Ay 127 Webpage - Spring 2013

http://www.astro.caltech.edu/~george/ay127/

Instructors:

• Chris Hirata, chirata[AT]tapir.caltech.edu, x-2563, 272 Cahill
• George Djorgovski, george[AT]astro.caltech.edu, x-4415, 208 Cahill

TA:

• Allison Strom, astrom[AT]astro.caltech.edu
  Office hours: Thu at 5 pm

Class times: Tue & Thu 1 - 2:30 pm, in 219 Cahill

Class summary, syllabus, grading, collaboration policy, texts, etc.

All students are required to register for this class at the Coursera website, where a lot of the class materials will be posted, on the Chapter pages.

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Homeworks & Exams:

• Homework #1 , due on Fri Apr 19 (pdf file)
  • Solutions
• Homework #2 , due on Fri Apr 26 (pdf file)
  • Solutions
• The Midterm: Please do not print it until you are ready to start. It is a 3h test, closed book, open notes, no internet. It is due by 5 pm on Tuesday, May 7. Ready to start? OK, click here
  • Solutions
• Homework #3 , due on Fri May 24 (pdf file)
  • Solutions
• Homework #4 , due on Fri May 31 (pdf file)
• The Final: Please do not print it until you are ready to start. It is a 3h test, closed book, open notes, no internet. It is due by Saturday, June 8, in Chris's mailbox. Ready to start? OK, click here

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Lectures:

Lecture 1: FRW models; Friedmann equation; redshift and scale factor

• Chris's notes (1.8 MB pdf file)
• Chapters 1, 2, and 3 on the Coursera website may be also of interest
• M. Francis et al. paper explaining the expanding space and some common mistakes and confusion (pdf file) * arXiv link

Lecture 2: Distance scale, Hubble constant, ages

• George's slides (8 MB pdf file)
• Watch the videos linked at the Chapter 4 on the Coursera website
• "The Hubble Constant", W. Freedman & B. Madore, 2010, ARAA, 48, 673 (1.5 MB pdf file) * arXiv link
• "Measuring and Modeling the Universe", ed. W. Freedman, Carnegie Observatories Astrophys. Symp., vol. 2 (2004) (lots of good reviews)
• Estimating the ages:
  • "The Age of the Galactic Globular System", D. VandenBerg, M. Bolte & P. Stetson, 1996, ARAA, 34, 461 (somewhat dated, but a good review of the subject)
  • "Age Estimates of Globular Clusters in the Milky Way: Constraints on Cosmology", L. Krauss & B. Chaboyer, 2003, Science, 299, 65 (a brief review, local pdf file)
  • An old but useful review of nucleocosmochronology is by J. Cowan, F.-K. Thielemann, & J. Truran, "Radioactive Dating of the Elements", ARAA, 29, 447 (1991), available through the ADS link

Lecture 3: Radiation-dominated era; primordial nucleosynthesis

• Chris's slides (1.1 MB pdf file)
• Chapter 6 on the Coursera website may be also of interest
• Some links:
  • Books: Longair, Chapter 10. (Note: g_* in the lecture notes and most of the literature is denoted by 2χ in Longair). A somewhat older text, but with very detailed physics, is Kolb & Turner, The Early Universe (Perseus Books, 1990), Chapters 3 and 4.
  • Subir Sarkar's BBN page (includes code).
  • A recent discussion of the observations is provided by Steigman (2007).
  • G. Steigman: "Big Bang Nucleosynthesis: Probing the First 20 Minutes" (2004, COAS vol. 2) (0.5 MB pdf file)
  • Lithium anomalies: a recent update to the ⁷Li problem. The ⁶Li problem is reported in Asplund et al (2006).

Lecture 4: Transition to matter dominated era; recombination era; the first chemistry

• Chris's slides (0.7 MB pdf file)
• Recombination:
  • The original papers by Peebles and Zel'dovich, Kurt, & Sunyaev.
  • The modern calculation by Seager, Sasselov & Scott (1999).
  • A summary of post-1999 developments can be found in Wan Yan Wong's thesis.
  • Why lithium never recombines.
  • Good textbook-level discussions can also be found in Peebles, Principles of Physical Cosmology (Princeton Univ. Press, 1993), Chapter 6.
  • Recfast -- the "standard" public recombination code.
• Post-recombination:
  • A brief summary of thermal evolution.
  • Pre-galactic H₂: the detailed calculation. Some groups have built quite sophisticated pregalactic chemical reaction networks.

