Fascination Astronomy: A cutting-edge introduction for all those interested in the natural sciences

Preface
Acknowledgments
Contents
List of Tables
1: The Forces that Shape the Universe
	1.1 Gravity
		1.1.1 Newton and the Apple
		1.1.2 Where Does Gravity Stop?
		1.1.3 How the Solar System Holds Together
		1.1.4 From the Planetary System to the Universe
	1.2 The Electromagnetic Force
		1.2.1 Charges
		1.2.2 The Coulomb Force
		1.2.3 Atoms: Miniature Planetary Systems
		1.2.4 Electricity + Magnetism = Electromagnetism
		1.2.5 Plasma: The Most Common State of Matter in the Universe
	1.3 The Strong and the Weak Force
		1.3.1 What Holds Atomic Nuclei Together?
		1.3.2 The Weak Force
	1.4 Elementary Particles
		1.4.1 Interactions
		1.4.2 Elementary Particles: Description
		1.4.3 Quarks and Hadrons
		1.4.4 We Build a Universe
2: The Big Bang: How It All Began
	2.1 The Galaxy Escape
		2.1.1 Measuring the Universe
		2.1.2 Hubble
		2.1.3 A Look into the Past
		2.1.4 Galaxy Escape
	2.2 The Expansion of the Universe
		2.2.1 Are We the Centre?
		2.2.2 The Universe Expands
		2.2.3 The Age of the Universe
	2.3 The Hot Big Bang
		2.3.1 The Universe and the Refrigerator
		2.3.2 Background Radiation
		2.3.3 Background Radiation and Redshift
		2.3.4 Temperature Fluctuations in the Early Universe
		2.3.5 Dark Matter
	2.4 The Origin of the Elements
		2.4.1 Nuclear Fusion at the Beginning
		2.4.2 Elements Heavier than Helium
	2.5 The Early Universe
		2.5.1 The Superforce
		2.5.2 The Inflationary Universe
	2.6 Time Scale
	2.7 The Future of the Universe
		2.7.1 Mass and Energy
		2.7.2 The Non-empty Vacuum
		2.7.3 Matter and Space
		2.7.4 Energy and Mass
		2.7.5 Big Bang and Planck Era
	2.8 The Universe and Particles
		2.8.1 Boson Era
		2.8.2 Quark Era
		2.8.3 Hadron Era
		2.8.4 Lepton Era
		2.8.5 The Universe Becomes Transparent
3: The World of Planets
	3.1 General Properties of the Planets
		3.1.1 Mass and Radius
		3.1.2 Distances
		3.1.3 Temperatures, Atmospheres
		3.1.4 How Do We See Planets in the Sky?
	3.2 The Earth-Like Planets
		3.2.1 Earth
		3.2.2 Mercury
		3.2.3 Venus
		3.2.4 Mars
		3.2.5 Future Mars Missions
		3.2.6 Summary: Why So Different?
	3.3 The Giant Planets
		3.3.1 Jupiter
		3.3.2 Saturn
		3.3.3 Uranus and Neptune
		3.3.4 Composition: Giant Planets
	3.4 The Moons of the Planets
		3.4.1 Our Moon
		3.4.2 The Moons of Mars
		3.4.3 The Moons of Jupiter
		3.4.4 Other Moons of Jupiter
		3.4.5 Saturn´s Moons
		3.4.6 The Moons of Uranus and Neptune
		3.4.7 Summary
4: Dwarf Planets and Small Bodies
	4.1 Asteroid Belt in the Solar System
		4.1.1 Asteroid Belt, Main Belt
		4.1.2 Kuiper Belt
		4.1.3 The Oort Cloud
	4.2 Minor Planets, Asteroids
		4.2.1 Observation
		4.2.2 Trojans
		4.2.3 Earth Orbit Cruisers, Are We in Danger?
	4.3 Comets
		4.3.1 Help, the Comet Is Coming
		4.3.2 Periodic Comets
		4.3.3 What Are Comets?
		4.3.4 Comet Impacts
		4.3.5 Where Do Comets Come from?
	4.4 Dwarf Planets
		4.4.1 Pluto
		4.4.2 Other Dwarf Planets
	4.5 Meteoroids
		4.5.1 Shooting Stars
		4.5.2 Meteor Streams
5: The Mechanics of the Sky
	5.1 The Lunar Orbit
		5.1.1 Solar and Lunar Eclipses
	5.2 Earth Axis and Gyroscope
		5.2.1 Precession
		5.2.2 Nutation
	5.3 The Annual Cycle of the Sun
