Measuring the Universe: The Cosmological Distance LadderFor the past three decades the question "how big is the universe?" has been one of the most hotly disputed topics of modern astrophysics and cosmology. Our uncertainty about the size and age of the observable universe is no more than a reflection of our uncertainty about the distances to nearby stars and galaxies. Distance determination is not only one of the most important tasks that astronomers face, it is also one of the most difficult. Measuring the Universe begins by describing methods of measuring distances on Earth, then climbs the various "rungs of the distance ladder" that takes us all the way to an estimation of the distances of the farthest known objects in the universe. In this introductory book Stephen Webb emphasises general physical principles rather than mathematical detail. There are lots of worked examples, and each chapter ends with a helpful summary of main points, questions and problems, and a guide to further reading. |
Contents
III | xv |
IV | 1 |
V | 3 |
VI | 5 |
VII | 7 |
VIII | 9 |
IX | 11 |
XI | 13 |
LXXXV | 165 |
LXXXVI | 167 |
LXXXVII | 172 |
LXXXVIII | 173 |
LXXXIX | 175 |
XCI | 179 |
XCII | 183 |
XCIII | 188 |
XII | 16 |
XIII | 19 |
XIV | 21 |
XV | 22 |
XVI | 23 |
XIX | 25 |
XXI | 26 |
XXII | 32 |
XXIII | 33 |
XXV | 36 |
XXVI | 37 |
XXVII | 39 |
XXVIII | 42 |
XXIX | 47 |
XXX | 50 |
XXXI | 51 |
XXXII | 52 |
XXXIII | 53 |
XXXIV | 54 |
XXXV | 55 |
XXXVII | 57 |
XXXVIII | 59 |
XXXIX | 62 |
XL | 65 |
XLI | 67 |
XLII | 71 |
XLIII | 75 |
XLIV | 76 |
XLV | 77 |
XLVI | 78 |
XLVII | 81 |
XLVIII | 82 |
XLIX | 83 |
L | 85 |
LI | 86 |
LII | 89 |
LIII | 91 |
LIV | 97 |
LV | 99 |
LVII | 100 |
LVIII | 104 |
LIX | 107 |
LX | 108 |
LXI | 109 |
LXII | 115 |
LXIII | 120 |
LXIV | 123 |
LXV | 125 |
LXVI | 126 |
LXVII | 127 |
LXVIII | 128 |
LXIX | 129 |
LXX | 135 |
LXXI | 137 |
LXXII | 140 |
LXXIII | 144 |
LXXIV | 146 |
LXXV | 149 |
LXXVI | 150 |
LXXVII | 151 |
LXXVIII | 153 |
LXXIX | 157 |
LXXX | 158 |
LXXXII | 161 |
LXXXIV | 162 |
XCIV | 189 |
XCV | 190 |
XCVI | 193 |
XCVIII | 194 |
XCIX | 199 |
C | 200 |
CI | 201 |
CII | 203 |
CIII | 204 |
CIV | 207 |
CV | 208 |
CVI | 211 |
CVII | 212 |
CVIII | 213 |
CX | 214 |
CXI | 217 |
CXII | 221 |
CXIII | 223 |
CXIV | 227 |
CXV | 231 |
CXVI | 232 |
CXVIII | 237 |
CXXI | 242 |
CXXII | 243 |
CXXIII | 245 |
CXXIV | 248 |
CXXV | 254 |
CXXVI | 256 |
CXXVII | 258 |
CXXVIII | 259 |
CXXIX | 263 |
CXXX | 264 |
CXXXI | 265 |
CXXXII | 270 |
CXXXIII | 272 |
CXXXIV | 274 |
CXXXV | 277 |
CXXXVIII | 279 |
CXXXIX | 280 |
CXL | 282 |
CXLI | 283 |
CXLII | 284 |
CXLIII | 285 |
CXLV | 288 |
CXLVI | 291 |
CXLVII | 294 |
CXLVIII | 296 |
CXLIX | 298 |
CL | 299 |
CLI | 301 |
CLII | 304 |
CLIII | 306 |
CLIV | 307 |
CLV | 310 |
CLVI | 313 |
CLVII | 318 |
CLVIII | 320 |
CLX | 323 |
CLXII | 326 |
CLXIII | 327 |
CLXIV | 328 |
CLXV | 329 |
CLXVI | 332 |
334 | |
Common terms and phrases
absolute magnitude American angle apparent apparent magnitude astronomers atom average become brightness calculate calibration called catalogue cause centre Cepheids close cloud cluster constant contains cosmic deduce determine diagram diameter discovered distance distance indicators dwarf Earth effect electrons energy equations estimate example expansion FIGURE follows galaxies geometry given gives globular gravitational Group Hipparcos horizon Hubble hydrogen important increases instance known less light lines luminosity main sequence mass mean measure method Moon motion move nearby nebulae novae objects observations obtain orbit parallax particle particular period photons planet planetary position precision problem produce proper radiation radius reach redshift region relation relative result rotation RR Lyrae scale seems shows solar space spectral speed spiral standard stars stellar supernovae Suppose surface telescope temperature Type unit universe velocity