The Enigma of Sunspots: A Story of Discovery and Scientific Revolution

By Judit Brody

Sunspots, the strange and elusive dark shapes that periodically sweep across the Sun's surface, have mystified people for centuries. Given their elusive cyclical nature and the fact that it is both painful and dangerous to observe the Sun directly, it is little wonder that records of sunspots are almost nonexistent in Europe before the seventeenth century. Today these solar emissions are thought to coincide with major effects in global weather pattern, making a deeper understanding of sunspots of vital importance today. In The Enigma of Sunspots , you can learn about this strange and powerful phenomena that may hold a key to our understanding of the Sun. Judit Brody tells the fascinating history of the efforts to study sunspots, beginning with the lives--and quarrels--of those pioneers who first charted their mysterious patterns of behavior.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0863153704
• ISBN13: 9780863153709
• Release Date: January 2003
• Publisher: Floris Books
• Length: 191 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.8" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

the story of sunspots

This first and only sustained treatment of the history of sunspots (that I know of) is wonderfully clear and engaging. Judit Brody evidently loves her subject and conveys her fascination very well; her writing has a conversational, informal approach that puts the reader at ease, but at the same time one learns much from her careful study of the historical sources and her awareness of their human dimensions and drama. The book is also greatly enhanced by its superb illustrations, which enliven almost every page. This really admirable book deserves much praise.

Timely and timeless

Ms. Brody stimulates the reader's curiosity about sunspots with engaging insights about historic studies. She relates modern knowledge about sunspots to our use of technology and global warming. Carefully chosen illustrations complement the text. Both scholarly and entertaining, this book is a delight.

The brilliance of sunspots

An erudite, yet highly accessible, introduction into a subject that deserves to be illuminated. The study of sunspots has recently experienced a bit of a revival because of the connection with global warming. This book is both relevant to the current issue, and also provides a historical perspective on a phenomenon that has fascinated sky gazers for hundreds of years.