The New Heavens

A concise popular account of modern astrophysics and observational astronomy, tracing early instruments to the large telescopes, cameras, and spectrographs that transformed the study of stars and nebulae. It presents photographic and spectroscopic evidence for giant and variable stars, describes solar phenomena such as sunspots and prominences, and explains techniques for measuring stellar diameters. Laboratory experiments in spectroscopy and chemistry are linked to astronomical observations to illuminate stellar atmospheres and evolution. Chapters mix historical background, instrument construction and operation, illustrative plates and diagrams, and clear explanations of how contemporary methods reveal the physical processes at work in the heavens.