Introduction to Cosmology

'This is an excellent textbook, with a clear and pedagogical presentation, which perfectly fills a gap between other introductory books available at either much more basic or much more advanced levels. The easy-to-read style, focus on physics concepts, and self-contained derivations make the book easy to follow. It works well for advanced undergraduates or beginning graduate students, who will come away with a solid and comprehensive understanding of modern cosmology. The additions in this Second Edition, such as galaxy formation and baryon acoustic oscillations, are valuable and bring the book even more up-to-date.' Zoltan Haiman, Columbia University 'Barbara Ryden writes in a very clear and engaging style. This transparency has inspired many undergraduate science majors in my cosmology class to pursue additional coursework and research in astrophysics. The addition of new material on the baryonic component of the universe links cosmology to many modern research topics in astrophysics.' Crystal Martin, University of California, Santa Barbara 'I am delighted that a second edition of Barbara Ryden's Introduction to Cosmology is now available. With the addition of a second chapter on structure formation, the book paints an elegant mathematical picture of the evolution of the Universe from the Big Bang to the formation of stars. Ryden does a masterful job of paring cosmology down to its most fundamental elements and presenting complex topics with exceptional clarity. The conversational style of the text, the imaginative analogies, and the emphasis placed on developing students' conceptual understanding combine to make this book one of the best upper-level astronomy texts available.' Christy Tremonti, University of Wisconsin, Madison