Lecture 5: Cosmological tests; the contents of the universe

• George's slides: cosmological tests (8.2 MB pdf file)
• George's slides: contents of the universe (5.2 MB pdf file)
• Watch the videos linked at the Chapter 5, and Chapter 7, as well as the Module 4.7 from the previous chapter, on the Coursera website
• Additional readings are linked at the Coursera website
• Some additional readings on baryons and dark matter:
  • T. Porter, R. Johnson, & P. Graham, "Dark Matter Searches with Astroparticle Data", ARAA, 49, 155 (2011)
  • J. Feng, "Dark Matter Candidates from Particle Physics and Methods of Detection" ARAA, 48, 495 (2010)
  • "Missing Baryons and the Warm-Hot Intergalactic Medium" by F. Nicastro et al., 2008, Science, 319, 55 (pdf file)
  • J. Bregman, "The Search for the Missing Baryons at Low Redshift", ARAA, 45, 221 (2007)
  • L. Bergstrom, "Dark Matter Candidates", available at arXiv/0903.4849
  • "Dark Matter and Dark Energy" a review by M. Kamionkowski (pdf file) * arXiv link
• Some additional readings on dark energy:
  • D. Weinberg et al., "Observational Probes of Cosmic Acceleration", arXiv/1201.2434 * local pdf
  • J. Frieman, M. Turner, & D. Huterer, "Dark Energy and the Accelerating Universe", ARAA, 46, 385 (2008)
  • "The Cosmological Constant" a good review by S. Carroll, Living Rev.Rel. 4 (2001) 1, also astro-ph/0004075, and here is another one (from an OCIW symposium; local pdf file)
  • J. Martin: "Everything You Always Wanted To Know About The Cosmological Constant Problem (But Were Afraid To Ask)", Rep. Prog. Pys. (2009), arXiv/1205.3365
  • A. Silvestri & M. Trodden: "Approaches to Understanding Cosmic Acceleration", Rep. Prog. Pys. (2009), arXiv/0904.0024
  • E. Linder: "Frontiers of Dark Energy", arXiv/1009.1411
  • R. Durrer: "What do we really know about Dark Energy?", arXiv/1103.5331
  • "Dark Energy", a nice article by R. Caldwell
  • "The Physics of Cosmic Acceleration", by R. Caldwell & M. Kamionkowski, 2009, Ann.Rev.Nucl.Part.Sci. = arxiv/0903.0866
  • N. Straumann: "The history of the cosmological constant problem", arXiv link
  • Report of the Dark Energy Task Force (pdf file), also linked at astro-ph/0609591
• Some additional readings on CMB cosmology:
  • "The Cosmic Symphony", a Sci.Am. article by W. Hu & M. White (2004) (pdf file, 1.9 MB)
  • W. Hu, & S. Dodelson, "Cosmic Microwave Background Anisotropies", ARAA, 40, 171 (2002)
• Some additional readings on other cosmological tests:
  • S. Allen, A. Evrard, & A. Mantz, "Cosmological Parameters from Observations of Galaxy Clusters", ARAA, 49, 409 (2011)
  • J. Carlstrom, G. Holder, & E. Reese, "Cosmology with the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Effect", ARAA, 40, 643 (2002)
  • B. Leibungut, "Cosmological Implications from Observations of Type Ia Supernovae", ARAA, 39, 67 (2001)
  • LBL Supernova Cosmology Project and the High-Z Supernova Team
  • EAA article on Hubble diagram (pdf file)

Lectures 6 and 8: Introduction to Perturbations

• Chris's slides (2.2 MB pdf file)

