Foundations of Astronomy

"Practicing Science" features help students review key concepts and hone critical thinking skills by considering how scientists construct logical arguments from observations, evidence, theories and natural laws. Each feature includes a thoughtfully posed science question, sample answers to illustrate scientific reasoning and sometimes a second question that allows students to construct their own argument.

KEY EQUATIONS now have numbers, titles and examples to demonstrate their use. This highlights and reinforces the equations that will be needed to solve problems in later chapters.

A unique art program showcases this visual science in striking style, with hallmark Concept Art providing two-page visual summaries of key concepts covered in the text. "Concept Figures" combine art and text to help students synthesize information as a unified concept. "Guided Discovery Figures" show sequential frames of art to demonstrate processes that occur over time and "H–R" diagrams are designed to help students grasp key ideas at a glance. Whenever possible, the authors bring chapter content to life with captivating photographs from the latest NASA missions.

"Learning to Look" questions prompt students to answer questions based on observations of visual evidence shown in diagrams or photographs.

"Common Misconceptions" highlight and correct popularly held misconceptions about astronomy.

"Sense of Proportion" questions gauge student understanding of relative sizes and quantities in the Universe.

A unique art program showcases this visual science in striking style, with hallmark Concept Art providing two-page visual summaries of key concepts covered in the text. "Concept Figures" combine art and text to help students synthesize information as a unified concept. "Guided Discovery Figures" show sequential frames of art to demonstrate processes that occur over time and "H–R" diagrams are designed to help students grasp key ideas at a glance. Whenever possible, the authors bring chapter content to life with captivating photographs from the latest NASA missions.

Discussion Questions have been replaced with ACTIVE INQUIRY QUESTIONS, designed to engage students in deeper critical thinking.

Every chapter has been revised and updated with new text and images regarding observatories, scientific missions and new discoveries.

Material on normal galaxies, active galaxies and black holes--Chapters 16 and 17 in the previous edition--have been combined and streamlined into a single chapter, Chapter 16. Following chapters have been renumbered as a result.