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Preface  (Page 2/4)

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Coverage and scope

Astronomy was written, updated, and reviewed by a broad range of astronomers and astronomy educators in a strong community effort. It is designed to meet scope and sequence requirements of introductory astronomy courses nationwide.

  • Chapter 1: Science and the Universe: A Brief Tour
  • Chapter 2: Observing the Sky: The Birth of Astronomy
  • Chapter 3: Orbits and Gravity
  • Chapter 4: Earth, Moon, and Sky
  • Chapter 5: Radiation and Spectra
  • Chapter 6: Astronomical Instruments
  • Chapter 7: Other Worlds: An Introduction to the Solar System
  • Chapter 8: Earth as a Planet
  • Chapter 9: Cratered Worlds
  • Chapter 10: Earthlike Planets: Venus and Mars
  • Chapter 11: The Giant Planets
  • Chapter 12: Rings, Moons, and Pluto
  • Chapter 13: Comets and Asteroids: Debris of the Solar System
  • Chapter 14: Cosmic Samples and the Origin of the Solar System
  • Chapter 15: The Sun: A Garden-Variety Star
  • Chapter 16: The Sun: A Nuclear Powerhouse
  • Chapter 17: Analyzing Starlight
  • Chapter 18: The Stars: A Celestial Census
  • Chapter 19: Celestial Distances
  • Chapter 20: Between the Stars: Gas and Dust in Space
  • Chapter 21: The Birth of Stars and the Discovery of Planets outside the Solar System
  • Chapter 22: Stars from Adolescence to Old Age
  • Chapter 23: The Death of Stars
  • Chapter 24: Black Holes and Curved Spacetime
  • Chapter 25: The Milky Way Galaxy
  • Chapter 26: Galaxies
  • Chapter 27: Active Galaxies, Quasars, and Supermassive Black Holes
  • Chapter 28: The Evolution and Distribution of Galaxies
  • Chapter 29: The Big Bang
  • Chapter 30: Life in the Universe
  • Appendix A: How to Study for Your Introductory Astronomy Course
  • Appendix B: Astronomy Websites, Pictures, and Apps
  • Appendix C: Scientific Notation
  • Appendix D: Units Used in Science
  • 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: Upcoming Total Eclipses
  • 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 Charts and Sky Event Resources

Currency and accuracy

Astronomy has information and images from the New Horizons exploration of Pluto, the discovery of gravitational waves, the Rosetta Mission to Comet C-G, and many other recent projects in astronomy. The discussion of exoplanets has been updated with recent information—indicating not just individual examples, but trends in what sorts of planets seem to be most common. Black holes receive their own chapter, and the role of supermassive black holes in active galaxies and galaxy evolution is clearly explained. Chapters have been reviewed by subject-matter experts for accuracy and currency.

Flexibility

Because there are many different ways to teach introductory astronomy, we have made the text as flexible as we could. Math examples are shown in separate sections throughout, so that you can leave out the math or require it as you deem best. Each section of a chapter treats a different aspect of the topic being covered; a number of sections could be omitted in shorter overview courses and can be included where you need more depth. And, as we have already discussed, you can customize the book in a variety of ways that have never been possible in traditional textbooks.

Questions & Answers

how does the planets on our solar system orbit
cheten Reply
how many Messier objects are there in space
satish Reply
did you g8ve certificate
Richard Reply
what are astronomy
Issan Reply
Astronomy (from Ancient Greek ἀστρονομία (astronomía) 'science that studies the laws of the stars') is a natural science that studies celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and evolution.
Rafael
vjuvu
Elgoog
what is big bang theory?
Rosemary
what type of activity astronomer do?
Rosemary
No
Richard
the big bang theory is a theory which states that all matter was compressed together in one place the matter got so unstable it exploded releasing All its contents in the form of hydrogen
Roaul
I want to be an astronomer. That's my dream
Astrit
Who named the the whole galaxy?
Shola Reply
solar Univers
GPOWER
what is space
Richard
what is the dark matter
Richard
what are the factors upon which the atmosphere is stratified
Nicholas Reply
is the big bang the sun
Folakemi Reply
no
Sokak
bigbang is the beginning of the universe
Sokak
but thats just a theory
Sokak
nothing will happen, don't worry brother.
Vansh
what does comet means
GANGAIN Reply
these are Rocky substances between mars and jupiter
GANGAIN
Comets are cosmic snowballs of frozen gases , rock and dust that orbit the sun. They are mostly found between the orbits of Venus and Mercury.
Aarya
hllo
John
hi
John
qt rrt
John
r u there
John
hey can anyone guide me abt international astronomy olympiad
sahil
how can we learn right and true ?
Govinda Reply
why the moon is always appear in an elliptical shape
Gatjuol Reply
Because when astroid hit the Earth then a piece of elliptical shape of the earth was separated which is now called moon.
Hemen
what's see level?
lidiya Reply
Did you mean eye sight or sea level
Minal
oh sorry it's sea level
lidiya
according to the theory of astronomers why the moon is always appear in an elliptical orbit?
Gatjuol
hi !!! I am new in astronomy.... I have so many questions in mind .... all of scientists of the word they just give opinion only. but they never think true or false ... i respect all of them... I believes whole universe depending on true ...থিউরি
Govinda
hello
Jackson
hi
Elyana
we're all stars and galaxies a part of sun. how can science prove thx with respect old ancient times picture or books..or anything with respect to present time .but we r a part of that universe
Reply
w astronomy and cosmology!
Michele
another theory of universe except big ban
Albash Reply
how was universe born
Asmit Reply
there many theory to born universe but what is the reality of big bang theory to born universe
Asmit
what is the exact value of π?
Nagalakshmi
by big bang
universal
there are many theories regarding this it's on you believe any theory that you think is true ex. eternal inflation theory, oscillation model theory, multiple universe theory the big bang theory etc.
Aarya
I think after Big Bang!
Michele
from where on earth could u observe all the stars during the during the course of an year
Karuna Reply
I think it couldn't possible on earth
Nagalakshmi
in this time i don't Know
Michele
is that so. the question was in the end of this chapter
Karuna
in theory, you could see them all from the equator (though over the course of a year, not at pne time). stars are measured in "declination", which is how far N or S of the equator (90* to -90*). Polaris is the North star, and is ALMOST 90* (+89*). So it would just barely creep over the horizon.
Christopher
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Source:  OpenStax, Astronomy. OpenStax CNX. Apr 12, 2017 Download for free at http://cnx.org/content/col11992/1.13
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