I. Developing Perspective 1. A Modern View of the Universe 2. Discovering the Universe for Yourself 3. The Science of Astronomy II. Key Concepts for Astronomy 4. Making Sense of the Universe: Understanding Motion, Energy, and Gravity 5. Light: The Cosmic Messenger III. Learning from Other Worlds 6. Formation of the Solar System 7. Earth and the Terrestrial Worlds 8. Jovian Planet Systems 9. Asteroids, Comets, and Dwarf Planets: Their Nature, Orbits, and Impacts 10. Other Planetary Systems: The New Science of Distant Worlds IV. Stars 11. Our Star 12. Surveying the Stars 13. Star Stuff 14. The Bizarre Stellar Graveyard V. Galaxies and Beyond 15. Our Galaxy 16. A Universe of Galaxies 17. The Birth of the Universe 18. Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Fate of the Universe VI. Life on Earth and Beyond 19. Life in the Universe

About the Book   Pedagogical features enhance learning Chapter Learning Goals, written as questions, set up the framework for each section and provide a clear learning path through the chapter. Essential Preparation, at the beginning of each chapter, identifies the key prior concepts that the students will need to understand in order to succeed in each chapter. Cosmic Calculations Boxes contain most of the mathematics used in the book, and can be covered or skipped depending on the level of mathematics included in the course. Cosmic Context Two-Page Figures are two-page spreads that provide visual summaries of key processes and concepts. Annotated Figures are key figures in each chapter that utilize the research-based technique of “annotation”—carefully crafted text placed on the figure to guide students through interpreting graphs, following process figures, and translating between different representations. Wavelength/Observatory Icons are simple icons that indicate whether an astronomical image is a photo, artist’s impression, or computer simulation; whether a photo came from ground-based or space-based observations; and the wavelength band used to take the photo. Think About It sections appear throughout the book as short questions integrated into the narrative, giving students the opportunity to reflect on important new concepts. See It for Yourself sections are integrated into the narrative, giving students the opportunity to conduct simple observations or experiments that will help them understand key concepts. Common Misconceptions address popularly held but incorrect ideas related to the chapter material. Special Topic Boxes contain supplementary discussion topics that are related to the chapter material, but not prerequisite to the continuing discussion. The Big Picture at the end of each chapter, helps students put what they’ve learned into the context of the overall goal of gaining a broader perspective on ourselves, our planet, and prospects for life beyond Earth. Chapter Summaries offer a concise review of the learning goal questions, helping to reinforce student understanding of key concepts from the chapter. Thumbnail figures are included as visual cues of key illustrations and photos in the chapter. End-of-chapter exercises in each chapter include an extensive set of exercises that can be used for study, discussion, or assignment. All of the end-of-chapter exercises are organized into the following subsets: Visual Skills Checks help students build their skills at interpreting the many types of visual information used in astronomy. Review Questions pose questions that can be answered from the reading alone. Does It Make Sense? sections provide a set of short statements that  students are expected to think about and determine whether they make sense. Once students understand a particular concept, this approach is an excellent probe of comprehension. Quick Quizzes are short multiple-choice quizzes that allow students to check their progress. Process of Science Questions are essay or discussion questions that help students focus on how science progresses over time. Group Work Exercises are suggested activities designed for collaborative learning in class. Short-Answer/Essay Questions are questions that go beyond the Review Questions in asking for conceptual interpretation. Quantitative Problems are problems that require some mathematics, usually based on topics covered in the Cosmic Calculations Mathematical Insight boxes. Discussion Questions are open-ended questions for class discussions. Web Projects offer a few suggestions for additional web-based research. A detailed glossary makes it easy for students to look up important terms. New features further reinforce the importance of critical thinking in astronomy NEW! Extraordinary Claims boxes provide students with examples of extraordinary claims about the universe and how they were either supported or debunked as scientists collected more evidence. NEW! “My Cosmic Perspective” sections focus on a personal connection between students and the cosmos, encouraging students to think more critically about the meaning of what they learn in their course and apply astronomy to their own lives. NEW! Icons call attention to a few of the features that promote critical thinking throughout the chapter and in the end of chapter problems. Major chapter-level changes include scientific updates and improve pedagogical flow REVISED! Chapter 7 has been significantly rewritten to reflect new results from MESSENGER at Mercury, Curiosity and MAVEN at Mars, and the latest data on global warming. REVISED! Chapter 9 has been reorganized and rewritten to reflect recent developments in the study of small bodies, particularly the revolutionary new views provided by recent spacecraft including Dawn, Rosetta, and New Horizons. REVISED! Chapter 10 has been heavily revised in light of thousands of new discoveries of extrasolar planets since the prior edition. REVISED! In Chapter 14, Section 14.4 has been rewritten to focus on neutron star mergers and events in which black holes can form. REVISED!  