To the Student

How to Get The Most From Universe

If you’re like most students just opening this textbook, you’re enrolled in one of the few science courses you’ll take in college. As you study astronomy, you’ll probably do relatively little reading compared to a literature or history course—at least in terms of the number of pages. But your readings will be packed with information, much of it new to you and (we hope) exciting. You can’t read this textbook like a novel and expect to learn much from it. Don’t worry, though. We wrote this book with you in mind. In this section, we’ll suggest how Universe can help you succeed in your astronomy course, and take you on a guided tour of the book and media.

Apply these techniques to studying astronomy

• Read before each lecture You’ll get the most out of your astronomy course if you read each chapter before hearing a lecture about its subject matter. That way, many of the topics will already be clear in your mind, and you’ll understand the lecture better. You’ll be able to spend more of your listening and note-taking time on the more challenging ideas presented in the lecture.
• Take notes as you read and make use of office hours Keep a notebook handy as you read, and write down the key points of each section so that you can review them later. If any parts of the section don’t seem clear on first reading, make a note of them, too, including the page numbers. Once you’ve gone through the chapter, reread it with special emphasis on the ideas that gave you trouble the first time. If you’re still unsure after the lecture, consult your instructor, either during office hours or after class. Bring your notes with you so your instructor can see which concepts are giving you trouble. Once your instructor has helped clarify things for you, revise your notes so you’ll remember your newfound insights. You’ll end up with a chapter summary in your own words. This will be a tremendous help when studying for exams!
• Make use of your fellow students Many students find it useful to form study groups for astronomy. You can hash out challenging topics with each other and have a good time while you’re doing it. But make sure that you write up your homework by yourself, because the penalties for copying or plagiarizing other students’ work can be severe in the extreme. Some students find individual assistance useful, too. If you think a tutor will be helpful, link up with one early. Getting a tutor late in the course, in the belief that you’ll be able to catch up with what you missed earlier on, is almost always a lost cause.
• Take advantage of the Web site and e-Book Take some time to explore the Universe Web site (www.whfreeman.com/universe10e). There you’ll find review materials, animations, videos, interactive exercises, flashcards, and many other features keyed to chapters in Universe. All of these features are designed to help you learn and enjoy astronomy, so make sure to take full advantage of them. You can also use the e-Book version of this textbook, which combines the complete content of the book and the Web site in a convenient online format.
• Try astronomy for yourself with your star charts At the back of this book you’ll find a set of star charts for each month of the year in the northern hemisphere. (For a set of southern hemisphere star charts, see the Universe Web site.) Star charts can get you started with your own observations of the universe. Hold the chart overhead in the same orientation as the compass points, with southern horizon toward the south and western horizon toward the west. (To save strain on your arms, you may want to cut these pages out of the book.) Depending on the version of this textbook that your instructor requested, this book may also include access to the easy-to-use Starry Night^TM planetarium program, which you can use to view the sky on any date and time as seen from anywhere on Earth.

Here’s the most important advice of all

We haven’t mentioned the most important thing you should do when studying astronomy: Have fun! Of all the different kinds of scientists, astronomers are among the most excited about what they do and what they study. Let some of that excitement about the universe rub off on you, and you’ll have a great time with this course and with this textbook.

In preparing this edition of Universe, we’ve tried very hard to make it the kind of text-book that a student like you will find useful. We’re very interested in your comments and opinions! Please feel free to e-mail or write to us and we will respond personally.

Best wishes for success in your studies!

Roger A. Freedman

Department of Physics

University of California, Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara CA 93106

airboy@physics.ucsb.edu

Robert M. Geller

Department of Physics

University of California, Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara CA 93106

rhmg@physics.ucsb.edu