Fundamental astronomy

Description

Fundamental Astronomy Preface to the Sixth Edition Preface to the First Edition Contents Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1 Celestial Objects 1.2 The Role of Astronomy 1.3 Astronomical Objects of Research 1.4 The Scale of the Universe Chapter 2: Spherical Astronomy 2.1 Spherical Trigonometry 2.2 The Earth 2.3 The Celestial Sphere 2.4 The Horizontal System 2.5 The Equatorial System 2.6 Rising and Setting Times 2.7 The Ecliptic System 2.8 The Galactic Coordinates 2.9 Perturbations of Coordinates 2.10 Positional Astronomy 2.11 Constellations 2.12 Star Catalogues and Maps 2.13 Sidereal and Solar Time 2.14 Astronomical Time Systems 2.15 Calendars 2.16 Examples 2.17 Exercises Chapter 3: Observations and Instruments 3.1 Observing Through the Atmosphere 3.2 Optical Telescopes 3.3 Detectors and Instruments 3.4 Radio Telescopes 3.5 Other Wavelength Regions 3.6 Other Forms of Energy 3.7 Examples 3.8 Exercises Chapter 4: Photometric Concepts and Magnitudes 4.1 Intensity, Flux Density and Luminosity 4.2 Apparent Magnitudes 4.3 Magnitude Systems 4.4 Absolute Magnitudes 4.5 Extinction and Optical Thickness 4.6 Examples 4.7 Exercises Chapter 5: Radiation Mechanisms 5.1 Radiation of Atoms and Molecules 5.2 The Hydrogen Atom 5.3 Line Profiles 5.4 Quantum Numbers, Selection Rules, Population Numbers 5.5 Molecular Spectra 5.6 Continuous Spectra 5.7 Blackbody Radiation 5.8 Temperatures 5.9 Other Radiation Mechanisms 5.10 Radiative Transfer 5.11 Examples 5.12 Exercises Chapter 6: Celestial Mechanics 6.1 Equations of Motion 6.2 Solution of the Equation of Motion 6.3 Equation of the Orbit and Kepler's First Law 6.4 Orbital Elements 6.5 Kepler's Second and Third Law 6.6 Systems of Several Bodies 6.7 Orbit Determination 6.8 Position in the Orbit 6.9 Escape Velocity 6.10 Virial Theorem 6.11 The Jeans Limit 6.12 Examples 6.13 Exercises Chapter 7: The Solar System 7.1 Classification of Objects 7.2 Planetary Configurations 7.3 Orbit of the Earth and Visibility of the Sun 7.4 The Orbit of the Moon 7.5 Eclipses and Occultations 7.6 The Structure and Surfaces of Planets 7.7 Atmospheres and Magnetospheres 7.8 Albedos 7.9 Photometry, Polarimetry and Spectroscopy 7.10 Thermal Radiation of the Planets 7.11 Origin of the Solar System 7.12 Nice Models 7.13 Examples 7.14 Exercises Chapter 8: Objects of the Solar System 8.1 Mercury 8.2 Venus 8.3 The Earth and the Moon 8.4 Mars 8.5 Jupiter 8.6 Saturn 8.7 Uranus 8.8 Neptune 8.9 Dwarf Planets 8.10 Minor Bodies 8.11 Asteroids 8.12 Comets 8.13 Meteoroids 8.14 Interplanetary Dust and Other Particles 8.15 Examples 8.16 Exercises Chapter 9: Stellar Spectra 9.1 Measuring Spectra 9.2 The Harvard Spectral Classification 9.3 The Yerkes Spectral Classification 9.4 Peculiar Spectra 9.5 The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram 9.6 Model Atmospheres 9.7 What Do the Observations Tell Us? 9.8 Exercise Chapter 10: Binary Stars and Stellar Masses 10.1 Visual Binaries 10.2 Astrometric Binary Stars 10.3 Spectroscopic Binaries 10.4 Photometric Binary Stars 10.5 