Cosmology of the Big Bang: From Myths to Model

Cosmology of the Big Bang: From Myths to Model is a chronological, scientific treatment of the history of astronomy as a science. Beginning with ancient cultures and ending with the modern era, this book explores how humanity has studied the universe, what we claim to know about it, and why we claim to know it.

Through 11 chapters, the book traces astronomy from its roots in ancient ideas of cosmology and geocentrism, through the Renaissance, the Newtonian Revolution, and the dawn of modern physics. It introduces light and matter, how the stars are measured, the expanding universe, and the Big Bang Model. The final chapters examine modern cosmology and accelerating expansion, question the cause of the Big Bang, and explore the evolution of the universe since the Big Bang. The text offers an intellectually honest assessment of the fluidity of science, and teaches readers that science is not simply about facts, but also the progression of ideas and the testing of hypotheses.

The second edition features updates in every chapter, a new focus on cosmology, a new chapter titled The First Billion Years, and fresh sections on the laws of motion, how atoms are organized, and astronomy without light.

Filled with amazing imagery produced by modern astronomical instruments, The Cosmology of the Big Bang is designed for introductory college courses that explore the development of insight into the universe, particularly astronomy and physics courses for the nonscience major.