Guide to the Universe - (Greenwood Guides to the Universe) by David Alexander & Timothy Slater & Lauren Jones (Hardcover)

About the Book

Our knowledge of the universe has increased tremendously over the last century, and our discoveries are not over - there remain scientific mysteries that the next generation of astronomers and planetary scientists will need to solve. This volume in the Greenwood Guides to the Universe series covers the Sun, and provides readers with the most up-to-date understanding of the current state of scientific knowledge. Scientifically sound, but written with the student in mind, The Sun is an excellent first step for researching the exciting scientific discoveries of the star at the center of our solar system.

The Sun discusses all areas of research surrounding the subject, including: Sunspots and the solar surface; the many faces of the solar atmosphere; the solar wind and solar storms; and the long-term climate effects on the earth's atmosphere. The volume includes a glossary and a bibliography of useful resources for learning more about the subject.

Book Synopsis

Our knowledge of the universe has increased tremendously over the last century, and our discoveries are not over - there remain scientific mysteries that the next generation of astronomers and planetary scientists will need to solve. This volume in the Greenwood Guides to the Universe series covers the Sun, and provides readers with the most up-to-date understanding of the current state of scientific knowledge. Scientifically sound, but written with the student in mind, The Sun is an excellent first step for researching the exciting scientific discoveries of the star at the center of our solar system.

The Sun discusses all areas of research surrounding the subject, including: Sunspots and the solar surface; the many faces of the solar atmosphere; the solar wind and solar storms; and the long-term climate effects on the earth's atmosphere. The volume includes a glossary and a bibliography of useful resources for learning more about the subject.

Review Quotes

"Alexander (astrophysics, Rice Univ.) writes in a manner that is accessible to amateurs. However, the depth and breadth of this title is such that it will satisfy even the most serious amateur astronomers and science enthusiasts, while at the same time providing less serious readers enough practical information about the effects of solar phenomena on everyday life. Overall, The Sun is an excellent choice for popular science libraries as well as individual astronomy collections. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels of undergraduate students and general readers."

Choice

"The latest entry in the Greenwood Guides to the Universe series explores the Sun and observes that while it is ordinary in the context of a star in the universe, its proximity to the earth has generated significant advances in the study of astronomy and physics. Alexander (astrophysics, Rice U.) explores the Sun's roles as a timekeeper and mythological entity before

providing scientific data on its surface, magnetism, atmosphere and climate. Appendices include interesting facts about the Sun and a glossary of terms so that novice and advanced students, as well as general readers, can appreciate the content."

SciTech Book News

About the Author

DAVID ALEXANDER is currently the Andrew Hays Buchanan Associate Professor of Astrophysics at Rice University in Houston, Texas. He received a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) in 2004 and was appointed a Kavli Frontiers Fellow by the National Academy of Sciences in 2006. He is a co-investigator on the NASA STEREO mission and an Associated Scientist on the NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) mission to be launched at the end of 2008. Professor Alexander serves as an associate editor for the Journal of Geophysical Research-Space Science and also serves, or has served, on several national advisory committees for NASA, the American Geophysical Union, and for the Solar Physics Division of the American Astronomical Society.