Lecture 7: Large scale structure and peculiar velocities

• George's slides (6.6 MB pdf file)
• Watch the videos linked at the Chapter 9, as well as the Module 10.1 from the following chapter, on the Coursera website
• Some additional readings:
  • An excellent, modern, and comprehensive review by A. Coil, "Large-Scale Structure of the Universe", in Planets, Stars, and Stellar Systems (2012), available at arXiv/1202.6633
  • V. Springel, C. Frenk, & S. White, "The Large-Scale Structure of the Universe", 2006, Nature 440, 1137, available at astro-ph/0604561
  • O. Lahav & Y. Suto, "Measuring our Universe from Galaxy Redshift Surveys", Living Reviews in Relativity, v. 7, no. 8 (2004) also available at astro-ph/0310642 *
  • J. Peacock, "Large-scale surveys and cosmic structure", 2002 Tenerife Winter School lectures, available at astro-ph/0309240 * (local pdf file)
  • M. Strauss & J. Willick, "The density and peculiar velocity fields of nearby galaxies", 1995, Phys.Rept. 261, 271, available at astro-ph/9502079 * (local pdf file)
  • J. Peacock, "The evolution of clustering and bias in the galaxy distribution", Roy. Soc. London Phil. Tr. A, v. 357, p.133 (1999), available at astro-ph/9805208
  • M. White's links on the probes of Large Scale Structure
  • Bits and pieces of our Sky Surveys review paper are also relevant here
  • EAA articles on Local Group * Galaxy groups * Superclusters * Large scale structure * 2dF Galaxy redshift survey (pdf files)

Lecture 9: Evolution of clustering; bias; clusters of galaxies

• George's slides on the evolution of clustering and bias (2.0 MB pdf file)
• George's slides on galaxy clusters (10.7 MB pdf file)
• Additional readings:
  • J. Peacock, "The evolution of clustering and bias in the galaxy distribution", Roy. Soc. London Phil. Tr. A, v. 357, p.133 (1999), available at astro-ph/9805208
  • S. Allen, A. Evrard, & A. Mantz, "Cosmological Parameters from Observations of Galaxy Clusters", available at arXiv/1103.4829
  • P. Schuecker, "New Cosmology With Clusters of Galaxies", available at astro-ph/0502234
  • M. Arnaud, "X-Ray Observations of Clusters of Galaxies", available at astro-ph/0508159
  • R. Gal, "Optical Detection of Galaxy Clusters", available at astro-ph/0601195
  • A. Diaferio et al., "Clusters of Galaxies: Setting the Stage", available at astro-ph/0801.0968
  • P. Rosati, S. Borgani, & C. Norman, "The Evolution of X-Ray Clusters of Galaxies" ARAA, 40, 539 (2002)

Lecture 10: Systematics of galaxy properties and scaling relations

• George's slides (4.3 MB pdf file)
• Additional readings:
  • Of a historical interest: A. Sandage: "The Classification Of Galaxies: Early History and Ongoing Developments", ARAA, 43, 581 (2005)
  • Somewhat obsolete, but worth having a look: M. Roberts & M. Haynes: "Physical Parameters Along the Hubble Sequence", ARAA, 32, 115 (1994)
  • S. G. Djorgovski: "Systematics of Galaxy Properties: Hints About Their Formation", ASPCS, 24, 19 (1992)
  • S. G. Djorgovski & B. Santiago: "The Meaning and the Implications of the Fundamental Plane", ESO conf. (1993), available at ADS link
  • M. Pahre & S. G. Djorgovski: "Observational Constraints on the Origins of the Fundamental Plane", Stromlo symp. (1997), available at ADS link
  • J. Kormendy & K. Freeman: "Scaling Laws for Dark Matter Halos in Late-Type and Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxies", IAU Symp.220, 377 (2004), available at ADS link
  • A. Graham: "A Review Of Elliptical And Disc Galaxy Structure, And Modern Scaling Laws", PSSS, 6, 91 (2012), available at arXiv/1108.0997
  • L. Ferrarese & H. Ford: "Supermassive Black Holes in Galactic Nuclei: Past, Present and Future Research", Space Sci. Rev., 116, 523 (2005), also available at astro-ph/0411247
  • A. Shapley, "Physical Properties of Galaxies from z = 2 - 4", ARAA, 49, 525 (2011)
  • J. Kormendy: "Supermassive Black Holes in the HST Era", ARAA, 51, in press (2013)