Chapter 15 has been revised to reduce jargon and to include a new full-page figure showing the Milky Way in different wavelengths. In addition, Section 15.4 on the galactic center has been rewritten and features a new 2-page Cosmic Context spread. REVISED! Chapter 16 has been significantly revised in light of new research into galactic evolution. REVISED! Chapter 19 has been significantly rewritten thanks to new understanding of the potential habitability of Mars, Titan, and extrasolar planets. Scientific updates reflect new developments in the field of astronomy NEW! New results and images from spacecraft exploring our solar system are included. NEW! Recent results from major space observatories, including Hubble and Kepler, and from powerful ground-based observatories, such as ALMA, are included. UPDATED! Updated data and models on topics such as the formation of planetary systems, global warming, and galaxy formation and evolution have been added. NEW! Major new discoveries and statistics relating to the study of extrasolar planets, new research on the timing and possible origin of life on Earth, and much more, are included. Also available with Mastering Astronomy Mastering ™ Astronomy is the leading online homework, tutorial, and assessment system, designed to improve results by engaging students with vetted, interactive content. Instructors ensure students arrive ready to learn by assigning new Interactive Prelecture videos that give students exposure to key concepts before class and open classroom time for active learning or deeper discussions of topics. With Learning Catalytics™ instructors can expand on key concepts and encourage student engagement during lecture through questions answered individually or in pairs and groups. Students further master concepts through book-specific Mastering Astronomy assignments, which provide hints and answer-specific feedback to build problem-solving skills.  Mastering Astronomy now features Virtual Astronomy Labs, providing assignable online laboratory activities that use Stellarium and Interactive Figures.   NEW! Pre-lecture questions, both interactive videos and reading, provide pre-class exposure to the major concepts through both interactive video and reading questions. These check students’ familiarity with key concepts, prompting them to do their assigned reading prior to coming to class to keep students on track, more engaged in lecture, and help you spot the concepts with which they are having the most difficulty. Open-ended essay questions help students to identify what they find most difficult about a concept, helping to better inform you and assisting with “Just-in-time” teaching. Learning Catalytics™ helps you generate class discussion, customize your lecture, and facilitate peer-to-peer learning inside and out of class with real-time analytics. As a student response tool, Learning Catalytics uses students’ smartphones, tablets, or laptops to engage them in more interactive tasks and thinking. NEW! Upload a full PowerPoint® deck for easy creation of slide questions. NEW! Team names are no longer case sensitive. Help your students develop critical thinking skills. Monitor responses to find out where your students are struggling. Rely on real-time data to adjust your teaching strategy. Automatically group students for discussion, teamwork, and peer-to-peer learning. Tutorials, written by the author team, feature specific wrong-answer feedback, hints, and a wide variety of interactive, educationally effective content that guide your students through the toughest topics in astronomy. The hallmark Hints and Feedback offer instruction similar to what students would experience in an office hour, allowing them to learn from their mistakes without being given the answer. NEW! Narrated Figure Visual Activities are assignable visual activities with narrated animations that  expand on figures in the text. Embedded pause-and-respond questions engage students in a deeper understanding of the topic. Assignable activities help students build versatile interpretation skills. Specific wrong-answer feedback guides students to a deeper understanding of their significance in the universe. NEW! Virtual Astronomy Labs are assignable, online laboratory activities that utilize Stellarium and also interactive figures to conduct night sky, data collection, and inquiry based labs. Five additional inquiry-based labs are included. NEW! eText 2.0 optimized for mobile eText 2.0 mobile appoffers offline access and can be downloaded for most iOS and Android phones/tablets from the Apple App Store or Google Play. Seamlessly integrated videos and other rich media Accessible (screen-reader ready) Configurable reading settings, including resizable type and night reading mode Instructor and student note-taking, highlighting, bookmarking, and search Essential Cosmic Perspective, 8th Edition is also available via Pearson eText, a simple-to-use, mobile, personalized reading experience that lets instructors connect with and motivate students — right in their eTextbook. Learn more.

