I am deeply grateful to the astronomers and teachers who reviewed the manuscript of this edition. This is a stronger and better book because of their conscientious efforts:

Robert Arts, University of Pikeville

Sandi Brenner, Bryant University

Sasa Dordevic, University of Akron

Joseph Doyle, Bridgewater State University

Adriana Durbala, University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point

Robert Egler, North Carolina State University

Brian Geislinger, Gadsden State Community College

Bruce E. Gordon, University of New Hampshire

George Hassel, Siena College

Kishor T. Kapale, Western Illinois University

Erik Kubik, Quinnipiac University

Deborah A. Levine, Glendale Community College

Lauren Likkel, University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire

Richard Ludlow, Daniel Webster College

Jose Mena-Werth, University of Nebraska, Kearney

Paul Meyer, Lewis and Clark Community College

George Muncaster, Scottsdale Community College

Chris Packham, University of Texas at San Antonio

Marina Papenkova, East Los Angeles College

Jon R. Pedicino, College of the Redwoods

Chris Reese, Lewis and Clark Community College

Joshua Ridley, Murray State University

Aundrea Tavakkoly, Porterville College

Victor M. Taveras, West Kentucky Community and Technical College

Christopher Tycner, Central Michigan University

Aaron Warren, Purdue University, North Central

I would also like to thank the many people whose advice on previous editions has had an ongoing influence:

John Anderson, University of North Florida

Kurt S. J. Anderson, New Mexico State University

Gordan Baird, University of Arizona

Nadine G. Barlow, Northern Arizona University

Henry E. Bass, University of Mississippi

J. David Batchelor, Community College of Southern Nevada

Jill Bechtold, University of Arizona

Peter A. Becker, George Mason University

Ralph L. Benbow, Northern Illinois University

John Bieging, University of Arizona

Greg Black, University of Virginia

John C. (Jack) Brandt, University of New Mexico

James S. Brooks, Florida State University

John W. Burns, Mt. San Antonio College

Gene Byrd, University of Alabama

Eugene R. Capriotti, Michigan State University

Eric D. Carlson, Wake Forest University

Jennifer L. Cash, South Carolina State University

Michael W. Castelaz, Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute

Gerald Cecil, University of North Carolina

David S. Chandler, Porterville College

David Chernoff, Cornell University

Erik N. Christensen, South Florida Community College

Tom Christensen, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs

Chris Clemens, University of North Carolina

Christine Clement, University of Toronto

Halden Cohn, Indiana University

John Cowan, University of Oklahoma

Antoinette Cowie, University of Hawaii

Charles Curry, University of Waterloo

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James J. D’Amario, Harford Community College

Purnas Das, Purdue University

Peter Dawson, Trent University

John M. Dickey, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

John D. Eggert, Daytona Beach Community College

Stephen S. Eikenberry, University of Florida

Bernd Enders, College of Marin

Rica French, Mira Costa College

Robert Frostick, West Virginia State College

Martin Gaskell, University of Nebraska

Richard E. Griffiths, Carnegie Mellon University

Bruce Gronich, University of Texas, El Paso

Siegbert Hagmann, Kansas State University

Thomasanna Hail, Parkland College

Javier Hasbun, University of West Georgia

David Hedin, Northern Illinois University

Chuck Higgins, Penn State University

Scott Hildreth, Chabot College

Thomas Hockey, University of Northern Iowa

Mark Hollabaugh, Normandale Community College

J. Christopher Hunt, Prince George’s Community College

James L. Hunt, University of Guelph

Nathan Israeloff, Northeastern College

Francine Jackson, Framingham State College

Kenneth Janes, Boston University

Fred Jacquin, Onondaga Community College

Katie Jore, University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point

William C. Keel, University of Alabama

William Keller, St. Petersburg Junior College

Marvin D. Kemple, Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)

Pushpa Khare, University of Illinois at Chicago

Agnes Kim, Georgia College & State University

F. W. Kleinhaus, Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)

Rob Klinger, Parkland College

H. S. La, Clayton State University

Patick M. Len, Cuesta College

John Patrick Lestrade, Mississippi State University

C. L. Littler, University of North Texas

M. A. K. Lohdi, Texas Tech University

Michael C. LoPresto, Henry Ford Community College

Phyllis Lugger, Indiana University

R. M. MacQueen, Rhodes College

Robert Manning, Davidson College

Paul Mason, University of Texas, El Paso

P. L. Matheson, Salt Lake Community College

Steve May, Walla Walla Community College

Rahul Mehta, University of Central Arkansas

Ken Menningen, University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point

J. Scott Miller, University of Louisville

Scott Miller, Pennsylvania State University

L. D. Mitchell, Cambria County Area Community College

J. Ward Moody, Brigham Young University

Siobahn M. Morgan, University of Northern Iowa

Steven Mutz, Scottsdale Community College

Charles Nelson, Drake University

Gerald H. Newsom, Ohio State University

Bob O’Connell, College of the Redwoods

William C. Oelfke, Valencia Community College

Richard P. Olenick, University of Dallas

John P. Oliver, University of Florida

Ron Olowin, St. Mary’s College of California

Melvyn Jay Oremland, Pace University

Jerome A. Orosz, San Diego State University

David Patton, Trent University

Jon Pedicino, College of the Redwoods

Sidney Perkowitz, Emory University

Lawrence Pinsky, University of Houston

Eric Preston, Indiana State University

David D. Reid, Wayne State University

Adam W. Rengstorf, Indiana University

James A. Roberts, University of North Texas

Henry Robinson, Montgomery College

Dwight P. Russell, University of Texas, El Paso

Barbara Ryden, Ohio State University

Itai Seggev, University of Mississippi

Larry Sessions, Metropolitan State University

C. Ian Short, Florida Atlantic University

Norm Siems, Juniata College

John D. Silva, University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth

Michael L. Sitko, University of Cincinnati

Earl F. Skelton, George F. Smoot, University of California at Berkeley

Alex G. Smith, University of Florida

Jack Sulentic, University of Alabama

David Sturm, University of Maine, Orono

Paula Szkody, University of Washington

Michael T. Vaughan, Northeastern University

Andreas Veh, Kenai Peninsula College

John Wallin, George Mason University

William F. Welsh, San Diego State University

R. M. Williamon, Emory University

Gerard Williger, University of Louisville

Wayne Wooten, Pensacola Junior College

Edward L. (Ned) Wright, University of California at Los Angeles

Jeff S. Wright, Elon College

Nicolle E. B. Zellner, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

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I would like to add my special thanks to the wonderfully supportive staff at W. H. Freeman and Company for making the revision process so enjoyable. Among others, these people include Kate Parker, Alicia Brady, Brittany Murphy, Paul Rohloff, Tracey Kuehn, Lisa Kinne, Amy Thorne, Victoria Tomaselli, Sheena Goldstein, Nick Ciani, and Matt McAdams. Thanks also go to Sofia Buono of codeMantra, my copyeditor Donna Mulder, and to indexer Steve Katigbak. Warm thanks also to David Sturm, University of Maine, Orono, for his help in collecting current data on objects in the solar system; to my UM astronomy colleague David Batuski; and to my wife, Sue, for her patience and support while preparing this book.

Neil F. Comins
neil.comins@umit.maine.edu

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