An Introduction to the Sun and StarsSimon F. Green, Mark H. Jones Compiled by a team of experts, this textbook has been designed for elementary university courses in astronomy and astrophysics. It starts with a detailed discussion of our nearest star, the Sun, and describes how solar physicists have come to understand its internal workings. It then considers how astronomers go about studying the basic physical properties and life-cycles of more distant stars, and culminates with a discussion of the formation of exotic objects such as neutron stars and black holes. Written in an accessible style that avoids complex mathematics, and illustrated in colour throughout, this book is suitable for self-study and will appeal to amateur astronomers as well as undergraduate students. It contains numerous helpful learning features such as boxed summaries, student exercises with full solutions, and a glossary of terms. The book is also supported by a website hosting further teaching materials. |
Contents
CONTENTS | 1 |
THE WORKING SUN | 43 |
MEASURING STARS | 85 |
COMPARING STARS | 129 |
THE FORMATION OF STARS | 151 |
THE MAIN SEQUENCE LIFE OF STARS | 175 |
THE LIFE OF STARS BEYOND THE MAIN | 197 |
THE DEATH OF STARS | 219 |
THE REMNANTS OF STARS | 243 |
CONCLUSION | 281 |
APPENDICES | 328 |
Appendix A5 The chemical elements and their abundances | 341 |
359 | |
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Common terms and phrases
absorption lines accretion angular arcsec astronomers atoms binary system black hole brightness centre chromosphere convection core corona dense cloud disc distance Doppler dust Earth electromagnetic radiation electron elements emission emitted Equation flux density Galaxy gravitational H-R diagram helium burning hydrogen increase infrared interaction interstellar medium ionized line of sight luminosity magnetic field magnetic field lines main sequence main sequence lifetime main sequence stars mass number massive stars material measured molecules motion neutrinos neutron star nuclear reactions nuclei number density Observatory observed orbit parallax particles photon planetary nebula plasma ppl chain produce properties protostar pulsar QUESTION radio radius red giants region relative rotation s-process Section shell shown in Figure shows solar activity solar wind spectral lines spectral type speed star's stellar evolution stellar winds Sun's sunspots supergiant surface telescope thermal typical variable visible light visual magnitude wavelength white dwarf X-ray y-rays