Since it was first published in 1987, Galactic Dynamics has become the most widely used advanced textbook on the structure and dynamics of galaxies and one of the most cited references in astrophysics. Now, in this extensively revised and updated edition, James Binney and Scott Tremaine describe the dramatic recent advances in this subject, making Galactic Dynamics the most authoritative introduction to galactic astrophysics available to advanced undergraduate students, graduate students, and researchers.

Every part of the book has been thoroughly overhauled, and many sections have been completely rewritten. Many new topics are covered, including N-body simulation methods, black holes in stellar systems, linear stability and response theory, and galaxy formation in the cosmological context. Binney and Tremaine, two of the world's leading astrophysicists, use the tools of theoretical physics to describe how galaxies and other stellar systems work, succinctly and lucidly explaining theoretical principles and their applications to observational phenomena. They provide readers with an understanding of stellar dynamics at the level needed to reach the frontiers of the subject.

This new edition of the classic text is the definitive introduction to the field.

A complete revision and update of one of the most cited references in astrophysics
Provides a comprehensive description of the dynamical structure and evolution of galaxies and other stellar systems
Serves as both a graduate textbook and a resource for researchers
Includes 20 color illustrations, 205 figures, and more than 200 problems
Covers the gravitational N-body problem, hierarchical galaxy formation, galaxy mergers, dark matter, spiral structure, numerical simulations, orbits and chaos, equilibrium and stability of stellar systems, evolution of binary stars and star clusters, and much more
Companion volume to Galactic Astronomy, the definitive book on the phenomenology of galaxies and star clusters

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 5.0 based on 5 reviews)

The "bible" of Galactic Dynamics

No review is really necessary. This book is *the* definitive reference for Galactic Dynamics.

You'll find it on the bookshelf of every astronomer alive (and I'm only marginally exaggerating here!). Five stars - there is no better Galactic Dynamics text.

Note, however, that this is *not* an introductory-level book, and is intended for graduate level astronomers and higher.
November 17, 2007

Galactic Dynamics

Not for the faint of heart. Well written, but very technical. Needs good math and physics background.
January 11, 2007

THE Definitive Work on Galaxies

Binney has cleary established Galactic Dynamics and its companion volume Galactic Astronomy as the definitive works on the subject. The NASA Astronomy Abstract Service lists 3411 citations for this book as of 12/2006 so it is clearly an important part of the literature of astrophysics.

This book is written at the graduate or researcher level. As it deals with the behavior of galaxies, potential theory, energy distribution, angular momentium and dark matter so the mathematics employed are quite powerful.
December 28, 2006

Please create an audio adaptation ...

To the publisher I would appreciate it if the publisher could produce an audio adaptation of this book. I would love to listen to this while I drive to work and to let my 16 month old son listen to it as a bedtime story. Arnold D Veness
June 01, 1999

The "Bible" of Galactic Dynamics

This book is a very well-known and widely used reference for students in extragalactic astrophysics and stellar dynamics. A solution manual for the problems would be highly welcomed.
April 17, 1998

SIMILAR PRODUCTS

Galactic Astronomy (Princeton Series in Astrophysics)
by James Binney, Michael Merrifield

Cosmology
by Steven Weinberg

Galaxy Formation (Astronomy and Astrophysics Library)
by Malcolm S. Longair

Introduction to Modern Astrophysics, An (2nd Edition)
by Bradley W. Carroll, Dale A. Ostlie

Galaxies in the Universe: An Introduction
by Linda S. Sparke, III, John S. Gallagher