Planetary Nebulae and How to Observe Them is for amateur astronomers who want to go beyond the Messier objects, concentrating on one of the most beautiful classes of astronomical objects in the sky. Planetary nebulae are not visible to the naked eye, but they are a fascinating group of telescope objects. This guide enables a user equipped with an average-sized amateur telescope to get the best out of observing them. Topics covered include their astrophysical make-up, history of their discovery, classification and description, telescopes to use, filters, and observing techniques - in short everything anyone would need to know to successfully observe planetary nebulae. The book describes the various forms these astronomical objects can take and explains why they are favorite targets for amateur observers. Descriptions of over 100 nebulae personally observed by the author using telescopes of various sizes are included in the book. Readers can create their own observing program or follow the list of these captivating objects, many of which are found within our own Milky Way Galaxy.

At the end of a star's life, it wraps itself in a cocoon by spilling out gas and dust. Sometime later, a butterfly-like nebula emerges from the cocoon and develops into a planetary nebula. They are among the most beautiful of the celestial objects imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope. Their structures, like bubbles floating in the void, are complemented by a kaleidoscope of colour emitted by glowing gases. Delicate, lacelike, streamers of gas add to their complexity. The production of a planetary nebula by a star is a milestone in the life of a star, an event that foretells the doom of the star when its central energy source runs out. In this book, Sun Kwok tells the story of the discovery process of the creation of planetary nebulae and of the future of the Sun. Full colour illustrations are included throughout the book.

This authoritative volume provides a comprehensive review of the origin and evolution of planetary nebulae. It covers all the stages of their evolution, carefully synthesizes observations from across the spectrum, and clearly explains all the key physical processes at work. Particular emphasis is placed on observations from space, using the Hubble Space Telescope, the Infrared Space Observatory, and the ROSAT satellite. This book presents a thoroughly modern understanding of planetary nebulae, integrating developments in stellar physics with the dynamics of nebular evolution. It also describes exciting possibilities such as the use of planetary nebulae in determining the cosmic distance scale, the distribution of dark matter and the chemical evolution of galaxies. This book provides graduate students with an accessible introduction to planetary nebulae, and researchers with an authoritative reference. It can also be used as an advanced text on the physics of the interstellar medium.

Planetary nebulae are the classic subject of astrophysics. The physical pro cesses occurring in this highly ionized gaseous medium, the formation of emis sion lines in clearly specified conditions, the continuous emission extending from the far ultraviolet up to infrared and radio frequencies, the generation of exotic forms of radiation predicted by atomic physics, along with methods for deciphering the observed spectra and detecting physical and kinematic parameters of the radiating medium, etc. - all these problems form the solid foundations of the physical theory of gaseous nebulae. They are an essential part of the arsenal of powerful tools and concepts without which one cannot imagine understanding and interpreting the enormous diversity of processes taking place in the Universe - in gaseous envelopes surrounding the stars of various classes, from cool dwarfs and flare stars up to hot supergiants, as well as in stellar chromospheres and coronae, in atmospheres of unstable and anomalous stars, in circumstellar clouds and gaseous shells born in nova and supernova explosions, in diffuse nebulae and the interstellar medium, in interacting binary systems, in galaxies with emission lines, in quasars, etc. The last thirty years have seen a turning-point in our knowledge concern ing the very nature of planetary nebulae (PNs). The radio emission of PNs was discovered after it was predicted theoretically. On the other hand, the powerful infrared emission discovered both in the continuum and in emission lines was never expected.

"The polarization study of celestial objects is a valuable part of optical astronomy, and the author has done exceptionally well in bringing to gether contributions treating all aspects of the polarimetry field. . . . The first section contains a fine introduction and an excellent and definitive history of the subject. . . . The volume is well illustrated. . . . Highly recommended."ÑChoice "The high quality of this book is clearly due to strict editorial attention to each paper and the discussions. Gehrel's book will surely stand for many years as the fundamental reference source for polarization studies in astronomy as well as in atmospheric physics."ÑJournal of the Assoc. of Lunar and Planetary Observers

Every 5 years since 1967 a meeting has been held to discuss the subject of planetary nebulae and their central stars. Previous meetings have been held in Tatranska Lomnica (Czechoslovakia); Liege (Belgium); Ithaca, New York (U. S. A); and London (Great Britain). IAU Symposium 131 was sponsored by IAU Commision 34, on Interstellar Matter and co-sponsored by IAU Commisions 35 and 36 on Stellar Constitution and Theory of Stellar Atmospheres. The symposium was held at the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico in Mexico City, October 5-9, 1987. It took place in one of the old buildings of the University of Mexico in the downtown area. The inner patio of the building provided very pleasant surroundings for the poster sessions and for extensive discussions among the participants. The meeting was attended by 160 scientists from 22 countries. The Scientific Organizing Committee,under the chairmanship of J.B. Kaler, prepared a comprehensive scientific program based on a set of invited presentations. All contributed papers were presented in poster form. The Scientific Organizing Committee would like to thank the staff of the University of Illinois Department of Astronomy: Dr. Ron Allen for granting financial support; Carol Stickrod, Louise Browning, Deana Griffin and Sandie Osterbur for their help with the organization. IAU provided economic assistance to a group of young astronomers.