Ebook: Discovering the Universe

Learning is a complex process of acquiring new information, comparing it to what we think we know, learning how to unlearn incorrect information, finding places for new facts in our memories, and finding ways of recalling them, among other things. Based on decades of teaching and of studying how people learn, Discovering the Universe incorporates a wide variety of insights in many places that help students both learn (currently accepted information) and unlearn (misconceptions about the cosmos). Indeed, Discovering the Universe has all the elements needed to learn quickly and efficiently, and all at a student-friendly level.

The eleventh edition of Discovering the Universe includes: many brand-new images, including some of Pluto, Ceres, and Jupiter; updates on the search for life on other worlds; and exciting results of gravitational wave and neutrino observations, among many other things. The book also provides coverage of many recent astronomical discoveries, all presented at a level accessible and insightful to students. This edition includes new pedagogical features to engage and challenge students, along with additional examples of the familiar features from previous editions.

NEW! Exoplanets Chapter expands the coverage of our rapidly developing knowledge and understanding of exoplanets (planets orbiting stars other than the Sun).

NEW! Meet the Discoverers interviews working astronomers across the field to provide insight into the process of doing science, as well as the inspiration that drives the people who do that work. This material will help students understand astronomy as an active, relevant, and vibrant discipline.