Lecture 11: Galaxy evolution and the history of star formation in the universe

• George's slides (5.2 MB pdf file)
• Additional readings:
  • EAA articles on Galaxy evolution * Stellar population synthesis * Galaxy mergers * Hubble Deep Fields * High-z clusters * Starbursts * Extragalactic background light
  • H. Ferguson, M. Dickinson, & R. Williams, "The Hubble Deep Fields" ARAA, 38, 667 (2000) also available at astro-ph/0004319
  • On-line access to Bruzual-Charlot GALAXEV models is available here and here
  • On-line access to Leitherer et al. Starburst99 models is available at http://www.stsci.edu/science/starburst99/
  • A number of other web resources for stellar population modeling (and other stuff) is available at http://iau-c35.stsci.edu/Resources/
  • C. Conroy, "Modeling the Panchromatic Spectral Energy Distributions of Galaxies" ARAA, 51, in press (2013)
  • A. Renzini, "Stellar Population Diagnostics of Elliptical Galaxy Formation" ARAA, 44, 141 (2006)
  • M. Hauser & E. Dwek, "The Cosmic Infrared Background: Measurements and Implications" ARAA, 39, 249 (2001)
  • T. Soifer, G. Helou, & M. Werner, "The Spitzer View of the Extragalactic Universe" ARAA, 46, 201 (2008)
  • G. Lagache, J.-L. Puget, & H. Dole, "Dusty Infrared Galaxies: Sources of the Cosmic Infrared Background" ARAA, 43, 727 (2005)
  • A. Blain et al., "Submillimeter Galaxies", Phys. Rep., 369, 111 (2002): local pdf * astro-ph/0202228
  • M. Giavalisco, "Lyman-Break Galaxies" ARAA, 40, 579 (2002)
  • R. Kennicutt & N. Evans, "Star Formation in the Milky Way and Nearby Galaxies" ARAA, 50, 531 (2012)
  • A. Shapley, "Physical Properties of Galaxies from z = 2 - 4", ARAA, 49, 525 (2011)
  • C. Carilli & F. Walter, "Cool Gas in High-Redshift Galaxies", ARAA, 51, in press (2013)

Lecture 12: IGM and gravitational lensing

• George's slides (7.7 MB pdf file)
• Additional readings on IGM:
  • EAA articles on QSO absorbers * Ly-alpha forest * IGM
  • A. Wolfe, E. Gawiser, & J. Prochaska, "Damped LyA Systems" ARAA, 43, 861 (2005) * (local pdf) *
  • S. Veilleux, G. Cecil, & J. Bland-Hawthorn, "Galactic Winds" ARAA, 43, 769 (2005)
  • M. Rauch, "The Lyman-alpha Forest in the Spectra of Quasistellar Objects" ARAA, 36, 267 (1998)
  • P. Petitjean, "QSO Absorption Line Systems", available at astro-ph/9810418
  • J. Charlton & C. Churchill, "Quasistellar Objects: Intervening Absorption Lines", available at astro-ph/0006002
  • P. Madau, "The Intergalactic Medium", available at astro-ph/0005106
  • A. Meiksin: "The physics of the intergalactic medium", Rev. Mod. Phys., 81, 1405, available at ADS
  • J. Bechtold, "Quasar Absorption Lines", available at astro-ph/0112521
  • M. Putman, J. Peek, & M. Joung, "Gaseous Galaxy Halos" ARAA, 50, 491 (2012)
  • K. Nomoto, C. Kobayashi, & N. Tominaga: "Nucleosynthesis of the Elements in Stars and Chemical Enrichment of Galaxies", ARAA, 51, in press (2013)
• Additional readings on gravitational lensing:
  • M. Bartelmann, "Gravitational Lensing", available at arXiv/1010.3829
  • T. Treu, "Strong Lensing by galaxies", ARAA, 48, 87 (2010) (local pdf file)
  • A. Refregier, "Weak Gravitational Lensing by Large-Scale Structure", ARAA, 41, 645 (2003)
  • Y. Mellier, "Probing the Universe with Weak Lensing", ARAA, 37, 127 (1999) also available at astro-ph/9812172 and also "Cosmological Applications of Gravitational Lensing", available at astro-ph/9901116
  • M. Bartelmann & P. Schneider, "Weak Gravitational Lensing", Phys. Rep. 340, 291 (2001), also available at astro-ph/9912508
  • J. Wambsganss, "Gravitational Lensing in Astronomy", Liv. Rev. Relativ., Vol. 1, No. 12 (1998) also available at astro-ph/9812021
  • N. Jackson, "Quasar Lensing", BASI, in press (2013), available at http://arxiv.org/abs/1304.4172

