A ray of light in a sea of dark matter
By: Charles Keeton
Series: A volume in the Pinpoints series; Pinpoints (Series)
Publisher: Rutgers University Press
Published: 2014
Language: eng
Number of pages: 89
ISBN-13: 9780813565347
Subjects: Dark matter (Astronomy)
Description: "What's in the dark? Countless generations have gazed up at the night sky and asked this question--the same question that cosmologists ask themselves as they study the universe. The answer turns out to be surprising and rich. The space between stars is filled with an exotic substance called "dark matter" that exerts gravity but does not emit, absorb, or reflect light. The space between galaxies is rife with "dark energy" that creates a sort of cosmic antigravity causing the expansion of the universe to accelerate. Together, dark matter and dark energy account for 95 percent of the content of the universe. Scientists and journalists routinely use the terms when they talk about the universe, but do you really understand what it all means? A Ray of Light in a Sea of Dark Matter offers readers a concise, accessible explanation of how astronomers probe dark matter. Readers quickly gain an understanding of what might be out there, how scientists arrive at their findings, and why this research is important to us. Engaging and insightful, Charles Keeton gives everyone an opportunity to be an active learner in our ever-expanding universe."--Back cover.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references.
Table of contents: title: What's in the dark?; title: When mass is like glass; title: How do you weigh a galaxy?; title: Is dark matter MACHO or WIMPy?; title: Finding what's missing; title: "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away"; title: Glossary; title: Notes; title: Notes on sources.