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Further Readings
Perhaps the best way to appreciate
the magnitude of the debates and
controversies associated with early sunspot observations is to turn
to the early seventeenth century literature on the subject. The
following still makes for fascinating reading today:
Galilei, G., Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems, trans. S.
Drake, University of California Press, 1967.
(See in particular the First Day.)
Galileo's views on sunspots
are discussed in greater length in his so-called Letters
on Sunspots, excerpts of which have also been
translated by S. Drake in his Discoveries
and Opinions of Galileo (Doubleday, 1957). The following is a more
recent historical account of the development of solar physics from
the early seventeenth century to the present:
Hufbauer, K., Exploring the Sun:
Solar Science since Galileo, Johns Hopkins University Press, 1991.
On the influence of solar variability on the Earth's climate, see:
White, O. R. (ed), The Solar Radiative Output and its variations, Colorado
Associated University Press, 1977.
More recently, the National Research Council published
a report entitled Solar Influences on Global Change
(National Academy Press, Washington D.C., 1994).
Watch also for a book by D.V. Hoyt, soon to be
published by Oxford University Press.
The following are two contemporary textbooks devoted
exclusively to solar physics:
Stix, M., The Sun: An Introduction, Springer, 1989
Foukal, P. V., Solar Astrophysics, Wiley Interscience, 1990.
Both these texts discuss at some length the physical
nature and mode of operation of the solar dynamo.
To get a feel for contemporary research directions
in solar physics, the interested reader may wish to browse through:
Strong. K., Saba, J. and Haisch, B.,
(eds), The many faces of the Sun, 1995.
The Sun is a rather ordinary star, but being so much closer
to even the next nearest star makes it an invaluable benchmark against
which to test astrophysical theories. Introductory textbooks
on astronomy and astrophysics abound; at the pre-calculus level,
we recommend:
Abell, G. O., Morrison, D. and Wolff, S. C., Exploration of the Universe
(fifth edition), Saunders College Publishing, 1987".
Readers comfortable with basic calculus may opt for:
Shu, F., The Physical Universe: An Introduction to Astronomy, University
Science Books, 1982.
Previous: Conclusion - Solar-Terrestrial Interactions
Up: Slide Index
Next: Credits
Written By P. Charbonneau and O.R. White - April 18, 1995
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