Product Description

An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics, Second Edition has been thoroughly revised to reflect the dramatic changes and advancements in astrophysics that have occurred over the past decade. The Second Edition of this market-leading book has been updated to include the latest results from relevant fields of astrophysics and advances in our theoretical understanding of astrophysical phenomena. The Tools of Astronomy: The Celestial Sphere, Celestial Mechanics, The Continuous Spectrum of Light, The Theory of Special Relativity, The Interaction of Light and Matter, Telescopes; The Nature of Stars: Binary Systems and Stellar Parameters, The Classification of Stellar Spectra, Stellar Atmospheres, The Interiors of Stars, The Sun, The Process of Star Formation, Post-Main-Sequence Stellar Evolution, Stellar Pulsation, Supernovae, The Degenerate Remnants of Stars, Black Holes, Close Binary Star Systems; Planetary Systems: Physical Processes in the Solar System, The Terrestrial Planets, The Jovian Worlds, Minor Bodies of the Solar System, The Formation of Planetary Systems; Galaxies and the Universe: The Milky Way Galaxy, The Nature of Galaxies, Galactic Evolution, The Structure of the Universe, Active Galaxies, Cosmology, The Early Universe; Astronomical and Physical Constants, Unit Conversions Between SI and cgs, Solar System Data, The Constellations, The Brightest Stars, The Nearest Stars, Stellar Data, The Messier Catalog, Constants, A Constants Module for Fortran 95 (Available as a C++ header file), Orbits, A Planetary Orbit Code (Available as Fortran 95 and C++ command line versions, and Windows GUI), TwoStars, A Binary Star Code (Generates synthetic light and radial velocity curves; available as Fortran 95 and C++ command line versions, and Windows GUI), StatStar, A Stellar Structure Code (Available as Fortran 95 and C++ command line versions, and Windows GUI), StatStar, Stellar Models, Galaxy, A Tidal Interaction Code (Available as Java), WMAP Data. For all readers interested in moden astrophysics.

Customer Reviews (15)

Serious Students of Astrophysics: This Should Be in Your Library
I am a graduate student (2008) with a BA degree in geoscience/astronomy.I have had Carroll and Ostlie's (C-O) "An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics" or as we students referred to it: "Bob" (for Big Orange Book) both first and second editions, for over 10 years and I find that I consult it often: e.g. when I get stuck on a concept such as spectral line-widths or absorption line wings and depths.The math is there and can be intimidating, but folks, you can't learn the phenomena behind the things you see in telescopes or hear on the news unless you know a bit of math!A normal introductory astronomy textbook just does not have the depth of explanation that C-O 2ed has.
Great things about this book:
1.) It is pretty complete giving a bit of historical insight into astronomy all the way through Celestial Dynamics, the Solar System, Galaxies and the Universe, Cosmology plus modern Lambda Cold Dark Matter (CDM), the current consensus model of the universe's structure and possible fate.
2.) The physics are covered in-line in the text meaning, contextually and in an applied manner.An example is the Radiative Processes (bound-bound, bound-free, free-free, and Electron-scattering are covered in Chapter 9 applied to opacity in stellar atmospheres.This is the best way for astronomers to learn the supporting physics as opposed to the author just throwing out the theory with its arcane math as an "exercise for the student" to apply!.
3.) The authors have given consistent ongoing support for the text on a website with errata, supporting diagrams as download-able .jpegs, plus all of the data (constants, planetary info, etc) in download-able datafiles.I just applied over 100 corrections for typos that the authors have collected on the second edition!
This one feature is worth the price of the text and it wasn't cheap!I have to say that, in my many years as a student of science, that "An Introduction to Astrophysics, 2Ed" is almost unique in its ongoing support of the text with errata corrections.
4.) Be warned: there are no trivial problems at the ends of the chapters in my experience.No "plug and chug" calculations.I have learned there is a solutions manual and I am working on acquiring that.The problems start at a challenging level for first year graduate astrophysics students and go up from there.You might not get an answer after working for some hours on these problems, but you will learn a lot in the process!
In summary, there is no text I have found of comparable scope, written with more effective pedagogical technique, and with more lasting value for the serious astrophysics student than "An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics, 2nd Ed" by Carroll and Ostlie.

Excellent junior level astrophysics textbook
This is a modern text in all ways. It's a massive tome with all of the extra information one might want (as a reference) along with code for working on software-based projects integrated with the class. As an instructor, it's hard for me to picture how to make this book much better (other than a simple update including a final move away from FORTRAN). The students generally come to appreciate it after dealing with the initially daunting thickness and weight of the book.

Required physics background is first year introductory physics only. Math background only of high school level calculus. Some descriptive astronomy background might be nice, but that's easy enough in self-study or with the instructor adding some material in as the class progresses.

A Book of Astronomical Proportions
This book is incredibly ambitious. It strives to teach you just about the entirety of Modern Astrophysics in one comprehensive text. Any further pursuits would simply be delving into more detail of one of the topics covered. Therefore, it's the ideal reference book for anyone interested in the subject.

