Preface
Text Features
For the second edition of Investigating Astronomy, we continue to provide instructors and students with the tools and framework they need to successfully tackle the one-semester astronomy course. Throughout the text, we’ve updated the science as needed as well as changed the illustrations and photos to include the most recent images.
Careful Selection of Topics, Concise Coverage
This book contains 15 chapters to match more closely the typical one-semester astronomy course. While an instructor comparing the concepts in Slater/Freedman with any other text will find the same core concepts that are covered in most introductory astronomy courses, we have limited the coverage of higher-level topics. Further, this textbook has far fewer bold-faced words than found in most textbooks; we purposely strive to describe and explain the universe in the most common terms possible. As such, our strategy is not simply to tell students long lists of names and facts about the universe, but to engage students in a conversation about how astronomers study and decipher the universe’s underlying fundamental processes. As such, Investigating Astronomy helps students to build their own understanding of astronomy.
A Conceptual Approach to Comparative Planetology
Emphasizing how the formation of the solar system relates to the composition of the planets, we introduce the solar system as a whole in Chapter 4, including planetary orbits and physical composition. The fundamental concepts of Earth science are presented in Chapter 5, laying the groundwork for studying the entire solar system. Chapter 6 covers the terrestrial planets, not planet by planet, but by focusing on the processes that shaped them and how astronomers have discerned these processes. Chapter 7 applies the same approach to the specifics of the giant planets of our solar system. Students are asked to understand the logic behind what we know scientifically, and not just memorize facts. The result is a cumulative and contextual understanding.
Building Mental Models
We have constructed this textbook using mental models. For example, when we introduce the nature of stars and galaxies to students, we emphasize observational data and inference before listing facts and formulae. In the same way, when we talk about evolution of stars and galaxies, we focus on what we see rather than on what things are called.
Conceptual Approach to Quantitative Topics
In favor of a more effective use of mathematical reasoning, we have largely removed arithmetic calculations. Instead of a stream of formulas and equations, numbers are used to show relationships and comparisons as concepts are explained and evaluated.
Scientific Process as an Obvious Theme
The text focuses on the continuing process of scientific discovery, on how astronomers know what they know and how they embark on future discoveries.
Learning Tools
In constructing Investigating Astronomy we’ve taken advantage of the long-standing strengths of the more comprehensive Universe book, now in its 10th edition. We’ve enhanced the text’s writing and pedagogical approach by building on the newest results of modern cognitive science on how students learn best.
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Immediate Assessment and Application of Concepts Allow Students to Go Beyond Passive Reading
ConceptChecks: Our experience teaching thousands of students has shown us that continuous feedback and conceptual reinforcement are necessary to create comprehensive and lasting understanding. Included at the end of each section, these thought-provoking questions go beyond reading comprehension, often asking students to draw conclusions informed by, but not explicitly mentioned, in the text, calling for applied thinking and synthesis of concepts. Answers are provided at the end of each chapter.
CalculationChecks: Similar to ConceptChecks and focusing on mathematics, these give students the opportunity to test themselves by solving different mathematical problems associated with the chapter concepts. They appear only within sections where relevant mathematical reasoning is presented. Answers are provided at the end of each chapter.
Visual literacy tasks: At the end of each chapter, students are presented with a figure and a question that they must defend or refute. Writing space is provided to underscore the value of writing to learning. Prompt questions are supplied to help students determine their answers. Specific answers are not provided in the text.
Text Boxes Key into Student Misconceptions and Link the Material to Everyday Life
Cosmic Connections: Full-page illustrations summarize key concepts.
Cautions—Confronting Misconceptions: Special “caution” paragraphs alert students to conceptual pitfalls.
Analogies—Bringing Astronomy Down to Earth: Analogy paragraphs relate new ideas to more familiar experiences on Earth.
Margin Notes: Text in the margin of the book highlights key details in the chapter for students.
Tools of the Astronomer’s Trade: Worked examples follow a logical sequence of steps called S.T.A.R.: assess the Situation, select the Tools, find the Answer, and Review the answer and explore its significance.
