Investigating Astronomy A Conceptual View of the Universe

453 Pages·2012·123.972 MB·English

by  Timothy F. Slater, Roger Freedman

This page intentionally left blank

Senior Aquisitions Editor: Anthony Palmiotto
Developmental Editor: Valerie Raymond
Project Editor: Kerry O’Shaughnessy
Media and Supplements Editor: Amy Thorne
Media Producer: Keri Fowler
Marketing Manager: Alicia Brady
Market Development Manager: Kerry Russini
Editorial Assistant: Nicholas Ciani
Design Manager: Victoria Tomaselli
Cover Designer: hothouse.us
Interior Designer: Cambraia Fernandes
Production Coordinator: Julia De Rosa
Illustrations: George Kelvin; Imagineering Media
Photo Editor: Bianca Moscatelli
Composition: Northeastern Graphic, Inc.
Printing and Binding: RR Donnelley
Cover photos: (from the top) Klaus Dolag and the VVDS team;
Galileo Project/JPL/NASA; NASA/The Hubble
Heritage Team (AURA/STScI); STScI/NASA; NASA/
ESA/The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA);
STScI/NASA; Klaus Dolag and the VVDS team;
© Jay Pasachoff/Science Faction/Corbis; Cassini
Imaging Team/SSI/JPL/ESA/NASA.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2010939611
ISBN-13: 978-1-4292-1063-8
ISBN-10: 1-4292-1063-X
©2012 by W. H. Freeman and Company
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
First printing
W. H. Freeman and Company
41 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10010
Houndmills, Basingstoke
RG21 6XS, England
www.whfreeman.com
University of Wyoming
University of California, Santa Barbara
W. H. FREEMAN AND COMPANY • New York
Timothy F. Slater
is the University of Wyo-
ming Excellence in Higher Education Endowed
Chair for Science Education where he holds faculty
appointments in the College of Education, the
College of Science, and the School of Energy Resources.
Internationally known for his work in the teaching
and learning of astronomy, he serves as the Direc-
tor of the Cognition in Astronomy & Physics Education
Research CAPER Team where his research focuses on
uncovering learners’ conceptual models when
engaging in science. Prior to becoming a chaired
professor at the University of Wyoming, Dr. Slater was a
tenured professor in the Astronomy Department at the
University of Arizona where he constructed the first Ph.D.
program focusing on astronomy education research.
Winner of numerous teaching awards, Dr. Slater has been elected to the Council and Board of Directors for the
American Astronomical Society, the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, the Society of College Science
Teachers, the National Science Teachers Association, and serves on the Editorial Board of the Astronomy Education
Review. Dr. Slater and his wife spend much of the summer traveling cross country on their motorcycle, hiking in
the mountains with their children, and continuing their quest for the perfect location to watch sunsets.
Roger A. Freedman
is on the faculty of the Department of
Physics at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He grew up in
San Diego, California and was an undergraduate at the University of
California campuses in San Diego and Los Angeles. He did his doc-
toral research in nuclear theory and its astrophysical applications at
Stanford University under the direction of Professor J. Dirk Walecka.
Dr. Freedman came to UCSB in 1981 after three years of teaching
and doing research at the University of Washington. Dr. Freedman
holds a commercial pilot’s license, and when not teaching or writing
he can frequently be found flying with his wife, Caroline. He has flown
across the United States and Canada.
vi
Tim:
To Stephanie Jean Slater,
my wife and partner in all things
and for my children who I hope never stop wondering about
what floats beyond Earth
Roger:
To my wife Caroline Robillard, for expanding my universe
This page intentionally left blank
1 Predicting the Motions of the Stars, 8 Looking for Life Beyond Earth 193
Sun and Moon 1
9 Probing the Dynamic Sun 209
2 Decoding the Hidden Menssages
in Starlight 33
10 Observing Properties of
Distant Stars 233
Analyzing Scales and Motions of
3
the Universe 65 11 Inferring Patterns in Star Life Cycles 257
Exploring Our Evolving Solar System 89
4 12 Predicting the Violent End of the
Largest Stars 287
5 Uncovering Earth’s Systems 1 17
13 Exploring Our Galaxy 311
Exploring Terrestrial Surface
6
Processes 1 41 14 Investigating Other Galaxies 339
7 Observing the Dynamic Giant 15 Observing the Evolution of the
Planets 1 69 Universe 371
vii
This page intentionally left blank