After surveying what's currently available and what's being used by professors, it's widely agreed to be the proper text to prepare you for a graduate pursuit of the subject.

For those reasons, I picked it up because I wanted the best book to teach myself Astrophysics. With a decent background in physics, and mathematical competency in the Calc III/DE area, I was able to follow along very well, and completed the book in about 4 months (but skipped many of the problems).

As a whole the book is supreme in content, organization, clarity, and level of detail considering the range of information it covers. My only complaint throughout (and primarily because I was studying it on my own) is that there are no solutions provided or available to the general public. Nevertheless, the problems are challenging and fun to think about. As you go through them and the chapters, Carroll & Ostlie will bring you to the brink of what's known in the areas being described, will be clear about what's still being dealt with in the field, and will leave you wanting to look into each of the current unresolved issues at a deeper level.

Because of these reasons, Introduction to Modern Astrophysics 2nd ed. achieved what I've only encountered once before in regards to a text of such astronomical proportions (the other being Molecular Biology of the Cell 4th ed.), that even after 1200+ pages, it left me wanting much, much more.

A good introduction for undergraduate students
As a PhD student, after a brief review of the book, I can say that it is a soft general introduction to astrophysics for students that are not concerned in that matter. A specialistic book is necessary to deeply enter in a specific field of astrophysics. Anyway, it is a good initiation to astrophysics in general.

Overwhelming for 1 semester
I have just recently completed a 1-semester course using this book. It was taught tutorial-style where we were to read a chapter and come to class with questions on the book. This book has way too much information for one semester. The other students and I all agreed that we had to spend so much time trying to keep up with the current readings and homework from each chapter that there is really no way to learn & remember much from this book if it is taught in only 1 semester. We did omit a handful of chapters, the first 3, and the ones on the solar system, about 3-4 more in the middle of the book. If you are to teach the course, I reccomend you include chapter 3 because many subsequent chapters refer to it and I had to read the whole chapter anyway.
As for the content of the book, it is well organized and presented fairly clearly. Most of the math is followable to senior level students in the fields of physics and engineering. Discussions of many phenomenon are extremely thorough and multiple theories for phenomenon of unknown origin are presented.
As for complaints...
The authors are optical astronomers so there is a lot more information regarding this branch of astronomoy than there is for radio astronomy.
The solar system chapters are not that well put together, the reason our class decided to skip them.
The book contains a large number of errors. There is a list of corrections available on the publishers website, but it can still be confusing.
This book is getting old. In a field where there have been huge technical advances in the last 20 years, it might be wise to consider the new edition. ... Read more

Product Description

Astrophysics is a subject that is often - with some justification - regarded as extremely difficult, requiring at least degree-level mathematics as a prerequisite to its understanding. Consequently, many amateur astronomers just don't bother, and miss out on the fascinating fundamentals of the subject, and often on an understanding of exactly what they are observing.

Mike Inglis' quantitative approach to astrophysics cuts through all the incomprehensible mathematics, and explains all aspects of astrophysics in simple terms.

A unique feature of this book is the way that example objects for practical observation are given at every stage, so that practical astronomers can go and look at the objected or objects under discussion, using only commercial amateur equipment.

Customer Reviews (8)

Good but marred by many errors
The book promises to present a treatment of astrophysics which can be understood at a reasonably deep level while keeping the mathematics in the background. To a large extent, the author succeeds in doing this. The main text has almost no mathematics, while for those who wish to go a little deeper into the subject matter, there are boxed paragraphs which explain the topic in more detail.All in all, this is a good book to read, but unfortunately there are many typographical mistakes, which can in some cases confuse the reader. For instance, in box 1.3 on p8, the word "distance" in the first line of the third paragraph from the end should read "luminosity". In Table 1.2 on p9, the very last entry in the right hand column should be 100,000,000 and not 10,000,000.On p19, the statement that temperature is proportional to temperature is incorrect.It is, as the author states a few lines above, proportional to the fourth power of temperature, which is not the same thing.Clearly the author is trying to simplify matters for the non-mathematical reader, but this is not license to make incorrect statements.Many of the coordinates given for various objects are incorrect.An observer using a goto telescope and the author's coordinates to point to the famous double-double in Lyra would end up with the telescope pointing deep into the southern hemisphere.Same comment about 61 Cygni, NGC 891 etc, etc.
If the author is contemplating a second edition, it should be thoroughly proof-read before publication. I would also suggest that footnotes, rather than end of chapter notes would be less disruptive when reading the book.

It is a pity that a book of such promise looks to have been produced in a rush.I still have no hesitation in recommending it, but the reader should not necessarily accept everything in it as correct.