The Heavens on Earth: Astronomical concepts are brought down to Earth.
Chapter Opening and Closing Features Are Study Aids
Chapter Learning Objectives: Found at the start of each chapter, these objectives provide the most benefit when students use them in conjunction with the notes they take while reading.
Key Ideas and Terms: Each chapter closes with a bulleted outline of topics, including embedded key terms to reinforce their context.
Chapter Review and Web Chat Questions, and Collaborative Exercises: These exercises offer additional opportunities for students to apply the material, both on their own and collaboratively.
Observing Questions: For use with the Starry Night™ planetarium software, written by Marcel Bergman, T. Alan Clark, and William J. F. Wilson, University of Calgary.
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New to the Second Edition
Further Emphasis on Scientific Method
Recognizing how important the scientific method is to the study of any science, we have placed further emphasis throughout the chapters on the scientific method as an important process in the study of astronomy. We intend to emphasize a contemporary view of the nature of science, moving away from its more traditional description as a linear approach and more toward science as a human enterprise that is tied to social and technological issues that students can directly relate to.
Improved Design and Illustrations
To ensure greater readability, the second edition includes an improved design that allows for easier navigation through text, features, and figures. Illustrations have also been improved and refined to highlight the key information in the figure. Figures with complex information have been broken down or amended to present the content in easier-to-handle chunks.
QR Codes
Responding to rapid advances in technology and computers, we have placed QR codes throughout the chapters to lend a “just-in-time” teaching component to the concepts covered in the text. Every day, astronomers are increasing our knowledge of the universe, and now with just a click of a button, students can quickly access more information on various topics from the speed of astronomical objects to tectonics on Mars and estimating the age of the universe.
Chapter Learning Objectives
Found at the start of each chapter, these objectives provide students with a clear list of learning outcomes that they can focus on as they read through the chapter. This list also provides students with a means of self-assessing their understanding of the material presented in the chapters.
Chapter Changes
Chapter 1: Modernized treatment of the scientific method emphasizing that there are multiple approaches to doing science instead of a single, step-by-step scientific method of testing hypotheses.
Chapter 2: Increased emphasis on a conceptual understanding of how light is produced, balanced by a moderate reduction in historical accounts.
Chapter 3: Changed emphasis from a historical “How do we know?” to a more active “How can we know?” view of the history of astronomy.
Chapter 4: Modernized explanations of our search for extrasolar planets to emphasize the transit method over the radial velocity method.
Chapter 5: Rearranged Earth science chapter to emphasize the role of water throughout the Earth system.
Chapter 6: Updated discussion of water in the solar system to include the newest observations of Mercury and the Moon.
Chapter 7: Updated art and illustrations to emphasize the most modern images from the world’s most high-tech telescopes and advanced space probes.
Chapter 8: Provided a more contemporary and scientifically accurate discussion of the possibility of life on Mars and other solar system bodies.
Chapter 9: Updated traditional images with new, higher-resolution, space-based solar telescope observations of the Sun.
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Chapter 10: Purposefully adjusted the reading comprehension level of the text to make it more accessible for the growing diversity of students.
Chapter 11: Included new telescope images that more clearly illustrate concepts described in the text.
Chapter 12: Expanded the presentation of recent Chandra X-Ray Observatory discoveries.
Chapter 13: Included data and images from Spitzer that better illustrate the nature of our Galaxy.
Chapter 14: Emphasized a conceptual view of the structure and evolution of galaxies over a historical accounting of thought.
Chapter 15: Reduced the reliance on mathematical explanations to focus instead on spatial representations.
Media and Supplements
Investigating Astronomy was designed to support a wide variety of teaching styles and course environments. A variety of multimedia and supplemental materials provides an array of choices for students and instructors in their use of these materials, which were created based on input and contributions from a large number of faculty.
