Covers 180 features of Earth's solar system, including every major body and phenomenon, offering detailed basic information on all major aspects.

Discover the celestial myths and cosmic rituals of ancient priests and kings... Drawing on intimate knowledge of the more than 1,300 ancient sites he has visited, E. C. Krupp, acclaimed writer and preeminent researcher, takes you to the world's essential sacred places and celestial shrines. Join him on a rich narrative journey to see where the rulers of old communed with the gods of the sky.

The little-known true story of the unexpected and remarkable contributions to astronomy made by a group of women working in the Harvard College Observatory from the late 1800s through the mid-1900s.-- Provided by publisher. In the mid-nineteenth century, the Harvard College Observatory began employing women as "human computers" to interpret the observations their male counterparts made via telescope each night. As photography transformed the practice...

Black holes seem like the stuff of science fiction. It's incredible to think there's a mass in the universe with such a strong pull of gravity that not even light can escape it. But it's not science fiction, and there isn't just one black hole out there. Diagrams and photographs help readers explore concepts that even scientists can't fully explain yet. This book will encourage future astrophysicists that more is going on in the night sky than meets...

An astrophysicist presents an in-depth yet accessible tour of the universe for lay readers, while conveying the excitement of astronomy-- Provided by publisher.

The Handy Astronomy Answer Book takes you on a journey through the history, science and the latest findings in astronomy. This book tells the story of astronomy, of the cosmos and its contents, and of humanity's efforts throughout history to unlock its secrets and solve its mysteries. You'll learn the answers to more than 1,000 questions on astronomy and space.

Although Albert Einstein predicted the existence of black holes in 1916, they remained the stuff of science fiction until astronomers definitively proved his theory in 1971. Today, although we know more about black holes, we are far from a perfect understanding of these astronomical objects. This volume utilizes engaging fact boxes and vivid full-color photographs to help young readers better understand what we know about black holes as well as what...

In exhilarating and behind-the-scenes detail, Panek takes his readers on a tour of the bitter rivalries and fruitful collaborations, the eureka moments and blind alleys, that have fuelled the search, redefined science, and reinvented the universe. Science journalist Panek (The Invisible Century) offers an insider's view of the quest for what could be the ultimate revelation: the true substance of the unseen dark matter and energy that makes up some...

"For more than half a century, physicists and astronomers engaged in heated dispute over the possibility of black holes in the universe. The weirdly alien notion of a space-time abyss from which nothing escapes--not even light--seemed to confound all logic. This engrossing book tells the story of the fierce black hole debates and the contributions of Einstein and Hawking and other leading thinkers who completely altered our view of the universe. Renowned...

The Kepler space telescope spent four years looking for Earth-like planets in our galaxy. A revolution in thinking about our place in the universe resulted. Are Earths commonplace, or rare? Are we likely to be alone in the universe? Only Kepler could answer these questions. Author Alan Boss, the Chair of NASA's Exoplanet Exploration Program Analysis Group, presents what the Kepler mission found.