A comprehensive account of solar astrophysics and how our perception and knowledge of this star have gradually changed as mankind has elucidated ever more of its mysteries. The emphasis here is on the last decade, which has seen three successful solar spacecraft missions: SOHO, Ulysses and Yohkoh. Together, these have confirmed many aspects of the solar standard model and provided new clues to the numerous open questions that remain. The author, a leading researcher in the field, writes in a clear and concise style. Known also for his famous books "Astrophysical Formulae", "Sun, Earth and Sky" and the prize-winning "Wanderers in Space", he has succeeded once again in addressing a complex scientific topic in a very approachable way.

Inhalt

1. Instruments for a Revolution.- 2. Discovering Space.- 3. Exploring Unseen Depths of the Sun.- 4. Solving the Sun's Heating Problem.- 5. Winds Across the Void.- 6. Our Violent Sun.- 7. The Sun-Earth Connection.- A. SOHO Principal Investigators and Their Institutions.- B. Ulysses Principal Investigators and Their Institutions.- Internet Addresses.- I. Fundamental Data.- II. Information About SOHO, Ulysses and Yohkoh.- III. Information About Other Solar Missions.- IV. Information About NASA's Sun-Earth Connection.- V. Information About Helioseismology.- VI. Other Solar Topics.- VII. Information About Cosmic and Heliospheric Physics.- VIII. Information About Solar Activity and Space Weather.- References.- Author Index.