The ninth edition of this successful textbook describes the full range of the astronomical universe and how astronomers think about the cosmos.

NOTE: You are purchasing a standalone product; MasteringAstronomy does not come packaged with this content. If you would like to purchase both the physical text and MasteringAstronomy search for 0133858642 / 9780133858648 The Cosmic Perspective Fundamentals Plus MasteringAstronomy with eText, Access Card Package: Package consists of: 0133889564 / 9780133889567 Cosmic Perspective Fundamentals, The 0133905306 / 9780133905304 MasteringAstronomy with Pearson eText -- ValuePack Access Card -- for The Cosmic Perspective Fundamentals 0321712951 / 9780321712950 Starry Night College Student Access Code Card 0321765184 / 9780321765185 SkyGazer 5.0 Student Access Code Card (Integrated component) MasteringAstronomy should only be purchased when required by an instructor. For one-semester college courses in Introductory Astronomy. Teaching the Process of Science through Astronomy Inspired by an activities-based classroom approach, The Cosmic Perspective Fundamentals is the briefest introduction to astronomy in the Bennett series. By focusing on the process of science and fundamental concepts of astronomy, The Cosmic Perspective Fundamentals allows time for the use of other instructional tools in the course. Each concisely written chapter is formatted into two main sections followed by a Process of Science section, making learning targeted and expectations clear for students. The Second Edition of The Cosmic Perspective Fundamentals presents recent dramatic advances in astronomy and how they change our understanding of the cosmos. This new editionfocuses on essential subjects of astronomy chosen for their importance to the field, interest, and engagement level, using goal-oriented lessons and practical tools tobring astronomy to life. The textbook is now supported in MasteringAstronomy to create an unrivalled learning suite for students and instructors.

Building on a long tradition of effective pedagogy and comprehensive coverage, The Cosmic Perspective, 7th Edition provides a thoroughly engaging and up-to-date introduction to astronomy for non-science majors. The text provides a wealth of features that enhance student skill-building, including new group work exercises that engage students in active learning, helping them retain concepts longer and build communication skills for the future. The full text downloaded to your computer With eBooks you can: search for key concepts, words and phrases make highlights and notes as you study share your notes with friends eBooks are downloaded to your computer and accessible either offline through the Bookshelf (available as a free download), available online and also via the iPad and Android apps. Upon purchase, you'll gain instant access to this eBook. Time limit The eBooks products do not have an expiry date. You will continue to access your digital ebook products whilst you have your Bookshelf installed.

Using space photographs and scaled maps, demonstrates the actual size of objects in the cosmos, from Buzz Aldrin's historic footprint on the Moon to the entire visible universe, with a gatefold of the Gott-Juric Map of the Universe.

Called "spellbinding" (Scientific American) and "thrilling...a future classic of popular science" (PW), the up close, inside story of the greatest space exploration project of our time, New Horizons’ mission to Pluto, as shared with David Grinspoon by mission leader Alan Stern and other key players. On July 14, 2015, something amazing happened. More than 3 billion miles from Earth, a small NASA spacecraft called New Horizons screamed past Pluto at more than 32,000 miles per hour, focusing its instruments on the long mysterious icy worlds of the Pluto system, and then, just as quickly, continued on its journey out into the beyond. Nothing like this has occurred in a generation—a raw exploration of new worlds unparalleled since NASA’s Voyager missions to Uranus and Neptune—and nothing quite like it is planned to happen ever again. The photos that New Horizons sent back to Earth graced the front pages of newspapers on all 7 continents, and NASA’s website for the mission received more than 2 billion hits in the days surrounding the flyby. At a time when so many think that our most historic achievements are in the past, the most distant planetary exploration ever attempted not only succeeded in 2015 but made history and captured the world’s imagination. How did this happen? Chasing New Horizons is the story of the men and women behind this amazing mission: of their decades-long commitment and persistence; of the political fights within and outside of NASA; of the sheer human ingenuity it took to design, build, and fly the mission; and of the plans for New Horizons’ next encounter, 1 billion miles past Pluto in 2019. Told from the insider’s perspective of mission leader Dr. Alan Stern and others on New Horizons, and including two stunning 16-page full-color inserts of images, Chasing New Horizons is a riveting account of scientific discovery, and of how much we humans can achieve when people focused on a dream work together toward their incredible goal.

Origins of Life: A Cosmic Perspective presents an overview of the concepts, methods, and theories of astrobiology and origins of life research while presenting a summary of the latest findings. The book provides insight into the environments and processes that gave birth to life on our planet, which naturally informs our assessment of the probability that has arisen (or will arise) elsewhere. In addition, the book encourages readers to go beyond basic concepts, to explore topics in greater depth, and to engage in lively discussions. The text is intended to be suitable for mid- and upper-level undergraduates and beginning graduate students and more generally as an introduction and overview for researchers and general readers seeking to follow current developments in this interdisciplinary field. Readers are assumed to have a basic grounding in the relevant sciences, but prior specialized knowledge is not required. Each chapter concludes with a list of questions and discussion topics as well as suggestions for further reading. Some questions can be answered with reference to material in the text, but others require further reading and some have no known answers. The intention is to encourage readers to go beyond basic concepts, to explore topics in greater depth, and, in a classroom setting, to engage in lively discussions with class members.

Will our universe continue to expand 100 billion years from now? Does human life and all intelligence inevitably come to an end as the universe evolves? Could our present space be converted catastrophically in to a new kind of space governed by different physical laws? Can we construct a theology of the future universe? Would the continuation of the universe for eternity be a good thing? The Far-Future Universe presents eighteen provocative essays offering speculations on various scenarios for the future, from the perspectives of cosmology, physics, biology, humanity and theology. Other contributors consider global time, artificial intelligence, religious ideas about the end of the world, and the nature of existence. Stimulating, challenging and exciting, these visions of the far future are a starting point for further reflection and speculation.