Prologue. Taking the temperature of the universe
How do we know the ages of stars? Prehistory: spectra and the nature of stars
How do we know the age of the universe? Prehistory: galaxies and the universe at large
The discovery of the expanding universe
Sizing up the cosmic soufflé
Introduction: The Most Important Fact; Part Zero: Prologue; 2.712
Taking the temperature of the Universe; Part One: How Do We Know the Ages of Stars?; 1 2.898
Prehistory: Spectra and the nature of stars; Locating lines; Hunting helium; Hunting hydrogen; The heat of the Sun; The heat of the stars; The heat inside; 2 0.008
At the heart of the Sun; A French connection; No free lunch; Seats of enormous energies; A hotter place?; A quantum of solace; 3 7.65
Making 'metals'; Cycles and chains of fusion.
Rocks of ages; From the Bomb to the stars; The last should be first; Stardust; 4 13.2
The ages of stars; Hertzsprung, Russell and the diagram; Ashes to ashes; Globular cluster ages; White dwarf ages; Radiometric ages and the oldest known star; Part Two: How Do We Know the Age of the Universe?; 5 31.415
Prehistory: Galaxies and the Universe at large; The power of pure reason; One step forward, two steps back; Nebular spectroscopy; First steps; The long and winding road; An unresolved debate; A universe destroyed; 6 575
The discovery of the expanding Universe; Surprising speeds.
Taking the credit; A Russian revolution; A Priestly intercession; 7 75
Sizing up the cosmic soufflé; Einstein's lost model; Keeping it simple; Across the Universe; Another Great Debate; 8 13.8
Surveys and satellites; The culmination of a tradition; Too perfect?; The dark side; Supernovae and superexpansion; Sounding out the Universe; Ultimate truth.
