Foundations of Astronomy

This newly revised and updated Sixth Edition of FOUNDATIONS OF ASTRONOMY shows students their place in the universe -- not just their location, but also their role as planet dwellers in an evolving universe. Fascinating and engaging, the book illustrates how science works, and how scientists depend on evidence to test hypotheses.

Through a discussion of this interplay between evidence and hypothesis, Seeds 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, not through memorization of facts. The book's use of mathematics is incorporated into the body of the text (as well as in separate sections for easy reference), but the arguments of the text do not depend on mathematical reasoning, allowing math-averse students to easily follow the story. The revision covers the history of astronomy, elementary physics concepts, stars and galaxies, the origins of the universe, and the Solar System.