9 Astronomy, Astrophysics, Cosmology, and Misc. v2

Theoretical Physics with Mark Weitzman

21 Jul 202214:26

EducationalLearning

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TLDRIn this ninth installment of Mark Weissman's book list series, he explores astronomy, astrophysics, and cosmology, highlighting essential texts including Frank Shu's classic, 'Astronomy', despite its outdatedness. Weissman reviews several books, from high-energy astrophysics to cosmology, noting Stephen Weinberg's comprehensive work and lesser-known titles like 'Sleeping Beauties in Theoretical Physics'. He also emphasizes the importance of problem books for physics students, concluding with a teaser for the next video on quantum computation and computational physics.

Takeaways

📚 The speaker, Mark Weissman, introduces the ninth video in his series on book recommendations for physicists, focusing on astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology, and some miscellaneous topics.
🔭 He highlights a classic book on astronomy by Frank Shu, published in 1981, which is still considered valuable despite not being updated with the latest advances in the field.
🌌 Weissman mentions a course taught by Roger Blandford and recommends a book on high-energy astrophysics by Malcolm S. Longair, suitable for graduate-level study and covering topics like gamma rays and supernovae.
📚 He also suggests a book by Longair that serves as a history of astrophysics and cosmology in the 20th century, which is more narrative and less technical, making it accessible for those new to the field.
🌟 The speaker acknowledges a standard undergraduate book on modern astrophysics but admits he hasn't read it, suggesting it's comprehensive and current, with a lot of content and illustrations.
📘 Stephen Weinberg's 'Lectures on Astrophysics' is described as a challenging read due to its depth and the requirement for readers to engage with complex equations and concepts.
🌌 Barbara Ryden's book on cosmology is mentioned as a standard undergraduate text, but Weissman finds it lacking in passion and feels it doesn't tie concepts together effectively.
📖 Another book by Stephen Weinberg on cosmology is praised for its comprehensive and authoritative treatment of the subject, including unique derivations and an assumption of familiarity with general relativity.
🔮 Colbin Turner's book from the 1990s is recommended for its coverage of various topics in cosmology and astrophysics, despite being somewhat dated, and is suggested as an easier read before tackling Weinberg's work.
🤔 Weissman discusses several books that cover unexpected or surprising aspects of theoretical physics, including 'Surprises in Theoretical Physics' and 'Sleeping Beauties in Theoretical Physics', which offer insights into lesser-known phenomena.
🧮 He concludes with a recommendation for problem books in physics, particularly for PhD candidates, which include problems and solutions across various physics disciplines, emphasizing their importance for exam preparation.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the ninth video in Mark Weissman's book list series?
-The main topic of the ninth video is astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology, and some miscellaneous books related to these fields.
Why is the book by Frank Shu considered valuable despite being published in 1981 and not updated?
-The book by Frank Shu is considered valuable due to its high quality and comprehensive coverage of astronomy, even though it does not include the advances made in the field in the last 40 years.
What is the title of the book on high-energy astrophysics that Mark Weissman recommends?
-The title of the book on high-energy astrophysics is not explicitly mentioned in the script, but it is written by Malcolm S. Longair.
What is unique about the book 'Lectures on Astrophysics' by Stephen Weinberg?
-The book 'Lectures on Astrophysics' by Stephen Weinberg is unique because it is a difficult read due to its in-depth treatment of selected models and concepts in astrophysics, requiring the reader to verify all equations and understand the subject matter thoroughly.
What does Mark Weissman think about the book 'Cosmology' by Barbara Ryden?
-Mark Weissman thinks that Barbara Ryden's 'Cosmology' is a standard undergraduate book that covers all necessary topics but lacks passion and does not tie everything together effectively.
Which book does Mark Weissman recommend for anyone who wants to become an expert on cosmology?
-Mark Weissman recommends 'Cosmology' by Stephen Weinberg for anyone who wants to become an expert on cosmology, as it is a detailed, self-contained, and comprehensive treatment of the subject.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Astronomy and Astrophysics Books

Mark Weissman introduces the ninth video in his book list series, focusing on astronomy, astrophysics, and cosmology. He acknowledges the limited number of books on these subjects and recommends an old but highly regarded astronomy book by Frank Shu, despite its outdated content. Weissman also suggests a high-energy astrophysics book by Malcolm S. Longair, suitable for graduate students, and a history book by the same author. He mentions a standard undergraduate book on modern astrophysics and Stephen Weinberg's challenging book on astrophysics concepts.

