to print off a copy of it.

Having paid good money for it, I am restricted to printing 30 pages of this book every 30 days.

I had planned to print it double sided, so I only printed the Even pages, meaning I only printed 15 of the first 30 pages.And now the dadgum software won't let me back in for 30 days, even to print the Odd pages.

I can understand why you want to protect your investment, boys, but you have turned off one customer from eBooks.I can't loan the book to my friends, I can't take it on vacation with me, I can't read it under a tree, I can't take it from room to room.Pretty useless.

Buy it, but stay away from the e-version of it.A rip-off.

... Read more

Product Description
This second volume of a comprehensive three-volume work on theoretical astrophysics deals with stellar physics. After reviewing the key observational results and nomenclature used in stellar astronomy, the book develops a solid understanding of central concepts including stellar structure and evolution, the physics of stellar remnants, pulsars, binary stars, the sun and planetary systems, interstellar medium and globular clusters. Throughout, the reader's comprehension is developed and tested with more than seventy-five exercises.This indispensable volume will allow graduate students to master the material sufficiently to read and engage in research with heightened understanding.It can be used alone or in conjunction with Volume 1, which covers a wide range of astrophysical processes, and the forthcoming Volume 3, on galaxies and cosmology. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (5)

The "bible" of Galactic Dynamics
No review is really necessary. This book is *the* definitive reference for Galactic Dynamics.

You'll find it on the bookshelf of every astronomer alive (and I'm only marginally exaggerating here!). Five stars - there is no better Galactic Dynamics text.

Note, however, that this is *not* an introductory-level book, and is intended for graduate level astronomers and higher.

Galactic Dynamics
Not for the faint of heart.Well written, but very technical.Needs good math and physics background.

THE Definitive Work on Galaxies
Binney has cleary established Galactic Dynamics and its companion volume Galactic Astronomy as the definitive works on the subject. The NASA Astronomy Abstract Service lists 3411 citations for this book as of 12/2006 so it is clearly an important part of the literature of astrophysics.

This book is written at the graduate or researcher level. As it deals with the behavior of galaxies, potential theory, energy distribution, angular momentium and dark matter so the mathematics employed are quite powerful.

Please create an audio adaptation ...
To the publisher I would appreciate it if the publisher could produce an audio adaptation of this book. I would love to listen to this while I drive to work and to let my 16 month old son listen to it as a bedtime story.Arnold D Veness

The "Bible" of Galactic Dynamics
This book is a very well-known and widely used reference for students in extragalactic astrophysics and stellar dynamics. A solution manual for the problems would be highly welcomed. ... Read more

Product Description
This book assembles for the first time in a single text the full range of astronomical and engineering principles used in the design and construction of large telescopes. It aims to cover all aspects of the field, from the fundamentals of astronomical observation to optics, control systems, and structural, mechanical, and thermal engineering, as well as such specialized topics as site selection and program management. The book is the result of the collaboration of many leading astronomers, engineers, and project managers. Their contributions have been edited to provide a consistent approach and treatment: for example, ground- and space-based telescopes are treated from a common perspective.
Topics covered include:
- Design Methods and Project Management
- Telescope Optics
- Stray Light Control
- Structure and Mechanisms
- Pointing and Control
- Active and Adaptive Optics
- Thermal Control
- Integration and Verification
- Observatory Enclosure and Siting ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent book on large telescopes
Since I work for a privately held observatory engaged in the construction of a new telescope and facility, this book is extremely useful.I have found its treatment of all the subjects related to large telescopes very helpful and just the right level of depth for my situation. ... Read more

Product Description
Fully updated with data from space-based observations and a comprehensive index and bibliography, this third edition contains the most frequently used information in modern astrophysics. As well as a vast number of tables, graphs, diagrams and formulae it also contains information covering topics including atomic physics, nuclear physics, relativity, plasma physics, electromagnetism, mathematics, probability and statistics, and geophysics. This handbook will be an essential reference for graduate students, researchers and professionals working in astronomy and the space sciences. A website containing extensive supplementary information and databases can be found at www.cambridge.org/9780521782425. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A great reference book
This is the third edition of Zombeck's excellent handbook - and it was long overdue.It is an invaluable resource for students and academics in the field of space science and astrophysics.The layout is clean and information is easy to find.As well as covering all the standard topics one might expect in such a book, there are some interesting extras such as permissible raditation doses.Be warned though, there are relatively few explanations in here so it is not a book for the general public - you really have to know the subject matter.

