DAVID ALEXANDER is currently the Andrew Hays Buchanan Associate Professor of Astrophysics at Rice University in Houston, Texas. He received a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) in 2004 and was appointed a Kavli Frontiers Fellow by the National Academy of Sciences in 2006. He is a co-investigator on the NASA STEREO mission and an Associated Scientist on the NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) mission to be launched at the end of 2008. Professor Alexander serves as an associate editor for the Journal of Geophysical Research-Space Science and also serves, or has served, on several national advisory committees for NASA, the American Geophysical Union, and for the Solar Physics Division of the American Astronomical Society.

The latest entry in the Greenwood Guides to the Universe series explores the Sun and observes that while it is ordinary in the context of a star in the universe, its proximity to the earth has generated significant advances in the study of astronomy and physics. Alexander (astrophysics, Rice U.) explores the Sun's roles as a timekeeper and mythological entity beforeproviding scientific data on its surface, magnetism, atmosphere and climate. Appendices include interesting facts about the Sun and a glossary of terms so that novice and advanced students, as well as general readers, can appreciate the content.

DAVID ALEXANDER is currently the Andrew Hays Buchanan Associate Professor of Astrophysics at Rice University in Houston, Texas. He received a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) in 2004 and was appointed a Kavli Frontiers Fellow by the National Academy of Sciences in 2006. He is a co-investigator on the NASA STEREO mission and an Associated Scientist on the NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) mission to be launched at the end of 2008. Professor Alexander serves as an associate editor for the Journal of Geophysical Research-Space Science and also serves, or has served, on several national advisory committees for NASA, the American Geophysical Union, and for the Solar Physics Division of the American Astronomical Society.

The latest entry in the Greenwood Guides to the Universe series explores the Sun and observes that while it is ordinary in the context of a star in the universe, its proximity to the earth has generated significant advances in the study of astronomy and physics. Alexander (astrophysics, Rice U.) explores the Sun's roles as a timekeeper and mythological entity beforeproviding scientific data on its surface, magnetism, atmosphere and climate. Appendices include interesting facts about the Sun and a glossary of terms so that novice and advanced students, as well as general readers, can appreciate the content.

DAVID ALEXANDER is currently the Andrew Hays Buchanan Associate Professor of Astrophysics at Rice University in Houston, Texas. He received a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) in 2004 and was appointed a Kavli Frontiers Fellow by the National Academy of Sciences in 2006. He is a co-investigator on the NASA STEREO mission and an Associated Scientist on the NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) mission to be launched at the end of 2008. Professor Alexander serves as an associate editor for the Journal of Geophysical Research-Space Science and also serves, or has served, on several national advisory committees for NASA, the American Geophysical Union, and for the Solar Physics Division of the American Astronomical Society.

The latest entry in the Greenwood Guides to the Universe series explores the Sun and observes that while it is ordinary in the context of a star in the universe, its proximity to the earth has generated significant advances in the study of astronomy and physics. Alexander (astrophysics, Rice U.) explores the Sun's roles as a timekeeper and mythological entity beforeproviding scientific data on its surface, magnetism, atmosphere and climate. Appendices include interesting facts about the Sun and a glossary of terms so that novice and advanced students, as well as general readers, can appreciate the content.