Cosmology

Edward Harrison (1919–2007) was Emeritus Distinguished Professor of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Massachusetts, and adjunct Professor of Astronomy at the Steward Observatory, University of Arizona. He was born and educated in England, and served for several years in the British Army during World War II. He was principal scientist at the Atomic Energy Research Establishment and Rutherford High Energy Laboratory until 1966 when he became a Five College Professor at the University of Massachusetts, and taught at Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith Colleges. He wrote several books, including Masks of the Universe, also published by Cambridge University Press, and published hundreds of technical papers in physics and astronomy journals.

• Prefaces; Introduction; Part I: 1. What is cosmology?; 2. Early scientific cosmology; 3. Cartesian and Newtonian world systems; 4. Cosmology after Newton and before Einstein; 5. Stars; 6. Galaxies; 7. Location and the cosmic center; 8. Containment and the cosmic edge; 9. Space and time; Part II: 10. Curved space; 11. Special relativity; 12. General relativity; 13. Black holes; 14. Expansion of the universe; 15. Cosmic redshifts; 16. Newtonian cosmology; 17. Cosmic box; 18. Many universes; 19. Observational cosmology; Part III: 20. The early universe; 21. Horizons in the universe; 22. Inflation; 23. The cosmic numbers; 24. Darkness at night; 25. Creation of the universe; 26. Life in the universe; Index.

'I do not hesitate to say that this is simply the best book on cosmology at a semi-popular level I have ever read – and I read most of them … It gives the reader the history, the meanders, the highlights, the beauty and the greatness of the whole enterprise. More, it gives the reader effective tools to reach his own conclusions … an outstanding work of scientific exposition that I strongly recommend.' General Relativity and Gravitation