In the last decade, advances made in observational instruments and computational techniques
have allowed astronomers to look both deeper into space
and, by implication, farther back into time
to construct new scenarios for the probable beginning and possible end of the cosmos.
Ironically, each new discovery, while revealing intricate details, has also posed new questions.
People have always speculated on the nature of the universe,
pondering its origin, evolution and eventual fate.
In this volume, six leading cosmologists provide a current
‘state of the universe’ report:
what we have learned about its nature –
but also what pieces are still missing from the cosmic puzzle.
Taken in toto their contributions provide a stimulating addition to the field.
Contents
- Alan P. Lightman. Discovering the universe: an introduction. 1989
- Robert P. Kirshner. Measuring the universe: redshifts and standard candles. 1989
- Margaret J. Geller. Mapping the universe: slices and bubbles. 1989
- Vera C. Rubin. Weighing the universe: dark matter and missing mass. 1989
- Alan H. Guth. Starting the universe: the Big Bang and cosmic inflation. 1989
- James Edward Gunn. Expanding the universe: Space Telescope and beyond in the next twenty years. 1989