Electronic Versions
Investigating Astronomy is offered in two electronic versions. One is an interactive e-Book as part of the LaunchPad, and the other is a PDF-based e-Book from CourseSmart. These options are provided to offer students and instructors flexibility in their use of course materials.
CourseSmart e-Book
The Investigating Astronomy CourseSmart e-Book offers the complete text in an easy-to-use, flexible format. Students can choose either to view the CourseSmart e-Book online or download it to their computer or to a portable media player, such as an iPhone. To help students study and to mirror the experience of a printed textbook, CourseSmart e-Books feature note-taking, highlighting, and bookmarking features.
Online Learning Options
Investigating Astronomy supports instructors with a variety of online learning preferences. Its rich array of resources and platforms provides solutions according to each instructor’s teaching method. Students can also access the resources through the Student Companion Web Site.
LaunchPad: Because Technology Should Never Get in the Way
W. H. Freeman and Company is committed to providing online instructional materials that meet the needs of instructors and students in powerful yet simple ways—powerful enough to dramatically enhance teaching and learning, yet simple enough to use right away.
We’ve taken what we’ve learned from thousands of instructors and hundreds of thousands of students and created a new generation of technology—featuring LaunchPad. LaunchPad offers our acclaimed content curated and organized for easy assignability in a breakthrough user interface in which power and simplicity go hand in hand.
Curated LaunchPad Units Make Class Prep a Whole Lot Easier: Combining a curated collection of videos, tutorials, animations, projects, multimedia activities and exercises, and e-Book content, LaunchPad’s interactive units give you a building block to use as is or as a starting point for your own learning units. An entire unit’s worth of work can be assigned in seconds, drastically saving the amount of time it takes for you to have your course up and running.
Interactive e-Book: The Interactive e-Book is a complete online version of the textbook with easy access to rich multimedia resources. All text, graphics, tables, boxes, and end-of-chapter resources are included in the e-Book. Features include:
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Quick, intuitive navigation to any section or subsection
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Full text search, including the glossary and index
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Sticky notes, which allow users to place notes anywhere on the screen and to choose the note color for easy categorization.
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“Top notes,” which allow users to place a prominent note at the top of the page to provide a more significant alert or reminder.
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Text highlighting, down to the level of individual phrases, in a variety of colors
LearningCurve: Powerful adaptive quizzing, a gamelike format, direct links to the e-Book, instant feedback, and the promise of better grades make LearningCurve an ideal student resource. Customized quizzing tailored to the text adapts to students’ responses and provides material at different difficulty levels and different topics based on student performance. Students love the simple yet powerful system and instructors can access class reports to help refine lecture content.
Interactive Tutorials: Developed by prominent astronomy education researchers, the Interactive Tutorials present astronomy topics in a flexible multimedia environment. They take advantage of the best means to illustrate each topic, using a blend of text, review questions, animations, videos, and quizzes to produce a thorough understanding that students can carry with them. The tutorial topics were chosen after careful analysis of the most commonly taught subjects, with particular emphasis on which topics were most often misunderstood by students. The tutorials have been shown to increase student understanding and produce a meaningful, memorable learning experience.
Image Map Activities: These activities use figures and photographs from the text to assess key ideas, helping students to develop their visual literacy skills. Students must click the appropriate section(s) of the image and answer corresponding questions.
Other Resources: Animations, videos, interactive exercises, flashcards, and other resources highlight key concepts in introductory astronomy for students to explore at their own pace.
Assignments for Online Quizzing, Homework, and Self-Study: Instructors can create and assign automatically graded homework and quizzes from the complete test bank, which is preloaded in LaunchPad. All quiz results feed directly into the instructor’s gradebook.
The Gradebook quickly and easily allows you to look up performance metrics for your whole class, for individual students, or for individual assignments. Having ready access to this information can help with lecture prep and in making office hours more productive and efficient for both professors and students.
Scientific American Newsfeed: To demonstrate the continued process of science and the exciting new developments in the field, the Scientific American Newsfeed delivers regularly updated material from the well-known magazine. Articles, podcasts, news briefs, and videos on subjects related to astronomy are selected for inclusion by Scientific American’s editors. The newsfeed provides several updates per week, and instructors can archive or assign the content they find most valuable.
