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Table of Contents
Intro
On the Edgeof the Cosmos
General Summary
Acknowledgments
Part I A Century of Revolutionin Our Vision of the Universe
General View of 20th Century Astronomy and Its Starting Point
Astronomy, the Key to Our Vision of the World
Benchmarks on 1900 Astronomy and Its Shortcomings
Scientific and Technical Revolutions, Drivers of 20th Century Astronomy
Physics Revolutions, Keys to Astrophysics
Giant Telescopes
Overcoming the Disturbances of the Earth Atmosphere
Exploiting All Spectral Domains from Radio to X-ray and Gamma-Ray
Visiting the Planets
No Pause in the Progress of Signal Detection and Exploitation
Part II Stars are Well Understood
How does a Star Work?
Understanding the Stars
Solving the Mystery of the Origin of the Energy of the Sun and the Stars
The Life of the Stars
Our Atoms were Born in the Stars
Stars also Die
Complexities of Star Birth and Physics
General Star Formation Scenario
Young Infrared Stars: Born in Dusty Cocoons
Gravitational Contraction, Accretion and Discs
Universality of Stellar Pairs - Complex Ending of Their Lives
Brown Dwarfs, Billions of Aborted Stars
Stars are Still at the Forefront of Current Astronomy
Stars and Ecology of Planets and Galaxies
Part III The New World of Galaxies
Discovery of Galaxies
The Appreciation of the Nature of Galaxies Dates Back Only to the Beginning of the 20th Century
First Steps in the World of Nearby Galaxies
Architecture and Stellar Content of Galaxies
Our Galaxy and Its Interstellar Medium
Exploration of Our Galaxy, the Milky Way
An Ordinary Galaxy
Current Organization of Stars Resulting from the Milky Way History
The Interstellar Gas, a Key Player in the Evolution of Galaxies
Other Players in the Interstellar Medium
Exotic Components of the Milky Way.
Hundreds Billions of Galaxies
Galaxies at All Stages of Their Life
The Turbulent Family Life of Galaxies
Understanding the Formation and Evolution of Galaxies
Part IV Cosmology, the Science of the Universe as a Whole
Birth of Cosmology
The Universe of Galaxies is Expanding
The Saga of the Big Bang Confirmation
The Very First Phase in the History of the Universe: Uncertain Physics
A Well-Understood Second Phase: The Standard Big Bang Model
Content of the Universe and Structure Formation
Formation of Galaxies and Structures of the Present Universe
Fundamental Parameters of the Universe are Better Known than Its Physics
Age of the Universe and Variations of the Determinations of the Hubble Constant
An Overall Density Very Close to the Critical Density
Need and Nature of Dark Matter
A Last-Minute Surprise, the Re-Acceleration of the Expansion Involving an Unknown Source of Cosmic Energy
Summarizing: An Unexpected Universe Model Validated in Multiple Ways
Part V Singular Stars and Cataclysmsin Extreme Physical Conditions
Explosions of Stars and Their Singular Residues
Extreme Physics of Supernova Implosion/Explosion
Neutron Stars, Hyper-Dense Supernova Residues
Gamma-Ray Bursts, Even More Powerful Bursts
Cosmic Rays, Messenger Particles of the High Energy Universe
Black Holes and Their Power
Black Holes, General Relativity and the Cosmos
Stellar Black Holes
Gravitational Waves, Propagation of Spacetime-Curvature Disturbances
Quasars: New Stars a Thousand Times Brighter than Galaxies
Manifestations of Super-Massive Black Holes and Their Interpretation
Co-evolution of Galaxies and Their Black Hole
The Super-Massive Black Hole of Our Galaxy and Others
Part VI Planets, in the Solar System and Outside
Direct Exploration of the Planets.
Planets, Stars of Astronomy until the 19th Century
Half a Century Without Revolution for Planetology
Humans Went to the Moon!
We Broadly Understand the Origin of the Moon and Its Importance for the Earth
Very Rich Close-up Photos of All the Bodies of the Solar System
Summary of Planetary Expeditions
Searching for Life in the Solar System: Where and When?
Entering the Dream World of Exoplanets
Explosion of Discoveries of New Planets
The Majority of Stars have a Planetary System
Surprising Variety of Exoplanets
The Search for Earth-Like Planets
Conclusion
A New Cosmos in the 21st Century?
A New Cosmos
Auguries for 21st Century Astronomy?
Glossary
Acronyms and Space Missions
References
Index.
