Book Description
The Essential Cosmic Perspective, Third Edition, built from the ground up on our new understanding of the universe, has been revised and streamlined to make it easier for readers to navigate and learn from. Chapter openers, headers, callouts, and chapter summaries make learning goals more explicit and tie together important concepts. Key content has been consolidated and reorganized, with a new emphasis on a planet-by-planet approach. The material is linked to everyday life, helping readers develop an appreciation for the scientific method and see how physics and astronomy are foundations for understanding their world. Supplementing the book is an expanded and easy-to-use media package. Developing Perspective, Key Concepts for Astronomy, Learning From Other Worlds, Stars, Galaxies and Beyond, Life on Earth and Beyond. For college instructors and students, or anyone interested in issues relating to astronomy.
Customer Reviews:
Good book but I believe there are better.......2006-11-27
The good: This book is easy to read and understand, assumes very little of the reader other than a general understanding of current science. Explainations are clear and build logically throughout the book. Very little math - any high school math would be enough to understand what little there is in this book. Information is up to date and the book has many good pictures and diagrams to aid in understanding.
The not as good: I would have liked more in depth detail. I know this is somewhat subjective the book still has nearly 500 pages, however the text often only covers 60% of a page. In comparison to the at least two compeating books "Astronomy Today" and "The Universe" have over 700 pages each and more like 90% of a text page coverage just to grossly compare them. Each of these books also are easy to read, have good pictures and diagrams too.
So all in all this book is good and covers the subject well, but if you wish more detail other books may be better choices.
Everything you want to know, plus a great CDRom!.......2003-04-07
This book is really good, especially for those interested in the universe and its formation. It also comes with a CDRom with video clips and a study guide for students. A useful, and interesting book!
Book Description
KEY BENEFIT: The Fourth Edition of The Cosmic Perspective builds on the textbook's long tradition of strong pedagogy and streamlined presentation. Renowned for its up-to-date and expert coverage, this reader-friendly text focuses on central ideas and unifying themes to provide a cosmic context. The Fourth Editionfeatures a new straightforward learning program that uses chapter openers, headers, and chapter summaries to make learning goals more explicit and to tie together important concepts.
Our Place in the Universe, Discovering the Universe for Yourself, The Science of Astronomy, Celestial Timekeeping and Navigation, Key Concepts for Astronomy, Making Sense of the Universe: Understanding Motion, Energy, and Gravity, Light and Matter: Reading Messages from the Cosmos, Telescopes: Portals of Discovery, Learing from other Worlds, Our Solar System, Formation of the Solar System, Planetary Geology: Earth and the Other Terrestrial Worlds, Planetary Atmospheres: Earth and the Other Terrestrial Worlds, Jovian Planet Systems, Remnants of Rock and Ice: Asteroids, Comets, and Pluto, Other Planetary Systems, Space and Time, Spacetime and Gravity, Building Blocks of the Universe, Stars, Our Star, Star Stuff, The Bizarre Stellar Graveyard, Galaxies and Beyond, Our Galaxy, A Universe of Galaxies, Galaxy Evolution, Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Fate of the Universe, The Beginning of Time, Life on Earth and Beyond, Life in the Universe
For all readers interested in learning about astronomy.
Customer Reviews:
cosmic perspective.......2007-05-31
i found this book to be very helpful for my intro to astronomy class..the pictures were very helpful
Great Textbook, easy to read and enjoyable to learn........2007-03-28
As stated in the title, bought this book for a college course and found it to be a good read and a pleasure to learn from. Lots of great color pictures other artwork.
Too easy.......2006-08-16
This book is an excellent introductory to astronomy. However, it seems as if the authors are afraid of scaring away students with a few equations and math. They spend pages trying to describe an astrophysical situation when they could list an equation or a graph that would be more succinct and easier to comprehend.
The Best Introductory Astronomy Book I've Every Read.......2006-04-20
The best astronomy book I've ever read. Even more than that, this is the best science book I've ever read. The writing style combined with the excellent illustrations make even fairly complex subject simple and understandable. Even their descriptions of things like relativity are so simple that anyone can understand them.