Examples 10.6 Exercises Chapter 11: Stellar Structure 11.1 Internal Equilibrium Conditions 11.2 Physical State of the Gas 11.3 Stellar Energy Sources 11.4 Stellar Models 11.5 Examples 11.6 Exercises Chapter 12: Stellar Evolution 12.1 Evolutionary Time Scales 12.2 The Contraction of Stars Towards the Main Sequence 12.3 The Main Sequence Phase 12.4 The Giant Phase 12.5 The Final Stages of Evolution 12.6 The Evolution of Close Binary Stars 12.7 Comparison with Observations 12.8 The Origin of the Elements 12.9 Example 12.10 Exercises Chapter 13: The Sun 13.1 Internal Structure 13.2 The Atmosphere 13.3 Solar Activity 13.4 Solar Wind and Space Weather 13.5 Example 13.6 Exercises Chapter 14: Variable Stars 14.1 Classification 14.2 Pulsating Variables 14.3 Eruptive Variables 14.4 Supernovae 14.5 Examples 14.6 Exercises Chapter 15: Compact Stars 15.1 White Dwarfs 15.2 Neutron Stars 15.3 Black Holes 15.4 X-ray Binaries 15.5 Examples 15.6 Exercises Chapter 16: The Interstellar Medium 16.1 Interstellar Dust 16.2 Interstellar Gas 16.3 Interstellar Molecules 16.4 The Formation of Protostars 16.5 Planetary Nebulae 16.6 Supernova Remnants 16.7 The Hot Corona of the Milky Way 16.8 Cosmic Rays and the Interstellar Magnetic Field 16.9 Examples 16.10 Exercises Chapter 17: Star Clusters and Associations 17.1 Associations 17.2 Open Star Clusters 17.3 Globular Star Clusters 17.4 Example 17.5 Exercises Chapter 18: The Milky Way 18.1 Methods of Distance Measurement 18.2 Stellar Statistics 18.3 The Rotation of the Milky Way 18.4 Structural Components of the Milky Way 18.5 The Formation and Evolution of the Milky Way 18.6 Examples 18.7 Exercises Chapter 19: Galaxies 19.1 The Classification of Galaxies 19.2 Luminosities and Masses 19.3 Galactic Structures 19.4 Dynamics of Galaxies 19.5 Stellar Ages and Element Abundances in Galaxies 19.6 Systems of Galaxies 19.7 Active Galaxies and Quasars 19.8 The Origin and Evolution of Galaxies 19.9 Exercises Chapter 20: Cosmology 20.1 Cosmological Observations 20.2 The Cosmological Principle 20.3 Homogeneous and Isotropic Universes 20.4 The Friedmann Models 20.5 Cosmological Tests 20.6 History of the Universe 20.7 The Formation of Structure 20.8 The Future of the Universe 20.9 Examples 20.10 Exercises Chapter 21: Astrobiology 21.1 What Is Life? 21.2 Chemistry of Life 21.3 Prerequisites of Life 21.4 Hazards 21.5 Origin of Life 21.6 Are We Martians? 21.7 Life in the Solar System 21.8 Detecting Life 21.9 SETI-Detecting Intelligent Life 21.10 Number of Civilisations 21.11 Exercises Chapter 22: Exoplanets 22.1 Other Planetary Systems 22.2 Observational Methods 22.3 Properties of Exoplanets 22.4 Exercises Appendix A: Mathematics A.1 Geometry A.2 Conic Sections A.3 Taylor Series A.4 Vector Calculus A.5 Matrices A.6 Multiple Integrals A.7 Numerical Solution of an Equation Appendix B: Theory of Relativity B.1 Basic Concepts B.2 Lorentz Transformation. Minkowski Space B.3 General Relativity B.4 Tests of General Relativity Appendix C: Tables Answers to Exercises Further Reading Photograph Credits Colour Supplement Index