Astronomers' Stars - Hardcover

Moore, Patrick

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0393026639 ISBN 13: 9780393026634

Publisher: W W Norton & Co Inc, 1989

Synopsis

A clear introduction to modern stellar astronomy by Britain's well-known astronomer/writer. His approach here is novel. By taking a dozen or so famous stars and examining in detail what we can learn from them, he gives a comprehensive picture. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.

About this title

From Publishers Weekly

Mizar, Betelgeuse, Sirius, Delta Cephei, Vega, Algol, Eta Carinae are just some of the wonderful names astronomers over the centuries have given to stars. Moore, vice-president of the British Astronomical Association, introduces readers to the mysteries of astronomy by telling the captivating stories of certain stars. For example, Mizar, whose name means "girdle" in Arabic, in the handle of the Big Dipper has a visible companion called Alcor--"rider," in Arabic. Modern astronomy reveals that Mizar is actually a system of six stars--three binary pairs--engaged in complex orbital dance. Studying Betelgeuse, a red super-giant in Orion and one of the brightest stars, has helped astronomers to unravel the life cycle of stars--Betelgeuse, bright though it is, is near death. Delta Cephei, a star whose brightness fluctuates in a regular pattern, provided astronomers with the key to measuring the size of the universe. Each of the stars selected by Moore played an important role in increasing our knowledge of the universe. For those who read this thoroughly engaging book, the night sky will never be the same.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Moore is an experienced amateur astronomer in Britain and a highly prolific author of popular astronomy books. In this present volume he has taken a somewhat unusual approach. Instead of a comprehensive survey of the universe beyond the solar system, he has written separate brief chapters on 16 stars (and starlike objects) which have been significant in modern astronomical research. For each, he reviews its pre-20th-century history, if any, and then explains the importance of more recent discoveries concerning it. The book is enjoyable to read and does not demand an advanced scientific background to understand. This should be regarded as complementary to, and not a substitute for, a good field guide and a good sky atlas for stargazing. Recommended for public and college libraries.
- Jack W. Weigel, Univ. of Michigan Lib., Ann Arbor
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: W W Norton & Co Inc
• Publication date: 1989
• ISBN 10: 0393026639
• ISBN 13: 9780393026634
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 165