- Explains how stars are born, how they evolve and their ultimate fates, for a broad general audience
- Written in a clear and accessible style, explaining concepts without the use of mathematics or jargon
- Nearly 150 color and black and white illustrations present various solar phenomena - star birth, planet formation, and more - in vivid detail
In this well-illustrated text, Kenneth R. Lang explains the life cycle of stars, from the dense molecular clouds that are stellar nurseries to the enigmatic nebulae some stars leave behind in their violent ends. Free of mathematical equations and technical jargon, Lang's lively and accessible text provides physical insights into how stars such as our Sun are born, what fuels them and keeps them bright, how they evolve and the processes by which they eventually die. The book demonstrates the sheer scope and variety of stellar phenomena in the context of the universe as a whole. Boxed focus elements enhance and amplify the discussion for readers looking for more depth. Featuring more than 150 figures, including color plates, The Life and Death of Stars is a modern and up-to-date account of stars written for a broad audience, from armchair astronomers and popular science readers to students and teachers of science.
Table of Contents
- Light of the Sun
- Gravity and motion
- Atomic and sub-atomic particles
- Transmutation of the elements
- What makes the Sun shine?
- The extended solar atmosphere
- Comparisons of the Sun with other stars
- The lives of stars
- The material between stars
- New stars arise from the darkness
- Stellar end states
- A larger, expanding universe
- Birth, life, and death of the universe
The author Kenneth R. Lang is Professor of Astronomy at Tufts University. He is the author of many popular astronomy books.