A reference for modern Space Scientists
This book is meant to be like the C.R.C.
Mathematics Tables that many of us have carried since high school.
Starting with fundamentals constants it presents values and equations
necessary for calculations in astronomical science
and ends with information on space delivery systems available at the time of printing.
Every college library connected with an astronomy program should have this reference on it's shelves. ... Read more

Product Description
A unified and systematic treatment of the main results and techniques of relativistic fluid dynamics with an emphasis on waves and shock waves. The first four chapters provide an introduction to the fundamental principles of relativistic fluid dynamics and magneto-fluids.The remaining chapters present specific topics, including non-linear electromagnetic waves in relativistic cold plasmas, relativistic asymptotic waves, and relativistic shock waves.Examples of the applications of the theory to plasma physics, nuclear physics and astrophysics are presented. ... Read more

Product Description
Presented in two volumes, The Physics of Astrophysics is ideally suited for a year-long astrophysics course for university seniors and first-year graduate students. This second volume deals with the interactions of matter and radiation, and electromagnetic fields of macroscopic scale in both the strongly collisional and collisionless regimes. It covers such fields as single-fluid theory, including radiative processes; waves, shocks, and fronts; magnetohydrodynamics and plasma physics; as well as their applications to such topics as self-gravitating spherical masses, accretion disks, spiral density waves, star formation, and dynamo theory. Over two hundred photos, line drawings, and tables amplify the major points of the text. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent
I was very dissapointed to see a rating on this book of only two little stars, so I've decided to express my opinion as well, for I believe this book deserves a much better qualification.The book gives an excellent overview in many of the most important aspects of the theory of gasdynamics as applied to astrophysics. The clarity with which the authorexpresses the underlying physical phenomena is amazing. You even find it"easy" the way in which fluid equations are deduced by taking thedifferent momenta of the statistical distribution function of the fluid, orwhy a supersonic flow governed by a hyperbolic PDE is converted to asubsonic one governed by an elliptic PDE after passage through a shock wavein the stationary case. It's true that it doesn't go into too much detail;if it would, the book should have been at least of the size of the"Gravitation" (by Misner, Thorne and Wheeler) and it wouldn'teasily fit anywhere. However, the references to excellent books on all thetouched subjects have been meticulously selected and should be consulted byanyone interested in expanding the knowledge on any specific topic of theones covered by the book. And for your curiosity, if you want to knowwhether Mr. Shu is a competent astrophysicist or not, just go to theAstronomical Data Service online and search for his name. You'll discover quite a big number of high quality papers on different subjects... ... Read more

Product Description
The field of astrophysics is in the midst of a technologically driven renaissance, as fundamental discoveries are being made with astonishing frequency. In the last decade, new detectors in space, on earth, and deep underground have, when coupled with the computational power of modern computers, revolutionized our knowledge and understanding of the astronomical world. This is a great time for a student of any age to become acquainted with the remarkable universe in which we live. This volume is a collection of essays, originally presented orally to a diverse group of students and professionals, which reveal the most fertile areas for future study of astronomy and astrophysics. The emphasis of this work is on the clear description of the current state of our knowledge as a preparation for the future unraveling of the mysteries of the universe that appear today as most fundamental and most amenable to solution.

A stellar group of astronomers and astrophysicists describes the directions and styles of work that they think are most likely to lead to progress. Bibliographical notes at the end of each presentation provide guidance for the reader who wishes to go more deeply into a given subject. Unsolved Problems in Astrophysics is a uniquely stimulating introduction to some of the most important topics in modern astrophysics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good book on a wealth of topics
This book provides a great amount of information on a wide variety of hot topics in contemporary astronomy, such as cosmology, AGNs, GRBs, and dark matter.My only complaint is that the material does tend to slant towardsextragalactic astronomy.However, otherwise the material is extremelyuseful for someone looking for fresh material to work on.The referencesalso provided within are great.The reading level is also easy, and isprobably similar to Scientific American or Sky & Telescope.

the information contained therein is accurate and readable!
As far as I have been able to see with cross-referencing and my own checks and double-checks, the information in this publication is accurate.The layman ought be able to understand it with minimal effort.Very readable. ... Read more

Product Description

This book contains the expanded lecture notes of the 32nd Saas-Fee Advanced Course. The three contributions present the central themes in modern research on the cold universe, ranging from cold objects at large distances to the physics of dust in cold clouds.

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Towards the second half of this decade several major telescope facilities operating in the infrared submillimeter and millimeter wave bands will become operational. These missions are expected to throw much light on our understanding of the the star formation phenomenon, which is addressed as one of the primary science goals in these wave bands. This book is the proceedings of the "Cores to Clusters" workshop held at Centro de Astrofisica da Universidade do Porto during 7 - 9 October, 2004 to discuss current and future issues in star formation physics in the light of these Next Generation Telescopes.

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The recent years have seen breathtaking progress in technology, especially in the receiver and digital technologies relevant for radio astronomy, which has at the same time advanced to shorter wavelengths.