Now the book is in its fourth edition, bringing it up to date with:
the discovery of an object larger than Pluto in our own solar system
the latest results from the rovers and orbiters studying Mars
the latest Cassini results from Saturn and Huygens results from Titan
the Deep Impact mission to Comet Tempel 1
supernovae observations providing stronger evidence for dark energy
recent results from the Spitzer Space Telescope
Mastering Astronomy -- the book includes a one-year subscription to this web based interactive media that has been used by over 100,000 students.
Note that this book comes in several editions. This one covers everything. The other two are extracted from this book.
Reviewed by an astronomy student.......2000-01-04
As an astronomy student at the University of Colorado, I have used "The Cosmic Perspective" as a text book for two of my classes (one on stars and galaxies, and one on the solar system). This book is perfect for both: the text is clear and full of insight; the illustrations and photographs are abundant and extremely professional, and they complement the text superbly; the sections called "Mathematical Insight" give the reader a clear understanding of the science involved, and the sections called "Common Misconceptions" are as fun to read as they are informative.
I have read this book cover-to-cover, and although it is intended as a text book, it reads like many of the very popular science books I have read. If you enjoyed reading Sagan's "Cosmos", Gribbin's "In Search of the Big Bang", Feynman's "The Character of Physical Law", Lederman's "The God Particle" or Hawking's "A Brief History of Time", you will enjoy this very well-conceived and well-written book.
"The Cosmic Perspective" is very comprehensive. Besides covering the fundamental concepts of astronomy (such as light as the cosmic messenger; universal motion; celestial timekeeping; and telescopes), this book details how stars are born, evolve and die; the fundamentals of relativity; how the galaxies were formed, as well as how our solar system was formed; how vast space really is; how we know the distances to various objects in our universe; and how we know what happened at the early moments of the Big Bang. Since this book is new (published in 1999), it contains the latest facts and the latest thinking of modern astronomy. This book captured my interest and my enthusiasm the moment I began reading it.
Book Description
Built from the ground up on our new understanding of the universe, this reader-friendly book focuses on central ideas and unifying themes to provide a cosmic context. Scientific concepts are linked to everyday experience to help readers develop an appreciation for the scientific method and to see how physics and astronomy are foundations for understanding their world, and recent discoveries spark readers' curiosity in the universe as a whole. The book opens with an overview of the evolving universe to give readers a big picture that is returned to throughout the book. Departing from the traditional planet-by-planet facts and figures, the book emphasizes the similarities between planets by exploring connecting processes, as well as the evolving vision of galaxies and dark matter. For college instructors and students, or anyone interested in astronomy and physics.
Customer Reviews:
Poor quality paper and binding.......2005-09-25
It is a sad day when you have to pay almost $100 for a paperback book with very thin paper. Of course as is now current practice to keep a student from getting decent resale on this item the publisher glue CD ROMs to the front of the book that once used will no longer have a valid code. The glue used to stick in the disks comes off so pages stick together.
The content of the book is fine. The quality of the binding, paper and packaging leaves a lot to be desired.
Best Textbook Ever!.......2005-02-17
This is the best textbook I have ever read. Not only is it informative, but the authors give the information in an interesting way. My entire class agrees that the best line is "we like to refer to Jupiter not as a failed starm but as a very successful planet."
A Quality Text Book.......2003-12-16
I'm not an astronomer. I'm not even a scientist. I'm just a 2nd year college student that just finished a semester of astronomy for her science requirement. None the less, after reading the majority of this book, I do feel that I'm in a position to be able to review it properly.
The beginning was a bit confusing for me, but once I read more, I began to understand the majority of the material presented. It's a very, very thorough text with excellent cd-rom resources that help you test yourself and review. I thought the chapters on the planets, particularly the jovian planets, and star formation were particularly well written and easy to understand. This is a great text for anyone wishing to teach or study astronomy. I would highly recommend it.
Book Description
KEY MESSAGE: The Essential Cosmic Perspective,
Fourth Edition has been thoroughly revised to include more quantitative coverage, an enhanced illustration and photo program, and an unparalleled new media package. Built from the ground up on our new understanding of the universe, the
Fourth Edition retains all of the features that have made this text so popular, while adding new features and supplements that enhance the book’s pedagogy to make it the strongest text in the one-semester astronomy market. The
Fourth Edition features optional quantitative reasoning boxes, basic equations throughout the text, new end-of-chapter problems, and a consolidated math appendix to emphasize quantitative understanding. Key figures have been annotated to guide reader interpretation of difficult concepts. New two-page illustrations throughout the text, and at the end of every part, visually tie together key concepts from across chapters to drive home main ideas in a meaningful way.
