Provides a comprehensive guide to the universe, from craters on the Moon to Jupiter's Great Red Spot, and includes maps of the night sky, profiles of constellations, and tips on using binoculars and telescopes.
Issued in slipcase Includes index Includes bibliographical references and index
Contents:
History. The beginnings of astronomy ; The rise of astrophysics ; Our place in the Universe ; Into orbit ; The race to the Moon ; Shuttles and stations ; Exploring the Solar System ; Unlocking the stars ; Pushing the limits The Universe. Origins. The structure of the Universe ; The Big Bang ; The first stars and galaxies ; The expanding Universe ; The fate of the Universe Phenomena. Star classification ; Stellar life cycles ; Multiple stars and clusters ; Variable stars ; Galaxies ; Planets of other stars The Solar System. Our Solar System ; The Sun ; Mercury ; Venus ; Earth ; The Moon ; Mars ; Jupiter ; Saturn ; Uranus ; Neptune ; Pluto ; Comets and meteors ; Asteroids and meteorites The Night Sky. Observation. The appearance of the sky ; Finding your way ; Starting observing ; Binoculars ; Telescope astronomy ; Astrophotography The constellations. Mapping the sky ; Understanding the charts ; Guide to the constellations Monthly sky guide Almanac
