Astrophysics is one of the fastest developing branches of modern science. Recent technological advances—satellite observatories, CCD detectors, larger telescopes, adaptive optics, x- and -ray satellite telescopes, new Cherenkov arrays—increased and widened possibilities of observing the universe. In parallel, theoretical developments in elementary particle physics have opened up new possibilities for modeling the very early epochs of evolution of the universe and imagining new families of strange stars.
Foundations of Astrophysics is an ambitious attempt to bring these new developments to the classroom. As the authors explain in the Preface, this book was tested in class. The course in question was a two semester, 5 h/week introductory course in astrophysics. The book is divided into 24 chapters, each ending with a set of several interesting problems and questions. The topics discussed in this book can be separated in a natural way into three main groups covering the Solar System, the...