	5.4 Planetary Orbits
		5.4.1 The Kepler Laws
		5.4.2 Stability of the Planetary Orbits
6: The Sun: The Star from Which We Live
	6.1 The Sun: Basic Data
		6.1.1 The Sun from the Earth
		6.1.2 Mass and Size of the Sun
		6.1.3 How Hot Is It on the Sun?
		6.1.4 Observations of the Sun
	6.2 The Sun: The Interior
		6.2.1 Where Does the Sun Get Its Energy?
		6.2.2 Solar Quakes
		6.2.3 Neutrinos: Ghost Particles from the Sun
	6.3 Energy Transport
		6.3.1 Energy Transport by Radiation
		6.3.2 Convection
	6.4 The Surface of the Sun
		6.4.1 Center to Limb Variation
		6.4.2 Sunspots
		6.4.3 Granulation
		6.4.4 Faculae
	6.5 The Upper Atmosphere of the Sun
		6.5.1 The Great Enigma of Solar Physics
		6.5.2 Chromosphere
		6.5.3 The Corona
	6.6 The Variable Sun
		6.6.1 The Activity Cycle of the Sun
		6.6.2 Does the Sun Influence Our Weather?
		6.6.3 Solar Wind and Heliosphere
		6.6.4 Sun and Space Weather
7: Stars: Formation, Structure and Evolution
	7.1 What Is a Star?
		7.1.1 Stars: Brown Dwarfs: Planets
		7.1.2 Physical Properties of Stars
	7.2 The Brightness of the Stars
		7.2.1 Apparent Brightness
		7.2.2 Absolute Brightness
	7.3 Spectral Classes
		7.3.1 Classification of Stars
		7.3.2 Giants and Dwarfs
	7.4 Star Evolution
		7.4.1 The Evolution of our Sun
		7.4.2 How Long Do Stars Live?
		7.4.3 Red Giants and Supergiants
		7.4.4 Wolf-Rayet Stars
		7.4.5 Planetary Nebulae
		7.4.6 White Dwarfs
	7.5 The Formation of Stars
		7.5.1 The Solar System
		7.5.2 Molecular Clouds
		7.5.3 Collapse of a Protostar
		7.5.4 T Tauri Stars and Stellar Winds
		7.5.5 Formation of Planetary Systems in Disks
	7.6 Evolution of Massive Stars
		7.6.1 Nuclear Fusion in Massive Stars
		7.6.2 A Supernova Erupts
		7.6.3 The Crab Nebula: A Supernova Remnant
		7.6.4 Pulsars
		7.6.5 Magnetar
		7.6.6 Type I Supernovae
		7.6.7 Black Holes
8: The World of Galaxies
	8.1 Our Cosmic Home: The Milky Way
		8.1.1 What Is the Milky Way?
		8.1.2 How Many Stars Are There in the Milky Way?
		8.1.3 The Rotation of the Milky Way and Dark Matter
		8.1.4 The Structure of the Milky Way
		8.1.5 The Monster in the Center
		8.1.6 The Galaxy: - A Spiral Galaxy
	8.2 Galaxies: Building Blocks of the Universe
		8.2.1 The True Nature of Nebulae
		8.2.2 Types of Galaxies
		8.2.3 Why Are There Different Types of Galaxies?
		8.2.4 Colliding Galaxies
	8.3 Active Galaxies
		8.3.1 Seyfert Galaxies
		8.3.2 Quasars
		8.3.3 Gravitational Lenses
	8.4 Galaxy Clusters
		8.4.1 The Local Group
		8.4.2 The Virgo Cluster
		8.4.3 Coma Cluster
9: Life in the Universe?
	9.1 What Is Life?
		9.1.1 Definition of Life
		9.1.2 Origin of Life on Earth
		9.1.3 Earth´s Protective Shields
	9.2 Habitable Zones
		9.2.1 What Is a Habitable Zone?
		9.2.2 Circumstellar Habitable Zones
		9.2.3 Circumplanetary Habitable Zones
		9.2.4 Galactic Habitable Zone
	9.3 How to Find Exoplanets?
		9.3.1 Transit Method
		9.3.2 Radial Velocity Method
		9.3.3 Stars Change their Position
		9.3.4 Satellite Missions
		9.3.5 How Many Exoplanets Have Been Found?
		9.3.6 Examples of Exoplanet Systems
		9.3.7 Proxima Centauri
	9.4 Are We Alone in the Universe?
		9.4.1 Drake Equation
		9.4.2 SETI and Other Projects
	9.5 The History of the Universe in One Day
Index