The Sun We Share

As the dominant star in our sky, the Sun has been alternately worshipped as a god and viewed as a threat over the course of human history. Despite significant advances in astronomy, the Sun continues to surprise us, most notably in its production of so-called “space weather” that impacts technology here on Earth. This unique mixture of familiarity and mystery has made the Sun a main character in popular media over the past three centuries.
This book examines how popular media have adapted to our ever-changing understanding of the inner workings of the Sun. It provides a valuable way to observe the inherent problems of communicating science to a non-technical audience. Chapters cut through the widespread hype found on the Internet, and instead explore our ever-improving scientific exploration of the Sun, the persistent misconceptions surrounding it, the fate of the Sun (and its relation to the fate of the Earth) and why, despite comments to the contrary by Oscar Wilde, the average person should care about sunspots.

Kristine Larsen is a professor of astronomy at Central Connecticut State University, where her teaching and research focus on the intersections between science and society. Her publications include numerous articles and book chapters on J.R.R. Tolkien’s uses of astronomy in his writings.

Kristine Larsen
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 213
Bibliographic Info: 31 photos, glossary, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2025
pISBN: 978-1-4766-9117-6
eISBN: 978-1-4766-5397-6
Imprint: McFarland

Introduction: Our Star: Friend or Foe? 1

1. Sunlight and Spectroscopy: A First Look Inside the Sun 15

2. ­Earth-Sun-Moon Relationships: Tides and TSI 29

3. Out, Damned Spot: Sunspots and the Correlation/Causation Divide 40

4. Space Weather, Part 1: Partly Cloudy with a Chance of Aurora 55

5. Space Weather, Part 2: Storm Preparation 70

6. Death of the Sun, Part 1: The Incredible Shrinking Sun 90

7. Death of the Sun, Part 2: Red Giants and ­Red-Hot Earths 111

8. Things That Go Boom! Novae and Supernovae 132

9. Surviving the End of the Sun 151

Conclusion: Cosmophobia and Communication 167

Glossary of Scientific Terms 171

Chapter Notes 177

Bibliography 193

Index 205

• “The Sun We Share does a great job of explaining many scientific concepts and how they differ from science fiction. And, reading this book can motivate you to want to learn more about the natural world.”—Neil F. Comins, professor of physics and astronomy, University of Maine

• “Though other books have focused on astronomy and space travel themes, none has specifically dealt with the Sun, and there is certainly a great deal in The Sun We Share to be mined. In this way, The Sun We Share is unique and important. Kristine Larsen’s enlightening detail on solar processes is balanced with copious entertaining examples from popular culture.”—Steven D. Bloom, professor of physics and astronomy, Hampden-Sydney College, author of The Physics and Astronomy of Science Fiction