Binney and Merrifield excel at explaining how we can infer the shape and mass of the Galaxy simply by observing the motions of stars. They detail the use of the and how asymmetric drift helps us understand the age and origin of different stellar populations. 2. Galactic Photometry
Data from missions like Gaia has vastly improved our understanding of the Milky Way’s dynamics and morphology. binney merrifield galactic astronomy pdf patched