Sunspots and Starspots

John H. Thomas is Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Sciences, and Astronomy, at the University of Rochester. He has been the Chair of the Solar Physics Division of the American Astronomical Society, and was a Scientific Editor of the Astrophysical Journal for ten years. Nigel O. Weiss is Emeritus Professor of Mathematical Astrophysics at the University of Cambridge. He is a former President of the Royal Astronomical Society, which awarded him a Gold Medal in 2007.

Review of the hardback: 'As the 46th title in the Cambridge astrophysics series, this book on sunspots and starspots lives up to the high standards of many of the titles in this series. Both Thomas and Weiss are well-known experts in the field of spots on both the Sun and other stars … The authors … discuss more recent changes in Earth's temperature and, following a series of well-reasoned arguments, conclude that global warming by anthropogenic greenhouse gases is indeed a serious problem for mankind.' Clare Parnell, Journal of Geophysical and Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics

• Preface; 1. The sun among the stars; 2. Sunspots and starspots: a historical introduction; 3. Overall structure of a sunspot; 4. Fine structure of the umbra; 5. Fine structure of the penumbra; 6. Oscillations in sunspots; 7. Sunspots and active regions; 8. Magnetic activity in stars; 9. Starspots; 10. Solar and stellar activity cycles; 11. Solar and stellar dynamos; 12. Solar activity, space weather, and climate change; 13. The way ahead; Appendices; References; Index.