On the Edgeof the Cosmos
General Summary
Acknowledgments
Part I A Century of Revolutionin Our Vision of the Universe
General View of 20th Century Astronomy and Its Starting Point
Astronomy, the Key to Our Vision of the World
Benchmarks on 1900 Astronomy and Its Shortcomings
Scientific and Technical Revolutions, Drivers of 20th Century Astronomy
Physics Revolutions, Keys to Astrophysics
Giant Telescopes
Overcoming the Disturbances of the Earth Atmosphere
Exploiting All Spectral Domains from Radio to X-ray and Gamma-Ray
Visiting the Planets
No Pause in the Progress of Signal Detection and Exploitation
Part II Stars are Well Understood
How does a Star Work?
Understanding the Stars
Solving the Mystery of the Origin of the Energy of the Sun and the Stars
The Life of the Stars
Our Atoms were Born in the Stars
Stars also Die
Complexities of Star Birth and Physics
General Star Formation Scenario
Young Infrared Stars: Born in Dusty Cocoons
Gravitational Contraction, Accretion and Discs
Universality of Stellar Pairs - Complex Ending of Their Lives
Brown Dwarfs, Billions of Aborted Stars
Stars are Still at the Forefront of Current Astronomy
Stars and Ecology of Planets and Galaxies
Part III The New World of Galaxies
Discovery of Galaxies
The Appreciation of the Nature of Galaxies Dates Back Only to the Beginning of the 20th Century
First Steps in the World of Nearby Galaxies
Architecture and Stellar Content of Galaxies
Our Galaxy and Its Interstellar Medium
Exploration of Our Galaxy, the Milky Way
An Ordinary Galaxy
Current Organization of Stars Resulting from the Milky Way History
The Interstellar Gas, a Key Player in the Evolution of Galaxies
Other Players in the Interstellar Medium
Exotic Components of the Milky Way.
Hundreds Billions of Galaxies
Galaxies at All Stages of Their Life
The Turbulent Family Life of Galaxies
Understanding the Formation and Evolution of Galaxies
Part IV Cosmology, the Science of the Universe as a Whole
Birth of Cosmology
The Universe of Galaxies is Expanding
The Saga of the Big Bang Confirmation
The Very First Phase in the History of the Universe: Uncertain Physics
A Well-Understood Second Phase: The Standard Big Bang Model
Content of the Universe and Structure Formation
Formation of Galaxies and Structures of the Present Universe
Fundamental Parameters of the Universe are Better Known than Its Physics
Age of the Universe and Variations of the Determinations of the Hubble Constant
An Overall Density Very Close to the Critical Density
Need and Nature of Dark Matter
A Last-Minute Surprise, the Re-Acceleration of the Expansion Involving an Unknown Source of Cosmic Energy
Summarizing: An Unexpected Universe Model Validated in Multiple Ways
Part V Singular Stars and Cataclysmsin Extreme Physical Conditions
Explosions of Stars and Their Singular Residues
Extreme Physics of Supernova Implosion/Explosion
Neutron Stars, Hyper-Dense Supernova Residues
Gamma-Ray Bursts, Even More Powerful Bursts
Cosmic Rays, Messenger Particles of the High Energy Universe
Black Holes and Their Power
Black Holes, General Relativity and the Cosmos
Stellar Black Holes
Gravitational Waves, Propagation of Spacetime-Curvature Disturbances
Quasars: New Stars a Thousand Times Brighter than Galaxies
Manifestations of Super-Massive Black Holes and Their Interpretation
Co-evolution of Galaxies and Their Black Hole
The Super-Massive Black Hole of Our Galaxy and Others
Part VI Planets, in the Solar System and Outside
Direct Exploration of the Planets.
Planets, Stars of Astronomy until the 19th Century
Half a Century Without Revolution for Planetology
Humans Went to the Moon!
We Broadly Understand the Origin of the Moon and Its Importance for the Earth
Very Rich Close-up Photos of All the Bodies of the Solar System
Summary of Planetary Expeditions
Searching for Life in the Solar System: Where and When?
Entering the Dream World of Exoplanets
Explosion of Discoveries of New Planets
The Majority of Stars have a Planetary System
Surprising Variety of Exoplanets
The Search for Earth-Like Planets
Conclusion
A New Cosmos in the 21st Century?
A New Cosmos
Auguries for 21st Century Astronomy?
Glossary
Acronyms and Space Missions
References
Index.