Astrophysics: A Very Short Introduction

Product Description

Astrophysics is the physics of the stars & more widely the physics of the Universe It enables us to understand the structure & evolution of planetary systems stars galaxies interstellar gas & the cosmos as a whole In this Very Short Introduction the leading astrophysicist James Binney shows how the field of astrophysics has expanded rapidly in the past century with vast quantities of data gathered by telescopes exploiting all parts of the electromagnetic spectrum combined with the rapid advance of computing power which has allowed increasingly effective mathematical modelling He illustrates how the application of fundamental principles of physics
- the consideration of energy & mass & momentum
- & the two pillars of relativity & quantum mechanics has provided insights into phenomena ranging from rapidly spinning millisecond pulsars to the collision of giant spiral galaxies This is a clear rigorous introduction to astrophysics for those keen to cut their teeth on a conceptual treatment involving some mathematics ABOUT THE SERIES The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly Our expert authors combine facts analysis perspective new ideas & enthusiasm to make interesting & challenging topics highly readable