Contents -- Preface -- 1. Prologue -- 2. Classical cosmological paradigm -- 2.1 Astronomy in the first half of the 20th century -- 2.1.1 The nature of spiral nebulae -- 2.1.2 The expansion and age of the Universe -- 2.1.3 The mean density of matter in the Universe -- 2.1.4 The distribution of galaxies -- 2.1.5 Structure of the system of stellar populations -- 2.1.6 The evolution of stars -- 2.2 History of Estonia, my family roots, and Tartu Observatory -- 2.2.1 A short history of Estonia -- 2.2.2 My roots -- 2.2.3 My early life and first steps in astronomy -- 2.2.4 Liia -- 2.2.5 Tartu Observatory after the war, and the building of the new observatory -- 3. Galactic models and dark matter in the solar vicinity -- 3.1 Early Galactic models -- 3.1.1 Early Galactic models and first hints of the presence of dark matter -- 3.1.2 Density of matter in the Solar vicinity -- 3.1.3 Galactic models by Parenago, Kuzmin, and Schmidt -- 3.2 New Galactic models -- 3.2.1 Search for better models -- 3.2.2 Generalised exponential model -- 3.2.3 Our Galaxy, system of galactic constants -- 3.2.4 Mass-to-luminosity ratios of stellar populations -- 3.2.5 Evolution of galaxies -- 3.2.6 Models of galaxies of the local group and M87 -- mass paradox in galaxies -- 3.3 Tartu Observatory in the 1960's -- 3.3.1 New observatory -- 3.3.2 Philosophical seminars and New Year parties -- 3.3.3 Space studies -- 4. Global dark matter -- 4.1 The discovery of global dark matter -- 4.1.1 Galactic coronas -- 4.1.2 Clusters and groups of galaxies -- 4.1.3 Dynamics and morphology of companion galaxies -- 4.1.4 Tallinn and Tbilisi dark matter discussions -- 4.2 The confirmation of the presence of global dark matter -- 4.2.1 Rotation curves of galaxies -- 4.2.2 Mass-to-luminosity ratios of galaxies -- 4.2.3 X-ray data -- 4.2.4 Gravitational lensing -- 4.3 Dark matter in galaxies.

4.3.1 The density distribution of dark matter -- 4.3.2 Distribution of luminous and dark matter in galaxies -- 4.3.3 Universal rotation curve of galaxies -- 4.3.4 The formation of galaxies -- 4.3.5 Modern models of galaxies -- 4.4 Tartu Observatory in the 1970's -- 4.4.1 Computer revolution -- 4.4.2 Life in the Observatory -- 5. The cosmic web -- 5.1 Early studies of spatial distribution of galaxies -- 5.2 The discovery of the cosmic web -- 5.2.1 Zeldovich question -- 5.2.2 The Tallinn symposium on large scale structure of the Universe -- 5.2.3 Superclusters, filaments and voids -- 5.3 Tartu Observatory in the early 1980's -- 5.3.1 Southern base of Tartu Observatory -- 5.3.2 Studies of ancient astronomy -- 6. The nature of dark matter -- 6.1 Baryonic dark matter -- 6.1.1 Early discussions on the nature of dark matter -- 6.1.2 Stellar or gaseous dark coronae -- 6.1.3 Nucleosynthesis constraints of baryonic matter -- 6.2 Non-baryonic dark matter -- 6.2.1 Cosmic microwave background radiation -- 6.2.2 Fluctuations of the CMB radiation -- 6.2.3 Neutrinos as dark matter candidates -- 6.2.4 Cold dark matter -- 6.2.5 Dark matter in dwarf galaxies -- 6.2.6 Missing satellite problem and warm dark matter -- 6.2.7 Searches for dark matter particles -- 6.3 Alternatives to dark matter -- 6.4 Tartu Observatory in the late 1980's -- 6.4.1 The singing revolution -- 6.4.2 Academy of Sciences -- 6.4.3 Towards an independent Estonia -- 7. The structure of the cosmic web -- 7.1 Quantitative characteristics -- 7.1.1 The search for quantitative characteristics -- 7.1.2 Topology of the cosmic web -- 7.1.3 Fractal properties of the cosmic web -- 7.1.4 Physical biasing -- 7.1.5 Power spectra of galaxies -- 7.2 Redshift surveys and catalogues -- 7.2.1 Redshift surveys -- 7.2.2 Catalogues of groups and clusters of galaxies -- 7.2.3 Catalogues of superclusters.

7.3 Elements of the cosmic web -- 7.3.1 Galaxies in different environments -- 7.3.2 Groups and clusters of galaxies -- 7.3.3 Chains, strings and filaments -- 7.3.4 Walls -- 7.3.5 Superclusters -- 7.3.6 Voids and supervoids -- 7.3.7 Cosmic web - cells and the cosmic foam -- 7.3.8 Regularity of the cosmic web -- 7.3.9 Baryonic acoustic oscillations -- 7.4 Tartu Observatory in the 1990's -- 7.4.1 Estonian path to independence -- 7.4.2 Science reform -- 7.4.3 Participation in international organisations -- 8. Cosmic inflation, dark energy and the evolution of the Universe -- 8.1 The birth of the Universe and inflation -- 8.1.1 The classical inflation theory -- 8.1.2 The new inflation theory and the birth of the Universe -- 8.2 Structure formation in Hot, Cold and Lambda models -- 8.2.1 Initial conditions -- 8.2.2 HDM and CDM simulations -- 8.2.3 Simulations with cosmological constant -- 8.2.4 Modern cosmological simulations -- 8.3 The formation and evolution of the cosmic web -- 8.3.1 The luminosity density field of the SDSS -- 8.3.2 The role of density waves of various scales -- 8.3.3 The phase coupling of density perturbations of various scale -- 8.3.4 The fine structure of the cosmic web -- 8.4 Dark energy -- 8.4.1 The discovery of dark energy -- 8.4.2 The role of dark energy in the evolution of the Universe -- 8.4.3 Cosmological parameters -- 8.4.4 New cosmology paradigm is ready: What next? -- 8.5 Remembering contacts with colleagues -- 8.5.1 Encounters with astronomers from other centres -- 8.5.2 Collaboration with other centres -- 8.6 Tartu Observatory and my life in the 2000's -- 8.6.1 Transition years -- 8.6.2 Center of Excellence -- 8.6.3 Egeri -- 9. Epilogue -- Bibliography -- General Index -- Name Index.