In 1869, a great mystery was born. As astronomers observed a total solar
eclipse, for the first time they saw the faint glow of the solar corona,
the sun's outer atmosphere. Measurements of a previously unknown
wavelength that made up this solar light sparked hot debate among
scientists, but it was another 60 years before they discovered that this
wavelength was in fact iron being burned at a staggering 3 million
degrees Celsius. With the sun's surface only 6,000 degrees, this
shouldn't be possible. What we now knew about the sun appeared to defy
the laws of physics--and nature. But as well as being shrouded in
intriguing mystery, the unpredictable nature of the sun's corona poses a
serious threat to our life here on earth--the destructive potential of
solar storms, caused by solar material traveling out into space at
around 1 million miles an hour, is huge. Remaining beyond our reach
until now, a new generation of ambitious solar missions are currently
traveling closer to the sun than any previous spacecraft in history. As
we enter this unprecedented era of heliophysics, there has never been a
better time to get to grips with the workings of our home star. Rebel
Star is a timely and essential guide, examining our long-held
fascination with the sun, from ancient beliefs, to early scientific
studies, and an up-to-date look at what we know--and still don't
know--taking us on a thrilling journey to the center of our solar
system.
