Ebook Info
- Published: 2012
- Number of pages: 136 pages
- Format: PDF
- File Size: 0.80 MB
- Authors: Andrew King
Description
Every atom of our bodies has been part of a star. Our very own star, the Sun, is crucial to the development and sustainability of life on Earth. This Very Short Introduction presents a modern, authoritative examination of how stars live, producing all the chemical elements beyond helium, and how they die, sometimes spectacularly, to end as remnants such as black holes.Andrew King shows how understanding the stars is key to understanding the galaxies they inhabit, and thus the history of our entire Universe, as well as the existence of planets like our own. King presents a fascinating exploration of the science of stars, from the mechanisms that allow stars to form and the processes that allow them to shine, as well as the results of their inevitable death.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
User’s Reviews
Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:
⭐An excellent overview of the lifecycle of stars. Makes one wonder what we’ll do once our sun reaches the limit of supporting life.
⭐This book is very well written . does not get into complicated but does present some badic formulae which I appreciate as a mathematician and physics minor. Highly recommended. Explains what you want to know about stars very well!!
⭐I learned more in these 120 pages than in an equal number of books about stellar evolution I have read. The author does a fantastic job of explaining difficult concepts in a non- mathematical manner. Most of the math he presents is in simple relational terms, such as how different physical variables relate to each other in terms of ratio and proportionality. This is an excellent approach to explaining how stars work.As an amateur astronomer I wish the author had given examples of actual stars in the night sky. For example, there is no mention of the formation of planetary nebulae in the book and little information on the different types of variable stars. Surprisingly, this is the only book on stars I have ever read where there is no mention of stellar classification. A topic which I find quite boring. In fairness to the author, as stated, the book is a very short introduction.I purchased both the ebook and paperback for my library. If you are interested in astronomy I whole heartedly recommend this book.
⭐Of the Very Short Introduction series I have read to date this is my second favorite (Partical Physics my first). Great read, perhaps gets lost at times, wondered why they didn’t got from birth to final stages of a star, but still very good and easy to understand. Will definitely aid me in preparing my own lessons for HS students for science.
⭐Very good price for the information contained. If you think you might be interested in cosmology, but not sure, then you cant go wrong with this book. I have found the whole series to be very good. Surely this is not the “best” book about stars, but I bet when you factor in value it very nearly is.
⭐Excellent non-mathematical introduction. Concise and well written. Some additional material and illustrations would have helped in places, hence the four stars, but this may simply be the limitations of the series format.
⭐This was a very beautiful and complete description of the physics of stars of all sizes. I was extremely impressed with the detail of the physical processes that cause the stars to do what they do – explode, grow, become black holes, neutron stars and more. I highly recommend this book to those with a little physics background.
⭐Very informative at a non mathematical level. Would be good for anyone looking for a quick intro into the evolution of stars.
⭐A light read and a very interesting one, too. I’m studying astronomy, so I read this just before an exam. It’s great that it explains things in plain English, including a few things you don’t typically find in textbooks, helping you piece things together so you get an understanding of the bigger picture. A wonderful book in every respect. I would recommend it to astronomy students and enthusiasts, but it’s really such an easy read, with great flow and simple phrasing, that even someone with no prior interest in astronomy would understand most of it.
⭐This is an interesting volume in the VSI series and provides an in-depth account of the life cycle of stars, but be aware that the content is in parts challenging and some knowledge of basic physics and maths is advisable; speed reading is not an option! The book describes in detail the creation of stars, how they function, evolve and their various end-of-life scenarios as white dwarfs, neutron stars or black holes. Also explained are the mathematical techniques used by astronomers for determining star characteristics such as size, distance, luminosity and so forth. The book covers a lot of ground and will certainly appeal to those considering astronomy as a serious study option. Even for the general reader with a low tolerance for equations and physical ‘laws’, the book should still be of interest even if it needs to be read twice to gain an understanding of the content.
⭐This book is a well written and surprisingly in-depth introduction to the subject. A word of warning – if you’re looking for a really breezy, newspaper column level introduction, you may be better of looking elsewhere. This book actually discusses theories of chemistry and physics and also supplies the equations that underlie the principles that make stars work. You don’t have to understand these equations – they are just there to show you how ingenious and complex astrophysics can be, but they might put off the casual reader by their very presence.
⭐Highly recommend for anyone wanting to learn about the Stars or anyone at University to pair this with your other course books.
⭐Good book.
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