Though astrophysicists have developed a theoretical framework for
understanding how the first stars and galaxies formed, only now are we able
to begin testing those theories with actual observations of the very
distant, early universe. We are entering a new and exciting era of
discovery that will advance the frontiers of knowledge, and this book
couldn't be more timely. It covers all the basic concepts in cosmology,
drawing on insights from an astronomer who has pioneered much of this
research over the past two decades.
Abraham Loeb starts from first principles, tracing the theoretical
foundations of cosmology and carefully explaining the physics behind them.
Topics include the gravitational growth of perturbations in an expanding
universe, the abundance and properties of dark matter halos and galaxies,
reionization, the observational methods used to detect the earliest
galaxies and probe the diffuse gas between them--and much more.
Cosmology seeks to solve the fundamental mystery of our cosmic origins.
This book offers a succinct and accessible primer at a time when
breathtaking technological advances promise a wealth of new observational
data on the first stars and galaxies.

* Provides a concise introduction to cosmology
* Covers all the basic concepts
* Gives an overview of the gravitational growth of perturbations in an
expanding universe
* Explains the process of reionization
* Describes the observational methods used to detect the earliest
galaxies