商品簡介
This accessible, visually appealing astronomy textbook for a first undergraduate course is written in conversational tone with discussions of high-interest topics like the search for extraterrestrial life and how many hydrogen atoms would fit on the head of a pin (answer: 4.2 million lined up side by side). The text's layout offers a wealth of color photos, images, illustrations, and process diagrams, including 25 two-page spreads on various astronomical features, processes, and equipment. Other visual features include 'celestial profiles,' inside-cover reference illustrations, and illustrations that help students understand relative sizes at the macro and micro levels. "How Do We Know?" boxes cover areas such as scientific revolutions, pseudoscience, data manipulation, and who pays for science. The companion website (new for this edition) contains study tools and the Virtual Astronomy Laboratory. Seeds is affiliated with Franklin and Marshall College. Backman is affiliated with SETI Institute and NASA Ames Research Center. Annotation c2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
