Ganesan Srinivasan Livres

The outstanding question in astronomy at the turn of the twentieth century was: What are the stars and why are they as they are? In this volume, the story of how the answer to this fundamental question was unravelled is narrated in an informal style, with emphasis on the underlying physics. This book discusses recent developments in the context of discussing the nature of the stars, their stability and the source of the energy they radiate. Reading this book will get young students excited about the presently unfolding revolution in astronomy and the challenges that await them in the world of physics, engineering and technology. General readers will also find the book appealing for its highly accessible narrative of the physics of stars.

This volume explores the fascinating evolution of stars as they age, highlighting how this process varies with mass. The end of a star's life, determined by its energy supply and mass, has intrigued astronomers for decades. Part I recounts the remarkable predictions made in the 1920s and 1930s regarding stellar fate, emphasizing the role of emerging quantum physics, which is thoroughly introduced. Part II summarizes the life history of stars, categorized into low-mass stars like our Sun, intermediate-mass stars, and massive stars. The foundational concepts of contemporary astrophysics were significantly influenced by Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar's work in the 1930s, and this book includes a brief biographical sketch of him that readers will find captivating. Young students will be inspired by the ongoing revolution in astronomy and the challenges in physics, engineering, and technology that lie ahead. General readers will appreciate the accessible narrative of stellar physics. This book serves as a companion volume to “What are the Stars?” by the same author. It stands out as an exceptional resource for undergraduate students interested in stellar evolution.