Description

By (author) Phillips Cynthia; By (author) Priwer Shana

Discover the undiscovered with this jargon-free introduction to astrophysics

Astronomy is the study of what you see in the sky. Physics is the study of how things work. Astrophysics is the study of how things in the sky work, from large objects to tiny particles. Astrophysics For Dummies breaks it all down for you, making this difficult but fascinating topic accessible to anyone. Tracking the topics covered in a typical undergraduate astrophysics class, this book will teach you the essential pieces to understanding our universe. Get ready to launch into outer space with this ever-changing branch of science.

Discover the latest advances in the world of astrophysics
Understand how and why galaxies form and evolve
Find out the origins of cosmic rays
Get a standalone primer on the science or supplement your astrophysics course

Students in introductory astrophysics courses and would-be astronomy buffs who want to better understand the mechanics of the universe will love Astrophysics For Dummies.

Table of contents:

Introduction 1

Part 1: Getting Started with Astrophysics 7

Chapter 1: Welcome to the Universe 9

Chapter 2: The A to Z of Physics 21

Chapter 3: Astronomy in a Nutshell 49

Chapter 4: Bridging the Gap Between Astronomy and Physics 65

Part 2: When You Wish Upon a 89

Chapter 5: Star Power: Hydrogen, Helium with a Twist of Nuclear Fusion 91

Chapter 6: Friends for Life: Star Systems and Dust Clouds 111

Chapter 7: Exoplanets: The Search for Earth 2.0 129

Chapter 8: White Dwarfs, Black Holes, and Neutrinos, Oh My! 153

Part 3: Galaxies: Teamwork Makes the Dream Work 171

Chapter 9: From Fuzzy Blobs to Majestic Spirals: The Milky Way and Other Galaxies 173

Chapter 10: Quantifying the Unknown, or How Galaxies Work 189

Chapter 11: Bigger Than Huge: Galaxy Clusters 207

Chapter 12: Weird and Wacky Galactic Phenomena 231

Part 4: Cosmology: The Beginning and the End of Everything 249

Chapter 13: The Big Bang: How It All Began 251

Chapter 14: First Light in the Universe, or How a Star is Born 273

Chapter 15: And Then It Gets Weirder: Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and Relativity 289

Chapter 16: The End of It All 313

Part 5: The Part of Tens 337

Chapter 17: Ten Scientists Who Paved the Way for Astrophysics 339

Chapter 18: Ten Important Space Missions for Astrophysics 345

Glossary 353

Index 359

Biographical note:

Cynthia Phillips, PhD, is a scientist at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Previously, she worked at the SETI Institute for 15 years.
Shana Priwer is a technical writer who has co-authored many projects with Cynthia Phillips, including the Frameworks series on architecture.

Primary cover copy:

Awaken the astrophysicist within you

Where astronomy and physics collide, there’s astrophysics. Astrophysics For Dummies introduces you to the study of stars, galaxies, and beyond, as you tour the inner workings of our universe. In terms anyone can understand, this book explains everything you need to gain a basic understanding of astrophysics, for your college course or just for fun. Learn the science behind star systems, black holes, galaxy clusters, the Big Bang, dark matter, and more. This Dummies guide shows you what’s out there—and how it all works.

Inside…