Sapling Learning
www.saplinglearning.com
Developed by educators with both online expertise and extensive classroom experience, Sapling Learning provides highly effective interactive homework and instruction that improve student learning outcomes for the problem-solving disciplines. Sapling Learning offers an enjoyable teaching and effective learning experience that is distinctive in three important ways:
Ease of Use: Sapling Learning’s easy-to-use interface keeps students engaged in problem solving, not struggling with software.
Targeted Instructional Content: Sapling Learning increases student engagement and comprehension by delivering immediate feedback and targeted instructional content.
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Unsurpassed Service and Support: Sapling Learning makes teaching more enjoyable by providing a dedicated Masters- and Ph.D.-level colleague to serve instructors’ unique needs throughout the course, including help with content customization.
We offer bundled packages that include Sapling Learning Online Homework with all versions of our texts.
Student Companion Web Site
The Investigating Astronomy Student Companion Web Site, accessed through www.whfreeman.com/slater2e, provides a range of tools for student self-study and review. They include:
Online Self-Study Quizzes offering randomized questions and answers with instant feedback referring to specific sections in the text, to help students study, review, and prepare for exams. Instructors can access results through an online database or they can have them e-mailed directly to their accounts.
Animations of key concepts
NASA Videos highlight important processes and phenomena
Vocabulary and concept-review flashcards
Interactive exercises based on text illustrations
[em]Starry Night[/em]™
Starry Night™ is a brilliantly realistic planetarium software package produced by Simulation Curriculum Corp. It is designed for easy use by anyone with an interest in the night sky, and particularly college students. See the sky from anywhere on Earth or lift off and visit any solar system body or any location up to 20,000 light years away. View 2,500,000 stars along with more than 170 deep-space objects like galaxies, star clusters, and nebulae. You can travel 15,000 years in time, check out the view from the International Space Station, and see planets up close from any one of their moons. Included are stunning OpenGL graphics. You can also print handy star charts to explore outside. This version of Starry Night™ contains student exercises specific to the Freeman version for use with Investigating Astronomy. Starry Night™ is available via online download using an access code packaged with the text at no extra charge upon instructor request.
[em]Observing Projects Using[/em] Starry Night™
ISBN: 1-4641-2502-3
by Marcel Bergman, T. Alan Clark, and William J. F. Wilson, University of Calgary
Available for packaging with the text, and compatible with both PC and Mac, this book contains a variety of comprehensive lab activities for Starry Night™.
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Test Bank CD-ROM
Windows and Mac versions on one disc, ISBN 1-4641-6889-X
1500 multiple-choice questions are referenced by section. The easy-to-use CD-ROM version includes Windows and Mac versions on a single disc, in a format that lets you add, edit, re-sequence, and print questions to suit your needs.
Online Course Materials (Blackboard, Desire2Learn, Moodle, Canvas)
As a service for adopters, we will provide content files in the appropriate online course format, including the instructor and student resources for this text. The files can be used as is or can be customized to fit specific needs. Course outlines, prebuilt quizzes, links, activities, and a whole array of materials are included.
PowerPoint Lecture Presentations
A set of online lecture presentations created in PowerPoint allows instructors to tailor their lectures to suit their own needs, using images and notes from the textbook. These presentations are available on the instructor portion of the companion Web site, and within LaunchPad.
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Acknowledgments
This textbook would not have been possible were it not for the exceptional dedication and pool of talent at W. H. Freeman and Company. Our deepest gratitude goes to all those involved in the development of the first edition of this book: Valerie Raymond, who shared our vision of this text when first approached and brought considerable skill to the developmental process of the first edition in order to achieve the clarity and readability that are so essential; Anthony Palmiotto, acquisitions editor, for guiding the overall publishing effort; and Amy Thorne for adeptly managing the extensive array of multimedia and supplemental resources that support students and instructors.