Simple, brief and enjoyable.
The Universe is full of Wonders which many of us may never be aware of, comprehend or fully appreciate. For many, the scientific methods and tools used to learn and understand the Universe seem to be out of the grasp. Unfortunately, even dedicated Amateur Astronomers are susceptible to this myth as many may believe that these scientific discoveries and methods belong to a special kind of people in science institutes and collages. This book comes to prove that it's possible to learn how to unravel and understand some of the universe's hidden treasures and mysteries without literally go out on a limb.
You start by understanding the Measurements of Star Magnitudes, Luminosity, and Temperature and even get a grasp on the most important tool used by Astronomers the popular tool HR Diagram. Know how to classify stars and understand their formation and demise. Learn how to appreciate the beauty of Clusters, Nebulas and the power of Supernova's and Black holes. I have to admit, there is a bit of math in there, you can easily follow its logic and apply it to real life examples and get the results that previously looked like Gobbledygook belonging to the realm of Mad Scientists. Its not easy reading, you do need to read it carefully, and reread it again and again to gain the level of understanding required to appreciate its contents. There are many books out there on Astronomy, some are quiet rich in content and literally quiet heavy, but this one is simple, brief and enjoyable.

Astrophysics IS easy!
I used to love day-dreaming about space when I was a kid. This book makes me feel that sense of wonder and amazement again - and I can understand most of it! I spent a day at the planetarium in New York, and I felt like I could deliver my own lecture to the audience. And the best thing is - I bought this for my son, and we share our interest in and awe for the universe.

Intended to help the amateur astronomer take a step into the physics of astronomy
This is a great little book. Whenever I give a talk on my astrophysics research (in high energy cosmic rays and neutrinos) to the amateur astronomers, I mention this book as a good step for expanding their knowledge of the science underlying their hobby. Professional and amateur astronomy are a long distance apart, though many scientists got interested in science first from looking at the skies. This book helps bridge the gap somewhat.

Got your telescope?Your binoculars?Your two eyes?Well, point them UP
Astrophysics (or at least a general introduction to it) really IS easy with this friendly book geared toward amateur astronomers.An introduction to the heavens, cobbled together with science and telescope viewing tips, doesn't sound much like a romantic outing but believe me, halfway through the book you'll begin lusting for a telescope.The author's enthusiasm is infectious. The text proceeds incrementally, and basic concepts are repeated often, so you'll be dropping terms like "Cepheid variable", "Roche lobe" and "type II supernova" at the breakfast table before you know it.

A word, though, about the Kindle addition.ANY text like this comes with pictures, diagrams, etc---and the Kindle (at least the small one) just isn't the right medium for them.I found myself frustrated often as I pressed sys, wormed the cursor over pictures, then sat very still trying to enlarge.It's not the Kindle's fault--I knew it'd be a problem, and now I don't have this great book on paper.Next time I'll remember to confine my Kindle purchaces strictly to novels. ... Read more

Product Description
Designed for teaching astrophysics to physics students at advanced undergraduate or beginning graduate level, this textbook also provides an overview of astrophysics for astrophysics graduate students, before they delve into more specialized volumes. Assuming background knowledge at the level of a physics major, the textbook develops astrophysics from the basics without requiring any previous study in astronomy or astrophysics. Physical concepts, mathematical derivations and observational data are combined in a balanced way to provide a unified treatment. Topics such as general relativity and plasma physics, which are not usually covered in physics courses but used extensively in astrophysics, are developed from first principles. While the emphasis is on developing the fundamentals thoroughly, recent important discoveries are highlighted at every stage. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (4)

Short and sweet high-energy astrophysics text
I have always taught this class from Longair's classic texts (High Energy Astrophysics: Volume 1, Particles, Photons and their Detection and High Energy Astrophysics: Volume 2, Stars, the Galaxy and the Interstellar Medium), but would probably use this book instead when I next teach HE astrophysics. This book is clean, concise, well organized, and well written. Its primary fault is tangled in there with its positive attributes. Sometimes it's just too concise and doesn't go into enough depth. It's probably a better textbook than a reference book.

A Great Introduction to High Energy Astrophysics!
"A teaspoon full of matter from a Neutron star weighs more than all of humanity combined and dropping a marshmallow onto the surface of a neutron star releases energy equivalent to a medium sized atomic bomb."

This is the world of high energy astrophysics.

I actually read that snippet from this book while in the bookstore and boy did it really catch my interest. I am not an Astrophysicist or an Astronomer. In fact I am not even a scientist. I am an architectural photographer who just happens to be a space junkie. I am an amateur backyard astronomer and do a lot of astrophotoghraphy, the sun being my favorite subject. With that being said I do a lot of astronomy/physics reading, both online and offline. I personally find the subjects involved in high energy astrophysics to be the most interesting. Black holes, Neutron Stars, White Dwarfs, SuperNova remnants, Magnetars etc.. They just fascinate me like very few things can.

This book gives an outstanding overview to the field of high energy astrophysics but be forewarned, this is not an easy read as its intended for advanced undergraduate and graduate students. High energy astrophysics involves the study of phenomena occurring near the most extreme celestial objects known to exist. Again this includes such objects as Black Holes, SuperNova remnants, White Dwarfs, Magnetars, Pulsars, galaxy clusters, gamma-ray burts etc..

