The sun / Leon Golub and Jay M. Pasachoff

Includes bibliographical references (pages 199-209) and index.

Sunspots -- Looking inside the sun -- A solar pulse -- A spectrum and what it tells us -- The solar chromosphere and prominences -- The visible corona -- The invisible corona : a discussion mostly about photons -- Storms from the sun : a discussion mostly about particles and fields -- Epilogue : the heliosphere -- Appendix I : observing the sun safely -- Appendix II : amateur solar observing -- Appendix III : observing the corona at eclipse -- Appendix IV : observing the sun from space

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 account of what scientists know about the Sun, and the history of these discoveries. Solar astronomers have studied the Sun over the centuries both for its intrinsic interest and in order to use it as a laboratory to reveal the secrets of other stars