Lecture 13: AGN: their phenomenology, physics, and evolution

• George's slides (9.0 MB pdf file)
• Additional readings:
  • F. Hartwick & D. Schade 1990, "The Space Distribution of Quasars", ARAA 28, 437 (dated by now, but covers some basics)
  • P. Hewett & C. Foltz 1994, "Quasar Surveys", PASP 106, 113 (ditto)
  • L. Ho, "Nuclear Activity in Nearby Galaxies" ARAA, 46, 475 (2008)
  • W. Brandt & G. Hasinger, "Deep Extragalactic X-Ray Surveys" ARAA, 43, 827 (2005)
  • Diffuse X-ray Background:
    • An old but good review by A. Fabian & X. Barcons 1992, ARAA 30, 429
    • A good review of Rosat results is by Hasinger et al., available at astro-ph/9901103
    • A good review of some Chandra/XMM results is by Brandt et al., available at astro-ph/0202311
    • And another one by Hasinger, astro-ph/0202430
  • A note from Vaso Pavlidou about the recent (2011) status of the interpretation of the CGRB
  • EAA articles on QSO surveys * AGN * AGN observations * Seyferts * QSOs * 3C273 * SMBHs in normal galaxies * SMBHs in AGN * AGN unification
  • Wikipedia article on AGN * and on QSOs
  • M. Vestergaard, "Quasar Mass Functions Across Cosmic Time", IAU Symp. 267, 239 (2010), available at http://arxiv.org/abs/1007.2600
  • Y. Shen, "The Mass of Quasars", BASI, in press (2013), available at http://arxiv.org/abs/1302.2643
  • F. Hamann & G. Ferland, "Elemental Abundances in Quasistellar Objects: Star Formation and Galactic Nuclear Evolution at High Redshifts", ARAA, 37, 487 (1999) also available at astro-ph/9904223
  • A. Fabian: "Observational Evidence of Active Galactic Nuclei Feedback", ARAA, 50, 455 (2012)

Lecture 14: Galaxy formation, the first stars and quasars, reionization

• George's slides (13.3 MB pdf file)
• Additional readings:
  • J. Dunlop: "Observing the first galaxies" (2012), available at http://arxiv.org/abs/1205.1543
  • S. Zaroubi: "The Epoch of Reionization" (2012), available at http://arxiv.org/abs/1206.0267
  • V. Bromm & N. Yoshida: "The First Galaxies", ARAA, 49, 373 (2011)
  • M. Morales & J.S. Wyithe: "Reionization and Cosmology with 21-cm Fluctuations", ARAA, 48, 127 (2010)
  • B. Robertson et al., "Early star-forming galaxies and the reionization of the Universe" Nature, 468, 49 (2010) (local pdf)
  • V. Bromm et al., "The formation of the first stars and galaxies" Nature, 459, 49 (2009) (local pdf)
  • A. Cattaneo et al.: "The role of black holes in galaxy formation and evolution", Nature, 460, 213 (2009), available at arXiv/0907.1608
  • S.G. Djorgovski et al., "The Origins and the Early Evolution of Quasars and Supermassive Black Holes", in Proc. XI Marcel Grossmann Meeting on General Relativity, eds. H. Kleinert et al., Singapore: World Scientific, 2008, p.340, available at http://arxiv.org/abs/0803.2862
  • X. Fan, C. Carilli, & B. Keating, "Observational Constraints on Cosmic Reionization" ARAA, 44, 415 (2006)
  • V. Bromm & R. Larson, "The First Stars" ARAA, 42, 79 (2004)
  • S.G. Djorgovski, "Black Holes From the Dark Ages: Exploring the Reionization Era and Early Structure Formation With Quasars and Gamma-Ray Bursts", in Proc. X Marcel Grossmann Meeting on General Relativity, eds. M. Novello et al., Singapore: World Scientific, 2005, p. 422, available at astro-ph/0409378
  • A. Loeb & R. Barkana, "The Reionization of the Universe by the First Stars and Quasars" ARAA, 39, 19 (2001)
  • R. Barkana & A. Loeb, "In the Beginning: The First Sources of Light and the Reionization of the Universe", Phys. Rep. 349, 125 (2001), also available at astro-ph/0010468
  • M. Rees, "First Light in the Universe; What Ended the Dark Age?", Phys. Rep. 333, 203 (2000), also available at astro-ph/9912345
  • EAA articles on Galaxy formation * High-z galaxies * Protogalaxies
  • An old review, but covering some basics and early work is by C. Pritchet: "The Search for Primeval Galaxies", PASP, 106, 1052 (1994)
  • For the very early history of PG searches, here is a note from one of the pioneers, Dave Meier
  • Of a historical interest: "Primeval Galaxies", a SciAm article by D. Meier & R. Sunyaev (Nov. 1979!)

