“This clearly written and finely illustrated book should fascinate and enlighten anyone who has wondered about the Sun—and the obvious (and less obvious) ways in which it affects us on Earth. The authors, both leading experts, enliven their succinct exposition with a historical perspective, showing how our present understanding has emerged.”
— Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal
“What sets this book apart from a myriad of others on the subject is its easy-to-read, non-technical language. In cases where a more complicated point needs to be communicated, this is backed by analogies from everyday science to get the information across in layman’s terms . . . This entertaining and easy read is ideal for beginners wanting to find out a bit more about the Sun and its wider influences, without being bogged down by the sort of heavy science that can be dull to read and difficult to understand. . . . This is a thoroughly recommended book.”
— BBC Sky at Night Magazine
“It may be just another yellow dwarf, but to us Earthlings the Sun is the undoubted star of celestial objects. Golub and Pasachoff elucidate all things solar in this scientific primer. They anatomize sunspots by way of US astronomer George Ellery Hale, who pioneered their observation with his 1889 invention of the spectroheliograph. They explore helioseismology, which allows us to peer inside the Sun; look at chromosphere and corona; and proffer pointers on safe amateur observation. Beautifully illustrated, history-rich, and bang up to date.”
— Nature
"The Sun offers an impressively accessible and comprehensive introduction to the complex coupled system that is our nearest star. The reader is guided naturally from our very first observations of sunspots through to understanding the importance of the underlying magnetic fields (of which sunspots are the most obvious manifestation) and how that drives all of solar activity and leads to the creation of the heliosphere. . . . This should serve as a fantastic guide for the next generation of solar observers. Highly recommended."
— The Observatory
"Our Solar System's own yellow dwarf star has been variously worshiped and taken for granted by the humans who depend on it. All the while, our scientific understanding of the Sun has increased exponentially, and Smithsonian astrophysicist Golub and Williams College astronomer Pasachoff fill readers in on what we know and how we came to know it. From the spots on its surface to the physics at its core, this tour of the Sun is intriguing, accessible, and technically detailed."
— Dianne Timblin, American Scientist
"This easy-to-read, non-technical survey of our star is handsomely illustrated with high quality paper and is published in association with the Science Museum of London. . . . Important historical detail concerning scientific discoveries about the sun and current research directions are included, as the authors describe sunspots and solar phenomena, theories of the solar interior, the solar spectrum, the chromosphere, the corona, and solar storms. . . . Appendixes include safe observing for the amateur astronomer and how to observe solar eclipses. A nice reference list and endnotes are included. . . . Recommended."
— Choice