Sirius : brightest diamond in the night sky / Jay B. Holberg.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Holberg, J. B.

Contributor:

Edward Potts Cheyney Memorial Fund.

Series:

Springer-Praxis books in popular astronomy

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Sirius.

Physical Description:

xvi, 250 pages : illustrations (some color), portraits ; 25 cm.

Place of Publication:

Berlin ; New York : Springer ; Chichester, UK : Published in association with Praxis, [2007]

Summary:

Of all the "fixed stars" in the night sky, Sirius is by far the brightest - its flashing brilliance makes it a striking feature of the northern winter sky. Over the centuries, many myths and legends grew up around the "Dog Star." Some fell into obscurity, but many more have survived into modern times.

Sirius - Brightest Diamond in the Night Sky uniquely integrates the cultural history of Sirius with modern astrophysics. The book: presents many original historical studies, as well as topical and timely scientific research; explains how studies of the star have played a pivotal role in achieving our current understanding of the nature and fate of stars; demonstrates the importance of Sirius to many civilizations and cultures, including the ancient Egyptians, over thousands of years; and provides an intriguing, in-depth treatment of longstanding controversies surrounding Sirius, such as Red Sirius and the story of the Dogon tribe. Sirius: Brightest Diamond in the Night Sky offers a fascinating and definitive look at the star known as Sirius, including recent observations by the Hubble Space Telescope. So journey with Jay Holberg as he takes us to Sirius, the star that is truly the brightest and most exquisite diamond in the night sky.

Contents:

Part 1 Ancient Sirius 1

1 The Goddess of the Eastern Horizon 3

Dawn-July 17, 2276 BC-Memphis, Egypt 3

2 The Dog Star 15

Part 2 The Nature of the Stars 27

3 From Myth to Reality 29

4 A Dark Star Prophesied 47

5 A Dark Star Revealed 63

Part 3 The Physics of the Stars 79

6 An Odd Pair 81

7 Giants among the Dwarfs 99

8 A Matter of Degeneracy 123

9 Einstein's Well 141

Part 4 A Controversial and Occult Sirius 155

10 A Red Sirius 157

11 Modern Mysteries 171

Part 5 A Contemporary and Future Sirius 191

12 A View from Space 193

13 Past, Present, and Future 213

B Properties of the Sirius System 231.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [233]-243) and index.

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the Edward Potts Cheyney Memorial Fund.

ISBN:

038748941X

9780387489414

OCLC:

75713349