The Universe Around Us
Encyclopedia
The Universe Around Us is a science
book written by English
astrophysicist Sir James Jeans, first published in 1929 by the Syndics of the Cambridge University Press
.
and theoretical
. Special attention has been given to problems of cosmogony
and evolution
, and to the general structure of the universe. My ideal, perhaps never wholly attainable, has been that of the making the entire book intelligible to readers with no special scientific knowledge. Parts of the book cover the same ground as various lectures I have recently delivered to University
and other audiences, including a course of wireless talks I gave last autumn. It has been found necessary to rewrite these almost in their entirety, so that very few sentences remain in their original form, but those who have asked me to publish my lectures and wireless talks will find the substance of them in the present book."
-J.H.JEANS - DORKING, 1 May 1929
, the rotation of the galaxy, the apparent expansion of the universe, and other subjects which have become important since the first edition was published, and in general have tried to bring the book up to date."
-J.H.JEANS - DORKING, 2 August 1930
and the positively-charged electron
have been discovered. At the other end of the scale there is much new knowledge, both observational and theoretical, on the expansion of the universe and cosmic radiation. In the intermediate parts of the scale, in addition to a large mass of new observational material, we find new spectroscopic methods for investigating the constitution and rotations of the stars, and new theoretical discussions of their structure. From these and other causes, the present edition is substantially longer than its predecessors."
-J.H.JEANS - DORKING, 7 October 1933
and stars, but can also explain many hitherto puzzling stellar characteristics; the largest and smallest ingredients of nature - the star
and the atomic nucleus
- have met and thrown light on one another, to the great improvement of our understanding of both. This and other outstanding advances have necessitated many changes in and additions to my book. A large part of it has been rewritten, while most of the remainder has been substantially amended."
-J.H.JEANS - DORKING, September 1943
Chapter
There are 32 pages of photographic plates:
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
book written by English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
astrophysicist Sir James Jeans, first published in 1929 by the Syndics of the Cambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press is the publishing business of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII in 1534, it is the world's oldest publishing house, and the second largest university press in the world...
.
Editions
- First Edition...1929 ...Reprinted...1929, 1930
- Second Edition..1930 ...Reprinted...1930, 1931
- Third Edition...1933 ...Reprinted...1938
- Fourth Edition..1944 ...Reprinted...1945, 1946, 1953 ...Revised & Reset...1960
- First Paperback Edition...1960
Preface
"The present book contains a brief account, written in simple language, of the methods and results of modern astronomical research, both observationalObservational astronomy
Observational astronomy is a division of the astronomical science that is concerned with getting data, in contrast with theoretical astrophysics which is mainly concerned with finding out the measurable implications of physical models...
and theoretical
Theoretical astronomy
Based on strict dictionary definitions, "astronomy" refers to "the study of objects and matter outside the Earth's atmosphere and of their physical and chemical properties" In some cases, as in the introduction of the introductory textbook The Physical Universe by Frank Shu, "astronomy" may be used...
. Special attention has been given to problems of cosmogony
Cosmogony
Cosmogony, or cosmogeny, is any scientific theory concerning the coming into existence or origin of the universe, or about how reality came to be. The word comes from the Greek κοσμογονία , from κόσμος "cosmos, the world", and the root of γίνομαι / γέγονα "to be born, come about"...
and evolution
Evolution
Evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
, and to the general structure of the universe. My ideal, perhaps never wholly attainable, has been that of the making the entire book intelligible to readers with no special scientific knowledge. Parts of the book cover the same ground as various lectures I have recently delivered to University
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
and other audiences, including a course of wireless talks I gave last autumn. It has been found necessary to rewrite these almost in their entirety, so that very few sentences remain in their original form, but those who have asked me to publish my lectures and wireless talks will find the substance of them in the present book."
-J.H.JEANS - DORKING, 1 May 1929
Preface to Second Edition
"In preparing a second edition, I have taken advantage of a great number of suggestions made by correspondents and reviewers, to whom I offer my sincerest thanks. I have also inserted discussions of the new planet PlutoPluto
Pluto, formal designation 134340 Pluto, is the second-most-massive known dwarf planet in the Solar System and the tenth-most-massive body observed directly orbiting the Sun...
, the rotation of the galaxy, the apparent expansion of the universe, and other subjects which have become important since the first edition was published, and in general have tried to bring the book up to date."
