Key Benefit:Based on the most up-to-date astronomical research, The Essential Cosmic Perspective, Fifth Edition retains all of the features that have made this text so popular with new features to help students learn about the process of science and how to interpret visual data. Key Topics:Our Place in the Universe, Discovering the Universe for Yourself, The Science of Astronomy, Making Sense of the Universe: Understanding Motion, Energy, and Gravity, Light: The Cosmic Messenger, Formation of Planetary Systems: Our Solar System and Beyond, Earth and the Terrestrial Worlds, Jovian Planet System, Asteroids, Comets, and Dwarf Planets: Their Nature, Orbits, and Impacts, Our Star, Surveying the Stars, Star Stuff, The Bizarre Stellar Graveyard, Our Galaxy, Galaxies and the Foundation of Modern Cosmology, Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Fate of the Universe, The Beginning of Time, Life in the Universe Market Description:Intended for readers interested in learning the essentials of astronomy.