Introduction to Astronomy and Cosmology (eBook)

Ian Morison began his love of astronomy when, at the age of 12, he made a telescope out of lenses given to him by his optician. He went on to study Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy at Oxford and in 1970 was appointed to the staff of the University of Manchester where he now teaches astronomy, computing and electronics. He is a past president of the Society for Popular Astronomy, one of the UK's largest astronomical societies. He remains on the society's council and holds the post of instrument advisor helping members with their choice and use of Telescopes. He lectures wi9dely on astronomy, has co-authored books for amateur astronomers and writes regularly for the two UK astronomy magazines. He also writes a monthly sky guide for the Jodrell Bank Observatory's web site and produces an audio version as part of the Jodrell Bank Podcast. He has contributed to many television programmes and is a regular astronomy commentator on local and national radio. Another activity he greatly enjoys to take amateur astronomers on observing trips such as those to Lapland to see the Aurora Borealis and on expeditions to Turkey and China to observe total eclipses of the Sun. In 2003 the Minor Planets Committee of the International Astronomical Union named asteroid 15,727 in his honour, citing his work with MERLIN, the world's largest linked array of radio telescopes, and that in searching for intelligent life beyond our Solar System in Project Phoenix. In 2007 he was appointed to the post of Gresham Professor of Astronomy. Dating from 1597, this is the oldest astronomy professorship in the world and was once held by Christopher Wren.

Chapter 1: Astronomy, an observational science.

Chapter 2: Our Solar System I: the Sun.

Chapter 3: Our Solar System II - the Planets.

Chapter 4: Extra-solar Planets.

Chapter 5: Observing the Universe.

Chapter 6: The properties of stars

Chapter 7: Stellar Evolution - the life and death of stars.

Chapter 8: Galaxies and the Large Scale Structure of the Universe.

Chapter 9: Cosmology - the origin and evolution of the universe.

"The book is beautifully produced and illustrated, and notable for
the care that has gone into the choice of appropriate and unusual
illustrations. Recommended." (SSR, December 2009)



"This is an up-to-date, well-written, first-year undergraduate
textbook ... .Many people will enjoy reading it." (The
Observatory Magazine, August 2009)

"A very well thought-out book that lucidly covers a
comprehensive range of topics in an attractive format ... .Bang
up-to-date, and all cut up into convenient, self-contained sections
that can be read in a dip-in, dip-out sort of way." (Astronomy
Now, January 2009)