Sign-In
Cart
A Modern Introduction to Astrophysics: From Gravitational Waves and Exoplanets to Dark Energy
Paperback
Publisher: Independently Published
Published: Aug 4 2026
Pages: 490
Weight: 2.48
Height: 0.99 Width: 8.50 Depth: 11.00
Language: English
Astrophysics has been rebuilt in a single generation. Gravitational waves are detected routinely, thousands of exoplanets are catalogued, a black hole has been photographed, and the expansion of the universe is known to be accelerating. A Modern Introduction to Astrophysics is a rigorous, readable, single volume course that carries you from the physics of starlight to the research frontier, deriving every result from first principles instead of quoting it.
Sixteen chapters build the subject in logical order: radiation and spectra, celestial mechanics, stellar structure and death, nucleosynthesis, black holes and accretion, gravitational wave and multimessenger astronomy, exoplanets, the interstellar medium, the Milky Way, galaxies and active nuclei, and the hot Big Bang through dark matter and dark energy.
What sets this book apart is that it teaches you to calculate. Every chapter is anchored by worked examples built on real astronomical data: the chirp mass of GW150914, the transit of HD 209458 b, the mass of Sgr A*, the dark matter content of the Coma cluster. More than 200 precise technical diagrams and sixteen photorealistic plates turn abstract relations into physical intuition.
What's inside
- Sixteen build in order chapters covering the cosmic distance ladder, radiative transfer, stellar structure and evolution, nucleosynthesis, and the physics of light and matter.
- A compact object and strong gravity core: white dwarfs and the Chandrasekhar limit, supernovae, neutron stars, black holes, accretion disks, and the Event Horizon Telescope.
- The modern frontier in depth: gravitational waves and multimessenger astronomy (LIGO, Virgo, GW170817, standard sirens) and exoplanets (radial velocity, transits, microlensing, atmospheres, habitability).
- Galaxies and the universe: the interstellar medium, Milky Way dynamics, galaxy formation and AGN, FLRW cosmology, the CMB, dark matter, dark energy, and cosmic dawn.
- 200+ custom diagrams, each machine checked for legibility, plus 16 photorealistic plates.
- 80+ worked examples with real data, callout boxes, and 150+ chapter problems with full solutions.
- Formula appendix, glossary, and complete index.
Why this book
- Full derivations at the Carroll and Ostlie, Maoz, and Ryden level, in one affordable volume.
- Genuinely current: the black hole shadow, JWST era high redshift galaxies, the radius valley, and the Hubble tension sit alongside the classical core.
- Every concept is pinned to a numerical example with real units and real objects, then reinforced by solved problems.
- Complete solutions mean you can check every step without an instructor.
- One book covers stars, galaxies, cosmology, and the frontier, so you do not need three separate texts.
Who it's for
- Advanced undergraduates taking a first serious astrophysics course.
- Graduate students wanting a quantitative refresher across the whole field before qualifying exams.
- Physics majors and self learners with calculus and mechanics who want to derive, not just read.
- Instructors seeking a single modern text with problem sets and ready solutions.
- Researchers and engineers moving into gravitational wave, exoplanet, or cosmology work.
Also in
Astronomy & Space
Machine Intelligence and the Imaginal Realm: Spiritual Freedom and the Re-Animation of Matter
Lafitte, Luke
Paperback
Feynman's Lost Lecture: The Motion of Planets Around the Sun [With CDROM]
Goodstein, David L.
