This is a book about the physics of stars and starlight. The story of starlight is truly fascinating. Astronomers analyze and interpret the light from stars using photometry and spectroscopy, then inspirational detective work combines with the laws of physics to reveal the temperatures, masses, luminosities and outer structure of these far away points of light. The laws of physics themselves enable us to journey to the very center of a star and to understand its inner structure and source of energy! Starlight provides an in-depth study of stellar astrophysics that requires only basic high school mathematics and physics, making it accessible to all amateur astronomers. Starlight teaches amateur astronomers about the physics of stars and starlight in a friendly, easy-to-read way. The reader will take away a profoundly deeper understanding of this truly fascinating subject – and find his practical observations more rewardingand fulfilling as a result. INDICE: Introduction - The River of Starlight.- Starlight by Numbers.- From Light to Starlight.- Space - The Great Radiation Field.- A Multitude of Magnitudes for the Colors of Starlight.- The Photons Must Get Through - Radiative Transfer.- First Look Inside a Star - The Atmosphere.- Deep Inside a Star.- InSpace Between Stars.- A Star Story - 10 Billion Years in the Making.- Appendix 1: The Greek Alphabet.- Appendix 2: Astronomical and Physical Units and Constants.- Appendix 3: The Doppler Effect.- Index.
- ISBN: 978-1-4419-0707-3
- Editorial: Springer
- Encuadernacion: Rústica
- Páginas: 200
- Fecha Publicación: 01/10/2009
- Nº Volúmenes: 1
- Idioma: Inglés