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The Extravagant Universe: Exploding Stars, Dark Energy, and the Accelerating
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The Extravagant Universe: Exploding Stars, Dark Energy, and the Accelerating Cosmos Paperback - 2004

by Robert P. Kirshner; Epilogue by Robert P. Kirshner

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Reader reviews for The Extravagant Universe: Exploding Stars, Dark Energy, and the Accelerating Cosmos

From the publisher

The Extravagant Universe tells the story of a remarkable adventure of scientific discovery. One of the world's leading astronomers, Robert Kirshner, takes readers inside a lively research team on the quest that led them to an extraordinary cosmological discovery: the expansion of the universe is accelerating under the influence of a dark energy that makes space itself expand. In addition to sharing the story of this exciting discovery, Kirshner also brings the science up-to-date in a new epilogue. He explains how the idea of an accelerating universe--once a daring interpretation of sketchy data--is now the standard assumption in cosmology today.

This measurement of dark energy--a quality of space itself that causes cosmic acceleration--points to a gaping hole in our understanding of fundamental physics. In 1917, Einstein proposed the "cosmological constant" to explain a static universe. When observations proved that the universe was expanding, he cast this early form of dark energy aside. But recent observations described first-hand in this book show that the cosmological constant--or something just like it--dominates the universe's mass and energy budget and determines its fate and shape.

Warned by Einstein's blunder, and contradicted by the initial results of a competing research team, Kirshner and his colleagues were reluctant to accept their own result. But, convinced by evidence built on their hard-earned understanding of exploding stars, they announced their conclusion that the universe is accelerating in February 1998. Other lines of inquiry and parallel supernova research now support a new synthesis of a cosmos dominated by dark energy but also containing several forms of dark matter. We live in an extravagant universe with a surprising number of essential ingredients: the real universe we measure is not the simplest one we could imagine.

First line

At first, the idea of understanding the universe seems preposterous, presumptuous, or in any case, out of reach, precisely because the universe is not built on a human scale of time or size.

Details

  • Title The Extravagant Universe: Exploding Stars, Dark Energy, and the Accelerating Cosmos
  • Author Robert P. Kirshner; Epilogue by Robert P. Kirshner
  • Binding Paperback
  • Edition 4th
  • Pages 304
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Princeton University Press, Ewing, New Jersey, U.S.A.
  • Publication date March 16, 2004
  • Illustrated Yes
  • ISBN 9780691117423 / 069111742X
  • Weight 1.12 lbs (0.51 kg)
  • Dimensions 9.25 x 6 x 0.82 in (23.50 x 15.24 x 2.08 cm)
  • Category Science
  • Library of Congress subjects Supernovae, Dark energy (Astronomy)
  • Dewey Decimal Code 523.844

About the author

Robert P. Kirshner is the Clowes Professor of Science at Harvard University.

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The Extravagant Universe: Exploding Stars, Dark Energy, and the Accelerating Cosmos (Princeton...
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The Extravagant Universe: Exploding Stars, Dark Energy, and the Accelerating Cosmos (Princeton Science Library)

by Kirshner, Robert P

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The Extravagant Universe: Exploding Stars, Dark Energy, and the Accelerating Cosmos (Princeton...
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The Extravagant Universe: Exploding Stars, Dark Energy, and the Accelerating Cosmos (Princeton Science Library, 94)

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The Extravagant Universe : Exploding Stars, Dark Energy, and the Accelerating Cosmos

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The Extravagant Universe: Exploding Stars, Dark Energy, and the Accelerating Cosmos (Princeton...
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The Extravagant Universe: Exploding Stars, Dark Energy, and the Accelerating Cosmos (Princeton Science Library)

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The Extravagant Universe : Exploding Stars, Dark Energy, and the Accelerating Cosmos
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The Extravagant Universe : Exploding Stars, Dark Energy, and the Accelerating Cosmos

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The Extravagant Universe: Exploding Stars, Dark Energy, and the Accelerating Cosmos (Princeton Science Library, 45)

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The Extravagant Universe: Exploding Stars, Dark Energy, and the Accelerating Cosmos (Princeton Science Library)

by Kirshner, Robert P

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The Extravagant Universe Exploding Stars, Dark Energy, and the Accelerating Cosmos (Princeton...
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The Extravagant Universe Exploding Stars, Dark Energy, and the Accelerating Cosmos (Princeton Science Library)

by Robert P. Kirshner

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The Extravagant Universe: Exploding Stars, Dark Energy, and the Accelerating Cosmos (Princeton...
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The Extravagant Universe: Exploding Stars, Dark Energy, and the Accelerating Cosmos (Princeton Science Library)

by Kirshner, Robert P.

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