-J.H.JEANS - DORKING, 2 August 1930
From the Preface to Third Edition
"The three years which have elapsed since the second edition of this book appeared have been more than usually eventful for those parts of science with which the book deals. At the sub-atomic end of the scale of nature, the uncharged neutronNeutron
The neutron is a subatomic hadron particle which has the symbol or , no net electric charge and a mass slightly larger than that of a proton. With the exception of hydrogen, nuclei of atoms consist of protons and neutrons, which are therefore collectively referred to as nucleons. The number of...
and the positively-charged electron
Electron
The electron is a subatomic particle with a negative elementary electric charge. It has no known components or substructure; in other words, it is generally thought to be an elementary particle. An electron has a mass that is approximately 1/1836 that of the proton...
have been discovered. At the other end of the scale there is much new knowledge, both observational and theoretical, on the expansion of the universe and cosmic radiation. In the intermediate parts of the scale, in addition to a large mass of new observational material, we find new spectroscopic methods for investigating the constitution and rotations of the stars, and new theoretical discussions of their structure. From these and other causes, the present edition is substantially longer than its predecessors."
-J.H.JEANS - DORKING, 7 October 1933
Preface to Fourth Edition
"In the interval since the third edition appeared, astronomy has continued its triumphal progress. Perhaps the most noteworthy single episode has been the discovery that the physics of atomic nuclei can not only give a satisfactory account of the radiation of the sunSun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
and stars, but can also explain many hitherto puzzling stellar characteristics; the largest and smallest ingredients of nature - the star
Star
A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity. At the end of its lifetime, a star can also contain a proportion of degenerate matter. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth...
and the atomic nucleus
Atomic nucleus
The nucleus is the very dense region consisting of protons and neutrons at the center of an atom. It was discovered in 1911, as a result of Ernest Rutherford's interpretation of the famous 1909 Rutherford experiment performed by Hans Geiger and Ernest Marsden, under the direction of Rutherford. The...
- have met and thrown light on one another, to the great improvement of our understanding of both. This and other outstanding advances have necessitated many changes in and additions to my book. A large part of it has been rewritten, while most of the remainder has been substantially amended."
-J.H.JEANS - DORKING, September 1943
Contents
- Introduction - The Study of Astronomy - Page...1
Chapter
- I Exploring the Sky...14
- II Exploring the Atom...98
- III Exploring in Time...151
- IV Stars...161
- V Carving out the Universe...210
- VI The Solar System...237
- VII Beginnings and Endings...276
- Index...290
There are 32 pages of photographic plates:
Plates
- I The Discovery of Pluto - Facing Page...16
- II The Milky Way in the neighbourhood of the Southern Cross...17
- III The Milky Way in the region of p Ophiuchi...18
- IV The Star-cloud in Sagittarius...19
- V Part of the outer regions of the Great Nebula M31 in Andromeda...22
- VI Planetary Nebulae:
- N.G.C. 2022
- N.G.C. 6720 (The Ring Nebula)
- N.G.C. 1501
- N.G.C. 7662...23
- VII The Nebula in Cygnus...24
- VIII The Trifid Nebula M20 in Sagittarius - Following...24
- IX The "Horse's Head" in the Nebula in Orion...24
- X The Great Nebula M31 in Andromeda - Facing...25
- XI The Nebula N.G.C. 891 in Andromeda seen edge-on...26
- XII The Nebula N.G.C. 7217...27
- XIII The Lesser and Greater Magellanic Clouds...30
- XIV The Globular Cluster M13 in Hercules...31
- XV Stellar Spectra...32
- XVI The Doppler Effect in Stellar Spectra...33
- XVII The central region of the Great Nebula M31 in Andromeda...68
- XVIII The Nebula M33 in Triangulum...69
- XIX The Nebula N.G.C. 7331 in Pegasus, and a remote Cluster of faint Nebula - Facing...70
- XX Nebular Spectra....71
- XXI The Nebula N.G.C. 4594 in Virgo...74
- XXII A compact Cluster of faint Nebulae in Pegasus...75
- XXIII The twin Nebulae N.G.C. 4567-8...76
- XXIV The Nebula M81 in Ursa Major...77
- XXV The tracks of a- and b-particles...122
- XXVI Collisions of a-particles with atoms...123
- XXVII The "Whirlpool" Nebula M51 in Canes Venatici...220
- XXVIII A sequence of Nebular Configurations:
- N.G.C. 3379
- N.G.C. 4621
- N.G.C. 3115
- N.G.C. 4594 in Virgo
- N.G.C. 4565 in Berenice's hair...221
- XXIX Two Nebulae (N.G.C. 4395, 4401) suggestive of Tidal Action...244
- XXX The Nebula N.G.C. 7479...245
- XXXI The Nebula M101 in Ursa Major...252
- XXXII Saturn and its System of Rings...253