Astronomy: The Solar System and Beyond (with CengageNOW, Virtual Astronomy Labs Printed Access Card) [Paperback]

Michael A. Seeds (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 20, 2006 | ISBN-10: 0495015776 | ISBN-13: 978-0495015772 | Edition: 005

ASTRONOMY: THE SOLAR SYSTEM AND BEYOND and its accompanying learning tools CengageNOW and Virtual Astronomy Labs shows you your place in the universe, not just your location, but also your role as a planet dweller in an evolving universe. You will learn to focus on the scientific method through the strong central questioning themes of "What are we?" and "How do we know?" Rather than memorize facts, you will be empowered to create your own understanding of your place in the cosmos. Use CengageNOW to not only enhance your conceptual understanding of the content, but to improve your grade in the course.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mike Seeds is Professor of Astronomy at Franklin and Marshall College, where he has taught since 1970. His research interests have focused on peculiar variable stars and the automation of astronomical telescopes. He extended his research by serving as the principal astronomer in charge of the Phoenix 10, the first fully robotic telescope, located in southern Arizona. In 1989, he received the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching. In addition to teaching, writing, and doing research, Mike has published educational systems for use in computer-smart classrooms. His interest in the history of astronomy led him to offer the upper-level courses Archaeoastronomy and Changing Concepts of the Universe, which is a history of cosmology from ancient times to Newton. He also has published educational software for preliterate toddlers. Mike was Senior Consultant in the creation of the 26-episode telecourse UNIVERSE: THE INFINITE FRONTIER. He is the author of several introductory astronomy textbooks, including HORIZONS: EXPLORING THE UNIVERSE, 10e (2008) and PERSPECTIVES OF ASTRONOMY (2008). --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 576 pages
• Publisher: Brooks Cole; 005 edition (September 20, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0495015776
• ISBN-13: 978-0495015772
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #906,773 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Michael A. Seeds has been Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, since 1970. In 1989, he received F&M College's Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching. Seeds's love for the history of astronomy led him to create upper-level courses on Archaeoastronomy and Changing Concepts of the Universe. His research interests focus on variable stars and the automation of astronomical telescopes. Mike is coauthor with Dana Backman of HORIZONS: EXPLORING THE UNIVERSE, Eleventh Edition (2009); ASTRONOMY: THE SOLAR SYSTEM AND BEYOND, Sixth Edition (2009); and PERSPECTIVES OF ASTRONOMY (2008), all published by Cengage. He was Senior Consultant in the creation of the twenty-six-episode telecourse accompanying the book HORIZONS: EXPLORING THE UNIVERSE.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Great General Book, January 27, 2009

By 

N. Fares (California) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Astronomy: The Solar System and Beyond (with CengageNOW, Virtual Astronomy Labs Printed Access Card) (Paperback)

IF you are the type who wants to learn the basics about Astronomy then this is the book for you. It has great information about what astronomy is about and is able to teach you about it without having any physics or astrophysics background. I highly recomend this boo

3 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Introductory Text, February 26, 2007

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John Matlock "Gunny" (Winnemucca, NV) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Astronomy: The Solar System and Beyond (with CengageNOW, Virtual Astronomy Labs Printed Access Card) (Paperback)

This book is a text aimed at the astronomy course that non-science majors might take in fulfillment of the requirement that they can't get out of college without at least one science class. As such, the book goes far beyond simply looking at the solar system and a few stars.

Perhaps the most important concept in the book is for the student to come away with a basic understanding of the scientific method. Here is how you study/observe nature, create a theory, test the theory, use the theory to make predictions, test the predictions, alter the theory as needed. In a time where the President of the United States is talking about things like Intelligent Design as though it is science, this simple explanation of science is sorely needed in the population.

This is the fifth edition of the book. The most important changes in the new edition is the inclusion of new ideas, new photographs, new things that have been discovered since the last edition. Other changes include new writeups, new figures that are hopefuly more clear than in preceeding editions.