This up-to-date volume offers student researchers an unexcelled primer on current scientific knowledge about stars. This volume in the Greenwood Guides to the Universe series provides the most up-to-date understanding available of the current knowledge about stars. Scientifically sound, but written with the student in mind, Stars is an excellent first step for young people researching the exciting scientific discoveries that continue to extend our knowledge of the universe. Stars is organized thematically to help students better understand these most interesting heavenly bodies. Stars discusses all areas of what is known about the subject. It will help student understand things such as white dwarfs, neutron stars, pulsars, and black holes. And it will answer student questions such as: Why do stars have different colors and how are they classified? How do we know what stars are made of? How did scientists figure out how stars evolved?

The latest discoveries about our universe to keep readers updated on the latest developments in space.

Guest essay contributed by Minnesota author Mark Hollabaugh.

A BBC Sky at Night Best Astronomy and Space Book of the Year “[A] luminous guide to the cosmos...Jo Dunkley swoops from Earth to the observable limits, then explores stellar life cycles, dark matter, cosmic evolution and the soup-to-nuts history of the Universe.” —Nature “A grand tour of space and time, from our nearest planetary neighbors to the edge of the observable Universe...If you feel like refreshing your background knowledge...this little gem certainly won’t disappoint.” —Govert Schilling, BBC Sky at Night Most of us have heard of black holes and supernovas, galaxies and the Big Bang. But few understand more than the bare facts about the universe we call home. What is really out there? How did it all begin? Where are we going? Jo Dunkley begins in Earth’s neighborhood, explaining the nature of the Solar System, the stars in our night sky, and the Milky Way. She traces the evolution of the universe from the Big Bang fourteen billion years ago, past the birth of the Sun and our planets, to today and beyond. She then explains cutting-edge debates about such perplexing phenomena as the accelerating expansion of the universe and the possibility that our universe is only one of many. Our Universe conveys with authority and grace the thrill of scientific discovery and a contagious enthusiasm for the endless wonders of space-time.

Explore the mysteries of the cosmos in this fascinating guide by leading NASA astronomer and educator Sten Odenwald. Have you ever wondered how the first stars were born? Or pondered what really happens around a black hole? Here Sten Odenwald answers these questions and many more as he takes you on a mesmerizing journey across the entire history of the universe. You will learn about the composition of planets, galaxy mergers, asteroid belts, the fundamental nature of spacetime, and much, much more. Discovering the Universe reveals the secrets behind subjects as varied as the Big Bang, dark matter, the life cycle of stars, and the nature of planets both inside and outside our solar system. Beautifully illustrated throughout with stunning photos as well as a range of diagrams and infographics to aid understanding, there has never been a better time to get into cosmology. ABOUT THE SERIES: Arcturus' Discovering... series brings together spectacular hardback guides which explore the science behind our world, brought to life by eye-catching photography.

Rev ed. of: Universe guide to stars and planets. 1985, c1984.

Expand your horizons and take in the awesome sights of the Universe. Using stunning space photography and easy-to-understand infographics, The Stars takes you to scores of galaxy clusters fantastically far away. Since the Big Bang 13.8 billion years ago, there are now hundreds of billions of stars, 200 billion alone in our home galaxy - the Milky Way. The Stars details 88 constellations to be found in the night sky, including Ursa Major, which contains the seven stars that make up the Plough, as well as Hercules, Lyra, Orion, and far away Andromeda. It explains how they came into being, where they are situated, and their key features. Feast your eyes on glowing galaxies, and rare sights such as dust clouds in the Carina and Ring Nebulae, taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. The Stars also provides an endless parade of mind-blowing facts such as when Betelgeuse explodes, it will release more energy in an instant that the Sun produces in its entire lifetime!