This book covers all the bases including observational methods, experimental techniques, and the instrumentation used to study these objects. I personally found the information on instrumentation to be extremely fascinating and very well written. Even tho there were parts of this book that were clearly over my "level", I still found this book to be an amazing read and overall I learned a lot about this field, the subject matter, and techniques used to study such phenomena. Its easily one of the best astronomy books I have read yet.

If your interested in such subject matter and have a good background in astronomy, physics, and mathematics then this book should definitely be on your bookshelf.

5 stars!!

Compact and Complete
There is something for everyone in this book. People interested in
observational techniques and data will appreciate the overview in the
first few chapters. Those more interested in the theoretical
interpretation of high-energy sources will find ample discussion of
the physical principles underlying these objects in the rest of the
book. But don't expect to see the most complete discussion of this
subject here. This book is intended more as a compact overview of the
central topics, and in this regard, it works quite well. I found the
list of references particularly helpful. Anyone interested in learning
more about any particular sub-topic will find the references up-to-date
and very relevant. Overall, this will make a great addition to your
library.

Timely and Beautifully Written
Though HE astrophysics is a rapidly developing scientific discipline,
there hasn't yet appeared a modern book written to present the many
advances being made in this field---until now. Melia's HE Astrophysics
fills that void with a well-thought out list of topics, including both
the experimental and theoretical elements of this important branch of
astronomy and astrophysics. There is probably too much information here
to cover in a single-semester class, but the student will find it easy
to read beyond the material assigned to any given course that adopts
this book, since Melia's writing style is elegant and compact. I found
it also interesting that the problems and solutions are being
distributed in a separate volume. No doubt this separation was chosen
to make it easier for someone other than a student interested in this
field to read it as a monograph rather than a textbook. All in all,
this book belongs on the shelves of any serious astronomer or
astrophysicist, alongside Weinberg's classic book on Gravitation, and
Rybicki's book on Radiative Processes. Over time, it will become one
of the most important selections in Princeton's famed astrophysics
series which, by the way, includes another classic book, Binney's
Galactic Dynamics. ... Read more

Product Description
In the last two decades, cosmology, particle physics, high energy astrophysics and gravitational physics have become increasingly interwoven. The intense activity taking place at the intersection of these disciplines is constantly progressing, with the advent of major cosmic ray, neutrino, gamma ray and gravitational wave observatories for studying cosmic sources, along with the construction of particle physics experiments using beams and signals of cosmic origin. This book provides an up-to-date overview of the recent advances and potential future developments in this area, discussing both the main theoretical ideas and experimental results. It conveys the challenges but also the excitement associated with this field. Written in a concise yet accessible style, explaining technical details with examples drawn from everyday life, it will be suitable for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as other readers interested in the subject. Colour versions of a selection of the figures are available at www.cambridge.org/9780521517003. ... Read more

Product Description
Bridging the gap between physics and astronomy textbooks, this book provides step-by-step physical and mathematical development of fundamental astrophysical processes underlying a wide range of phenomena in stellar, galactic, and extragalactic astronomy. The book has been written for upper-level undergraduates and beginning graduate students, and its strong pedagogy ensures solid mastery of each process and application. It contains over 150 tutorial figures, numerous examples of astronomical measurements, and 201 exercises. Topics covered include the Kepler-Newton problem, stellar structure, binary evolution, radiation processes, special relativity in astronomy, radio propagation in the interstellar medium, and gravitational lensing. Applications presented include Jeans length, Eddington luminosity, the cooling of the cosmic microwave background (CMB), the Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect, Doppler boosting in jets, and determinations of the Hubble constant. This text is a stepping stone to more specialized books and primary literature. Password-protected solutions to the exercises are available to instructors at www.cambridge.org/9780521846561.
For information on Astronomy Methods: A Physical Approach to Astronomical Observations also by Hale Bradt, please click here. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Difficult to figure what class I'd use this book for, but it is a nice book...
It's sort of a junior or senior level text in astrophysics which seems to be aimed at astronomy students. That is students with some interest and background in fairly observational astronomy. Physics students would be lacking the observational aspects and might find the book less than rigorous in places. So, junior or senior astronomy students. That's not a lot of people, and many of them will have had an intro astrophysics class that would have covered some fraction of this material already.

Okay, that said, it's a really nice textbook. Well written, extremely clear, and connects nicely to current research. In fact, pairing this class with astronomy seminars could work nicely.

Another possibility is for the amateur astronomer. If they have a fair physics and math background (perhaps quite rusty) this could make an excellent introduction to astrophysics for the astronomy fan. Worth considering... ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (6)

reference text, not for use in class
I was assigned this textbook for an advanced undergraduate astrophysics course.I found it to be ambiguous and difficult to use effectively.Many of the equations seemed to come from nowhere, and were presented with little explanation.

