- Hardcover: 288 pages
- Publisher: Harvard University Press (May 11 2001)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0674004671
- ISBN-13: 978-0674004672
- Product Dimensions: 24.1 x 16.2 x 3 cm
- Shipping Weight: 644 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #2,177,589 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Taking advantage of the increased attention as the sun reaches the peak of its 11-year sunspot cycle, Harvard-Smithsonian astrophysicist Golub and Williams College astronomy professor Pasachoff deliver a clear, detailed and broadly informative overview of the scientific study of our "nearest star" and its effects on our planet. Other recent books cover some of the same territory in more detail (the energy production and internal structure of the sun and other stars in Stardust by John and Mary Gribbin and The Magic Furnace by Marcus Chown; the vulnerability of modern technology to intense solar activity in The 23rd Cycle by Sten Odenwald), but this book shines in its discussion of the properties of the sun's turbulent outer layers (chromosphere, photosphere and corona). It provides space- and astronomy-loving readers in-depth information about the many challenging projects that produced or are producing that knowledge, about advanced projects on the drawing board or in conceptual stages and about Web sites where readers can find more details and up-to-date developments. On the human level, the authors describe practical techniques to enhance the thrill of observing a total solar eclipse. The book ends with a discussion of the interaction between solar and terrestrial phenomena, comparing human contributions to climate change to the climatic influence of solar variation. Amateur astronomers will learn much from Golub and Pasachoff's study. Illus.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Coauthors Golub (astrophysics, Harvard Smithsonian Ctr. for Astrophysics) and Pasachoff (astronomy, Williams Coll.) describe for a nonspecialist audience what is currently known of the structure of the sun, the source of its enormous energy, its history and future, its various effects on Earth and its atmosphere, and the fascinating phenomena that occur during total solar eclipses. Some relevant tales from the history of solar research are also included. The strength of the book is that it is a "state of the art" report from two bona fide experts in the field. Weak portions of the work include the introductory chapter, which plunges readers into the thick of the subject matter, and a section that describes various future space missions. The latter portion is tedious, with many acronyms and technical details. The authors would have done well to omit this section and devote more attention to the details of the nuclear fusion processes that supply the sun's energy. With these reservations, the book is recommended for public and academic libraries. Jack W. Weigel, Ann Arbor, MI
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Customer Reviews
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Loaded with information,
By A Customer
This review is from: Nearest Star: The Surprising Science of Our Sun (Hardcover)
Many books that popularize certain scientific topics for a broad readership tend to be rather chatty and include several historical and biographical snipets. Not this book; it's densely packed with scientific information on its subject matter. From theories on the what happens in the sun's interior to the observed effects that solar activity has here on earth, this book covers most of it in fair detail. It is written clearly and the topics are well organized. Several colour plates, charts and diagrams do much to illustrate the ideas presented. Complete with a glossary, a list of references and an index, this book is well put together. It can serve as a springboard for readers who would like more details on certain specialized aspects of the workings of our nearest star. An excellent read!!
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good but tries to cover too much,
By
This review is from: Nearest Star: The Surprising Science of Our Sun (Hardcover)
This is a remarkably wide-ranging overview of topics relating to the Sun. It is, in fact, probably rather more wide-ranging than it needs to be. Rather than focusing on the subtitle, it includes chapters on eclipses and earth's climate as well as seemingly rather pointless asides on topics like carbon dating. The core, however, is quite good, covering the history of solar science as well as our current understanding. A standout chapter covers planned space missions that will investigate the Sun, something I found particularly interesting since I am currently working on one of them (STEREO) and have worked on others in the past. In summary, when it's good it's very good, but it tries to cover more than it needs to and disappoints in that respect.
5.0 out of 5 stars
you may never look at the sun the same way again,
By
This review is from: Nearest Star: The Surprising Science of Our Sun (Hardcover)
Popular science books have to walk a difficult line between scientific detail and an accessible level of simplification. Golub and Pasaschoff do an admirable job here of elucidating what is a highly technical and intricate field. I was reading from only a high-school level of physics knowledge but found most of the book to be comprehensible. Some points left me wondering but sometime I would like to reread and try to work these out. The authors writing style is commendably clear and delineates well what is known, what is likely and what is yet to be discovered using a set of great diagrams and also some beautiful colour slides. Frequently, you may find yourself wondering, "how can they possibly know in such detail about such a distant object?" Fortunately the authors provide excellent and entertaining histories of how our understanding of the sun has developed over the millenia and these are often the most interesting part. The best thing about the book overall though has to be the authors' enthusiasm for the subject which truly imparts to the reader a sense of awe and wonder for our nearest star. Although the subject matter is not as exotic as you might find in The Elegant Universe or Brief History of Time, this too is a highly entertaining and well written exposition of contemporary science for the layman.
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