Observer's Guide to Stellar Evolution

Stellar evolution - the birth, development and death of stars - is central to our current understanding of astronomy, but surprisingly the majority of amateur astronomers lack a full understanding of the physics of stars. Current books on the market tend to be highly theoretical and off-putting, in Observer's Guide to Stellar Evolution, Mike Inglis brings this subject to life in a unique way. By combining a step-by-step introduction with suggestions for practical observations of stars at different stages in their evolution, amateur astronomers regardless of their current level of knowledge, will find this book fascinating and informative. -Accessible to every amateur astronomer, regardless of background knowledge. -Step-by-step introduction to the theory of stellar evolution. -Includes many examples of stars at different stages in their evolution, that the reader can observe for him/herself. -Mathematics is made accessible by being presented in 'boxes' that readers can skip over if they prefer.

Contents

• Distance to the Stars
• The Nearest Stars
• The Brightness and Luminosity of Stars
• The Magnitudes of Stars
• The Brightest Stars
• The Colour of Stars
• The Size and Mass of Stars
• The Biggest Stars
• The Constituents of Stars
• The Spectra of Stars
• Stellar Classification
• The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram
• The H-R Diagram and a Star's Radius
• The H-R Diagram and a Star's Luminosity
• The H-R Diagram and a Star's Mass

• Introduction
• The Interstellar Medium
• Nebulae
• Molecular Clouds
• Protostars
• Pre-Main Sequence Evolution
• Mass Loss and Mass Gain
• Star Clusters
• Stellar Associations and Streams
• Star Formation Triggers

• Introduction
• Our Nearest Star - The Sun
• From the Surface to the Core
• The Proton-Proton Chain
• The Flow of Energy from the Core to the Surface
• Main Sequence Lifetimes
• Towards the Red Giant
• Helium Burning and the Helium Flash
• Red Giants, Star Clusters and the H-R Diagram
• Post-Main Sequence Star Clusters: The Globular Clusters
• Stars That Pulsate
• Cepheid Variables and the Period-Luminosity Relationship
• Cepheid Variables: Temperature and Mass
• RR Lyrae and Long-Period Variable Stars

• Introduction
• The Asymptotic Giant Branch
• Dredge-Ups
• Mass Loss and Stellar Winds
• Infrared Stars
• The End of an AGB Star's Life
• Planetary Nebulae
• White Dwarf Stars
• Electron Degeneracy and White Dwarfs
• The Chandrasekhar Limit
• White Dwarf Evolution
• White Dwarf Origins
• High-Mass Stars: Nuclear Burning
• Iron, Supernovae and the Formation of the Elements
• The Supernova Remnant
• A Final Note on Supernovae
• Neutron Stars, Pulsars and Black Holes
• From Beginning to End