The second edition of this text also included a dedicated team that we extend our thanks to: in particular, our publisher, Jessica Fiorillo, and acquisitions editor, Alicia Brady, as well as development editors Blythe Robbins and Kharissia Pettus. We extend our appreciation to Kerry O’Shaughnessy, our project editor, who carefully shepherded the book through many stages of development and proofs, as well as Julia DeRosa for coordinating the vast array of resources necessary to produce such a book. Designer Blake Logan brought extensive creativity and enormous talent to the task of establishing and implementing the look and feel of the text. Photos and illustrations are extremely important to the study of astronomy, and we were very fortunate to work with Jennifer Macmillan, Sheena Goldstein, Nick Ciani, and Feldman & Associates, for photo permissions. In addition, Janice Donnola expertly managed the art rendering process. Imagineering Art is to thank for producing the excellent artwork. We commend copyeditor Louise Ketz for her diligent work and precise feedback as we strove to make this text as accurate as possible.
Kerri Russini, our market development manager for the first edition, was extremely impressive in her long-term dedication and attention to every detail as she ensured that astronomy instructors nationwide learned about the book throughout its development. She managed extensive reviews, surveys, focus groups, events, class tests, and the development of preview materials and multimedia to help us share our vision with our colleagues. For the second edition, marketing manager Debbie Clare brought outstanding innovation and vision to the promotion effort, and we thank her for developing and implementing a fantastic marketing strategy.
We thank Marcel Bergman, T. Alan Clark, and William J. F. Wilson for developing exceptional activities and questions using Starry Night™, and we value the very fruitful partnership between W. H. Freeman and the team at Simulation Curriculum Corp., the producers of Starry Night™
On a personal note, Tim Slater notes that his contribution to this book would not have happened had it not been for the unwavering support and love of his dear wife, Stephanie. When he would feel down, she helped him gaze upward to the stars. When he was tired, Stephanie reminded him that tomorrow the Sun would rise, bringing a new day. And when the stars were twinkling most brightly, she was always by his side to share with him the beauty of the universe.
Roger Freedman would like to thank his late father, Richard Freedman, for first cultivating an interest in space many years ago, and for his father’s personal contributions to the exploration of the universe as an engineer for the Atlas and Centaur launch vehicle programs. Most of all, Roger thanks his charming wife, Caroline, for putting up with the many hours he devotes to writing textbooks!
Although we have made a concerted effort to make this textbook error free, some mistakes may have crept in. We would appreciate hearing from anyone who finds an error or wishes to comment on the text.
We are deeply grateful to the astronomers and teachers who reviewed the manuscript. This is a stronger and better book because of their conscientious efforts.
Reviewers
Kurt S. J. Anderson (emeritus), New Mexico State University
Stuart Anderson, Lake-Sumter State College
Dixie L. Androes, Northwest Arkansas Community College
Douglas Arion, Carthage College
Pauline Barmby, University of Western Ontario
S. Leslie Blatt, Clark University
Daniel C. Boice, San Antonio College
Lowell M. Boone, Evansville University
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Sukanta Bose, Washington State University
Robert Braunstein, Northern Virginia Community College, Loudoun
Bill Briscoe, The George Washington University
Allison I. Bruce, El Paso Community College
Gary Burk, Otterbein College
Juan Cabanela, Minnesota State University, Moorhead
Joseph Caprioglio, Hofstra University
Kwang-Ping Cheng, California State University, Fullerton
Michol Christopher, Mt. San Antonio College
Josh Colwell, University of Central Florida
James Cooney, University of Central Florida
John Cowan, University of Oklahoma
Matthew Craig, Minnesota State University, Moorhead