Lectures 15 and 16: CMB anisotropies

• Chris's slides (8.9 MB pdf file)
• Additional readings:
  • Lambda: Cosmic microwave background observations, data, etc. Includes a table of links to ground and balloon experiments.
  • Satellites: WMAP and Planck.
  • The Planck Mission initial results on arXiv, and on ESA Archive
  • Galactic emission models by Angelica de Oliviera-Costa et al. and Doug Finkbeiner et al..

Lecture 17: CMB polarization

• Chris's slides (1 MB pdf file)

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Some other useful lecture notes and links:

• Ned Wright's CosmoCalc
• NED Level 5 "A Knowledgebase for Extragalactic Astronomy and Cosmology" (lots of useful readings)
• Carnegie Obs. Astrophysics Symposia (lots of good review articles)
• Ned Wright at UCLA has a good Cosmology Tutorial
• Ned Wright's cosmology notes (pdf file)
• Greg Bothun's book "Modern Cosmological Observations And Problems" (Taylor & Francis, 1998) (Provided by NED Level 5)
• Jayant Narlikar's book "Introduction To Cosmology" (Cambridge Univ. Press, 1993) (Provided by NED Level 5)
• John Peacock's cosmology notes (pdf file)
• M. Trodden & S. Carroll cosmology lectures (pdf file)
• V. Mukhanov's "Physical Foundations of Cosmology" (pdf file)
• B. Ratra & M. Vogeley's "Resource Letter on the Beginning and Evolution of the Universe" (pdf file) * arXiv link
• E. Linder's "Resource Letter on Dark Energy and Acceleration of the Universe" (pdf file) * arXiv link
• L. Ancordoqui's lectures on astrophysics and cosmology (pdf file) * arXiv link
• P.J.E. Peebles: "The Standard Cosmological Model", In Les Rencontres de Physique de la Vallee d'Aosta, ed. M. Greco (1998) (Provided by NED Level 5)
• < a href="http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0209504"> D. Reid, D. Kittell, E. Arzsnov & G. Thompson: "The Picture of Our Universe: A View From Modern Cosmology" (provided by arXiv)
• A. Heavens: "Statistical techniques in cosmology" (2009), available as arxiv/0906.0664
• D. Waite: "Modern Relativity", an on-line textbook
• Andrew Hamilton's relativity and black holes links
• Sean Carroll's GR textbook (pdf file). And here is a short version
• CosmoCoffee (lots of good resources)
• What is outside the universe?

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Some additional readings that you may find interesting:

• Planck Mission papers (2013)
• A. Sandage, ARAA, 37, 445 (1999) (history at Palomar, as seen by the Old Master himself)
• A. Sandage: "Beginnings Of Observational Cosmology In Hubble's Time: Historical Overview", from "The Hubble Deep Field", eds. M. Livio, S.M. Fall and P. Madau, Cambridge Univ. Press (1998) (Provided by NED Level 5)
• M. Longair, "A Brief History of Cosmology" (pdf file)
• D. Christianson, "Edwin Hubble: A Biographical Retrospective" (pdf file)
• J.-P. Luminet, "The Rise of Big Bang Models, from Myth to Theory and Observations" (pdf file)
• E. Hubble, "Explorations in Space: The Cosmological Program for the Palomar Telescopes" (1951, Proc. Am. Phil. Soc., 95, 461; 0.9 MB pdf file)
• "Cosmic Journey: A History of Scientific Cosmology" from the American Institute of Physics
• Vesto Slipher (a webpage created by John Peacock)
• Who really discovered the expanding universe? arXiv/1104.3031 link * local pdf

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Last changed: 4 June 2013, SGD