MYSTERIES OF GALAXY FORMATION

Françoise Combes

What is a galaxy? Typically, it is a collection of a hundred billion stars, gas and dust. Some galaxies occur in groups of about ten, some in clusters of hundreds, others in superclusters of thousands. These clusters and superclusters and the nature of their radiation bear witness to the expansion of the Universe, one of the key pieces of evidence for the Big Bang.

Mysteries of Galaxy Formation describes the birth, the history and the evolution of galaxies. It details the many puzzles that have already been solved, and looks at the questions yet to be answered. The book:

explains in detail the context in which galaxies formed and their evolution over time;
describes the main observations of recent years and their contribution to our knowledge about galaxies;
outlines why dark matter is fundamental to the problems of galaxy formation;
discusses the importance of black holes in galaxies and their observation

Table of Contents

Foreword

Going back in time to observe the young universe
Galaxies in their cocoons
The origins of black holes
Scenarios of galaxy formation
The problem of dark matter
How can the problems be solved, and with what instruments?

Glossary
Appendices
Index

Extent: 208 pages, 16-page colour section
Binding: Paperback
Published: 2010
ISBN: 978-1-4419-0867-4

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