Peter Detterline, Kutztown University
Bryan Dunne, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Joanna Eisberg, Chaffey College
Rebecca Ericson, George Mason University
Jason Ferguson, Wichita State University
Yan Fernandez, University of Florida
Efrain J. Ferrer, State University of New York, Fredonia
Kent D. Fisher, Columbus State Community College
Terrence Flower, St. Catherine University
Anthony J. George, Jr., Columbia Basin College
Satyajit P. Ghosh, University of Scranton
Elaine Gibb, Middle High School
Henry S. Greenside, Duke University
Erika Grundstrom, Vanderbilt University
Jim Hamm, Big Bend University
Andy Hollerman, University of Louisiana, Lafayette
Richard Ignace, East Tennessee State University
Bruce E. Ivey, Pacific Union College
Francine Jackson, Framingham State University
Fred Jaquin, Onondaga Community College
John Michael Kalko, Fullerton College
Kishor Kapale, Western Illinois University
Arthur Ketterer, Raritan Valley Community College
Patrick Koehn, Eastern Michigan University
Lucy Kulbago, John Carroll University
Andrew Layden, Bowling Green State University
Denis Leahy, University of Calgary
Kevin Lee, University of Nebraska, Lincoln
Douglas Leonard, San Diego State University
Karina Leppik, Oberlin College
Ran Li, Kent State University, Stark Campus
Bernhard Lee Lindner, College of Charleston
Arthur H. Litka, Seminole State College of Florida
Ian Littlewood, California State University, Stanislaus
Michael LoPresto, Henry Ford Community College
Vera E. Margoniner, California State University, Sacramento
Christopher Martin, California Institute of Technology
Eduardo Martin, University of Central Florida
Danielle Lynn Martino, Santiago Canyon College
Janet McLarty-Schroeder, Cerritos College
Benjamin Mendelsohn, West Valley College
Armando Miccoli, Adairsville High School
Milan Mijic, California State University, Los Angeles
Scott T. Miller, Sam Houston State University
Jeffrey R. Miller, St. Lawrence University
Anatoly Miroshnichenko, University of North Carolina, Greensboro
Terry R. Mitchell, Lake Sumter Community College
Michele Montgomery, University of Central Florida
Windsor Morgan, Dickinson College
Peter Newbury, University of British Columbia
Kris Ochwat, Wilbur Wright University
Douglas O’Handley, Santa Clara University
Richard Olenick, University of Dallas
John P. Oliver, University of Florida
Michelle Ouellette, California Polytechnic State University
Christopher Palma, Penn State University
Bruce Palmquist, Central Washington University
Nicolas Pereryra, University of Texas–Pan American
Delphine Perrodin, Franklin and Marshall College
Dale Pleticha, Gordon College
Barton Pritzl, University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh
Jeff W. Robertson, Arkansas Tech University
Carl Rosenzweig, Syracuse University
Louis Joseph Rubbo, Coastal Carolina University
Jeffrey Sabby, Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville
Victoria Alten Sahami, Metropolitan State College of Denver
Ronald Samec, Bob Jones University
Gregory R. Schultz, University of California, Berkeley
Teresa Schulz, Lansing Community College
Kendra Sibbernsen, Metropolitan Community College
John Sievers, Mesa College
Murray Silverstone, University of Alabama
Allyn Smith, Austin Peay State University
Daniel Snowman, Rhode Island College
James R. Sowell, Georgia Institute of Technology
Don Sparks, Pierce College
James Stickler, Allegany College of Maryland
Jeff J. Sudol, West Chester University of Pennsylvania
Ben E. K. Sugerman, Goucher College
Michael E. Summers, George Mason University
Jonathan Tan, University of Florida
Christopher Taylor, California State University, Sacramento
Christian Thomas, Belmont University
Jamey Thompson, Hudson Valley Community College
Toshiya Ueta, University of Denver
Colin Wallace, Colorado College
Edward White, St. Charles Community College
Rob Wilson, Muskingum University
John Wayne Wooten, Pensacola State College
Todd Young, Wayne State College
Nicolle Zellner, Albion College
Yan Zeng, Savannah State
Special thanks to Inge Heyer, Joint Astronomy Centre, who volunteered to carefully read and comment on every chapter. Her eagle eye and attention to detail have made the book much better.
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