An Introduction to the Sun and Stars [Paperback]

Simon F. Green (Editor), Mark H. Jones (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0521546222 | ISBN-13: 978-0521546225 | Publication Date: March 1, 2004 | Edition: Co-published Ed

Compiled by a team of experts, this textbook has been designed for elementary university courses in astronomy and astrophysics. Beginning with a discussion of our nearest star, the Sun, the volume then considers how astronomers study the basic physical properties and life-cycles of more distant stars. Exotic objects such as black holes are also introduced. The text contains numerous useful learning features such as boxed summaries, student exercises with full solutions, and a glossary of terms. It is also supported by a website hosting further teaching materials. Written in an accessible style that avoids complex mathematics, this book is suitable for self-study and will appeal to amateur astronomers as well as undergraduate students.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This up-to-the-minute treatment of the universe of stars is the most enjoyable and informative book at this level that I have read. It combines clear physical arguments with excellent illustrations and diagrams, and keen readers can enhance their depth of understanding through the copious worked examples. Spread throughout, the 'biography boxes' give a refreshing human perspective to the science. Good for coffee table or lecture course!" Professor Peter Brand, University of Edinburgh

Book Description

Compiled by a team of experts, this textbook has been designed for elementary university courses in astronomy and astrophysics. Beginning with a discussion of our nearest star, the Sun, the volume then considers how astronomers study the basic physical properties and life-cycles of more distant stars. Exotic objects such as black holes are also introduced. Written in an accessible style that avoids complex mathematics, this book is suitable for self-study and will appeal to amateur astronomers as well as undergraduate students.

Product Details

• Paperback: 380 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; Co-published Ed edition (March 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521546222
• ISBN-13: 978-0521546225
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #600,747 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Sun and Stars, March 12, 2008

By 

James (North Carolina, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: An Introduction to the Sun and Stars (Paperback)

I have read over this book a couple times and although it has great potential, it just doesn't live up it. First problem is that it is written by committee and thus writing styles differ. Some writers get their points across others do not. I think they tried to cover too many topics at once and in doing so didn't do justice to most of them.

While the mathematics are good you will need a good mathematical incite to be able to follow some of the derivations. Other topics on stellar data really lack sufficient explanation for the laymen. The section of nuclear reactions is probably the best written section of all of them. The colorful illustrations on all topics are first rate. Rarely have I seen better.

I downloaded the sample problem set and I must say that the laymen would be hard pressed to answer these problems without further explanations or a good instructor. The book is a good attempt but really needs to be reworked with limited topics and/or greater explanations. Writing by committee just doesn't do it.

If you are a total laymen then you are going to have some difficulty with this book. If you have some underlying knowledge of stellar astronomy, then this book is a nice asset even with its problems. At its full price it a shaky buy without first being seen in advance. Find it in a college library first before you pay full price for it or find it on sale.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Second Book, August 7, 2006

By 

R. Markham "roninsf" (CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: An Introduction to the Sun and Stars (Paperback)

This is another introductory astronomy text similar to "Voyages to the Stars and Galaxies" by Fraknoi, Morrison, and Wolff but with a little more math. I bought this book with the intention that it would take me a step further than "Voyages". Unfortunately I've been somewhat disappointed with it. Not that "An Introduction to the Sun and Stars" is not a good book. It is, and it has some noteworthy features, but overall it is not as clearly written as "Voyages".

What I did like about "An Introduction to the Sun and Stars" were the problems. In this respect the book succeeded perfectly in what I was looking for... a step beyond "Voyages". At an introductory level the problems were ideal. They required nothing more than a decent high school math background, but they were well considered to support, highlight, and illuminate the text. Also, the answers to the problems were well written, and helped to clarify many concepts.

Another nice feature of "An Introduction to the Sun and Stars" are the many excellent diagrams. These really helped to clarify numerous points in the text.

As it's title suggests "An Introduction to the Sun and Stars" is limited in scope to our Sun and stars in general. It does not cover anything related to galaxies or cosmology. For that you would need the companion book, appropriately titled "An Introduction to Galaxies and Cosmology". So two books are required to cover the same material as "Voyages to the Stars and Galaxies", (though admittedly in somewhat more depth). The contents of "An Introduction to the Sun and Stars" include:

1. Seeing the Sun
2. The Working Sun
3. Measuring Stars
4. Comparing Stars
5. The Formation of Stars
6. The Main Sequence Life of Stars
7. The Life of Stars Beyond the Main Sequence
8. The Death of Stars
9. The Remnants of Stars


Bottom line is this is an excellent book for introductory problems in astronomy, but if you are looking for an introducory book to give a clear overview of astronomy, I recommend "Voyages to the Stars and Galaxies" by Fraknoi, Morrison, and Wolff. If you already have a pretty good grasp on the big picture, then "An Introduction to the Sun and Stars" provides a gentle stepping stone into a bit more detail including an excellent set of introductory problems. It is certainly a worthy addition to any astronomy library.