Astronomy: The Solar System and Beyond (with InfoTrac and TheSky CD-ROM)

This newly revised and updated Second Edition of ASTRONOMY: THE SOLAR SYSTEM AND BEYOND succeeds in engaging students as it illustrates their place in the universe -- not just their location, but also their role as planet dwellers in an evolving universe. In a clear and conversational writing style, Seeds shows students how science works, and how scientists depend on evidence to test hypotheses. Through a discussion of this interplay between evidence and hypothesis, the book provides not just a series of facts, but also a conceptual framework for understanding the logic of astronomical knowledge. Fascinating and vivid, the book conveys the author's love of the subject, shows students how the universe can be described by a small set of physical laws, and illustrates how they can comprehend their place in the universe by understanding these laws and not through memorization of facts. With the math set off in boxes, the book's presentation is flexible and allows instructors to teach to differing student levels. This is the first text from Mike Seeds that uses a planets-first approach.