Atoms, Stars, and Nebulae

by Lawrence H. Aller

In a nontechnical fashion, this book tells the story of how astronomy and physics work together to unravel many mysteries of stars and nebulae. Professor Aller's descriptions stress deeper understanding of these objects, not just a mere review of facts. After a succinct, nonmathematical excursion into the principles of radiation and atomic structure, he explains in simple terms the physical processes at work in stars and gaseous nebulae. A survey of masses, dimensions, luminosities, temperatures, and chemical compositions of stars is followed by an exploration of their interiors and how stars generate energy. The life histories of stars, from origin through final demise, sometimes through variability to beautiful nebulae, sometimes via violent explosions as supernovae, is recounted in detail. The exotic life histories of many double stars, some of which produce novae, are also described, and the origins of chemical elements in dense stellar cores and the vital role played by gas and dust between the stars is explained. The book closes with an account of the exciting new field of high-energy astronomy and the origin of cosmic rays. This is the ideal introduction to the important field of modern astrophysics for physics and astronomy students. It should also appeal to amateur astronomers interested in the life history of a star, be it a modest one such as our sun or a massive object destined to become a supernovae.

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1971

About the author

Lawrence Hugh Aller, Ph.D. (Harvard University, 1943; B.S., University of California, Berkeley, 1936) was chair of the astronomy department he helped to build at UCLA, 1963–1968. Previosly, he served as assistant professor at Indiana University, and associate professor at the University of Michigan. He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1961, to the United States National Academy of Sciences in 1962, and was awarded the 1992 Henry Norris Russell Lectureship by the American Astronomical Society in recognition of a lifetime of excellence in astronomical research.