Product Description

Authors Mike Seeds and Dana Backman personalize the history of the universe by placing you at the center of the latest chapter in a grand and amazing story. You will learn how we are the latest link in the "great chain of origins." And, by emphasizing the role of the scientific process, Seeds and Backman will help you also understand how analyzing scientific evidence not only answers the question "How do we know?," but provide deeper insights into our place in the universe as well. Each new copy of the text comes with access to CengageNOW, an online personalized learning system designed to save you time in studying and to help you prepare for exams through a series of diagnostic tests and personalized study plans.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #195432 in Books
• Published on: 2007-01-31
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 384 pages

About the Author
Mike Seeds is the John W. Wetzel Professor of Astronomy at Franklin and Marshall College as well as Director of the College's Joseph R. Grundy Observatory. His research interests include peculiar variable stars and the automation of astronomical telescopes. He is the Principal Astronomer in charge of the Phoenix 10, the first fully robotic telescope, located in southern Arizona. In 1989, he received the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Award for distinguished Teaching. In addition to teaching, writing, and research, Mike has created educational tools for use in computer-smart classrooms and continues to develop his upper-level courses in Archaeoastronomy and in the History of Astronomy. He has also published educational software for preliterate toddlers. Mike was Senior Consultant in the creation of the 26-episode telecourse UNIVERSE: THE INFINITE FRONTIER. He is the author of several introductory astronomy textbooks, including HORIZONS EXPLORING THE UNIVERSE, 9th edition (2006), and FOUNDATIONS OF ASTRONOMY, 9th edition (2007) both published by Thomson Brooks/Cole. Dana Backman is the director of education and public outreach for SOFIA, located at NASA-Ames. He previously was the chair of the Physics and Astronomy department at Franklin and Marshall College, where he taught physics and astronomy alongside Mike Seeds. He is also a faculty member in the College of Continuing Studies at Stanford University, where he teaches an introductory level astronomy course. His undergraduate degree is from MIT and his Masters and Ph.D. are from the University of Hawaii.

Customer Reviews

enjoyable and authoritative read
If you are curious about our universe, this book is an enjoyable and reliable introduction. The authors are professional astronomers, who write eloquently for a general, educated audience. In straightforward prose, they describe the reaches of modern astronomy.

Including the marvellous results of spacecrafts that have been to other planets in our solar system. The photos of planetary surfaces are beautiful and illuminate much information about our nearest neighbours.

On a different scale, literally, is the evolution of the universe itself. From the Big Bang and the Cosmic Microwave Background to the condensation of the galaxies and their stars. And the evolution of the elements, starting from hydrogen. A conceptual sweep.

Perspectives on Astronomy (with CengageNOW, Virtual Astronomy Labs Printed Access Card)
Book itself was in fairly good shape, however it was advertised to have the other book cengageNow and it was missing.