Jay M Pasachoff

A basic field guide for beginning observers of the night sky, introducing information on the locations, names, and characteristics of stars, constellations, and other bodies in outer space.

"How did the Sun evolve, and what will it become? What is the origin of its light and heat? How does solar activity affect the atmospheric conditions that make life on Earth possible? These are the questions at the heart of solar physics, and at the core of this book. The Sun is the only star near enough to study in sufficient detail to provide rigorous tests of our theories and to help us understand the more distant and exotic objects throughout...

Essential for life on earth and a major influence on our environment, the Sun is also the most fascinating object in the daytime sky. Every day we feel the effect of its coming and going--literally the difference between day and night. But figuring out what the Sun is, what it's made of, why it glows so brightly, how old it is, how long it will last--all of these take thought and observation. Leon Golub and Jay M. Pasachoff offer an engaging and informative...