Introduction to Stellar Astrophysics: Volume 1, Basic Stellar Observations and Data

This textbook introduction to the basic elements of fundamental astronomy and astrophysics serves as a foundation for understanding the structure, evolution, and observed properties of stars. The first half of the book explains how stellar motions, distances, luminosities, colors, radii, masses and temperatures are measured or derived. The author then shows how data of these sorts can be arranged to classify stars through their spectra. Stellar rotation and stellar magnetic fields are introduced. Stars with peculiar spectra and pulsating stars also merit special attention. The endpoints of stellar evolutions are briefly described. There is a separate chapter on the Sun and a final one on interstellar absorption. The usefulness of this text is enhanced by the inclusion of problems for students, tables of astronomical constants, and a selective bibliography. This is an excellent textbook for undergraduate and beginning graduate students studying astronomy and astrophysics.

"...This volume will supply a great deal of interesting information about modern stellar astrophysics." Sky and Telescope

"This text was written for students in their junior and senior years in astronomy, but is understandable to educated laypersons with some basic knowledge of physics and mathematics" Strolling Astronomer

"Strong points are the reproduction of many basic observations and the emphasis that is placed on how these observations lead to data and conclusions. In this way, the student not only learns about astronomy, but also about the way astronomers work." A. Schadee, Space Science Reviews