I suspect that this textbook could be helpful for those who are already quite familiar with the material, as a reference text.However, I do not think that it is an effective classroom text to be used on its own.

Concise and Wonderful
This book is NOT meant to be an in-depth look at all of astrophysics, but rather a concise overview. Hence the "in a nutshell" title! This book is appropriate for educators who plan on teaching a semester or even quarter course with an emphasis on breadth of knowledge rather than depth. Furthermore, students will find this book EXTREMELY useful for reviewing basic astrophysics and for preparing for exams (such as the PhD qualifying exam). The problems at the end of the book are wonderful, and are at a level that undergraduates should be able to complete them. This book does assume a basic background in both physics and astronomy. Also, since the book is so concise, it's not a good book to learn from for the first time, however as I mentioned, it is an excellent book if supplemented by lectures. Bottom line, if you are trying to learn this material for the first time, this book is not for you. However, if you're looking for a good book to adopt for class, or you already "know" the material but want to review, this book is for you.

An excellent overview
Astrophysics in a Nutshell is an absolutely excellent introduction to the subject for those with a reasonable physics background, but from outside the field. I am recommending it heartily to all my friends and colleagues who want a concise overview of this vast field.

Not For Teaching, Good for Reference
This text was used with my Astronomy undergradute class for the Fall 2007 semester. My professor simply paraphrased and verbally expounded upon certain topics in the book leading to a boring lecture; and furthermore, I haven't learned anything more than if I had picked up this book myself.

Here are some problems I have with the book:
-I found on several instances that there was the classic physics text book faux pax, 'and as the reader can easily see or do on their own, this equals this'. Would it really be that hard to take 2 sentences to explain what is going on? We are supposed to learn from a text book, not guess as to how things are done.

-Some of the problems having little to do with what was actually covered in the chapter. In a good text book, you should be able to reference concepts AND equations in the chapter to use in working through a problem. What is the point of introducing a topic and then having a problem essentially say, 'ignore all that, and use this simplification'. That completely nullifies the entire point of introducing the topic in the chapter.


The bottom line is that this book should NOT be used as a textbook for an undergradute astronomy course. One should thoroughly learn specific topics that can be continually built upon in later classes. This book glosses over a lot of topics, introduces things conceptually and very briefly that you won't be able to learn in depth until later after more physics.

It's a good reference book for graduates. It is NOT a good textbook, by any stretch of the imagination, for undergraduates; unless, of course, you have an amazing professor which seem few and far between in Astronomy undergrad.

Text much like an outline from lecture notes
I have completed reading this textbook, appreciating the conciseness of the material and completeness of this topic when compared to larger and more rigorous texts.Diagrams are plentiful and explanations flow well, but for the independent reader a more polished, better illustrated text would work better.This physics book would work well with a class supplemented with explanations, more mathematical examples, and correlating images. ... Read more

Product Description
This newly expanded and thoroughly updated third edition examines accretion as a source of energy in both binary star systems containing compact objects, and in active galactic nuclei. Assuming a basic knowledge of physics, the authors describe the physical processes at work in accretion discs and other accretion flows. New material includes a detailed treatment of disc instabilities, irradiated discs, disc warping, and general accretion flows. The treatment is suitable for advanced undergraduates, graduate students and researchers. ... Read more

Product Description
Providing students with an in-depth account of the astrophysics of high energy phenomena in the Universe, the third edition of this well-established textbook is ideal for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate courses in high energy astrophysics. Building on the concepts and techniques taught in standard undergraduate courses, this textbook provides the astronomical and astrophysical background for students to explore more advanced topics. Special emphasis is given to the underlying physical principles of high energy astrophysics, helping students understand the essential physics. Now consolidated into a single-volume treatment, the third edition has been completely rewritten. It covers the most recent discoveries in areas such as gamma-ray bursts, ultra-high energy cosmic rays and ultra-high energy gamma rays. The topics have been rearranged and streamlined to make them more applicable to a wide range of different astrophysical problems. ... Read more

Product Description
This focused, advanced undergraduate text provides broad coverage of astronomy and astrophysics with a strong emphasis on physics. Many researchers, faculty, and graduate students use this book as a reference. This text has an algebra and trigonometry prerequisite, but calculus is preferred.Features: * "Concept Applications" are fully worked-out, in-chapter problems that focus on an important concept found within that chapter. * "Key Equations and Concepts" neatly summarize the important equations and concepts found in each chapter.New to this edition: * Many new problems have been added, most 3rd Edition problems remain. * Physics Prelude serves as preview and preorganizer of the physics at a level appropriate to the book and the course. * Reorganization of Part 3--Chapters on stellar evolution are now consecutive. * Key new astronomical material further enhances the text. * "Hale-Bopp Comet Update" has been added after Chapter 26. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

There are better books to be had for an intro astronomy class
Obviously Physical Universe: An Introduction to Astronomy (Series of Books in Astronomy) is the standard by which all introductory astronomy books must be measured. This book is more expensive, less clear, has more typos and even glaring errors. But it's newer, and more "up to date." I'd explain to the students that we're going to use an old book and I'd fill in newer research as needed as we go along. It's not as if there are fundamental changes to how stars work, Galaxies form, or how telescopes work. (Especially not at an introductory level.)

