Contents
- Preface
1Science and the Universe: A Brief Tour
2Observing the Sky: The Birth of Astronomy
7Other Worlds: An Introduction to the Solar System
13Comets and Asteroids: Debris of the Solar System
14Cosmic Samples and the Origin of the Solar System
18The Stars: A Celestial Census
20Between the Stars: Gas and Dust in Space
21The Birth of Stars and the Discovery of Planets outside the Solar System
27Active Galaxies, Quasars, and Supermassive Black Holes
- AHow to Study for an Introductory Astronomy Class
- BAstronomy Websites, Images, and Apps
- CScientific Notation
- DUnits Used in Science
- ESome Useful Constants for Astronomy
- FPhysical and Orbital Data for the Planets
- GSelected Moons of the Planets
- HFuture Total Eclipses
- IThe Nearest Stars, Brown Dwarfs, and White Dwarfs
- JThe Brightest Twenty Stars
- KThe Chemical Elements
- LThe Constellations
- MStar Chart and Sky Event Resources
- Index
Review Questions
Review Questions
What are the moons of the outer planets made of, and how is their composition different from that of our Moon?
Compare the geology of Callisto, Ganymede, and Titan.
What is the evidence for a liquid water ocean on Europa, and why is this interesting to scientists searching for extraterrestrial life?
Explain the energy source that powers the volcanoes of Io.
Compare the properties of Titan’s atmosphere with those of Earth’s atmosphere.
How was Pluto discovered? Why did it take so long to find it?
How are Triton and Pluto similar?
Describe and compare the rings of Saturn and Uranus, including their possible origins.
Why were the rings of Uranus not observed directly from telescopes on the ground on Earth? How were they discovered?
List at least three major differences between Pluto and the terrestrial planets.
The Hubble Space Telescope images of Pluto in 2002 showed a bright spot and some darker areas around it. Now that we have the close-up New Horizons images, what did the large bright region on Pluto turn out to be?
Saturn’s E ring is broad and thin, and far from Saturn. It requires fresh particles to sustain itself. What is the source of new E-ring particles?