Astronomy and Astrophysics is a comprehensive, fundamental, up-to-date
reference book. It is filled with vital information and basic facts for
amateur astronomers and professional astrophysicists, and for anyone
interested in the Universe. The book consists of two main parts, a
Timeline and a Dictionary. The Timeline is a concise history which
provides the complete story of cosmic discovery from early Chinese and
Greek astronomy to the latest findings of modern astrophysics and
robotic spacecraft. Each entry in the unfolding narrative is written in
a concise, light and friendly style. The Dictionary defines all terms
and acronyms that deal with our celestial science, from important
concepts to individual objects and space missions. It is arranged
alphabetically and complemented by numerous tables of fundamental data
for bright cosmic objects. The combined result is a unique stand-alone
reference volume in which the reader can quickly locate information,
while also discovering new and unexpected knowledge.