The Hundred Greatest Stars [Hardcover]

James B. Kaler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 19, 2002

While there are guides to the visible sky, this is the first book to encompass the most important stars known in the universe at a level accessible to the layperson. The noted astronomer James Kaler takes us on a tour of the 100 most interesting stars, describing their characteristics and importance in words and vivid pictures. James B. Kaler is an internationally recognized expert on stars and their formation. A professor of astronomy at the University of Illinois, he is the author of "Stars and Their Spectra" (Cambridge), "Stars" (Freeman/Scientific American Library), "Cosmic Clouds" (Freeman/Scientific American Library), and numerous articles for popular and professional astronomy magazines.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Stars are fantastically varied, as showcased in imagery from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Some stars are old, dim, quiescent cinders; others are brilliant newbies violently interacting with neighbors. This continuum of stellar evolution, graphically embodied in the venerable Hertzsprung-Russell diagram of stellar classification, actuates astronomer Kaler's selections for his top 100 list. He picks a representative of the major star types, such as the red giant, and rounds out his group with a smattering of classical naked-eye stars: his choice of the red giant Betelgeuse combines the two approaches. Geared for popularity, the book's design presents one image of the star under discussion, either a field view of its position in a constellation or an exuberant HST close-up, faced by Kaler's one-page story about the star's characteristics and inferred history. For the astronomy buff, an alluring gallery of stars mysterious or simply odd awaits, from magnetars to pulsars to distended monsters on the verge of going supernova. Gilbert Taylor
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

