Overview

This concise textbook, designed specifically for a one-semester course in astrophysics, introduces astrophysical concepts to undergraduate science and engineering students with a background in college-level, calculus-based physics. The text is organized into five parts covering: stellar properties; stellar structure and evolution; the interstellar medium and star/planet formation; the Milky Way and other galaxies; and cosmology. Structured around short easily digestible chapters, instructors have flexibility to adjust their course's emphasis as it suits them. Exposition drawn from the author's decade of teaching his course guides students toward a basic but quantitative understanding, with 'quick questions' to spur practice in basic computations, together with more challenging multi-part exercises at the end of each chapter. Advanced concepts like the quantum nature of energy and radiation are developed as needed. The text's approach and level bridge the wide gap between introductory astronomy texts for non-science majors and advanced undergraduate texts for astrophysics majors.

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9781108844390

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Reviews

'Owocki's book is a welcome addition to the handful of good textbooks that cover astrophysics at an introductory level. Building on the typical first year undergraduate STEM curriculum, he makes a thorough quantitative survey of all the important topics in stellar, galactic, and extragalactic astrophysics. Teachable within a one-semester course, this book creates an attractive technical elective in this fascinating field.' Jim Napolitano, Temple University 'This much-needed text fills the void for good up-to-date introductions to astrophysics for second or third year undergraduates with a calculus-based intro physics background. I especially like the division in short 'one topic per session' chapters, which makes the text useful for modern active-learning based approaches. The exercises are well designed, and the inclusion of popular subjects such as exoplanets and gravitational wave observations will certainly inspire a broad range of students. I will seriously consider it for our Intro to Astrophysics class.' Francesc Ferrer, Washington University in St Louis 'Amateurs looking for a slightly deeper understanding than is afforded by the average astronomy text will also find it accessible, interesting, and informative. Warmly recommended.' Ian D. Howarth, The Observatory 'Owocki's book is conversational and supremely readable. Readers will feel both the author's excitement for the material and his depth of experience explaining concepts at the undergraduate level ... a welcome addition to the world of undergraduate astronomy textbooks.' Colette Salyk, Vassar College, Physics Today

'Owocki's book is a welcome addition to the handful of good textbooks that cover astrophysics at an introductory level. Building on the typical first year undergraduate STEM curriculum, he makes a thorough quantitative survey of all the important topics in stellar, galactic, and extragalactic astrophysics. Teachable within a one-semester course, this book creates an attractive technical elective in this fascinating field.' Jim Napolitano, Temple University 'This much-needed text fills the void for good up-to-date introductions to astrophysics for second or third year undergraduates with a calculus-based intro physics background. I especially like the division in short 'one topic per session' chapters, which makes the text useful for modern active-learning based approaches. The exercises are well designed, and the inclusion of popular subjects such as exoplanets and gravitational wave observations will certainly inspire a broad range of students. I will seriously consider it for our Intro to Astrophysics class.' Francesc Ferrer, Washington University in St Louis

Author Information

Stan Owocki is a professor at the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Delaware, following positions at Harvard and U.C. San Diego. He has co-authored more than 300 scientific papers, with his research focussing on mass loss from luminous, massive stars. His teaching at undergraduate to graduate levels includes the development of his flagship 'Fundamental of Astrophysics' course, which form the basis for this textbook.

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