Developing Perspective: Our Place in the Universe, Discovering the Universe for Yourself, The science of Astronomy. Key Concepts for Astronomy: Making Sense of the Universe: Understanding Motion, Energy, and Gravity, Light: The Cosmic Messenger Our Solar System and Its Origin, Earth and the Terrestrial Worlds, Jovian Planet Systems, Remnants of Rock and Ice: Asteroids, Comets, and the Kuiper Belt. Stars: Our Star, Surveying the Stars, Star Stuff, The Bizarre Stellar Graveyard. Galaxies and Beyond: Our Galaxy, A Universe of Galaxies, Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Fate of the Universe, The Beginning of Time. Life on Earth and Beyond: Life in the Universe.
AUDIENCE: For all readers interested in astronomy and a new understanding of the universe.
Customer Reviews:
Very happy with this purchase.......2007-09-08
I received the book I ordered faster than I had expected and it was brand new.
I couldn't be happier.
Would do business with this seller without any hesitation.
Book Description
In 1973, Carl Sagan published The Cosmic Connection, a daring view of the universe, which rapidly became a classic work of popular science and inspired a generation of scientists and enthusiasts. This seminal work is reproduced here for a whole new generation to enjoy. In Sagan's typically lucid and lyrical style, he discusses many topics from astrophysics and solar system science, to colonization, terraforming and the search for extraterrestrials. Sagan conveys his own excitement and wonder, and relates the revelations of astronomy to the most profound human problems and concerns: issues that are just as valid today as they were thirty years ago. New to this edition are Freeman Dyson's comments on Sagan's vision and the importance of the work, Ann Druyan's assessment of Sagan's cultural significance as a champion of science, and David Morrison's discussion of the advances made since 1973 and what became of Sagan's predictions. Who knows what wonders this third millennium will reveal, but one thing is certain: Carl Sagan played a unique role in preparing us for them.
Customer Reviews:
Infectious enthusiasm.......2004-05-31
Carl Sagan's "The Cosmic Connection" is an enjoyable and easy-to-read survey of science and astronomy, circa 1973. Sagan's passion for his subjects comes through loud and clear in the essays that comprise this book. Reading this book is a little like watching "Cosmos" -- you're struck by the breadth of Sagan's knowledge and charmed by his imagination and wide-eyed enthusiasm for his topics. Sagan has a flair for making science accessible to the masses. He explores topics such as planetary exploration, the origins of life, and, of course, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. Readers who liked "A Brief History of Time" will probably enjoy "The Cosmic Connection." The epilogue, which provides a year 2000 update for many of the chapters, is a valuable addition to this classic book.
Worth reading.......2003-05-13
Sure this isn't Sagans best book, it was one of his earliest. But its definitely a great read, full of profound thoughts.
Digressions? Yeah!.......2001-10-28
This book is a mix of thoughts by Carl Sagan, which he mainly dictated while crossing North America in a car. Well, it shows! It jumps from interesting paragraphs to useless personnal experiences, and the final result is a short text that is confusing, and (but that's not his fault) outdated. Read "Cosmos" and "Pale Blue Dot", they are much better.
The Musings of A Great Intellect.......2001-04-15
While it was first published over twenty five years ago and new scientific knowledge has rendered some of the "facts" and conclusions invalid, this book is still one that will fascinate you. For Sagan's writings are not about the knowledge of the moment but about grand, overwhelming ideas. Known to most people through his television appearances and his popular science books, he was a man with very impressive scientific credentials. A driving force in setting the priorities of planetary probes, his formidable intellect and powers of persuasion helped change the missions in many important ways.
Carl Sagan was a man deeply committed to the scientific method, the rule of reason and the exploration of space. His passion comes through very clearly in these essays, although he never descends to the level of being preachy. Towards the end of his life, he started to grow understandably pessimistic about the continued lack of exploration of the universe beyond the limits of the blue planet. Like so many of us, he is saddened by the lack of a vision that would drive the human race to establish an extraterrestrial presence beyond low Earth orbit.
