Fraknoi A., Morrison D., Wolff S.C. Astronomy

OpenStax. — Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA, 2016. — 1200 p. — ISBN13: 9781938168284.Welcome to Astronomy, an OpenStax resource. This textbook was written to increase student access to highquality learning materials, maintaining highest standards of academic rigor at little to no cost.
Astronomy is designed to meet the scope and sequence requirements of one- or two-semester introductory astronomy courses. The book begins with relevant scientific fundamentals and progresses through an exploration of the solar system, stars, galaxies, and cosmology. The Astronomy textbook builds student understanding through the use of relevant analogies, clear and non-technical explanations, and rich illustrations. Mathematics is included in a flexible manner to meet the needs of individual instructors.About OpenStax
About OpenStax resources
About Astronomy
Additional resources
About the authors
Science and the Universe: A Brief Tour
The Nature of Astronomy
The Nature of Science
The Laws of Nature
Numbers in Astronomy
Consequences of Light Travel Time
A Tour of the Universe
The Universe on the Large Scale
The Universe of the Very Small
A Conclusion and a Beginning
Observing the Sky: The Birth of Astronomy
The Sky Above
Ancient Astronomy
Astrology and Astronomy
The Birth of Modern AstronomyOrbits and Gravity
The Laws of Planetary Motion
Newton’s Great Synthesis
Newton’s Universal Law of Gravitation
Orbits in the Solar System
Motions of Satellites and Spacecraft
Gravity with More Than Two BodiesEarth, Moon, and Sky
Earth and Sky
The Seasons
Keeping Time
The Calendar
Phases and Motions of the Moon
Ocean Tides and the Moon
Eclipses of the Sun and MoonRadiation and Spectra
The Behavior of Light
The Electromagnetic Spectrum
Spectroscopy in Astronomy
The Structure of the Atom
Formation of Spectral Lines
The Doppler EffectAstronomical Instruments
Telescopes
Telescopes Today
Visible-Light Detectors and Instruments
Radio Telescopes
Observations outside Earth’s Atmosphere
The Future of Large TelescopesOther Worlds: An Introduction to the Solar System
Overview of Our Planetary System
Composition and Structure of Planets
Dating Planetary Surfaces
Origin of the Solar SystemEarth as a Planet
The Global Perspective
Earth’s Crust
Earth’s Atmosphere
Life, Chemical Evolution, and Climate Change
Cosmic Influences on the Evolution of EarthCratered Worlds
General Properties of the Moon
The Lunar Surface
Impact Craters
The Origin of the Moon
MercuryEarthlike Planets: Venus and Mars
The Nearest Planets: An Overview
The Geology of Venus
The Massive Atmosphere of Venus
The Geology of Mars
Water and Life on Mars
Divergent Planetary EvolutionThe Giant Planets
Exploring the Outer Planets
The Giant Planets
Atmospheres of the Giant PlanetsRings, Moons, and Pluto
Ring and Moon Systems Introduced
The Galilean Moons of Jupiter
Titan and Triton
Pluto and Charon
Planetary RingsComets and Asteroids: Debris of the Solar System
Asteroids
Asteroids and Planetary Defense
The “Long-Haired” Comets
The Origin and Fate of Comets and Related ObjectsCosmic Samples and the Origin of the Solar System
Meteors
Meteorites: Stones from Heaven
Formation of the Solar System
Comparison with Other Planetary Systems
Planetary EvolutionThe Sun: A Garden-Variety Star
The Structure and Composition of the Sun
The Solar Cycle
Solar Activity above the Photosphere
Space WeatherThe Sun: A Nuclear Powerhouse
Sources of Sunshine: Thermal and Gravitational Energy
Mass, Energy, and the Theory of Relativity
The Solar Interior: Theory
The Solar Interior: ObservationsAnalyzing Starlight
The Brightness of Stars
Colors of Stars
The Spectra of Stars (and Brown Dwarfs)
Using Spectra to Measure Stellar Radius, Composition, and MotionThe Stars: A Celestial Census
A Stellar Census
Measuring Stellar Masses
Diameters of Stars
The H–R DiagramCelestial Distances
Fundamental Units of Distance
Surveying the Stars
Variable Stars: One Key to Cosmic Distances
The H–R Diagram and Cosmic DistancesBetween the Stars: Gas and Dust in Space
The Interstellar Medium
Interstellar Gas
Cosmic Dust
Cosmic Rays
The Life Cycle of Cosmic Material
Interstellar Matter around the SunThe Birth of Stars and the Discovery of Planets outside the Solar System
Star Formation
The H–R Diagram and the Study of Stellar Evolution
Evidence That Planets Form around Other Stars
Planets beyond the Solar System: Search and Discovery
Exoplanets Everywhere: What We Are Learning
New Perspectives on Planet FormationStars from Adolescence to Old Age
Evolution from the Main Sequence to Red Giants
Star Clusters
Checking Out the Theory
Further Evolution of Stars
The Evolution of More Massive StarsThe Death of Stars
The Death of Low-Mass Stars
Evolution of Massive Stars: An Explosive Finish
Supernova Observations
Pulsars and the Discovery of Neutron Stars
The Evolution of Binary Star Systems
The Mystery of the Gamma-Ray BurstsBlack Holes and Curved Spacetime
Introducing General Relativity
Spacetime and Gravity
Tests of General Relativity
Time in General Relativity
Black Holes
Evidence for Black Holes
Gravitational Wave AstronomyThe Milky Way Galaxy
The Architecture of the Galaxy
Spiral Structure
The Mass of the Galaxy
The Center of the Galaxy
Stellar Populations in the Galaxy
The Formation of the GalaxyGalaxies
The Discovery of Galaxies
Types of Galaxies
Properties of Galaxies
The Extragalactic Distance Scale
The Expanding UniverseActive Galaxies, Quasars, and Supermassive Black Holes
Quasars
Supermassive Black Holes: What Quasars Really Are
Quasars as Probes of Evolution in the UniverseThe Evolution and Distribution of Galaxies
Observations of Distant Galaxies
Galaxy Mergers and Active Galactic Nuclei
The Distribution of Galaxies in Space
The Challenge of Dark Matter
The Formation and Evolution of Galaxies and Structure in the UniverseThe Big Bang
The Age of the Universe
A Model of the Universe
The Beginning of the Universe
The Cosmic Microwave Background
What Is the Universe Really Made Of?
The Inflationary Universe
The Anthropic PrincipleLife in the Universe
The Cosmic Context for Life
Astrobiology
Searching for Life beyond Earth
The Search for Extraterrestrial IntelligenceAppendix A How to Study for an Introductory Astronomy Class
Appendix B Astronomy Websites, Images, and Apps
Websites for Exploring Astronomy in General
Selected Websites for Viewing and Downloading Astronomical Images
Astronomy Apps for Smartphones and Tablets
Appendix C Scientific Notation
Writing Large Numbers
Writing Small Numbers
Multiplication and Division
Exercises
Answers
Appendix D Units Used in Science
Length
Mass
Temperature
Appendix E Some Useful Constants for Astronomy
Appendix F Physical and Orbital Data for the Planets
Appendix G Selected Moons of the Planets
Appendix H Future Total Eclipses
Future Total Solar Eclipses
Future Total Lunar Eclipses
Additional Resources
Appendix I The Nearest Stars, Brown Dwarfs, and White Dwarfs
Appendix J The Brightest Twenty Stars
Appendix K The Chemical Elements
Appendix L The Constellations
Appendix M Star Chart and Sky Event Resources
Star Charts
Calendars of Night Sky Events