Paperback
The Self-Actualizing Cosmos: The Akasha Revolution in Science and Human Consciousness
Laszlo, Ervin
Paperback
Lost in Space: 5,000 Facts for Navigating the Universe
Walker, Lindsey Nyx
Tyson, Neil Degrasse
Hardcover
The Edge of Space-Time: Particles, Poetry, and the Cosmic Dream Boogie
Prescod-Weinstein, Chanda
Hardcover
Earthrise: Inside Artemis II, the Groundbreaking Human Mission Into Deep Space
Larsen, John
Hansen, Jeremy
Hardcover
Astronomy 101, 2nd Edition: From Gravitational Waves and Merging Black Holes to New Exoplanets and Asteroid Samples, Key Theories, Discoveries, and Fa
Petersen, Carolyn Collins
Hardcover
Just Visiting This Planet, Revised and Updated for the Twenty-First Century: Further Scientific Adventures of Merlin from Omniscia
Tyson, Neil Degrasse
Hardcover
James Webb's Ancient Cosmos: A Journey to the Beginning of Time
Wild, Sarah
Phd Aderin, Maggie
Hardcover
Ancient Astrology in Theory and Practice: A Manual of Traditional Techniques, Volume I: Assessing Planetary Condition
George, Demetra
Paperback
The Shortest History of Our Universe: The Unlikely Journey from the Big Bang to Us
Baker, David
Paperback
A Brief Tour of Higher Consciousness: A Cosmic Book on the Mechanics of Creation
Bentov, Itzhak
Paperback
Open Space: From Earth to Eternity--The Global Race to Explore and Conquer the Cosmos
Ariosto, David
Hardcover
Bringing Columbia Home: The Untold Story of a Lost Space Shuttle and Her Crew
Leinbach, Michael D.
Ward, Jonathan H.
Paperback
Ojibwe Sky Star Map - Constellation Guidebook: An Introduction to Ojibwe Star Knowledge
Gawboy, Carl
Lee, Annette Sharon
Wilson, William Peter
Paperback
Chasing the Northern Lights: Everything You Need to Know to See Nature's Greatest Light Show
Dk Travel
Hardcover
A City on Mars: Can We Settle Space, Should We Settle Space, and Have We Really Thought This Through?
Weinersmith, Kelly
Weinersmith, Zach
Paperback
Take Me to Your Leader: Perspectives on Your First Alien Encounter (Large Print Edition)
Tyson, Neil DeGrasse
Hardcover
The Six: The Extraordinary Story of the Grit and Daring of America's First Women Astronauts
Grush, Loren
Paperback
Classical Mythology of the Constellations: Timeless Tales of the Starry Night Sky
Giesecke, Annette
Hardcover
How to Read Nature: Awaken Your Senses to the Outdoors You've Never Noticed
Gooley, Tristan
Paperback
Our Moon: How Earth's Celestial Companion Transformed the Planet, Guided Evolution, and Made Us Who We Are
Boyle, Rebecca
Paperback
The New Guys: The Historic Class of Astronauts That Broke Barriers and Changed the Face of Space Travel
Bagby, Meredith
Paperback
Dakota/Lakota Star Map Constellation Guidebook: An Introduction to D(L)akota Star Knowledge
O'Rourke, Charlene
Lee, Annette Sharon
Rock, Jim
Paperback
The Martians: The True Story of an Alien Craze That Captured Turn-Of-The-Century America
Baron, David
Hardcover
Through the Glass Ceiling to the Stars: The Story of the First American Woman to Command a Space Mission
Ward, Jonathan H.
Collins, Eileen M., USAF (Retired)
Hardcover
Life After Life: The Bestselling Original Investigation That Revealed Near-Death Experiences
Moody, Raymond
Paperback
Night Sky Guide 2027: North America's Skies Month by Month from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada
Mortillaro, Nicole
Paperback
A Brief Welcome to the Universe: A Pocket-Sized Tour
Strauss, Michael A.
Tyson, Neil Degrasse
Gott, J. Richard
Paperback
The Ultraview Effect: What We Can Learn from Astronauts about Awe, Humility, and Exploring the Unknown
Weibel, Deana L.
Hardcover
Night Sky Guide 2026: North America's Skies Month by Month from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada
Mortillaro, Nicole
Paperback
The Martians: The True Story of an Alien Craze That Captured Turn-Of-The-Century America
Baron, David
Paperback
The Natural Navigator: The Rediscovered Art of Letting Nature Be Your Guide
Gooley, Tristan
Paperback
Cloudy with a Chance of Starships: How the Drake Equation Reveals the Odds of Life in the Cosmos
Rasmussen, Seven
Hardcover
Ripples on the Cosmic Ocean: An Environmental History of Our Place in the Solar System
deGroot, Dagomar
Hardcover
How to Read Nature: Awaken Your Senses to the Outdoors You've Never Noticed
Gooley, Tristan
Hardcover
National Geographic Stargazer's Atlas: The Ultimate Guide to the Night Sky
Trefil, James
Wei-Haas, Maya
National Geographic
Hardcover
A Jesuit's Guide to the Stars: Exploring Wonder, Beauty, and Science
Consolmagno, Guy J., Sj
Paperback
Smithsonian Atlas of Space: A Map to the Universe from the Big Bang to the Future
Launius, Roger D.