Book review
It was very good, reliable and the product is what I expected to be. Thank you for the safe shipping, I wish the shipping was a little faster though.

Not a bad reference book for astrophysics students
This book is an ok reference book, if you've already seen the material in the book.The price is way too high.Whatever you do don't pay 180 bucks for this book. The preliminary section is weirdly way harder than the main text of the book. I had as my freshman astrophysics course text book and nearly dropped the course because the prelimary section was so scary. My biggest problem is the book uses MKS not CGS units. This would make the book more acessible to the reader with a physics (but no astronomy) background, but only does a disservice to the reader who wishes to use this book as a bridge to more advanced astronomical literature.

Intro to Astronomy
Nicely written textbook for the first year student in astronomy and astrophysics.Clearly written.

An excellent introductory book in astronomy/astrophysics
I used this book in an independent study class in astronomy and astrophysics while I was an undergraduate.With the exception of the some errors in the equations in the opacity section I found this book to be clearly written and not too difficult.You will need to know your college physics and some math but that should be expected since this is not a descriptive text.If you want a descriptive astronomy text search elsewhere, if you want an introductory astrophysics text this is a good choice. ... Read more

Product Description
Spectroscopy enables the precise study of astronomical objects and phenomena. Bridging the gap between physics and astronomy, this is the first integrated graduate-level textbook on atomic astrophysics. It covers the basics of atomic physics and astrophysics, including state-of-the-art research applications, methods and tools. The content is evenly balanced between the physical foundations of spectroscopy and their applications to astronomical objects and cosmology. An undergraduate knowledge of physics is assumed, and relevant basic material is summarised at the beginning of each chapter. The material is completely self-contained and features sufficient background information for self-study. Advanced users will find it handy for spectroscopic studies. A website hosted by the authors contains updates, corrections, exercises and solutions, as well as news items from physics and astronomy related to spectroscopy. A link to this can be found at www.cambridge.org/9780521825368. ... Read more

Product Description
The study of planet formation has been revolutionized by recent observational breakthroughs, which have allowed the detection and characterization of extrasolar planets, the imaging of protoplanetary disks, and the discovery of the Solar System's Kuiper Belt. Written for beginning graduate students, this textbook provides a basic understanding of the astrophysical processes that shape the formation of planetary systems. It begins by describing the structure and evolution of protoplanetary disks, moves on to the formation of planetesimals, terrestrial and gas giant planets, and concludes by surveying new theoretical ideas for the early evolution of planetary systems. Covering all phases of planet formation - from protoplanetary disks to the dynamical evolution of planetary systems - this introduction can be understood by readers with backgrounds in planetary science, observational and theoretical astronomy. It highlights the physical principles underlying planet formation and the areas where more research and new observations are needed. ... Read more

Product Description

Key Benefit: Foundations of Astrophysics provides a contemporary and complete introduction to astrophysics for astronomy and physics majors. This book is briefer and more accessible than other books in the market, and is the most up-to-date book available in this fast-changing field. With a logical presentation and conceptual and quantitative end-of-chapter problems, the material is easier-to-grasp for introductory astrophysics readers.

Key Topics:

Early Astronomy, Emergence of Modern Astronomy, Orbital Mechanics, The Earth-Moon System, Interaction of Radiation and Matter, Astronomical Detection of Light, The Sun, Overview of the Solar System, Earth and Moon, The Planets,  Small Bodies in the Solar System, The Solar System in Perspective, Properties of Stars, Stellar Atmospheres, Stellar Interiors, The Interstellar Medium,

Formation and Evolution of Stars, Stellar Remnants, Our Galaxy, Galaxies, Active Galaxies, Clusters and Superclusters, Cosmology, History of the Universe

Market: Intended for those interested in learning the basics of astrophysics

Customer Reviews (2)

Informative, but not very useful
I just took an entry level course in astrophysics which required the use of this book. The book overall is a good effort to combine many different areas of foundational astrophysics while trying to go in depth in a few areas, but more often than not one can get lost in trying to follow along some of the derivations, even with a decent knowledge in math, physics, and mechanics. There are essentially no actual example questions to gain practice from, and the exercise questions at the end of each chapter are extremely vague and poorly worded. Descriptions of many topics are indeed in depth and easy to read, so essentially its like reading the same topics off wikipedia. It has a lot of information, but when it gets to the exercises and math, its just not complete.
The course I took was good, but this book was not a great resource.

Excellent Undergrad Astrophysics textbook
I read through much of this book and was very pleased.
I would target it at Physics students who have had at least 2 years of physics and calculus.
The book often used for these students is one by Zeilik
which I have found full of typos(typos in derivations, in math, and even in the constants in the back of the book!) and doesn't flow smoothly and sometimes omits essential explanations.

