Understanding Variable Stars
by John R. PercyEdition: 1st
Format: Hardcover
Pub. Date: 2007-06-11
Publisher(s): Cambridge University Press
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Summary
Variable stars are those that change brightness. They come in many varieties, but each one provides important information about the star: its properties, its internal structure, and its evolution. This book provides a concise overview of variable stars, including a historical perspective, an introduction to stars in general, the techniques for discovering and studying variable stars, and a description of the main types of variable stars. Intended for anyone with some background knowledge of astronomy, it is especially suitable for undergraduate students and experienced amateur astronomers.
Author Biography
John R. Percy is Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Toronto.
Table of Contents
| List of Boxes | p. x |
| List of Figures | p. xi |
| List of Tables | p. xvii |
| Preface | p. xviii |
| History and development | p. 1 |
| Tycho's and Kepler's stars | p. 2 |
| The beginnings of modern astronomy | p. 3 |
| Systematic visual observations | p. 4 |
| The photographic revolution | p. 6 |
| Spectroscopy | p. 6 |
| Classification and explanation | p. 7 |
| Photoelectric photometry: the electronic revolution | p. 8 |
| Consolidation | p. 8 |
| The modern age | p. 9 |
| Variable stars: the present status | p. 12 |
| Stars | p. 14 |
| Positions | p. 14 |
| Binary and multiple stars | p. 15 |
| Star clusters | p. 17 |
| Galaxies | p. 18 |
| Motions of the stars | p. 21 |
| Apparent magnitude | p. 22 |
| Distance | p. 23 |
| Absolute magnitude and luminosity | p. 24 |
| Stellar masses | p. 25 |
| Spectra | p. 26 |
| Colour | p. 27 |
| Temperature | p. 28 |
| Diameter | p. 31 |
| Composition | p. 32 |
| Rotation | p. 33 |
| Radial velocity | p. 34 |
| The Hertzsprung-Russell (H-R) diagram | p. 36 |
| Star structure | p. 38 |
| Star formation | p. 39 |
| Star evolution | p. 43 |
| Star death | p. 45 |
| Variable stars | p. 48 |
| Magnitude and Julian Date | p. 49 |
| Measurement of variable stars | p. 50 |
| Discovery and observation | p. 55 |
| Analysis of variable star data | p. 61 |
| Classification | p. 71 |
| Certification | p. 74 |
| Nomenclature | p. 74 |
| Bibliography | p. 76 |
| Rotating variable stars | p. 81 |
| The spotted sun | p. 82 |
| Sunlike stars | p. 84 |
| FK Comae stars | p. 88 |
| RS Canum Venaticorum stars | p. 88 |
| BY Draconis stars | p. 91 |
| Peculiar A (Ap) stars | p. 92 |
| Pulsars | p. 96 |
| Eclipsing variable stars | p. 103 |
| Overview | p. 103 |
| Ellipsoidal variable stars | p. 106 |
| Classification of eclipsing variables | p. 107 |
| Analysis of eclipsing variables | p. 111 |
| Detached eclipsing variables | p. 118 |
| Semi-detached binaries | p. 121 |
| W Ursae Majoris stars - contact binaries | p. 122 |
| Symbiotic binary systems | p. 124 |
| VV Cephei stars | p. 126 |
| X-ray binaries | p. 128 |
| The evolution of binary systems | p. 132 |
| Transiting exoplanets | p. 133 |
| Pulsating variable stars | p. 136 |
| Pulsation modes | p. 136 |
| Pulsation mechanisms | p. 138 |
| Modelling stellar pulsation | p. 139 |
| Non-linear effects | p. 140 |
| The instability strip(s) | p. 141 |
| Helioseismology: pulsations of the sun | p. 145 |
| Asteroseismology | p. 145 |
| Classical Cepheid variable stars | p. 147 |
| Population II Cepheids (W Virginis stars) | p. 161 |
| RV Tauri variables | p. 167 |
| RR Lyrae stars | p. 173 |
| Delta Scuti stars | p. 182 |
| Rapidly oscillating peculiar A (roAp) stars | p. 190 |
| Pulsating degenerate stars | p. 192 |
| Beta Cephei (Beta Canis Majoris) stars | p. 195 |
| Pulsating red giants (PRGs) | p. 203 |
| Red supergiant (SRc) variables | p. 217 |
| Eruptive variable stars | p. 224 |
| Flare stars | p. 224 |
| Cataclysmic variables | p. 228 |
| Supernovae | p. 255 |
| Gamma-ray bursters | p. 270 |
| Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) | p. 272 |
| Pre-main-sequence variable stars | p. 278 |
| T Tauri stars | p. 279 |
| FU Orionis stars | p. 289 |
| Herbig-Haro objects | p. 291 |
| Herbig Ae and Be stars | p. 291 |
| Putting it all together | p. 292 |
| Miscellaneous variable stars | p. 296 |
| Be stars - Gamma Cassiopeiae variables | p. 296 |
| Wolf-Rayet stars | p. 301 |
| Hypergiant variable stars | p. 304 |
| R Coronae Borealis (RCB) stars | p. 312 |
| Epilogue | p. 319 |
| Variable stars and astronomical research | p. 319 |
| Variable stars and amateur astronomy | p. 320 |
| Variable stars and science education | p. 324 |
| Variable stars and the general public | p. 327 |
| Acronyms | p. 330 |
| References | p. 332 |
| Resources | p. 342 |
| Index | p. 344 |
| Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved. |
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