The Road to Galaxy Formation

This book discusses the beginnings of the process of galaxy formation from cosmological observations and calculations. It also considers the broad features of galaxies that we need to explain and what we know of their later history.

The formation of galaxies is one of the greatest puzzles in astronomy, the solution is shrouded in the depths of space and time, but has profound implications for the universe we observe today. The book discusses the beginnings of the process from cosmological observations and calculations, considers the broad features of galaxies that we need to explain and what we know of their later history. The author compares the competing theories for galaxy formation and considers the progress expected from new generations of powerful telescopes both on earth and in space.

In this second edition the author has retained the observationally-based approach of the first edition, a feature which was particularly well-reviewed: Writing in Nature, Carlton Baugh noted in February 2003 that It is refreshing, in a market dominated by theorists, to come across a book on galaxy formation written from an observational perspective. The Road to Galaxy Formation should prove to be a handy primer on observations for graduate students, advanced undergraduates and theorists who feel too shy to visit a telescope.

The New Scientist wrote in March 2003: William Keel delicately balances observational evidence against today's relevant theoretical possibilities.

And Sepehr Arbabi-Bidgoli wrote in Astronomische Nachrichten that Reading this book I often felt like sitting in an exciting and entertaining lecture given by an astronomer who knows the subject and knows how to present it to the audience.

A Bibliography at the end of each chapter contains a resumé of books, selected research papers and Web resources providing guidance to further reading.

Deals solely with the processes and results of galaxy formation a subject usually discussed only briefly as a subfield of cosmology Written from an observational perspective Discusses the theories for galaxy formation, and shows where each theory either succeeds or fails in explaining what we actually observe Draws on the most recent observations of galaxies in the early universe, obtained by the very latest ground- and space-based telescopes Looks ahead to what we may expect to uncover about the epoch of galaxy formation from the new and upcoming generations of telescopes and technology First edition received gleaming reviews in Nature, New Scientist, Astronomische Nachrichten Prof. Keel has been teaching the course for years at the University of Alabama and in Leiden, Netherlands

Inhalt
A cosmological cartoon.- Galaxies today.- The fossil record in nearby galaxies.- Measuring galaxies.- Galaxy evolution.- The intergalactic medium.- The initial conditions before galaxy formation.- Active galactic nuclei in the early universe.- Approaching the Dark Ages.- The processes of galaxy formation.- Forward to the pastwhat can new eyes expect to see?.