Full Description
Distance determination - finding out how far away different astronomical objects are - is an essential and currently highly topical subject in astronomy. A great deal of progress has been made during the last part of the 20th century. Measuring the Universe provides a unified treatment of the various techniques used for distance determination. It begins by describing methods to measure distances on Earth then gradually climbs the "distance ladder" to enable us to estimate the distance to the farthest objects, ending with a discussion of particle horizons within an expanding and inflationary universe. Aimed at first-year undergraduates of astronomy and astrophysics, the book emphasises general physical principles rather than mathematical detail. The text is enhanced and complemented by the use of many worked examples, and questions and problem solving exercises at the end of each chapter.
Contents
Introduction.- First Step: The Earth.- Second Step: The Solar System.- Third Step: Nearby Stars.- Mezzanine: The Nature of Stars.- Fourth Step: More Distant Stars.- Fifth Step: The Galaxy.- Sixth Step: The Local Group.- Seventh Step: More Distant Galaxies.- Mezzanine: Cosmic Expansion.- Eighth Step: The Universe.- Appendices: Name Index. Object Index. Subject Index.
