Synopses & Reviews
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.
Review
"Amateurs and academics with an interest in the subject of variable stars will perhaps come to regard this as a modern classic."
The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada
Review
"Tightly written, and frequently interspersed with figures and graphs, the book contains and enormity of fact and discussion...a formost authority on Variable Stars...is a marvellous repository of information. As such it is an ideal textbook for a serious student, or a reference book for the amateur astronomer.: --Astronomy & Space
Review
"If you want a comprehensive guide to the science of variable stars, you can't go wrong with a book written by John Percy, a world authority on variable star observation...as a guide to understanding modern variable star research, it's essential." --BBC Sky at Night
Review
"It is certainly the most up-to-date readable description of the various types of variable stars and what is known about each...Basically, if you observe variable stars, you should read and probably own this book." --HTN of the AAVSO
Synopsis
Concise introduction and overview of variable stars, for undergraduate students and experienced amateur astronomers.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction; 2. Stars in general; 3. Rotating variable stars; 4. Eclipsing variable stars; 5. Pulsating variable stars; 6. Cataclysmic variable stars; 7. Young variable stars; 8. Miscellaneous variable stars; 9. Applications of variable stars; 10. Epilogue; Appendices.