Astronomy Notes 2007 Edition

The following updates/revisions/additions were made for the 2007 edition:

1. In chapter 1: the "scientific truth" section now includes a discussion about using science to prove or disprove the existence of God but it does not include my critique of Intelligent Design (the ID critique is found only on the website in a separate section).
2. In chapter 2: additional features of a "good" or useful scientific theory, why science purposefully limits itself to materialistic explanations, methodological materialism vs. philosophical materialism, and peer review in the process of science.
3. In chapter 3: additional figures have been added to the Moon phase section and the text modified to clarify the explanation.
4. In chapter 6: Gravity Probe B results for testing General Relavity.
5. In chapter 9: Plate tectonics of Earth description has been greatly expanded along with the various ways that plate tectonics helps to keep Earth habitable. New images added of Jupiter's four major moons. New information about Mercury's core. Human role in the carbon cycle.

   The website also has:

   • zoom-in to the "Face on Mars" movie as well as movies showing where the Mars rovers are that start from a Mars globe view to the view from the Mars rovers.
   • more images in the Beautiful Planet photo album.
   • Answers to Global Warming Skeptics

6. In chapter 10: Updates from the space missions to the asteroids and comets, discussion of "dwarf planet" (including what "clearing the neighborhood" means), updates on the extra-solar planets.
7. In chapter 11: Two illustrations and accompanying text added to illustrate how luminosity, temperature, and size depend on each other. Also, a couple of points in the star masses section have been clarified (see the "caution" notes). Analogy added to "typical star" section.
8. In chapter 12: website only---links to outside sites updated and new ones added.
9. In chapter 13: corrections and additions to the text and new pictures added the star life stages section to clarify the explanations, corrections and additions to stellar nucleosynthesis section, Type Ia vs. the other types of supernovae explained, and clarification on the signatures of black holes section.
10. In chapter 14: addition of infrared (and Spitzer) and dust, text and pictures updated to show and discuss the Milky Way's bar, new illustration of solar system vs. Milky Way, and updates on our galaxy's central black hole.
11. In chapter 15: corrections to history sections and galaxy formation parts greatly revised.
12. In chapter 16: Discussion on how the expansion of the universe arises from General Relativty including Lemaitre's contribution, WMAP updates incorporated in microwave background and inflation sections plus new pictures added, additional dark matter proof, illustrations added to inflation section, and cosmological constant/dark energy section revised.
13. In chapter 17: Life zone (habitable zone) section revised, Gliese 581 discussion added, discussion of M stars in suitable stars added; plate tectonics role in making a habitable planet added; expanded discussion on the f_i, f_c, and L terms in the Drake equation; discussion of optical SETI; and more illustrations added.
14. In glossary: a few new terms added.