The Supernova Story

Astronomers believe that a supernova is a massive explosion signaling the death of a star, causing a cosmic recycling of the chemical elements and leaving behind a pulsar, black hole, or nothing at all. In an engaging story of the life cycles of stars, Laurence Marschall tells how early astronomers identified supernovae, and how later scientists came to their current understanding, piecing together observations and historical accounts to form a theory, which was tested by intensive study of SN 1987A, the brightest supernova since 1006. He has revised and updated The Supernova Story to include all the latest developments concerning SN 1987A, which astronomers still watch for possible aftershocks, as well as SN 1993J, the spectacular new event in the cosmic laboratory.

Preface (1994) What Astronomers Do Lights in the Sky Taking Stock of the Sky Ch. 2Messages in Starlight The Doppler Shift and the Motions of Stars The Measure of the Universe Ch. 3New Stars in Ancient Times The Chinese Records How to Recognize a Supernova First Millennium Supernovae The Supernova of 1006 The Supernova of 1054 The Supernova of 1181 A Thousand Years of Watching Ch. 4Supernovae and the Revolution in Science Tycho and the Nova Stella of 1572 The New Star of 1604 The New Cosmos Ch. 5The Long Wait A Bright Star in Andromeda The Recognition of Supernovae Supernovae Defined The Search Begins High Tech Enters the Picture The Human Eye versus the Eye of the Machine Still Waiting after All These Years Ch. 6Why Stars Explode The Life of a Star Over the Brink Light Curves and Spectra Type I Supernovae Growing Distinctions The State of Present Knowledge Ch. 7Wisps and Tatters The Crab Nebula The Secret Life of Cassiopeia A Young Supernova Remnants Old Supernova Remnants Ch. 8The Eye of the Storm The Discovery of Pulsars The Nature of the Beast Pulsars, Neutron Stars, and Supernova Remnants From Neutron Stars to Black Holes A Partial Picture Ch. 9Seeding the Stars In the Beginning Element Formation in Stars Seeding the Stars The Journeywork of the Stars Ch. 10Cosmic Dimensions Probing the Depths of Space Shaping the Galaxies Primordial Supernovae Ch. 11A Death in the Neighborhood Which Star Exploded? Much Ado about Almost Nothing - The Neutrino Burst Observations and Theories Clues in the Spectra The Mystery Spot What Do We Know So Far? What's Next? Ch. 12Into the Future New Ways of Looking Prospects Epilogue (1994) Bibliographical Notes Glossary Index