White dwarfs, each containing about as much mass as our Sun but packed into a volume about the size of Earth, are the endpoints of evolution for most stars. Thousands of these faint objects have now been discovered, though only a century ago only three were known. They are among the most common stars in the Milky Way Galaxy, and they have become important tools in understanding the universe. Yet a century ago only three white dwarfs were known. The existence of these stars completely baffled the scientists of the day, and solving the mysteries of these strange objects required revolutionary advances in science and technology, including the development of quantum physics, the construction and utilization of large telescopes, the invention of the digital computer, and the ability to make astronomical observations from space. This book tells the story of the growth in our understanding of white dwarf stars, set within the context of the relevant scientific and technological advances. Part popular science, part historical narrative, this book is authored by one of the astrophysicists who participated directly in uncovering some of the secrets of white dwarf stars.

White dwarfs, each containing about as much mass as our Sun but packed into a volume about the size of Earth, are the endpoints of evolution for most stars. Thousands of these faint objects have now been discovered, though only a century ago only three were known. They are among the most common stars in the Milky Way Galaxy, and they have become important tools in understanding the universe. Yet a century ago only three white dwarfs were known. The existence of these stars completely baffled the scientists of the day, and solving the mysteries of these strange objects required revolutionary advances in science and technology, including the development of quantum physics, the construction and utilization of large telescopes, the invention of the digital computer, and the ability to make astronomical observations from space. This book tells the story of the growth in our understanding of white dwarf stars, set within the context of the relevant scientific and technological advances. Part popular science, part historical narrative, this book is authored by one of the astrophysicists who participated directly in uncovering some of the secrets of white dwarf stars.

This engaging volume guides readers into the hearts of massive stars on a journey toward understanding one of the universe's most fascinating occurrences, a supernova event that signifies the end of a star's life. By exploring the origins of star formation and stellar evolutionary paths, students will come to understand the conditions that lead to the explosive deaths of massive stars, including an in-depth look at the groundbreaking detection of Supernova 1987A, the closest supernova observed in the past four hundred years. Additionally, readers will learn about the supernova research currently being conducted by universities across the world and by space agencies such as NASA.

The determination of stellar ages has been - and still is - crucial for the development of our understanding of the universe, and to constrain theoretical models for the formation of galaxies and the evolution of planetary systems. Stellar ages provide scientists with timescales, and these timescales allow us to identify the relevant physical processes responsible for the development of cosmic structures. This book describes in a simple, yet rigorous, manner the vast array of techniques that have been developed and are currently being used to determine the ages of stars. It also explores how stellar ages inform our knowledge about planets, star clusters, galaxies, even distant galaxies that we cannot resolve into individual stars. Up-to-date with the latest research and technologies in the field, it includes the cutting-edge methods being used based on asteroseismology and discusses open problems that remain to be pondered in future research. It will be of interest to advanced undergraduates and graduate students studying astronomy, in addition to the general public. Key Features Presents an entertaining and accessible approach whilst also providing a rigorous and comprehensive presentation of the subject Describes how to unveil the ages of stellar populations in distant galaxies that we cannot resolve into individual stars Contains historical notes about these techniques, outstanding major problems, and a discussion on future developments in the field

This book presents an introduction to the main concepts of statistical physics, followed by applications to specific problems and more advanced concepts, selected for their pedagogical or practical interest. Particular attention has been devoted to the presentation of the fundamental aspects, including the foundations of statistical physics, as well as to the discussion of important physical examples. Comparison of theoretical results with the relevant experimental data (with illustrative curves) is present through the entire textbook. This aspect is facilitated by the broad range of phenomena pertaining to statistical physics, providing example issues from domains as varied as the physics of classical and quantum liquids, condensed matter, liquid crystals, magnetic systems, astrophysics, atomic and molecular physics, superconductivity and many more. This textbook is intended for graduate students (MSc and PhD) and for those teaching introductory or advanced courses on statistical physics. Key Features: A rigorous and educational approach of statistical physics illustrated with concrete examples. A clear presentation of fundamental aspects of statistical physics. Many exercises with detailed solutions. Nicolas Sator is Associate Professor at Sorbonne University, Paris, France. He is a member of the Laboratory of Theoretical Physics of Condensed Matter (LPTMC) and his research focuses on the physics of liquids. Nicolas Pavloff is Professor at Paris-Saclay University, France. He is a member of Laboratoire de Physique Théorique et Modèles Statistiques (LPTMS) and his domain of research is quantum fluid theory. Lénaïc Couëdel is Professor at the University of Sasktchewan, Saskatoon, Canada and researcher at CNRS, France. His research area is plasma physics with a focus on complex plasma crystals.

In the last thirty years humans have probed the Universe, explored the Solar System and visited with spacecraft some of the most incredible places humans have ever laid eyes upon. We have expanded our knowledge slowly and surely, but still now only see a glimpse of the bigger picture. The Cosmic Keyhole explores the big discoveries of recent years and asks what’s next? How prolific is life in the Universe? How far back to the Big Bang can we probe? And what hidden treasures still await us in the hidden corners of our Solar System?