Nearest Star
The Surprising Science of our Sun

Review of the first edition: 'The subtitle of Nearest Star is The Surprising Science of our Sun. And it is surprising: our knowledge of this normal dwarf star that happens to be all-important to life on Earth is very far from complete. Many puzzles remain, even if we know far more than we did a few years ago, before data from spacecraft became available. In any case, Leon Golub and Jay Pasachoff are splendid guides to the subject, as both are highly distinguished astronomers who have paid special attention to the Sun. Nearest Star is a comprehensive survey, dealing with all aspects of solar research. It is well written and well illustrated, and there is a good glossary and a useful bibliography … If you are looking for a reliable, up-to-date and very readable account of modern solar science, with special emphasis on Earth–Sun relationships, then this is one for you.' Sir Patrick Moore, New Scientist

Review of the first edition: 'The book gives readable accounts of the Sun's evolution from its earliest state to its final fate and the spectrum of its visible light, again set in the context of past discoveries … I was impressed by the descriptive nature of the text, which has no mathematics or complex physics. This is a book for amateur astronomers and scientists who want to know what are the latest findings about the Sun and about some of the developments that led to them.' Ken Phillips, The Times Higher Education Supplement

Review of the first edition: 'A story with many facets and multiple links to fundamental physics that might surprise as well as engage the reader. The book is beautifully written and conveys the love that the authors have for the subject. Together, [the authors] are uniquely qualified to write a book on the Sun, and they have produced a truly fascinating tour, complete with an outstanding set of images. Nearest Star takes us on a multidimensional journey - in space, from the center of the Sun to the atmosphere of the Earth, and in time, from the Big Bang to our current arguments about global warming … In sum, Nearest Star provides an excellent overview of our current understanding of the Sun and its effects on Earth.' Ramon E. Lopez, Physics Today

'… enjoyable reading throughout.' BBC Sky at Night Magazine

'… a carefully composed, very readable account … I would recommend this book to specialist and non-specialist alike as a fine, 'non-preachy', and concise account of the current state of knowledge of the workings of our local star, the Sun, and also of the instruments by which that information has been obtained.' The Observatory

'The book is very readable … [it was] quite difficult to put down once I started it, the pages seeming to turn with alarming frequency … a great read!' Lyn Smith, Journal of the British Astronomical Association