Learning Physics from the Stars: Its All in the Coefficients

Abstract

In this chapter, I present an overview and discussion of the basic equations of stellar structure, and show where the physics of stellar interiors appears within the coefficients of these famous equations. I discuss the basic input physics and weaknesses that we need to fix. Asteroseismology shows significant promise in helping us reduce those uncertainties and, in the process, improve our understanding of a variety of nasty physics problems. This chapter summarizes a series of lectures that were a part of the 22nd Canary Islands Winter School of Astrophysics, presented in November 2010.