| Preface | p. ix |
| Acknowledgements | p. xii |
| Introduction | p. 1 |
| Using SI units in astronomy | p. 1 |
| Layout and structure of the book | p. 2 |
| Definitions of terms (lexicological, mathematical and statistical) | p. 3 |
| A brief history of the standardization of units in general | p. 7 |
| A brief history of the standardization of scientific units | p. 8 |
| The future of SI units | p. 11 |
| Summary and recommendations | p. 11 |
| An introduction to SI units | p. 12 |
| The set of SI base units | p. 12 |
| The set of SI derived units | p. 12 |
| Non-SI units currently accepted for use with SI units | p. 13 |
| Other non-SI units | p. 14 |
| Prefixes to SI units | p. 14 |
| IAU recommendations regarding SI units | p. 20 |
| Summary and recommendations | p. 23 |
| Dimensional analysis | p. 24 |
| Definition of dimensional analysis | p. 24 |
| Dimensional equations | p. 25 |
| Summary and recommendations | p. 29 |
| Unit of angular measure (radian) | p. 30 |
| SI definition of the radian | p. 30 |
| Commonly used non-SI units of angular measure | p. 30 |
| Spherical astronomy | p. 36 |
| Angular distances and diameters | p. 46 |
| Steradian | p. 48 |
| Summary and recommendations | p. 53 |
| Unit of time (second) | p. 54 |
| SI definition of the second | p. 54 |
| Definition of time | p. 54 |
| Systems of time or time scales | p. 54 |
| The hertz: unit of frequency | p. 60 |
| Angular motion | p. 60 |
| The determination of the ages of celestial bodies | p. 66 |
| Summary and recommendations | p. 70 |
| Unit of length (metre) | p. 72 |
| SI definition of the metre | p. 72 |
| Linear astronomical distances and diameters | p. 72 |
| Linear motion | p. 83 |
| Acceleration | p. 88 |
| Area | p. 89 |
| Volume | p. 89 |
| Summary and recommendations | p. 91 |
| Unit of mass (kilogram) | p. 92 |
| SI definition of the kilogram | p. 92 |
| The constant of gravitation | p. 94 |
| Masses of astronomical bodies | p. 97 |
| Density | p. 106 |
| Force | p. 108 |
| Moments of inertia and angular momentum | p. 109 |
| Summary and recommendations | p. 111 |
| Unit of luminous intensity (candela) | p. 113 |
| SI definition of the candela | p. 113 |
| Radiometry and photometry | p. 113 |
| Magnitudes | p. 137 |
| Summary and recommendations | p. 142 |
| Unit of thermodynamic temperature (kelvin) | p. 146 |
| SI definition of the kelvin | p. 146 |
| Temperature scales | p. 147 |
| Some examples of the temperatures of astronomical objects | p. 149 |
| Blackbody radiation | p. 151 |
| Spectral classification as a temperature sequence | p. 154 |
| Model stellar atmospheres | p. 165 |
| Summary and recommendations | p. 172 |
| Unit of electric current (ampere) | p. 174 |
| SI definition of the ampere | p. 174 |
| SI and non-SI electrical and magnetic unit relationships | p. 175 |
| Magnetic fields in astronomy | p. 183 |
| Electric fields in astronomy | p. 194 |
| Summary and recommendations | p. 195 |
| Unit of amount of substance (mole) | p. 197 |
| SI definition of the mole | p. 197 |
| Avogadro's constant and atomic masses | p. 197 |
| Astrochemistry and cosmochemistry | p. 202 |
| Summary and recommendations | p. 204 |
| Astronomical taxonomy | p. 206 |
| Definition of taxonomy | p. 206 |
| Classification in astronomy | p. 206 |
| Classification of stellar objects | p. 207 |
| Classification of Solar System objects | p. 215 |
| Astronomical databases and virtual observatories | p. 216 |
| Summary and recommendations | p. 218 |
| References | p. 219 |
| Index | p. 226 |
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