White dwarfs, each containing about as much mass as our Sun but packed into a volume about the size of Earth, are the endpoints of evolution for most stars. Thousands of these faint objects have now been discovered, though only a century ago only three were known. They are among the most common stars in the Milky Way Galaxy, and they have become important tools in understanding the universe. Yet a century ago only three white dwarfs were known.
The existence of these stars completely baffled the scientists of the day, and solving the mysteries of these strange objects required revolutionary advances in science and technology, including the development of quantum physics, the construction and utilization of large telescopes, the invention of the digital computer, and the ability to make astronomical observations from space.
This book tells the story of the growth in our understanding of white dwarf stars, set within the context of the relevant scientific and technological advances. Part popular science, part historical narrative, this book is authored by one of the astrophysicists who participated directly in uncovering some of the secrets of white dwarf stars.
Author(s): Hugh M. Van Horn (auth.)
Series: Astronomers' Universe
Edition: 1
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Year: 2015
Language: English
Pages: 324
Tags: Popular Science in Astronomy; Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology
Front Matter....Pages i-xxii
The First Clues....Pages 1-8
A Star the Size of the Earth? Absurd!....Pages 9-16
Great Balls of Fire....Pages 17-28
Relativity, Wave-Particle Duality, and the Nature of White Dwarfs....Pages 29-39
Star Power....Pages 41-52
Still Pretty Hot for a Fading Old Star!....Pages 53-61
Stalking the Wild White Dwarf....Pages 63-73
The Peculiar Spectra of White Dwarfs....Pages 75-86
Interlude: Crossing the Digital Divide....Pages 87-98
How to Make a White Dwarf....Pages 99-107
Diamonds in the Sky....Pages 109-121
The Envelope, Please!....Pages 123-135
Leaping into Space....Pages 137-150
Decoding the Spectra of White Dwarfs....Pages 151-163
The Secrets in the Spectra....Pages 165-182
Understanding the White Dwarf Menagerie....Pages 183-194
Music of the Spheres....Pages 195-209
The Whole Earth Telescope and Asteroseismology....Pages 211-223
Magnetic Personalities....Pages 225-236
Odd Couples....Pages 237-246
White Dwarfs and the Nature of the Milky Way Galaxy....Pages 247-257
White Dwarfs and Cosmology....Pages 259-269
Back Matter....Pages 271-324