Other issues that he deals with are the consequences of contact with another civilization and how we may recognize it when it occurs and what our response should be. These are very fundamental questions that the human race should consider. It is hard to imagine any other event that could have a more profound impact on how humans view themselves and their role in the cosmos. I agree with the premise of the Star Trek movie "First Contact", where the first contact with an extraterrestrial unites humanity in a way never before thought possible.
Humans will always continue to examine our place in the grand scheme and what all of the immensity of the universe really means. As long as we continue to produce beings of the caliber of Carl Sagan, our future is a bright one. His intellect and ability to excite were both first rate and I do not know how anyone could read these essays and not be moved by the quality of his reasoning.
"Must" reading for all Sagan fans.......2001-03-02
The late Carl Sagan was one of the most popular, influential, and successful interpreters of astronomy to the American public. In 1973 he published "The Cosmic Connection". He offered a daring view of the universe and his seminal work became a classic of popular science, inspiring a generation of scientists and non-specialist general readers with an enthusiasm for all aspects of science in general, and astronomy in particular. Now Cambridge University Press has reissued a new edition of Sagan's influential book, enhanced with Freeman Dyson's commentary on Sagan's vision and on the importance of "The Cosmic Connection"; Ann Dryan's assessment of Sagan's cultural significance as a champion of science; and David Morrison's discussion of the advances made over the past 30 years and what became of Sagan's predictions. Carl Sagan's Cosmic Connection is "must" reading for all Sagan fans and anyone interested in how his views and predictions have held up over the past three decades of rapid advances in the science of astronomy and the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.
Book Description
KEY MESSAGE: Building on a long tradition of strong pedagogy and streamlined presentation,
The Cosmic Perspective,
Fourth Edition Media Update now includes an enhanced media package that features the most advanced astronomy tutorial, assessment, and self-study system ever built. The
Fourth Edition Media Update includes MasteringAstronomy™, Voyager SkyGazer planetarium software, an updated Astronomy Media Workbook, and an e-book CD-ROM with embedded animations – a convenient additional study resource for readers on the go – all designed to seamlessly incorporate media into lectures and at-home study. The
Fourth
Edition Media Update is a reader-friendly text that focuses on central ideas and unifying themes to provide a cosmic context.
Developing Perspective: Our Place in the Universe, Discovering the Universe for Yourself, The Science of Astronomy, Celestial Timekeeping and Navigation. Key Concepts for Astronomy: Making Sense of the Universe: Understanding Motion, Energy, and Gravity, Light and Matter: Reading Messages from the Cosmos, Telescopes: Portals of Discovery. Learning from Other Worlds: Our Planetary System, Formation of the Solar System, Planetary Geology: Earth and the Other Terrestrial Worlds, Planetary Atmospheres: Earth and the Other Terrestrial Worlds, Jovian Planet Systems, Remnants of Rock and Ice: Asteroids, Comets, and the Kuiper Belt , Other Planetary Systems: The New Science of Distant Worlds. A Deeper Look at Nature: Space and Time, Spacetime and Gravity, Building Blocks of the Universe. Stellar Alchemy: Our Star, Surveying the Stars, Star Birth, Star Stuff, The Bizarre Stellar Graveyard. Galaxies and Beyond, Our Galaxy, Galaxies and the Foundation of Modern Cosmology, Galaxy Evolution, Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Fate of the Universe, The Beginning of Time. Life on Earth and Beyond: Life in the Universe
For all readers interested in astronomy in a cosmic context.
Customer Reviews:
It does the job of teaching about astronomy.......2007-05-14
This book does the job it is designed to do, and it is written well, so it is relatively easy to understand. I recommend this book.
Product Description
In this accessible, student-friendly text, astronomy is treated as a fundamental human endeavor rather than an enterprise reserved for professionals. The authors engage students' curiosity through cutting-edge material that focuses on the themes of human achievement, physics in the universe, continuity of matter, the dynamic systems that sustain life, and astronomy and physics as foundations for our world view.
