In less than a century, the accepted picture of the universe transformed from a stagnant place, composed entirely of our own Milky Way galaxy, to a realm inhabited by billions of individual galaxies, hurtling away from one another. We must thank, in part, Edwin P. Hubble, one of the greatest observational astronomers of the 20th century. In 1936, Hubble described his principal observations and conclusions in "The Realm of the Nebulae," which quickly became a classic work. Two new introductory pieces, by Robert P. Kirshner and Sean M. Carroll, explain advances since Hubble's time and his work's foundational importance.
"Meaningful, historically accurate, and thoroughly delightful reading."--Gail O. Clark, "Astronomy"

This book provides a comprehensive, self-contained introduction to one of the most exciting frontiers in astrophysics today: the quest to understand how the oldest and most distant galaxies in our universe first formed. Until now, most research on this question has been theoretical, but the next few years will bring about a new generation of large telescopes that promise to supply a flood of data about the infant universe during its first billion years after the big bang. This book bridges the gap between theory and observation. It is an invaluable reference for students and researchers on early galaxies.

"The First Galaxies in the Universe" starts from basic physical principles before moving on to more advanced material. Topics include the gravitational growth of structure, the intergalactic medium, the formation and evolution of the first stars and black holes, feedback and galaxy evolution, reionization, 21-cm cosmology, and more. Provides a comprehensive introduction to this exciting frontier in astrophysics Begins from first principles Covers advanced topics such as the first stars and 21-cm cosmology Prepares students for research using the next generation of large telescopes Discusses many open questions to be explored in the coming decade

In the 42 years that Edward Pickering directed the Harvard College Observatory, he and his team of women "computers" made strides in promoting the new field of astrophotography, discovered the first spectroscopic binary star system, and cataloged more than 225,000 stars. Pickering hired women such as Henrietta Leavitt, who found a way to measure the distances to faraway stars, and Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, whose later work became the foundation for astrophysics, to process astronomical data gathered at the observatory. The advances these women made under Pickering's direction broadened the window of professional opportunity for women as well as our greater understanding of the universe. This new title highlights the lives of Pickering and his women "computers."

Pulsars are highly magnetised, rotating neutron stars that emit a beam of electromagnetic radiation. The radiation can only be observed when the beam of emission is pointing towards the Earth. This is called the lighthouse effect and gives rise to the pulsed nature that gives pulsars their name. This book reviews research from around the globe in the field of pulsars including anomalous X-ray pulsars; the arrival directions of ultrahigh energy extensive air particles registered at the Yakutsk extensive air shower array from 1974 to 2007; the observed rotation period of pulsar time properties; measuring the moment of inertia of the double pulsar and its usefulness in testing modified models of gravity and others.

This book discusses the methods used in helio- and asteroseismology for the collection, analysis and interpretation of data. It is the first comprehensive discussion of helioseismic and asteroseismic methodology, collecting techniques from over 300 research papers spread out over decades, with a critical discussion and inter-comparison. It enables the reader to follow the path of inference from the collection of the data at the telescope through to the understanding gained in terms of the modeling of solar and stellar physics and stellar evolution. By focusing on how results are obtained, rather than on the results themselves, this book provides the essential background needed to understand this field, which is rapidly advancing due to the availability of modern observing facilities both on the ground and in space. The material is accessible for advanced undergraduates and post-graduates, and provides an essential resource for researchers in the field.