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The Cosmos: Astronomy in the New Millennium (with AceAstronomyâ„¢, Virtual Astronomy Labs Printed Access Card) By Jay M. PasachoffAlex Filippenko ( Brooks Cole )
Release Date: 2006-03-03
Average Customer Rating:
List Price: $147.95
Price: $133.15
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Product Description
Jay Pasachoff and Alex Filippenko combine extensive research experience, teaching experience, and textbook-writing experience to offer a book that is unparalleled in its ability to present the latest science in a way that students can understand. This brief, beautifully illustrated text – one of the briefest available for the course – offers concise coverage of a wide range of astronomical topics. The authors have struck a balance between the fundamental concepts and the exciting topics at the forefront of astronomy, conveying the spirit of contemporary astronomy within a big picture context. The authors emphasize the central theme of origins in this text, first by singling out specifics in the headings of each chapter and then by dealing with a variety of relevant material in the text itself. An early discussion of the scientific method stresses an importance on the verification of observations, and sets the stage for the text's consistent focus on astronomy as a science.
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 Wonderful Book
Professor Pasachoff's completed work titled "A Concise Guide to the Solar System" was deemed unfit to publish by Harvard University Press. Harvard's expert prepublication reviewer, a formost planetary scientist, reported that it contained many large and small mistakes and so many mistaken ideas on planetary science. He described the manuscript as "misbegotten" and "beyond repair.
Shortly thereafter, Dr. Pasachoff's contract for a work titled "Astronomy" which was three years late was summarily cancelled by Harvard University Press.
The Solar System Guide used as its source for some of its factual information Professor Pasachoff's "Astronmy: From the Earth to the University" so there exists the posibility this this book is similarly filled with many mistaken ideas and large mistakes. I would recommend comparing books to determine which is the most accurate before buying an astronomy book like this.
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 Wonderful Text!
This is an excellent textbook for beginning astronomy students and for people who want to explore the Cosmos on their own. It's full of helpful illustrations, and the font is clear and easy to read. End-of-chapter questions truly make the reader explore the information in further detail. The list of Messier Objects in the appendix is useful as well.
Our local community college uses this book as a textbook for two astronomy classes. The Professor believes it to be more approachable for average students taking college transfer science courses --the students who WILL NOT become astro-physicists! LOL
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Great - Simply Great ( newbooksinprint )
As I look at a beautiful new astronomy book like this one, I am reminded of Galileo who was sentenced to be shown the implements of torture and then confined under house arrest for the remainder of his life for publishing that the sun went around the earth rather than the other way around. Galileo's first telescope was probably about eight power, about standard these days for binoculars.
Today with the advanced state of even inexpensive commercial telescopes, CCDs and advanced software which can be processed quite easily on the very powerful home computers fo today, the home astronomer is up to about where the pros were a dozen or so years ago.
If you are a student using this book as a text, you are lucky.
If you are just interested in astronomy, this is a highly recommended book. It's writing quality, and the quality of its printed pictures is supurb. It's up to date with as good a discussion on recent findings such as the accelerating expansion of the Universe (one of the authors AF, was on one of the teams that discovered this), dark energy, dark matter, and of course the eleven dimensions that make up superstring theory as you will find in any book. They even make these subjects clear without having to go into deep mathematics. (Then again, going into deep mathematics may well not make these subjects more understandable at all.)
Now updated in its third edition this book accurately reflects the current state of astronomy. It would make a great present to an amateur astronomer.
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Great Astronomy Text
This is a great introductory Astronomy text. It is easy to understand and learn the material presented. There are magnificent photos and easy to understand illustrations for those who are visual learners. I recommend it to anyone wanting to just have an understanding of the subject, whether in an educatinal setting or just wanting to learn it on their own.
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The Cosmos: Astronomy in the New Millennium ( mkrych )
This is a five-star book! Designed as a textbook for basic astronomy courses, it also serves as a stand-alone book for the average person who wants seriously to find out more about the universe. The content is clear and easy to follow, moving from the earth through the solar system, stars, galaxies, black holes, quasars, and finally issues of cosmology. Pages are well laid-out for easy reading, and enhanced with beautiful four-color photos and diagrams. Each chapter concludes with a concept review and questions for reflection. Help in learning terminology is provided by boldfaced vocabulary throughout the book and a glossary at the end.
Special features that are set apart in the text, either on separate pages or in boxes, include interviews with people in astronomy (excellent diversity of persons), exercises in calculation, expanded "closer looks" at topics, biographies of scientific figures, and exercises in finding things in the sky.
Web-enhanced features for students that go with the book include www sites for more information using the Internet, web-links, chapter maps, quizzes, and even a source on popular misconceptions. Instructors' ancillary materials include photo resource catalog, overhead transparencies/slides, and a computerized test bank.
You don't have to be a scientist to read this book! Anyone can learn a great deal about the universe from these 395 pages. Pasachoff and Filippenko have produced a winner. Enjoy!
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