Addressing the newest developments and latest discoveries in the exciting study of astronomy, this revised seventh edition of "Stars and Galaxies" helps students use astronomy to understand science and use science to understand what we are. Fascinating and engaging, "Stars and Galaxies" illustrates the scientific method and guides students to answer these fundamental questions: What are we? How do we know? In discussing the interplay between evidence and hypothesis, author Michael Seeds provides not only facts but also a conceptual framework for understanding the logic of science. Coverage of this title includes observations of the shapes of stars; evidence of dark energy, quasars, and galaxy collisions; and a look inside supernova explosions. And whether you choose to assign homework in an online environment, give your students access to an affordable and interactive online text, or do both, "Foundations of Astronomy Online Version" (which contains the complete text of "Stars and Galaxies") is the ideal solution for your course needs. The Online Version gives your students Web-based access to a digital version of Michael A. Seeds' best-selling astronomy textbook as well as the online Enhanced WebAssign[registered] homework management system so you can assign and manage homework online.

Table of Contents

PART I: EXPLORING THE SKY. 1. Here and Now. 2. The Sky. 3. Cycles of the Moon. 4. The Origin of Modern Astronomy. 5. Gravity. 6. Light and Telescopes. PART II: THE STARS. 7. Atoms and Starlight. 8. The Sun. 9. The Family of Stars. 10. The Interstellar Medium. 11. The Formation and Structure of Stars. 12. Stellar Evolution. 13. The Deaths of Stars. 14. Neutron Stars and Black Holes. PART III: THE UNIVERSE. 15. The Milky Way Galaxy. 16. Galaxies. 17. Active Galaxies and Supermassive Black Holes. 18. Modern Cosmology. PART IV: THE SOLAR SYSTEM. 19. Astrobiology: Life on Other Worlds. Afterword. Appendix A: Units and Astronomical Data. Appendix B: Observing the Sky. Glossary. Answers to Even-Numbered Problems. Index.