Gliese 581 is a red dwarf star some 20.3 light years from Earth. Red dwarfs are among the most numerous stars in the galaxy, and they sport diverse planetary systems. At magnitude 10, Gliese 581 is visible to amateur observers but does not stand out. So what makes this star so important? It is that professional observers have confirmed that it has at least four planets orbiting it, and in 2009, Planet d was described in the letters of The Astrophysical Journal as "the first confirmed exoplanet that could support Earth-like life."

Under a Crimson Sun looks at the nature of red dwarf systems such as Gliese as potential homes for life.

Realistically, what are prospects for life on these distant worlds? Could life evolve and survive there? How do these planetary surfaces and geology evolve? How would life on a red dwarf planet differ from life on Earth? And what are the implications for finding further habitable worlds in our galaxy?

Stevenson provides readers with insight into the habitability of planets and how this changes as time progresses and the central star evolves. Explore with him in this engaging, fascinating book the possibilities for finding life, from bacteria to more complex andeven intelligent organisms, on red dwarf system planets.

Autorentext

David S. Stevenson studied molecular biology at Glasgow and Cambridge Universities. He has a BSc Honours 1st Class Glasgow University; a Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics from Cambridge University; Open University Astronomy and Planetary Sciences (distinction), and Open University, Geophysics and Geochemistry. His peer-reviewed biological research articles from 1999 to 2003 include a paper on the early development of life, The Origin of Translation, published in the Journal of Theoretical Biology.

David's interest in astronomy was encouraged from an early age by his father. This (combined with an interest in explosions!) has led David to research and write about the life and death of stars.

After a stint in academia David became a teacher but continued to write science articles for various publications. He has published numerous articles on the Blackwell Plant Sciences website (2002-2007). Turning Out the Lights (an article about red dwarfs) was published in Popular Astronomy in 2003, A Bigger Bang (about Type Ia Supernovae) in Sky & Telescope last July, with Exceptional Explosions (also for Sky & Telescope) currently in production. He is currently writing another book for Springer on what he terms ultranovas, which are a type of supernova.

David lives in Nottingham in the UK with his wife and family.

Inhalt
The Evolution of Red Dwarfs.- Gliese 581, a Planetary System 20 Light-years from Earth.- 'Super-Earths'.- The Development of Life.- Prospects for Sustained Evolution.- Surface Conditions on Super Earths.- Gliese 581 - the Next 400 Billion Years.- Comparison with the Evolution of Earth.- Red Dwarfs - the Final Bastions of Life?.