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Summary:

Astrophysics is often with some justification regarded as incomprehensible without the use of higher mathematics. Consequently, many amateur astronomers miss out on some of the most fascinating aspects of the subject. Astrophysics Is Easy! cuts through the difficult mathematics and explains the basics of astrophysics in accessible terms. Using nothing more than plain arithmetic and simple examples, the workings of the universe are outlined in a straightforward yet detailed and easy-to-grasp manner. Following on the success of the first and second editions, this fully updated third edition covers the significant changes in astrophysics theories and research that have occurred in the last five years, including new material on: exomoons, exocomets and exoasteroids; Special and General Relativity; gravitational waves, their origins and detection; telescope optics; black hole astrophysics; and more. For each topic under discussion, an observing list is included so that observers can actually see for themselves the concepts presented stars of the spectral sequence, nebulae, galaxies, even black holes. The book also features in-text, nonmathematical questions and end-of-chapter problems all with their accompanying solutions to help readers discuss and digest the material. This new 3rd edition contains several expanded and completely new chapters, and for the first time each chapter now contains many unique and relevant thought questions and numerical problems.

Table of Contents:

• Intro
• Preface
• Rationale for the Book
• Acknowledgements
• Contents
• About the Author
• Chapter 1: Tools of the Trade
• 1.1. Angular Measurement
• 1.2. Distances in Astronomy
• 1.3. Brightness and Luminosity of Astronomical Objects
• 1.4. Magnitudes
• 1.4.1 Apparent Magnitude
• 1.4.2 Absolute Magnitude
• 1.5. The Visually Brightest Stars
• 1.6. The Colour of Stars
• 1.7. The Sizes of Stars
• 1.8. The Constituents of Stars
• 1.9. Telescope Basics
• 1.9.1 Magnification
• 1.9.2 Resolution

• 1.9.3 Limiting Magnitude
• 1.9.4 Field of View
• 1.10. Atmospheric Effects
• 1.10.1 Transparency
• 1.10.2 Seeing
• 1.10.3 Light Pollution
• 1.10.4 Dark Adaption and Averted Vision
• Chapter 2: The Solar System
• 2.1. Early History of Astronomy
• 2.1.1 The Geocentric Universe
• 2.1.2 The Scientific Method
• 2.1.3 Ancient Greek Science
• 2.1.4 The Ptolemaic System
• 2.1.5 The Copernican Revolution
• 2.1.6 Tycho-The Great Observer
• 2.1.7 Kepler-The Great Theoretician
• 2.1.8 Galileo-The Great Experimenter
• 2.1.9 Newton-The Genius
• 2.1.10 The Greenhouse Effect
• 2.2. Observing the Solar System
• 2.2.1 The Moon
• 2.2.2 Mercury
• 2.2.3 Venus
• 2.2.4 Jupiter
• 2.2.5 Uranus
• Chapter 3: Spectroscopy and the Spectral Sequence
• 3.1. Spectra and Spectroscopy
• 3.2. Stellar Classification
• 3.3. Amateur Astronomical Spectroscopy
• 3.4. Redshift and Blueshift
• Chapter 4: The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram
• 4.1. Introduction
• 4.2. The H-R Diagram and Stellar Radius
• 4.3. The H-R Diagram and Stellar Luminosity
• 4.4. The H-R Diagram and Stellar Mass
• Chapter 5: The Interstellar Medium and Protostars
• 5.1. Introduction
• 5.2. Nebulae
• 5.3. Emission Nebulae
• 5.4. Dark Nebulae
• 5.5. Reflection Nebulae
• 5.6. Molecular Clouds
• 5.7. Protostars
• 5.8. The Jeans Criterion
• Chapter 6: Star Birth
• 6.1. The Birth of a Star
• 6.2. Pre-Main-Sequence Evolution and the Effect of Mass
• 6.3. Mass Loss and Mass Gain
• 6.3.1 T Tauri Stars
• 6.3.2 Discs and Winds
• 6.4. Star Formation Triggers
• 6.4.1 The Spiral Arms of a Galaxy
• 6.4.2 Expanding HII Regions
• 6.4.3 Supernova
• Chapter 7: Galactic Clusters and Stellar Associations
• 7.1. Galactic Star Clusters
• 7.2. Trumpler Classification for Star Clusters
• 7.2.1 Concentration
• 7.2.2 Range of Brightness
• 7.2.3 Richness of Cluster
• 7.3. Stellar Associations and Streams
• Chapter 8: The Sun, Our Nearest Star
• 8.1. From the Core to the Surface
• 8.2. The Proton-Proton Chain
• 8.3. Energy Transport from the Core to the Surface
• 8.4. Sunspots
• 8.4.1 The Solar Cycle
• 8.4.2 The Maunder Minimum
• 8.4.3 The Solar Magnetic Cycle
• 8.5. Prominences, Flares, Coronal Mass Ejections, and the Solar Wind
• Chapter 9: Binary Stars and Stellar Mass
• 9.1. Binary Stars
• 9.2. The Masses of Orbiting Stars
• Chapter 10: Life on the Main Sequence
• 10.1. Lifetimes of Main Sequence Stars
• 10.2. Red Giant Stars
• 10.3. Helium Burning and the Helium Flash

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Author/Creator:

Inglis, Mike, 1954-

Languages:

English

Language Notes:

Item content: English

Main Work:

Astrophysics is easy! (2023) [by Inglis, M.]

Other Related Resources:

Print version: Astrophysics Is Easy! [by Inglis, M.] (Cham : Springer International Publishing AG,c2023 — ISBN 9783031168048)

Related Series:

Patrick Moore's practical astronomy series

Subjects:

Astrophysics — Popular works

Astrophysics

Genres:

Popular works

General Notes:

Description based on: Online resource; title from PDF title page (SpringerLink, viewed March 8, 2023).

Physical Description:

1 online resource (462 pages).

Digital Characteristics:

text file

Call Numbers:

QB461.3 .I545 2023eb

ISBNs:

9783031168055 (electronic bk.)
3031168054 (electronic bk.)
3031168046 [Invalid]
9783031168048 [Invalid]

Other Standard Numbers:

Digital Object Identifier: 10.1007/978-3-031-16805-5

OCLC Numbers:

1371752862