Einstein's monsters : the life and times of black holes Cover Image

Book

Einstein's monsters : the life and times of black holes / Chris Impey.

Summary:

"Black holes are the best-known and least-understood objects in the universe. In Einstein's Monsters, distinguished astronomer Chris Impey takes readers on a vivid tour of these enigmatic giants. He weaves a fascinating tale out of the fiendishly complex math of black holes and the colorful history of their discovery. Impey blends this history with a poignant account of the phenomena scientists have witnessed while observing black holes: stars swarming like bees around the center of our galaxy; black holes performing gravitational waltzes with visible stars; the cymbal clash of two black holes colliding, releasing ripples in space time. Clear, compelling, and profound, Einstein's Monsters reveals how our comprehension of black holes is intrinsically linked to how we make sense of the universe and our place within it."--Amazon.com

Record details

ISBN: 9780393357509
ISBN: 0393357503
Physical Description: xix, 295 pages : illustrations ; 21 cm
Publisher: New York, NY : W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2019.

Content descriptions

Bibliography, etc. Note:	Includes bibliographical references (pages 245-282) and index.
Formatted Contents Note:	Foreword -- Part A. Evidence for black holes, large and small. The heart of darkness -- Black holes from star death -- Supermassive black holes -- Gravitational engines -- Part B. Black holes, past, present, and future. The lives of black holes -- Black holes as tests of gravity -- Seeing with gravity eyes -- The fate of black holes.