Chapter 1. Cosmological Model Building

1.1. Overview of Historical Progess in Understanding the Cosmos

1.1.1. Ancestors of our Modern Cosmological Model

1.1.2. The Legacy of the Ancient Greeks

1.1.3. Towards Renaissance Cosmology

1.1.4. Towards the Physical Universe

1.1.5. How Far to the Nearest Star?

1.1.6. General and Special Relativity

1.1.7. Einsteins Biggest Blunder?

1.1.8. The Discovery of Universal Expansion

1.1.9. Models of a Dense Universe

1.1.10. The Discovery of the Cosmic Microwave Background

1.1.11. The Hot Big Bang Model

1.2. Overview of Relevant Cosmological Equations

1.2.1. The Robertson-Walker Metric

1.2.2. The Dynamics of an Expanding Universe

1.3. Modern Cosmological Puzzles