Space Atlas
by: James Trefil
As spacecraft probe every dimension of our solar system and astrophysicists tap into phenomena from the beginning of time, our vision of the universe is changing fast. This new edition of National Geographic's spectacular Space Atlas, thoroughly revised and updated, captures it all.
Starting with the sun, moons, and planets in out own solar system, moving outward to stars and galaxies, and reaching beyond into the fascinating mysteries of dark matter, pulsars, and the multiverse, these pages glow with dazzling photography, revealing graphics, and exquisite maps, their details newly rendered thanks to cutting-edge data from the latest space missions.
Renowned physicist James Trefil guides us through this cosmic journey, including key facts on every heavenly object and introducing us to the astronomers, past and present, whose discoveries have shaped our understanding.
Every page, every map in this new edition of Space Atlas has been reviewed in light of new discoveries--from the polar craters newly discovered on Mercury to the evidence of gravitational waves, captured as two neutron stars collided more than a hundred million light-years away. Some maps reflect significant new findings, such as Pluto--now replete with details we know thanks only to NASA's New Horizons--or the new dwarf plant Ceres, prominent in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter and visited by NASA's Dawn mission in 2016.
With a new foreword by Buzz Aldrin, reflecting on 50 years of changing knowledge about the universe and the moon he walked on, this exquisite book is sure to intrigue every newcomer who looks up with wonder at the night sky--and to satisfy every reader already attuned to the amazing drama of the cosmos. {cover copy}
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book actually came as quite a surprise to me. I expected that I would mostly enjoy the photos and little tidbits scattered through those pages. Instead, I found myself rather fascinated and wishing that I had had this book as subject material for my college Astronomy class (unfortunately I had a teacher who spoke in monotone and I don't even remember the text because it was so dull). Of course, I did still very much enjoy the photos and the tidbits as they, too, were fascinating. I kept finding myself telling my husband "hey this is cool, listen" and then reading out or pointing out sections of the book. I also kept losing time when I would sit to read just a page during lunch and look up an hour later to realize I'd been reading far too long than I planned. This book actually makes me miss learning things that aren't directly related to my job, but are rather just really interesting things to learn.
Also, I have to add, that the foreword by Buzz Aldrin had me thinking of many different stories in turns: First Star Wars, then Firefly, The 100, The Martian, Red Rising... It made me glad I love Science Fiction.
In conclusion, this book was way more than I expected and I'm so happy to own it because I will definitely be sharing it with my girls when they get old enough. I look forward to seeing the wonder on their faces as they learn about the universe, because it is super fascinating. Also, because Science is important. (This, coming from an artist and author, might seem surprising. But truth be told, I loved Science as a kid. It was Math that killed Science for me as I got older. Curse you, Algebra!)
As spacecraft probe every dimension of our solar system and astrophysicists tap into phenomena from the beginning of time, our vision of the universe is changing fast. This new edition of National Geographic's spectacular Space Atlas, thoroughly revised and updated, captures it all.Starting with the sun, moons, and planets in out own solar system, moving outward to stars and galaxies, and reaching beyond into the fascinating mysteries of dark matter, pulsars, and the multiverse, these pages glow with dazzling photography, revealing graphics, and exquisite maps, their details newly rendered thanks to cutting-edge data from the latest space missions.
Renowned physicist James Trefil guides us through this cosmic journey, including key facts on every heavenly object and introducing us to the astronomers, past and present, whose discoveries have shaped our understanding.
Every page, every map in this new edition of Space Atlas has been reviewed in light of new discoveries--from the polar craters newly discovered on Mercury to the evidence of gravitational waves, captured as two neutron stars collided more than a hundred million light-years away. Some maps reflect significant new findings, such as Pluto--now replete with details we know thanks only to NASA's New Horizons--or the new dwarf plant Ceres, prominent in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter and visited by NASA's Dawn mission in 2016.
With a new foreword by Buzz Aldrin, reflecting on 50 years of changing knowledge about the universe and the moon he walked on, this exquisite book is sure to intrigue every newcomer who looks up with wonder at the night sky--and to satisfy every reader already attuned to the amazing drama of the cosmos. {cover copy}
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book actually came as quite a surprise to me. I expected that I would mostly enjoy the photos and little tidbits scattered through those pages. Instead, I found myself rather fascinated and wishing that I had had this book as subject material for my college Astronomy class (unfortunately I had a teacher who spoke in monotone and I don't even remember the text because it was so dull). Of course, I did still very much enjoy the photos and the tidbits as they, too, were fascinating. I kept finding myself telling my husband "hey this is cool, listen" and then reading out or pointing out sections of the book. I also kept losing time when I would sit to read just a page during lunch and look up an hour later to realize I'd been reading far too long than I planned. This book actually makes me miss learning things that aren't directly related to my job, but are rather just really interesting things to learn.
Also, I have to add, that the foreword by Buzz Aldrin had me thinking of many different stories in turns: First Star Wars, then Firefly, The 100, The Martian, Red Rising... It made me glad I love Science Fiction.
In conclusion, this book was way more than I expected and I'm so happy to own it because I will definitely be sharing it with my girls when they get old enough. I look forward to seeing the wonder on their faces as they learn about the universe, because it is super fascinating. Also, because Science is important. (This, coming from an artist and author, might seem surprising. But truth be told, I loved Science as a kid. It was Math that killed Science for me as I got older. Curse you, Algebra!)
No comments have been added yet.