From the reviews: "Most people know about Sirius, Canopus and Antares, but not everyone will be familiar with EG 129, HZ 21 and Polaris Australis, the dim star close to the south pole of the sky. Enter The Hundred Greatest Stars by James Kaler...Following a very clear general introduction to stellar astronomy, Kaler embarks on an informative tour through his hundred favourite stars, each given a page of text with an appropriate illustration on the facing page...The really clever aspect of the book is that as well as describing the hundred stars, often bringing out aspects which are unfamiliar, Kaler succeeds in giving an excellent broad survey of recent developments in stellar astronomy. As is to be expected, the text is immensely authoritative...The illustrations are beautiful..." -New Scientist "...truly an outstanding book about the sheer beauty and diversity of the stars. It's a personal treasure to me and I'm sure you'll love it to." -- Planetarian, March 2005 "In this book Kaler … selects 100 of his favorite stars to illustrate the amazing varieties … in which stars exist. … Truly each turn of a page offers a quick view, a fabulous color photograph or illustration … . each story is self-contained, the description of one star not dependent on another, allowing the reader to enjoy a page at random. … The Hundred Greatest Stars is truly an outstanding book about the sheer beauty and diversity of the stars." (Paul J. Krupinski, Planetarian, March, 2005) "The life and times of stars can be written in the language of a myriad examples. In this book, the author has chosen 100, each of which reveals an intriguing property of stellar evolution or behaviour. … the well rounded narrative of each star is told with affection and enthusiasm. … One of three appendices provides the ability to find objects of a particular class easily, making this enjoyable book a good reference tool too. … The Hundred Greatest Stars is useful, readable and recommended." (Steve Ringwood, Astronomy Now, May, 2004) "Accessibly written by James B. Kaler … The Hundred Greatest Stars is an incredible, informative, superbly illustrated, astronomical reference describing one hundred different stars ranging from Acrux to ZZ Ceti. Each individual star has a full color photograph and an accompanying page of scientific description with close attention to detail. The Hundred Greatest Stars is a strongly recommended, beautifully illustrated study for astronomy buffs." (Wisconsin Bookwatch, September, 2002) "Top 10 Reasons to Like The Hundred Greatest Stars. … It starts with a fine synopsis of the properties of stars. … It’s a great introduction to stellar astronomy. … The appendixes are useful … . The text, aimed at a general audience, is well written and engaging. … The science is accurate and simply explained – one of the great strengths of this book. … The Hundred Greatest Stars will inspire some to pause and ‘star’-gaze for a while … ." (Paul Deans, Sky & Telescope, February, 2003) "Although stars might seem like a strange sort of thing to appear in a ‘hundred greatest’ list, Kaler … writes with great enthusiasm about his favorites. … Kaler’s clear and simple explanations of distance, magnitude, color, and luminosity provide the background needed to understand each star’s entry. … The imaginative and varied images, many in color, include photographs, charts, graphs, and scientific research results that enhance the text and attractive layout. Recommended." (Choice, December, 2002) "This stellar grandeur is perfectly captured in James Kaler’s lavishly illustrated and expertly written volume, The Hundred Greatest Stars. … Kaler’s deep love and enthusiasm for the stars shines through on every page. Even though the book is dedicated to the amateur astronomy community, it will surely appeal to anyone who has ever looked at the sky with a sense of curiosity and wonder." (Andrew S. Fazekas, Astronomy.com, February, 2003) "A lovely literary companion piece to backyard stargazing is ‘The Hundred Greatest Stars’ by James B. Kaler … . It’s an illustrated ‘greatest hits’ compendium of stars, and has been praised for its clear and eloquent writing on the likes of Alpha Centauri, Betelgeuse, The Black Widow (!) and our own beloved sun. Speaking as one for whom introductory physics was one continuous anxiety attack, I can attest to its readability. " (Mary Ann Gwinn, Seattletimes.com, August, 2002) "Kaler … profiles an intriguing collection of some of his favorite stars … . Both beginning and practiced astronomers will find much to be admired, including an excellent introduction to stellar evolution; a wide variety of lush images … from the Anglo-Australian Observatory; and entries which deftly blend very technical (and current) data with descriptions that are not just accessible but also reflect a healthy amount of awe." (SciTech Book News, September, 2002) "In this lavishly illustrated book, noted University of Illinois astronomer, author, and ASP Board member James B. Kaler expounds on his 100 favorite stars, from Acrux to ZZ Ceti. … The book captures the complexity and dynamism of stars, and it describes how they exemplify the extraordinary physical forces at work in the universe." (Mercury, September/October, 2002) "For this book, Professor James B. Kaler selected 100 of the most interesting stars … . If you are interested in the wonderful array of stars to be found in our galaxy … then you will find this book absolutely fascinating. It is also beautifully illustrated with 100 colour images … . it is the wonderfully lucid Introduction that sets the scene for your journey through the cosmos. This is a book not to be missed!" (Gordon Nason, Astronomy & Space, July, 2003) "James B. Kaler presents 100 remarkable and interesting stars, all put in reference to our Sun. … The text is very comprehensive and contains a wealth of interesting information. … A glossary of the most important scientific terms completes the book. The Hundred Greatest Stars is a nice read; it presents a wealth of interesting data that in this combination is otherwise hard to find." (Sterne und Weltraum, April, 2003) "This is a beautiful little book about stars, replete with wonderful color photographs and concise language. Those just getting started won’t get lost, and those with a stronger background will find plenty to enjoy." (Library Journal, May, 2003) "Kaler has used both the extreme and the apparently normal in selecting his 100 greatest stars, and much to the pleasure of this antipodean, there is no overwhelming northern hemisphere bias as is common in many astronomy publications. … What sets this book apart is that Kaler finds interest in … apparently normal naked-eye ‘creatures’ … . the book provides an excellent resource for those … having the joy of explaining why these pinpoints of light and fuzzy blobs are so fascinating!" (Roger Feasey, Auckland Astronomical Society Journal, May, 2003) "This is a gem of a book with guts. It is the author’s celebration for the new millennium of 100 of his favourite stars. … This book is written in a breezy, friendly style that is compulsive reading but will also serve as a valuable reference. It is certainly an ‘A to Z’ of stars; Acrux to ZZ Ceti in fact. I thoroughly recommend it. I may never look at the night sky the same way again." (Bob Evans, Southern Stars, March, 2003) "The idea behind this book … is an attractive one when written in Kaler’s style. A much-experienced astronomical writer, he has the facility of describing the more exotic of the objects in this volume in terms that many can understand. … a well-written and presented volume. This sort of writing got me into astronomy – it could well do the same for your favourite nephew or niece." (Robert Argyle, The Observatory, Vol. 123 (1173), 2003) "This is a truly beautiful book, the vast knowledge and passion for the author’s subject transferring to the written page so well. … The text is accompanied by a photograph or illustration … and these illustrations certainly bring the subject to life, especially for younger readers. Experienced astronomers will find a wealth of technical information at their fingertips … but the opening ‘Introduction and Allegro’ provides the astronomical novice with a concise and complete background … . I really, enjoyed this book." (Philip Bridle, BBC Radio, June, 2003) "James Kaler … is a well-known advocate for the stars. In The Hundred Greatest Stars he expresses his enthusiasm for them in everyday language … . So is this eclectic collection interesting to … the community of amateur astronomers? I believe that it is … . a much wider audience would learn a good deal … . I’m very pleased to have this book in my library as an excellent collection of useful facts about 101 very interesting stars." (David Malin, Physics World, Vol. 15 (10), 2002) "Kaler embarks on an informative tour through his hundred favourite stars … . The really clever aspect of the book is that … Kaler succeeds in giving an excellent broad survey of recent developments in stellar astronomy. … the text is immensely authoritative … . so well written that it will appeal as much to the beginner as to the more serious student. All in all, this is one of the most interesting and enjoyable books I have read for a long time." (Patrick Moore, New Scientist, July, 2002)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Springer; 1 edition (June 19, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0387954368
• ISBN-13: 978-0387954363
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 8.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,030,103 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative, superbly illustrated, astronomical reference, September 9, 2002

