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The cosmic century

When teaching a subject, some people feel that it helps to move away from its historical development. However, if you want an overview of a subject, or you are interested in current research, then a view of the history is much more important. In The cosmic century : a history of astrophysics and cosmology Malcolm Longair provides such a viewpoint. The book is in five parts. It splits the subject into pre and post-World War II sections, and within each has a section dealing with each of astrophysics and cosmology. In the middle there is a chapter on the boost which came from the opening up of the electromagnetic spectrum - the development of radio, X-ray, infrared and other forms of astronomy.

Longair packs an lot of material into the 450 pages of the book, and the history continues up to 2006, and so I felt that it gives a fairly comprehensive overview of current research into cosmology and astrophysics, but without being too technical. There is a bit of maths in the text, but it isn't intrusive (many of the chapters have an appendix with a mathematical derivation of a significant result). Readers do need some prior knowledge of the subject but I would think most science undergraduates would have no problems following the book. Certainly if are thinking of doing research in these subjects, or if you want a substantial overview of the field then I would say that this book deserves a place on your bookshelf.

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Hardcover 565 pages
ISBN: 0521474361
Salesrank: 407443
Weight:2.69 lbs

Published: 2006 Cambridge University Press

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Amazon.co.uk info

Hardcover 565 pages
ISBN: 0521474361
Salesrank: 168012
Weight:2.69 lbs

Published: 2006 Cambridge University Press

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Amazon.ca info

Hardcover 565 pages
ISBN: 0521474361
Salesrank: 146537
Weight:2.69 lbs

Published: 2006 Cambridge University Press

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Product Description
The twentieth-century witnessed the development of astrophysics and cosmology from subjects which scarcely existed to two of the most exciting and demanding areas of contemporary scientific inquiry. In this book Malcolm Longair reviews the historical development of the key areas of modern astrophysics, linking the strands together to show how they have led to the extraordinarily rich panorama of modern astrophysics and cosmology. While many of the great discoveries were derived from pioneering observations, the emphasis is upon the development of theoretical concepts and how they came to be accepted. These advances have led astrophysicists and cosmologists to ask some of the deepest questions about the nature of our Universe and have pushed astronomical observations to the very limit. This is a fantastic story, and one which would have defied the imaginations of even the greatest story-tellers.

Product Description

The twentieth-century witnessed the development of astrophysics and cosmology from subjects which scarcely existed to two of the most exciting and demanding areas of contemporary scientific inquiry. In this book Malcolm Longair reviews the historical development of the key areas of modern astrophysics, linking the strands together to show how they have led to the extraordinarily rich panorama of modern astrophysics and cosmology. While many of the great discoveries were derived from pioneering observations, the emphasis is upon the development of theoretical concepts and how they came to be accepted. These advances have led astrophysicists and cosmologists to ask some of the deepest questions about the nature of our Universe and have pushed astronomical observations to the very limit. This is a fantastic story, and one which would have defied the imaginations of even the greatest story-tellers.

Cosmology for the technically literate non-specialist ****
This is almost the book for which I have been looking. It traces the history of cosmology through the 20th century giving the actual technical description of the various phenomena and models. Many original data charts and all the relevant equations are included. My only complaint is that like most cosmologists, the author assumes that the reader is familiar with the sometimes arcane notations and variable substitutions used in the field. I wish I could send the author a copy with annotations such as "what's this?", and in a couple of years receive an updated 2nd edition. These nits aside, the book is much more satisfying to a technically literate reader than the great bulk of popular books on cosmology.

Cosmology for the technically literate non-specialist ****

This is almost the book for which I have been looking. It traces the history of cosmology through the 20th century giving the actual technical description of the various phenomena and models. Many original data charts and all the relevant equations are included. My only complaint is that like most cosmologists, the author assumes that the reader is familiar with the sometimes arcane notations and variable substitutions used in the field. I wish I could send the author a copy with annotations such as "what's this?", and in a couple of years receive an updated 2nd edition. These nits aside, the book is much more satisfying to a technically literate reader than the great bulk of popular books on cosmology.

Reaching for the stars *****
In this attractively produced book, Malcolm Longair, Head of the Cavendish Laboratory, recounts the development and spectacular successes of astrophysics and cosmology. Although the focus throughout is on high theory, the math tends to be confined to 'explanatory supplements' tacked onto the ends of chapters, with the result that general readers familiar with the basic concepts of physics and astronomy will be able to follow the narrative without difficulty. (Others would do well to begin with Bernard Schutz's marvelous book, Gravity from the Ground Up.) The lesson that seems to emerge from this utterly absorbing story is that, in favorable circumstances, theory and observation, working in partnership, can, as it were, defy Newton's third law and quickly slingshot one another to heights of inquiry--unreachable by unaided fantasy or vacant stargazing--from which can be spied the most bizarre truths ever disclosed. A century ago, no one could have suspected that the universe looks a lot like a bath sponge. Or that the heavenly bodies in their motions are less like a perfectly choreographed procession than like a colossal train wreck. Thanks to astrophysics and cosmology we now know that the universe is immense, immensely profligate and incredibly violent--but mostly just cold and empty. And that's lucky for astronomers, because in a cold and empty universe you can see a long way, and a long way back. There is much in this book that will delight and amuse. In 1920, Arthur Eddington's Cambridge colleague, Francis Aston, was making precise measurements of atomic masses. Eddington noted that four hydrogen atoms have slightly more mass than one atom of helium and suggested that this mass difference, converted to energy, could easily meet a star's energy needs! In 1967, Hewish and Bell discovered neutron stars by making radio observations at 81.5 MHz, a frequency just a little below that of your local classical music FM station. This book is highly recommended. Rich in well-organized detail, it contains numerous well-chosen images, graphs and tables, 57 pages of references, a name index, an object index and a useful subject index. It is beautifully printed and there isn't a dull page in it.

Reaching for the stars *****

In this attractively produced book, Malcolm Longair, Head of the Cavendish Laboratory, recounts the development and spectacular successes of astrophysics and cosmology. Although the focus throughout is on high theory, the math tends to be confined to 'explanatory supplements' tacked onto the ends of chapters, with the result that general readers familiar with the basic concepts of physics and astronomy will be able to follow the narrative without difficulty. (Others would do well to begin with Bernard Schutz's marvelous book, Gravity from the Ground Up.)

The lesson that seems to emerge from this utterly absorbing story is that, in favorable circumstances, theory and observation, working in partnership, can, as it were, defy Newton's third law and quickly slingshot one another to heights of inquiry--unreachable by unaided fantasy or vacant stargazing--from which can be spied the most bizarre truths ever disclosed. A century ago, no one could have suspected that the universe looks a lot like a bath sponge. Or that the heavenly bodies in their motions are less like a perfectly choreographed procession than like a colossal train wreck. Thanks to astrophysics and cosmology we now know that the universe is immense, immensely profligate and incredibly violent--but mostly just cold and empty. And that's lucky for astronomers, because in a cold and empty universe you can see a long way, and a long way back.

There is much in this book that will delight and amuse. In 1920, Arthur Eddington's Cambridge colleague, Francis Aston, was making precise measurements of atomic masses. Eddington noted that four hydrogen atoms have slightly more mass than one atom of helium and suggested that this mass difference, converted to energy, could easily meet a star's energy needs! In 1967, Hewish and Bell discovered neutron stars by making radio observations at 81.5 MHz, a frequency just a little below that of your local classical music FM station.

This book is highly recommended. Rich in well-organized detail, it contains numerous well-chosen images, graphs and tables, 57 pages of references, a name index, an object index and a useful subject index. It is beautifully printed and there isn't a dull page in it.