Foundations of Astrophysics by Ryden and Peterson does a more complete explanation of atomic processes and of Solar System formation and flows smoother. It covers nearly all the topics in Zeilik as well as expands upon some material.

So far I have not found any typos and the examples and derivations are well explained and interesting.
As yet I have not seen a solutions manual published, the authors might want to consider publishing one, they are always useful!

Thank you to the authors for writing what I hope will become a heavily used text for undergrad astrophysics!

... Read more

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High energy astrophysics is one of the most exciting areas of contemporary astronomy, covering the most energetic phenomena in the universe.The highly acclaimed first edition of Professor Longair's book immediately established itself as an essential textbook on high energy astrophysics.In this complete revision, the subject matter has expanded to the point where two volumes are desirable. In the first, a thorough treatment is given of the physical processes that govern the behavior of particles in astrophysical environments such as interstellar gas, neutron stars, and black holes.Special emphasis is placed on how observations are made in high energy astrophysics and the limitations imposed on them.The tools of the astronomer and high energy astrophysicist are introduced in the context of specific astronomical problems.The material in Volume 1 leads to a study of all kinds of high energy phenomena in the galaxy and universe given in the second volume. This book assumes that readers have some knowledge of physics and mathematics at the undergraduate level, but no prior knowledge of astronomy is required.The pair of books covers all aspects of modern high energy astrophysics to the point where current research can be understood. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

One of the best books about Cosmic Rays Astrophysics
The two volumes of "High Energy Astrophysics" by M.S. Longair are amongst my favourite books: I read them several times and every time I found interesting hints for my work.I'm waiting for the third volume for 3 years, but it's still missing from the bookshelf...
The first volume ("Particles, Photons and Their Detection") focuses on the interactions between high energy particles and matter, in order to help the reader to understand how detectors work.The theoretical approach is deep enough not to hide the "dirty" steps of the calculations, and some subsection requires good mathematical skills (well, not as much as for Russian books ;-).
The second volume ("Stars, the Galaxy and Interstellar Medium") focuses on the Physics of cosmic rays (CR) while they run through the Galaxy.The author takes the occasion to explain several very exciting items, from the proposed mechanisms of CR acceleration and high energy photons emission, to the diffusion through the interstellar medium and the Solar wind, untill the CR reach the Earth.Special emphasis is given to open problems -- only very few of them were solved in the meantime (Nov. 2001).
The 2 volumes are well suited for advanced students in Physics or Astronomy, and are a good reference for researchers. ... Read more

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In a unique collaboration, Nature Publishing Group and Institute of Physics Publishing have published the most extensive and comprehensive reference work in astronomy and astrophysics in both print and online formats. Unfortunately the print edition is currently out of print, but the regularly updated web remains active and can be found at www.ency-astro.com. This unique resource covers the entire field of astronomy and astrophysics and this online version includes the full text of over 2,750 articles, plus sophisticated search and retrieval functionality, links to the primary literature, and is frequently updated with new material. An active editorial team, headed by the Encyclopaedia's editor-in-chief, Maul Murdin, oversee the continual commissioning, reviewing and loading of new and revised content. The Encyclopaedia's authority is assured by editorial and advisory boards drawn from the world's foremost astronomers and astrophysicists. This first class resource will be an essential source of information for undergraduates, graduate students, researchers and seasoned professionals, as well as for committed amateurs, librarians and lay people wishing to consult the definitive astronomy and astrophysics reference work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A must have for any student, scholor or fan of Astronomy
This is literally an encyclopedic work containing articles on every topic relating to Astronomy and Astrophysics. With contributions from over 8,000 astronomers and astrophysicists, this title is a must have for any serious collection of Astronomy materials.

Master Piece
It is the greattest collection on astronomical sciences I have ever seen. These 4 volumes contains 3670 pages, thousands of articles,written by lots of contributors. You can find handly information about astronomy and astrophysics in this encyclopedia. It is a really master piece of astronomical work, covers 30 subject areas. If it could contain information on recent developments in cosmology would be excellent. ... Read more

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Radiative Processes in Astrophysics This clear, straightforward, and fundamental introduction is designed to present—from a physicist’s point of view—radiation processes and their applications to astrophysical phenomena and space science. It covers such topics as radiative transfer theory, relativistic covariance and kinematics, bremsstrahlung radiation, synchrotron radiation, Compton scattering, some plasma effects, and radiative transitions in atoms. Discussion begins with first principles, physically motivating and deriving all results rather than merely presenting finished formulae. However, a reasonably good physics background (introductory quantum mechanics, intermediate electromagnetic theory, special relativity, and some statistical mechanics) is required. Much of this prerequisite material is provided by brief reviews, making the book a self-contained reference for workers in the field as well as the ideal text for senior or first-year graduate students of astronomy, astrophysics, and related physics courses. Radiative Processes in Astrophysics also contains about 75 problems, with solutions, illustrating applications of the material and methods for calculating results. This important and integral section emphasizes physical intuition by presenting important results that are used throughout the main text; it is here that most of the practical astrophysical applications become apparent. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

An Almost Perfect Book for a Course on Astrophysics
One of the peculiarities of Astrophysics is that, as a
subject, is difficult to teach. It requires to go deep into
the physics of the objects under study (which span the whole
Universe) but alto to keep a broad view (the so called "Big
Picture") since most of the objects and their histories
cannot be understood if they are isolated from the others.
One of the problems a teacher faces is, hence, how to strike a
balance between these two disparate goals within the limited
time of one or two academic terms.