Throughout, the emphasis is on important ideas, with relevant details, techniques, and formulas presented after concepts. A Time Out to Think feature, which encourages students to check their understanding as they read, is just one of many pedagogical aids that reinforce learning. Text discussions are complemented by a distinctive art program, with figures not seen before in astronomy texts. A rich Web site includes student and instructor resources and coverage of current events.
Product Description
Book Description
The Essential Cosmic Perspective, Third Edition Media Update features a new an effective learning program that uses chapter openers, headers, callouts in the text, and highly-visual chapter summaries to make learning goals more explicit and to tie together important astronomy concepts.
DEVELOPING PERSPECTIVE, Our Place in the Universe, Discovering the Universe for Yourself, The Science of Astronomy, KEY CONCEPTS FOR ASTRONOMY, Making Sense of the Universe -Understanding Motion, Energy and Gravity, Light - The Cosmic Messenger, LEARNING FROM OTHER WORLDS, Our Solar System and Its Origin, Earth and the Terrestrial Worlds, Jovian Planet Systems, Remnants of Rock and Ice: Asteroids, Comets, and Pluto, STARS, Our Star, Other Stars, Star Stuff, The Bizarre Stellar Graveyard, GALAXIES AND BEYOND, Our Galaxy, A Universe of Galaxies, Dark Matter and the Fate of the Universe, The Beginning of Time, LIFE ON EARTH AND BEYOND, Life in the Universe: Prospects for Microbes, Civilizations, and Interstellar Travel.
For all readers interested in important astronomy concepts.
Product Description
Astronomy textbook which also includes two CD-ROMS:(1)Voyager SkyGazer College Edition and (2) The Cosmic Perspective Electronic Textbook. Tells the story of modern astronomy and the cosmic perspective. For anyone interested in learning about the universe, but designed primarily as a textbook for college students who are not majoring in science or math.
Book Description
Will our universe continue to expand 100 billion years from now? Does human life and all intelligence inevitably come to an end as the universe evolves? Could our present space be converted catastrophically into a new kind of space governed by different physical laws? Can we construct a theology of the future universe? Would the continuation of the universe for eternity be a good thing?
Nearly 400 years ago, Galileo ground the Dutch "spyglass" and looked to the stars. His discoveries raised questions about the origin of the universe—questions that today, with our high-powered optical instruments, have become even more audacious. In Rome, at the Casina Pio IV, once a summer residence of Pope Pius IV and with links to Galileo, a group of scientists and theologians recently gathered to exchange research-in-progress, ideas, and opinions about the far future.
The Far-Future Universe presents eighteen provocative essays offering speculations on various scenarios for the future, from the perspectives of cosmology, physics, biology, humanity, and theology, including:
John D. Barrow, research professor of mathematical science, who notes: "When there is an infinite time to wait then anything that can happen, eventually will happen. Worse (or better) than that, it will happen infinitely often."
Paul Davies, British theoretical physicist, who addresses the question: "Eternity: who needs it?," poses six cosmological models, and examines the implications of each for the ultimate fate of the universe.
A. Graham Cairns-Smith, honorary senior research fellow at the University of Glasgow, who considers exotic genetic materials and distinguishes between "life as we know it" and "life in general."
Other contributors consider global time, artificial intelligence, religious ideas about the end of the world, and the nature of existence. Stimulating, challenging, and exciting, these visions of the far future are a starting point for further reflection and speculation.
Books:
- Exodus to Arthur: Catastrophic Encounters with Comets
- Failure Is Not an Option: Mission Control from Mercury to Apollo 13 and Beyond
- Gravitation and Cosmology: Principles and Applications of the General Theory of Relativity
- Gravitation and Cosmology: Principles and Applications of the General Theory of Relativity
- Gravitation and Cosmology: Principles and Applications of the General Theory of Relativity
- High Energy Astrophysics
- History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Books Index
Books Home
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Astronomy
| Astronomy
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Norton's Star Atlas and Reference Handbook, 20th Edition
The Cosmic Perspective: The Solar System (4th edition)
On the Cosmic Horizon: Ten Great Mysteries for Third Millennium Astronomy
Astronomy Media Workbook, Fourth Edition (Accompanies The Cosmic Perspective, The Essential Cosmic Perspective)
Coming of Age in the Milky Way
