Tsutomu T. Takeuchi is Associate Professor, Division of Particle and Astrophysical Science, Nagoya University, Japan.
This book is an outstanding fusion of galactic astronomy and modern statistical analysis, including machine learning. The first half concisely covers fundamental processes such as radiation and gas dynamics, along with a wide range of galactic phenomena. The second half provides numerous practical examples, including both supervised methods like convolutional neural networks, as well as a strong emphasis on unsupervised techniques such as principal component analysis, VAE, and UMAP. Additionally, it explores statistical methods like copulas and advanced approaches such as topological data analysis, making it an indispensable resource for the big data era in astronomy. Prof. Takeuchi, a pioneer in applying statistical methods to astronomy, has uniquely positioned this book at the intersection of galactic studies and modern data science. For graduate students eager to bridge these fields, this book eliminates the need for multiple textbooks, offering a singular, authoritative guide. - Makoto Uemura, Hiroshima University, April 2025