Astrophysics in a Nutshell by Dan Maoz

Astrophysics in a Nutshell by Dan Maoz

A concise but thorough introduction to the observational data and theoretical concepts underlying modern astronomy, Astrophysics in a Nutshell is designed for advanced undergraduate science majors taking a one-semester course. This well-balanced and up-to-date textbook covers the essentials of modern astrophysics--from stars to cosmology--emphasizing the common, familiar physical principles that govern astronomical phenomena, and the interplay between theory and observation.

In addition to traditional topics such as stellar remnants, galaxies, and the interstellar medium, Astrophysics in a Nutshell introduces subjects at the forefront of modern research, including black holes, dark matter, gravitational lensing, and dark energy, all updated with some of the latest observational results. To aid physical understanding, mathematical derivations are kept as simple, short, and clear as possible, and order-of-magnitude estimates, dimensional analysis, and scaling arguments are frequently used. These no-nonsense, back-of-the-envelope calculations train students to think like physicists. The book is amply illustrated with simple, clear figures and each chapter ends with a set of problems.

In addition to serving as a course textbook, Astrophysics in a Nutshell is an ideal review for a qualifying exam and a handy reference for teachers and researchers.

• The most concise and up-to-date astrophysics textbook for science majors
• Contains a broad and well-balanced choice of traditional subjects and current research topics
• Uses simple, short, and clear derivations of physical results
• Trains students in the essential skills of order-of-magnitude analysis
• Includes teaching problems with each chapter

Winner of the 2009 Chambliss Astronomical Writing Award for an academic book, American Astronomical Society One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2007 "Tel Aviv University professor Dan Maoz aims to provide a concise guide to the subject for advanced science undergraduatesThe essentials of modern astrophysics are covered, from traditional topics such as stellar remnants and galaxies to recent research including dark matter and dark energy, while training students in order-of-magnitude analysis."--Times Higher Education "[M]aoz makes generous and excellent use of back-of-the-envelope calculations and approximations to the more complete theory, accurate enough to both illustrate the physics and to arrive at decent numerical answers...Lots of material is squeezed into this thin volume. The treatment of stellar physics is particularly insightful; other topics--galaxies and galactic structure and cosmology, are also very well done."--K.L. Schick, Choice "The presentation of so much material within 250 pages is done very skillfully, with a judicious balance between mathematical discussion and physical argument. The pedagogic value of the text is greatly enhanced by the problems given at the end of each chapter. Altogether, the book lives well up to the publisher's declared aims."--Leon Mestel, The Observatory

Dan Maoz is Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Tel-Aviv University. His main research interests are supermassive black holes, gravitational lensing, and supernovae.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780691125848
ISBN 10	0691125848
Title	Astrophysics in a Nutshell
Author	Dan Maoz
Series	In A Nutshell
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Princeton University Press
Year published	2007-03-25
Number of pages	272
Prizes	Commended for Choice Magazine Outstanding Reference/Academic Book Award 2007
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.