This is the updated and completely revised 5th edition of the most used introductory text in radio astronomy. It presents a unified treatment of the entire field from centimeter to sub-millimeter wavelengths. Topics covered include instruments, sensitivity considerations, observational methods and interpretations of the data recorded with both single dishes and interferometers. This text is useful to both students and experienced practicing astronomers. Besides making major updates and additions throughout the book, the authors have re-organized a number of chapters to more clearly separate basic theory from rapidly evolving practical aspects.

Further, problem sets have been added at the end of each chapter.

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A "must have" for RA. business
this is one of the fundamental books you have to have in your library... if you are a "Radio Astronomy" guy (Engineer, astronomer,etc). However sometimes it can be a little bit complex (compared to its newest 5th edition), but still an excellent book.

One of the best introductions to the field
Although Rohlfs and Wilson have only made perfunctory changesbetween this and the previous edition of the book, it still stands asone of the best introductions to the field of radio astronomy.It still doesn't cover some topics (such as calibration techniques) as well as I would have liked, and Kraus' _Radio Astronomy_ (2e) does a better job (IMHO) on the mathematical details as well as specific applications.Because of its length, the topics of millimeter and submillimeter astronomy are not covered in as much as centimeter wavelengths.However despite all this, the book is highly readable for a student in the field, and is invaluable to have on one's bookshelf, or even to take observing (for those who only dabble in radio astronomy). ... Read more

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There are several textbooks available on solar astronomy which deal with advanced astrophysical aspects of solar physics, and books which provide very elementary knowledge about the Sun. This book will help to bridge the gap. It aims to stimulate interest in solar astronomy, presenting at one place the basic methods and techniques used in the field, together with the latest findings and the excitement in solar physics. As solar astronomy is becoming very popular among amateur astronomers and laymen, the book provides the practical knowledge to build simple solar telescopes and other equipment for making solar observations. Amateur astronomers have made important contributions to solar astronomy, and this book will help to guide them in their endeavours. The book can also serve as a text for undergraduate and graduate students starting out on solar physics. Using it, graduate students can easily embark on specific topics of research in solar astronomy. ... Read more

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Not very enlightening
Very involved concepts discussed by experts. This is a textbook for advanced students. I just wanted more information on the Sun while using my small H-alpha telescope. Too deep for me!

Ideal for the Advanced Amateur
The Sun, our closest star, has been studied for centuries. Stonehenge, built around 5,000 years ago is basically a solar observatory.

This book is mainly addressed to those who are starting to study the Sun either as amateurs or professionals. Although this book is by professionals and is used as a text for upper level undergraduate and graduate level classes, it stresses the work being done by amateurs with very small telescopes.

This book is positioned between the very elementary level books and the advanced astrophysical texts. It is obviously written as a labor of love. The two authors have almost a century of experience between them. They have spent their working careers studying the sun. They talk about everything from the early myths to the latest scientific findings. Equipment from building your own to the new SOLAR-B satellite planned for launch in September of 2006. (Actually the book says August 2005, but it's been delayed.)

This book is an excellent introduction to the interested reader. ... Read more

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This book investigates the question of how matter has evolved since its origin in the Big Bang, from the cosmological synthesis of hydrogen and helium to the generation of the complex set of nuclei that comprise our world and our selves. A central theme is the evolution of gravitationally contained thermonuclear reactors, otherwise known as stars. Our current understanding is presented systematically and quantitatively, by combining simple analytic models with new state-of-the-art computer simulations.

The narrative begins with the clues (primarily the solar system abundance pattern), the constraining physics (primarily nuclear and particle physics), and the thermonuclear burning in the Big Bang itself. It continues with a step-by-step description of how stars evolve by nuclear reactions, a critical investigation of supernova explosion mechanisms and the formation of neutron stars and of black holes, and an analysis of how such explosions appear to astronomers (illustrated by comparison with recent observations). It concludes with a synthesis of these ideas for galactic evolution, with implications for nucleosynthesis in the first generation of stars and for the solar system abundance pattern. Emphasis is given to questions that remain open, and to active research areas that bridge the disciplines of astronomy, cosmochemistry, physics, and planetary and space science. Extensive references are given. ... Read more

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A must for graduate students
"Supernovae and Nucleosynthesis" is not a textbook, but it is extremely useful for astronomy students, especially in stellar and chemical evolution. There are lots of formulae, tables and figures, helping tounderstand the basics of synthesis and evolution of nuclei in our Cosmos.The thermonuclear reactions are well-explained, but less emphasis was takenin chemical evolution (especially in the observational part). In some partsis similar to the classic stellar evolution textbook by Clayton, but withupdate material. This book is a must for any astronomy library, seriousstudents and professional astronomers. ... Read more

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