Customer Reviews

Sunquakes: Probing the Interior of the Sun

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"Sunquakes" is a very well-written and interesting book, that I, as a lay-person with respect to astronomy, had no trouble understanding. I hadn't realized just how much information can be extracted essentially from vibrations that bounce around in different materials. I was glad, however, that I had read the previous book, "Journey from the Center of the Sun", so that I was up on the different layers in the Sun. However, even more interesting than the actual science, was the detective story as one scientist would see some strange anomaly and not be sure whether it was just a fluke or really a clue to a completely new phenomenon. In particular, the dance between observers and theorists showed how real science is done: one person would see something but not understand what caused it. Then a theorist would create models and postulate some explanation. Observers would then try to invent ways to prove or disprove these explanations. In fact, I hope there is a sequel or update over time: some loose ends to this detective story are still dangling.

This is a nice book, no doubt about that. However I do not understand that the previous reviewer, being "a lay-person with respect to astronomy", had "no trouble understanding" the subject of sunquakes. I have had a university-education (medicine) and read a great many books on astronomy. However, I did have difficulty understanding the theory behind sunquakes. For instance some diagrams, that were doubtlessly used to enlighten the reader, I simply could not understand.

Probably, if you study or studied astronomy, physics, geology or mathematics, this could be a fine book for you. I guess the writer did his level best to explain an essentially difficult subject. But for the layman it may be a bit too much.......