Discovering the Essential Universe, Sixth Edition, is one of the briefest texts available for the introductory astronomy course, while still providing the wide range of topics that is a hallmark of the Comins/Kaufmann texts. A variety of ways to learn and to teach are provided for in this text and in the ancillary material that accompanies it. For example, questions for in-class interactivities, where students respond to questions with “clickers,” are provided to help enrich the classroom experience. Online materials provide tutorials and practice questions that turn students from passive into active learners.

The sixth edition of Discovering the Essential Universe continues to present concepts clearly and accurately, while strengthening the pedagogical tools to make the learning process even more worthwhile by