Rybicki and Lightman success with this book is to take the
physics of astrophysical problems involving radiation from
the general approaches of the physics books to the particular
conditions of most of the cases that astronomy cares about
without leaving rigorousity along the way. With a little
abuse of language: They bring Physics a step closer to
Astronomy.

On the other hand, the area of actual applications that
astronomers use is almost neglected. For example, the
introductory chapters on Radiative Transfer and Black
Body Radiation could have served to motivate a chapter on
theoretical basis of photometry (theoretical approach to
color indices, extinction by dust or other microscopic
particles). This would have given the student a more
realistic flavor of the tools that astrophysicists use
in their everyday (every night?) work. The Problem Sets,
in addition, are claiming for a few numerical
applications to profit from the, now easily available
to students, computer power.

Every serious astrophysics teacher and student should
use this book... and think hard on how to take the
next step from Rybicki and Lightman to the Absolute
Magnitude versus Color Index diagrams.

Excellent Discussion
Thorough, concise, and very readable. Topics are clearly presented, equations are elegantly explained. One of the most useful texts I own.

Standard Text in the Field
This is THE standard text in the field of astrophysical radiation processes. Covers most processes of interest for the astrophysicist, at a depth adequate for graduate students. Well written and understandable. A must buy, despite the very high price. ... Read more

Product Description
Provides a valuable general introduction to many important problems in physics and astrophysics. Much new material has been included in this translation of the third Russian edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Wide and Deep View in a Slim Volume
In this small book the author attempted to answer a question, "What seems to be most important and interesting in physics and astrophysics at present?" The "present" of the latest edition of this book is the first half of the 1980s. As the author writes in "Preface to the English Edition," the effective lifetime of each edition of the book of this type is not long. Because of the scarcity of books of this kind, however, the author's style and method of getting and presenting an overall view of the situation in physics as a whole continue to be heuristic even after many years since the publication of this book.

The book consists of three chapters on macrophysics, microphysics and astrophysics. Each chapter has seven to nine sections that deeply treat specific problems. It would be a good exercise for students and researchers to write by themselves about the later developments of the problem they are interested in or to give a list of other important problems they can think of. -- The author, V. L. Ginzburg, shared the 2003 Noble Prize in Physics with two low-temperature theorists. -- ... Read more

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This timely volume provides comprehensive coverage of all aspects of cosmology and extragalactic astronomy at an advanced level. Beginning with an overview of the key observational results and necessary terminology, it covers important topics: the theory of galactic structure and galactic dynamics, structure formation, cosmic microwave background radiation, formation of luminous galaxies in the universe, intergalactic medium and active galactic nuclei. This self-contained text has a modular structure, and contains over one hundred worked exercises. It can be used alone, or in conjunction with the previous two accompanying volumes (Volume I: Astrophysical Processes, and Volume II: Stars and Stellar Systems). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Poor layout but good material
I own the first 2 volumes of this set that I had to get for a Graduate Astrophysics class.

In the chapters we covered relevant to Stellar Structures, I found that while these books contain pretty much everything you need to do a calculation, the material is so dense that you can pass right over an explanation.

Volume I is entirely mathematical, all relevant formulas.
Volume II is more explanation, but with references to Volume I for derivations. However the explanations can be quite dense for a grad student to absorb without reading it several times.

The Index of the book is the worst part, you cant look up anything. It would be EXTREMELY helpful if he would fix that in a new edition.

He also uses the same letter to represent different things within a chapter or subject. This gets annoying, but anyone in physics knows about this problem with any book you read. For example in the first chapter he uses 'K' to represent 5 things. ... Read more

Product Description
The last years have seen a symbiosis of the fields of elementary particle physics and the astrophysics of the early universe. This text presents the background of the subjects and the latest developments at a level suitable for final year undergraduates and beginning graduate students. The first chapters cover the properties and interactions of elementary particles followed by discussion of the early universe, including inflation, dark matter and dark energy, and the growth of the galactic structure. The final chapters discuss cosmic rays and particle physics in the stars. The close relation between particle interactions and large scale development of the cosmos is a constant theme in the text, with emphasis on the interplay between experiment and theory.

This book is an enlarged and updated version of the first edition published five years ago. In a rapidly evolving field, emphasis has of course been placed on the most recent developments. However, the opportunity has also been taken to re-arrange the material and present it in more detail and at somewhat greater length. ... Read more