NOTE: This edition features the same content as the traditional text in a convenient, three-hole-punched, loose-leaf version. Books a la Carte also offer a great value--this format costs significantly less than a new textbook. Before purchasing, check with your instructor or review your course syllabus to ensure that you select the correct ISBN. Several versions of Pearson's MyLab & Mastering products exist for each title, including customized versions for individual schools, and registrations are not transferable. In addition, you may need a CourseID, provided by your instructor, to register for and use Pearson's MyLab & Mastering products. For one-semester Introduction to Astronomy courses. With the Eighth Edition of Astronomy: A Beginner's Guide , trusted authors Eric Chaisson and Steve McMillan bring a renewed freshness and analysis to recent changes in our understanding of the cosmos. As with the other two textbooks in their Astronomy suite (one for two-semester courses and the other, a brief visual book), the authors continue to emphasize three major themes: the process of science, the size and scale of the universe, and the evolution of the cosmos. This new edition ignites student interest with new discoveries from the latest space missions and a new focus on student-oriented engagement. Also available with MasteringAstronomyTM This title is also available with MasteringAstronomy from Pearson, the leading online homework, tutorial, and assessment system, designed to improve learning outcomes by engaging students with powerful content. Instructors ensure students arrive ready to learn by assigning educationally effective content before class, and encourage critical thinking and retention with in-class resources such as Learning Catalytics(TM). Students can further master concepts after class through homework assignments that provide interactivity, hints, and answer-specific feedback. The Mastering gradebook records scores for all automatically graded assignments in one place, while diagnostic tools give instructors access to rich data to assess student understanding and misconceptions. Mastering brings learning full circle by continuously adapting to each student's style and pace of learning, making learning more personal than ever-before, during, and after class. Students, if interested in purchasing this title with MasteringAstronomy, ask your instructor for the correct package ISBN and Course ID. Instructors, contact your Pearson representative for more information.