This text updated and expanded from the first edition is designed for beginning students of
stellar physics and introduces the fundamentals of stellar structure and evolution. In
emphasizing the general picture of the life cycles of stars and the physics responsible it
also allows prospective specialists a taste of many of the detailed aspects of this mature
discipline. The authors develop a solid foundation in important theory that is often overlooked
in typical courses yet steer clear of extraneous intensive mathematics and physics. Topics
include: *The life stories of stars explained by observation and theory *Equations of state of
stellar material *Basic radiative transfer and stellar spectra *Stellar energy sources and
nucleosynthesis *Phenomenological approaches to convection *Numerical techniques for
computation of stellar evolution Keeping pace with recent developments the authors incorporate
important elements such as asteroseismology and the effects of rotation and magnetic fields.
This edition contains an extensive set of exercises that supplement and expand on the text.
About the authors: Carl Hansen is Professor Emeritus of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences
and Fellow Adjoint of JILA at the University of Colorado Boulder. Steve Kawaler is Professor
of Astrophysics at Iowa State University Ames Iowa. Virginia Trimble is Professor of Physics
at the University of California Irvine and Visiting Professor of Astronomy at the University
of Maryland College Park.
