The ideal one-semester astrophysics introduction for science
undergraduates--now expanded and fully updated
Winner of the American Astronomical Society's Chambliss Award,
Astrophysics in a Nutshell has become the text of choice in
astrophysics courses for science majors at top universities in North
America and beyond. In this expanded and fully updated second edition,
the book gets even better, with a new chapter on extrasolar planets; a
greatly expanded chapter on the interstellar medium; fully updated facts
and figures on all subjects, from the observed properties of white
dwarfs to the latest results from precision cosmology; and additional
instructive problem sets. Throughout, the text features the same
focused, concise style and emphasis on physics intuition that have made
the book a favorite of students and teachers.
Written by Dan Maoz, a leading active researcher, and designed for
advanced undergraduate science majors, Astrophysics in a Nutshell is a
brief but thorough introduction to the observational data and
theoretical concepts underlying modern astronomy. Generously
illustrated, it covers the essentials of modern astrophysics,
emphasizing the common physical principles that govern astronomical
phenomena, and the interplay between theory and observation, while also
introducing subjects at the forefront of modern research, including
black holes, dark matter, dark energy, and gravitational lensing.
In addition to serving as a course textbook, Astrophysics in a Nutshell
is an ideal review for a qualifying exam and a handy reference for
teachers and researchers.
- The most concise and current astrophysics textbook for science
majors--now expanded and fully updated with the latest research
results
- Contains a broad and well-balanced selection of traditional and
current topics
- Uses simple, short, and clear derivations of physical results
- Trains students in the essential skills of order-of-magnitude analysis
- Features a new chapter on extrasolar planets, including discovery
techniques
- Includes new and expanded sections and problems on the physics of
shocks, supernova remnants, cosmic-ray acceleration, white dwarf
properties, baryon acoustic oscillations, and more
- Contains instructive problem sets at the end of each chapter
- Solutions manual (available only to professors)