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hundred Greatest Stars (Hardcover)

Accessibly written by James B. Kaler (Professor of Astronomy, University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign), The Hundred Greatest Stars is an incredible, informative, superbly illustrated, astronomical reference describing one hundred different stars ranging from Acrux to ZZ Ceti. Each individual star has a full color photograph and an accompanying page of scientific description with close attention to detail. The Hundred Greatest Stars is a strongly recommended, beautifully illustrated study for astronomy buffs.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative and colorful, July 12, 2003

By 

Dennis Littrell (SoCal) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Hundred Greatest Stars (Hardcover)

No Katharine Hepburn or Al Pacino here. Instead we have Betelgeuse and Cygnus X-1, Deneb and MXB 1730-335 and 96 other illuminators of the night sky as selected by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Professor of Astronomy James B. Kaler. They are called "the greatest" mostly because they are significant in one way or another and partly because they are Kaler's favorites.

Of course included are Alpha Centauri, our closest interstellar neighbors, and Barnard's Star, the fastest moving star across our line of sight, and Polaris, the North Star, friend to navigators. The sun is included for comparison and reference.

Kaler begins the book with what he calls an "Introduction and Allegro" in which he explains what stars are and how they are classified and how they evolve. Then come mini essays on the each of the chosen stars, what's interesting and important about them, their history and vital statistics beginning with number zero, the sun. He identifies the "Residence" of each star according to astronomical constellation, alternative name, its class such as F2 giant (Beta Cassiopeiae), its visual magnitude, its distance from us, its absolute visual magnitude, and its "Significance" (e.g., ESO 439-26 is "The faintest known white dwarf.") Because of the range of different types of stars that Kaler has chosen (with wildly differing system configurations), double and triple stars, stars with known planets, pulsars, neutron stars, black holes, etc., reading through the various essays amounts to a modest astronomical education in itself.

There are color plates pertaining to each star, sometimes of the star and sometimes of the area of the sky in which the star can be found, and sometimes pertaining to something significant about the star such as a colorful drawing of the inflowing gas from the giant surrounding the black hole at Cygnus X-1.

There's a modest glossary and three appendices, one listing the stars by their various names for easy recognition, the second by their evolutionary status (Main Sequence stars, Neutron stars, etc.), and the third by position (by Declination and Right Association).

This works well as an introduction to stars and their nature and as a source of reference for the amateur star-gazer. It is an attractive book that would make a fine gift especially for a young person just becoming interested in astronomy. It is technical in spots, but overall it is readily accessible to the general reader.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars His Best Yet!, July 27, 2003

By 

Frank A. Whorton "Astronomy Lover" (Southwest IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Hundred Greatest Stars (Hardcover)

I was not a big fan of Kaler's until this book. I had read his "Extreme Stars" -- very difficult to follow with his writing style, but still a good book. I begged the library to order this one, which they did. Very impressive -- I was enthralled. He discusses each star with true passion and on a level the ordinary amateur astronomer can understand. If someone can get me excited looking at a boring 5th magnitude 51 Pegasii, then he's done a good job :) --- he has. Excellent illustrations to boot! Buy this book - you won't be disappointed.

Update: January 2004 - after 3 times checking it out from the library -- decided it was too good of a reference book to pass up and ordered from Amazon.com at discounted price! A true gem - I will observe outside, then use this to enrich my knowledge of some of the stars I've looked at afterwards. All the "biggies" are here - Arcturus, Sirius, Capella, Vega, Betelguese, and some other obscure ones -- but all so well chosen that it's hard to argue with his 100 picks! I wish he'd write another on his next top 100. I am also half through his "Little Book of Stars" and recommend that too! Will write a review on that when I am finished. Bottomline: Buy this book - you won't be disappointed if you are an astronomy buff.