Product Description

This focused, advanced undergraduate text provides broad coverage of astronomy and astrophysics with a strong emphasis on physics. Many researchers, faculty, and graduate students use this book as a reference. This text has an algebra and trigonometry prerequisite, but calculus is preferred. Features: * "Concept Applications" are fully worked-out, in-chapter problems that focus on an important concept found within that chapter. * "Key Equations and Concepts" neatly summarize the important equations and concepts found in each chapter. New to this edition: * Many new problems have been added, most 3rd Edition problems remain. * Physics Prelude serves as preview and preorganizer of the physics at a level appropriate to the book and the course. * Reorganization of Part 3--Chapters on stellar evolution are now consecutive. * Key new astronomical material further enhances the text. * "Hale-Bopp Comet Update" has been added after Chapter 26.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #57524 in Books
• Published on: 1997-08-21
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 672 pages

Customer Reviews

The book to get for 1st and 2nd year Astrophysics students
If you are doing a degree in Astrophysics or Astronomy and want a book that is going to last and provide a broad knowledge of astronomy and will last throughout your degree, this is a book to get. If you want pretty pictures and hand-wavy explanations and descriptions, get another book. If you want a bit a detail, and some solid (but not complicated) mathematical background to help understand the astrophysics presented more deeply, this book does a good job. It provides nice simple mathematical models for otherwise complicated processes such as stellar structure, planetary physics and galactic astronomy. It also has some useful appendicies with those easy-to-forget astronomical constants and numbers you need for homeworks. I bought this in the first year of my undergraduate degree, and I am still using it during my PhD. What more can I say?

Great book, maybe not the answer to your seminar prayers tho
This is a great book. I was recommended it for my course (physics with astrophysics) and as a first year have found it very useful in the more specific areas of study. Having said that, it gives a great overview of the subject matter. It is clearly set out in an easy to follow manner, and the information is understandable! (not a mean feat for astro books!). I would certainly recommend this book to anyone doing any space science/astronomy degree, and even to the informed reader who simply wants to learn more. A good understanding of physics is a must though (gcse-alevel) as it will not teach you ALL the fundementals. Really helpful, but don't expect it to simply dish out the answers to those seminar questions...

Really good undergraduate text
This was the recommended text some of the lecture courses in my Physics with Astronomy degree, and I have to say that I've returned to it time and time again.

Everything is explained clearly and all of the background knowledge you need to tackle a problem is given. It can be a bit daunting to a first-year undergraduate, although it will prove invaluable in second and third year - but in saying that, some more advanced concepts are not always developed as fully as you would expect.

All in all though - an excellent book, and a great complement to Carroll & Ostlie or Binney & Merrifield for more advanced stuff.