05:00

🌌 Exploring Cosmology Textbooks and Specialized Reads

Weissman discusses various books on cosmology, including an undergraduate textbook by Barbara Ryden, which he finds lacking in passion but comprehensive. He highly recommends Stephen Weinberg's detailed and authoritative book on cosmology for those aspiring to become experts in the field. Additionally, he mentions a book by Colbin Turner from the Frontiers of Physics series, which provides an accessible introduction to various cosmological topics, and other books that cover surprises and unexpected findings in theoretical physics.

10:01

🔍 Delving into Problem Books and Practical Physics

The final paragraph covers problem books for physics PhD candidates, emphasizing their importance for exam preparation. Weissman recommends a specific book with problems and solutions across various physics disciplines. He also touches on 'Fly by Night Physics,' a book that teaches how to make quick approximations and calculations in physics. The video concludes with a preview of the next video in the series, which will cover quantum computation, information, and computational physics.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Astronomy

Astronomy is the scientific study of celestial objects, phenomena, and the universe itself. In the video, astronomy is one of the main themes, with the speaker discussing various books related to it, emphasizing its connection to physics and the importance of understanding the advances in the field despite some literature being outdated.

💡Astrophysics

Astrophysics is a branch of astronomy that applies the principles of physics to understand the behavior and properties of celestial objects. The video mentions astrophysics in the context of high-energy phenomena and the need for a strong physics background to grasp the subject, as seen in the discussion of a book by Malcolm S. Longair.

💡Cosmology

Cosmology is the study of the universe's origin, evolution, and eventual fate. The script discusses cosmology in relation to books that cover its fundamental concepts and theories, such as Stephen Weinberg's comprehensive treatment of the subject.

💡High-Energy Astrophysics

High-energy astrophysics is a subfield of astrophysics that focuses on phenomena involving high-energy processes, such as gamma rays and supernovae. The video script mentions a book by Malcolm S. Longair that emphasizes this area, indicating its complexity and the advanced physics required to understand it.

💡General Relativity

General relativity is Einstein's theory of gravitation, which describes the curvature of spacetime caused by mass and energy. The video refers to an appendix on general relativity in a book by Stephen Weinberg, showing its importance in understanding cosmological phenomena.

💡Inflation

Inflation is a theory in cosmology that explains the uniformity of the cosmic microwave background radiation and the large-scale structure of the universe. The script mentions inflation in the context of books by Stephen Weinberg and Barbara Ryden.

Highlights

Introduction to the ninth video in the series on book recommendations for physicists, focusing on astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology, and miscellaneous books.

Recommendation of Frank Shu's classic astronomy book, despite its outdated content due to not being updated since 1981.

Emphasis on the high quality of Shu's book, with reviews praising its connection to physics and its introductory approach to astrophysics.

Suggestion to find an updated astronomy book of similar quality to Shu's, acknowledging the advances in the field over the past 40 years.

Discussion of a course at Caltech taught by Roger Blandford and the impact of his teachings on high-energy astrophysics.

Recommendation of 'High-Energy Astrophysics' by Malcolm S. Longair, noting its comprehensive coverage and suitability for graduate students.

Mention of Longair's other work, a history book of astrophysics and cosmology in the 20th century, for those unfamiliar with the subjects.

Introduction of a standard undergraduate book on modern astrophysics, suggesting it as a good reference despite not having read it personally.

Stephen Weinberg's 'Lectures on Astrophysics' described as a difficult but deep exploration of selected models and concepts in astrophysics.

Barbara Ryden's cosmology book recommended as a standard undergraduate text, despite its lack of passion and concise nature.

Stephen Weinberg's comprehensive and authoritative book on cosmology, praised for its detailed and self-contained treatment of the subject.

Highlighting of a lesser-known but valuable book by Colin Turner, covering a range of topics in cosmology and structure formation.

Recommendation of 'Surprises in Theoretical Physics' for its exploration of unexpected phenomena in theoretical physics.

Introduction of 'Sleeping Beauties in Theoretical Physics' as a book filled with intriguing and unexpected topics in physics.

Discussion of 'Fly by Night Physics' as a guide to quick calculations and approximations in physics based on dimensional analysis.

Emphasis on the importance of problem books in physics for PhD candidates, recommending specific ones for comprehensive practice.

Anticipation for the next video in the series on quantum computation, information, and computational physics, as well as computing tools.

Transcripts

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