Publisher's Synopsis
This text provides an overview of the structure and evolution of the Galaxy. It includes a depiction of models of star formation and of spiral structure, describing and comparing at length various approaches, including the author's own. Both observational data and theoretical concepts are presented, offering the reader a broad perspective on the current topics in galactic astronomy, such as chemical evolution, the history of star formation, collapse of protogalaxy, starbursts and early galactic winds.