About the Book   New features further reinforce the importance of critical thinking in astronomy Extraordinary Claims boxes provide students with examples of extraordinary claims about the universe and how they were either supported or debunked as scientists collected more evidence. “My Cosmic Perspective” sections focus on a personal connection between students and the cosmos, encouraging students to think more critically about the meaning of what they learn in their course and apply astronomy to their own lives. Icons call attention to a few of the features that promote critical thinking throughout the chapter and in the end of chapter problems. Major chapter-level changes include scientific updates and improve pedagogical flow Chapter 7 has been significantly rewritten to reflect new results from MESSENGER at Mercury, Curiosity and MAVEN at Mars, and the latest data on global warming. Chapter 9 has been reorganized and rewritten to reflect recent developments in the study of small bodies, particularly the revolutionary new views provided by recent spacecraft including Dawn, Rosetta, and New Horizons. Chapter 10 has been heavily revised in light of thousands of new discoveries of extrasolar planets since the prior edition. In Chapter 14, Section 14.4 has been rewritten to focus on neutron star mergers and events in which black holes can form. Chapter 15 has been revised to reduce jargon and to include a new full-page figure showing the Milky Way in different wavelengths. In addition, Section 15.4 on the galactic center has been rewritten and features a new 2-page Cosmic Context spread. Chapter 16 has been significantly revised in light of new research into galactic evolution. Chapter 19 has been significantly rewritten thanks to new understanding of the potential habitability of Mars, Titan, and extrasolar planets. Scientific updates reflect new developments in the field of astronomy: New results and images from spacecraft exploring our solar system are included. Recent results from major space observatories, including Hubble and Kepler, and from powerful ground-based observatories, such as ALMA, are included. Updated data and models on topics such as the formation of planetary systems, global warming, and galaxy formation and evolution have been added. Major new discoveries and statistics relating to the study of extrasolar planets, new research on the timing and possible origin of life on Earth, and much more, are included. Also available with Mastering Astronomy Mastering ™  Astronomy is the leading online homework, tutorial, and assessment system, designed to improve results by engaging students with powerful, interactive content. Instructors ensure students arrive ready to learn by assigning new Interactive Prelecture videos that give students exposure to key concepts before class and open classroom time for active learning or deeper discussions of topics. With Learning Catalytics™ instructors can expand on key concepts and encourage student engagement during lecture through questions answered individually or in pairs and groups. Students further master concepts through book-specific Mastering Astronomy assignments, which provide hints and answer-specific feedback that build problem-solving skills.  Mastering Astronomy now features Virtual Astronomy Labs, providing assignable online laboratory activities that use Stellarium and Interactive Figures. Pre-lecture questions, both interactive videos and reading, provide pre-class exposure to the major concepts through both interactive video and reading questions. These check students’ familiarity with key concepts, prompting them to do their assigned reading prior to coming to class to keep students on track, more engaged in lecture, and help you spot the concepts with which they are having the most difficulty. Open-ended essay questions help students to identify what they find most difficult about a concept, helping to better inform you and assisting with “Just-in-time” teaching. Virtual Astronomy Labs are assignable, online laboratory activities that utilize Stellarium and interactive figures to conduct night sky, data collection, and inquiry based labs. 20 tutorials focus on critical thinking and draw from the extraordinary claims boxes such as martians in chapter 9, climate change in chapter 10, neutron stars and black holes in chapter 18. eText 2.0 optimized for mobile eText 2.0 mobile appoffers offline access and can be downloaded for most iOS and Android phones/tablets from the Apple App Store or Google Play. Seamlessly integrated videos and other rich media Accessible (screen-reader ready) Configurable reading settings, including resizable type and night reading mode Instructor and student note-taking, highlighting, bookmarking, and search Narrated figures of key illustrations in the text, with embedded pause and respond questions, are designed to help students improve their understanding of the most challenging concepts, hone their visual skills and introduce interactivity whenever possible. New and Enhanced interactive figures formatted for computer and tablet use. Essential Cosmic Perspective, 8th Edition is also available via Pearson eText, a simple-to-use, mobile, personalized reading experience that lets instructors connect with and motivate students — right in their eTextbook. Learn more.