Hardcover
The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory
Greene, Brian
Paperback
Welcome to the Universe: An Astrophysical Tour
Tyson, Neil Degrasse
Strauss, Michael A.
Gott, J. Richard
Hardcover
Unseen Universe: Space as You've Never Seen It Before from the James Webb Space Telescope
Harper, Caroline
Hardcover
Do Your Ears Pop in Space? and 500 Other Surprising Questions about Space Travel
Mullane, R. Mike
Paperback
To Infinity and Beyond: A Journey of Cosmic Discovery
Tyson, Neil Degrasse
Walker, Lindsey Nyx
Paperback
Hamlet's Mill: An Essay Investigating the Origins of Human Knowledge and Its Transmissions Through Myth
de Santillana, Giorgio
Von Dechend, Hertha
Paperback
Webb's Universe: The Space Telescope Images That Reveal Our Cosmic History
Aderin-Pocock, Maggie
Hardcover
Making Space for Women: Stories from Trailblazing Women of Nasa's Johnson Space Center
Ross-Nazzal, Jennifer M.
Hardcover
Spirits Dancing: The Night Sky, Indigenous Knowledge, and Living Connections to the Cosmos
Novitsky, Travis
Lee, Annette S.
Paperback
To Infinity and Beyond: A Journey of Cosmic Discovery
Tyson, Neil Degrasse
Walker, Lindsey Nyx
Hardcover
Time Travel in Einstein's Universe: The Physical Possibilities of Travel Through Time
Gott, J. Richard
Paperback
Where the Moon Stands Still: Revealing the Cosmic Genius of Ohio's Indigenous Earthworks
Graham, James W.
Paperback
The Beginner's Guide to Constructing the Universe: The Mathematical Archetypes of Nature, Art, and Science
Schneider, Michael S.
Paperback
The Grand Cosmic Story: An Illustrated Timeline 13.8 Billion Years and Beyond
Siegel, Ethan
Garlick, Mark A.
Lomberg, Jon
Hardcover
Cosmic Queries: Startalk's Guide to Who We Are, How We Got Here, and Where We're Going
Tyson, Neil Degrasse
Hardcover
Rocket Men: The Daring Odyssey of Apollo 8 and the Astronauts Who Made Man's First Journey to the Moon
Kurson, Robert
Paperback
Until the End of Time: Mind, Matter, and Our Search for Meaning in an Evolving Universe
Greene, Brian
Paperback
Back to Earth: What Life in Space Taught Me about Our Home Planet--And Our Mission to Protect It
Stott, Nicole
Hardcover
Reentry: Spacex, Elon Musk, and the Reusable Rockets That Launched a Second Space Age
Berger, Eric
Hardcover
The Natural Navigator, Tenth Anniversary Edition: The Rediscovered Art of Letting Nature Be Your Guide
Gooley, Tristan
Paperback
Constellations: The Story of Space Told Through the 88 Known Star Patterns in the Night Sky
Schilling, Govert
Hardcover
A City on Mars: Can We Settle Space, Should We Settle Space, and Have We Really Thought This Through?
Weinersmith, Zach
Weinersmith, Kelly
Hardcover
Get to Know the Moon: Moon Phases, Features, and a Day-By-Day Guide to the Lunar Cycle
Poppele, Jonathan
Paperback
Higher, Faster, Longer: My Life in Aviation and My Quest for Spaceflight
Funk, Wally
Hall, Loretta
Paperback
A Cloud a Day: (Cloud Appreciation Society Book, Uplifting Positive Gift, Cloud Art Book, Daydreamers Book)
Pretor-Pinney, Gavin
Hardcover
The 4 Percent Universe: Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Race to Discover the Rest of Reality
Panek, Richard
Paperback
Painting the Cosmos: How Art and Science Intersect to Reveal the Secrets of the Universe
Imara, Nia
Paperback
The Pale Blue Data Point: An Earth-Based Perspective on the Search for Alien Life
Willis, Jon
Hardcover
The Extraterrestrial Species Almanac: The Ultimate Guide to Greys, Reptilians, Hybrids, and Nordics
Campobasso, Craig
Paperback