This volume contains the updated and expanded lecture notes of the 37th Saas-Fee Advanced Course organised by the Swiss Society for Astrophysics and Astronomy. It offers the most comprehensive and up to date review of one of the hottest research topics in astrophysics - how our Milky Way galaxy formed. Joss Bland-Hawthorn & Ken Freeman lectured on Near Field Cosmology - The Origin of the Galaxy and the Local Group. Francesca Matteucci’s chapter is on Chemical evolution of the Milky Way and its Satellites. As designed by the SSAA, books in this series – and this one too – are targeted at graduate and PhD students and young researchers in astronomy, astrophysics and cosmology. Lecturers and researchers entering the field will also benefit from the book.

Sir Isaac Newton famously said, regarding his discoveries, "If I have seen further it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants." The Evolving Universe and the Origin of Life describes, complete with fascinating biographical details of the thinkers involved, the ascent to the metaphorical shoulders accomplished by the greatest minds in history. For the first time, a single book can take the reader on a journey through the history of the universe as interpreted by the expanding body of knowledge of humankind. From subatomic particles to the protein chains that form life, and expanding in scale to the entire universe, this book covers the science that explains how we came to be. The Evolving Universe and the Origin of Life contains a great breadth of knowledge, from astronomy to physics, from chemistry to biology. It includes over 350 figures that enhance the comprehension of concepts both basic and advanced, and is a non-technical, easy-to-read text at an introductory college level that is ideal for anyone interested in science as well as its history.

In a unique collaboration, Nature Publishing Group and Institute of Physics Publishing have published the most extensive and comprehensive reference work in astronomy and astrophysics. This unique resource covers the entire field of astronomy and astrophysics and this online version includes the full text of over 2,750 articles, plus sophisticated search and retrieval functionality and links to the primary literature. The Encyclopaedia's authority is assured by editorial and advisory boards drawn from the world's foremost astronomers and astrophysicists. This first class resource is an essential source of information for undergraduates, graduate students, researchers and seasoned professionals, as well as for committed amateurs, librarians and lay people wishing to consult the definitive astronomy and astrophysics reference work.

Aimed at graduate students and young researchers, this volume presents observational techniques, tools, and models for studying Local Group galaxies.

This Carnegie volume discusses the origin and evolution of elements in our galaxy and others.

Praise for Craig Crossen and Gerald Rhemann's, Sky Vistas Astronomy "This is a practical and stunningly beautiful guide whose core is a descriptive tour of the best celestial sights: open and globular clusters, nebulae, galaxies, and large areas of sky. The photos in black and white and color, are magnificent. The text goes beyond ordinary descriptions to tell the reader something about each object’s nature." Sky & Telescope "Packed with information that I have encountered nowhere else in amateur-astronomy literature. Sky Vistas also includes 48 full-page color astrophotos by Gerald Rhemann, most of which are magnificent."

In a world filled with scientific explanations and theories, it can be easy to lose sight of the ultimate truth of our existence. The truth is that the universe, with all its intricate complexities, did not come into being by mere chance or a random explosion. It was carefully designed and orchestrated by a higher power, a Creator who holds everything together. When we look up at the night sky and see the countless stars and galaxies stretching out into infinity, we cannot help but be in awe of the sheer magnitude and beauty of it all. The heavens declare the glory of God, as it says in the Bible, and remind us of the greatness of the one who made it all. The theory of the Big Bang, which posits that the universe began as a singular point and expanded over billions of years, is a flawed explanation for the origin of the universe. It fails to account for the intricate design and order that we see in the cosmos, as well as the existence of life on earth. The marvel of our planet Earth, with its perfect conditions for sustaining life, points to a Creator who had a purpose and a plan in mind when he made it. The countless galaxies and stars that we observe in the universe are a testament to the power and creativity of God. They show us that we are part of a vast and wondrous creation, one that was made by an intelligent designer who had a vision for it all. The theory of evolution, put forth by Charles Darwin, is another flawed explanation for the diversity of life on earth. It fails to explain the intricate complexities of living organisms and their unique design, as well as the existence of the human soul. It is clear that we are not the product of blind chance or random mutations, but rather the handiwork of a loving and powerful Creator. “The truth of the origin of the universe” points to a Creator who holds everything together and has a purpose and a plan for it all. God stretches out the heavens and allows light to reach us here on earth, showing us his care and provision for his creation. We are not the product of random chance or blind evolution, but rather the cherished creation of a loving God who made us in his image. Let us never forget the marvel and wonder of the universe, and the greatness of the one who made it all.

Earth is, to our knowledge, the only life-bearing body in the Solar System. This extraordinary characteristic dates back almost 4 billion years. How to explain that Earth is teeming with organisms and that this has lasted for so long? What makes Earth different from its sister planets Mars and Venus? The habitability of a planet is its capacity to allow the emergence of organisms. What astronomical and geological conditions concurred to make Earth habitable 4 billion years ago, and how has it remained habitable since? What have been the respective roles of non-biological and biological characteristics in maintaining the habitability of Earth? This unique book answers the above questions by considering the roles of organisms and ecosystems in the Earth System, which is made of the non-living and living components of the planet. Organisms have progressively occupied all the habitats of the planet, diversifying into countless life forms and developing enormous biomasses over the past 3.6 billion years. In this way, organisms and ecosystems "took over" the Earth System, and thus became major agents in its regulation and global evolution. There was co-evolution of the different components of the Earth System, leading to a number of feedback mechanisms that regulated long-term Earth conditions. For millennia, and especially since the Industrial Revolution nearly 300 years ago, humans have gradually transformed the Earth System. Technological developments combined with the large increase in human population have led, in recent decades, to major changes in the Earth's climate, soils, biodiversity and quality of air and water. After some successes in the 20th century at preventing internationally environmental disasters, human societies are now facing major challenges arising from climate change. Some of these challenges are short-term and others concern the thousand-year evolution of the Earth's climate. Humans should become the stewards of Earth.

This textbook provides a comprehensive and lucid modern introduction to galaxies for advanced undergraduate students in astronomy and physics. Basic astrophysics, multiwavelength observations and theoretical concepts are carefully combined to develop an integrated understanding. All the necessary background astronomy is included and mathematics has been kept to the minimum required to enable the student to quickly grasp the essence of a calculation, or the basis for a method. The clear and friendly style of the text, thorough coverage of fundamentals, extensive use of up-to-date observations, and helpful problems make this an ideal introduction to galaxies and thorough preparation for more advanced texts and the research literature.