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Scientists in the Field
The Mysterious Universe: Supernovae, Dark Energy, and Black Holes
The universe is rapidly expanding. Of that much scientists are certain. But how fast? And with what implications regarding the fate of the universe?
Ellen Jackson and Nic Bishop follow Dr. Alex Fillippenko and his High-Z Supernova Search Team to Mauna Kea volcano in Hawaii, where they will study space phenomena and look for supernovae, dying stars that explode with the power of billions of hydrogen bombs. Dr. Fillippenko looks for black holes--areas in space with such a strong gravitational pull that no matter or energy can escape from them--with his robotic telescope. And they study the effects of dark energy, the mysterious force that scientists believe is pushing the universe apart, causing its constant and accelerating expansion.
Ellen Jackson and Nic Bishop follow Dr. Alex Fillippenko and his High-Z Supernova Search Team to Mauna Kea volcano in Hawaii, where they will study space phenomena and look for supernovae, dying stars that explode with the power of billions of hydrogen bombs. Dr. Fillippenko looks for black holes--areas in space with such a strong gravitational pull that no matter or energy can escape from them--with his robotic telescope. And they study the effects of dark energy, the mysterious force that scientists believe is pushing the universe apart, causing its constant and accelerating expansion.
60 pages, Hardcover
First published May 5, 2008
1 person is currently reading
126 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
June 13, 2021
Well, from my perspective and in my humble opinion, the absolute best and very much the most useful and serviceable parts of Ellen Jackson’s 2008 illustrated astronomy tome The Mysterious Universe: Supernovae, Dark Energy, and Black Holes (which is meant for readers from about the age of ten or so onwards) are definitely the so-called back materials. For yes and indeed, the detailed bibliographies, the expansive glossary and that Jackson has actually divided her suggestions for further study and research not only into books and websites but also into three main sections meant for general reading, for students (for younger readers) and finally for teacher (and of course also for parents), this really does make supplemental study and research oh so much easier and The Mysterious Universe: Supernovae, Dark Energy, and Black Holes into a truly wonderful educational reference source.
However, even though I certainly am academically ecstatic with regard to the above mentioned secondary sources encountered in The Mysterious Universe: Supernovae, Dark Energy, and Black Holes, if I then decide to turn my full attention to the author’s, to Ellen Jackson’s actual presented text (and yes, even though Jackson certainly features much educational, much enlightening information and details about the universe, about the supernovae, dark energy and black holes of the book title, and while Nic Bishop’s accompanying photographs are visually stunning and provide a very nice aesthetic mirror to and for the featured narrative), I do readily admit that I rather find in particular Ellen Jackson’s writing style, I do consider how she features her facts and figures about the universe for the most part so verbally tedious and dragging that I often am catching myself not only majorly distracted but also impatiently skimming and wishing that The Mysterious Universe: Supernovae, Dark Energy, and Black Holes would just stop and be done with (and yes, actually rather feeling myself a bit like a black hole swallowing and destroying my potential reading pleasure).
And albeit that I am still rating The Mysterious Universe: Supernovae, Dark Energy, and Black Holes with three stars, this is really just because I am so totally intellectually impressed with how Ellen Jackson has presented and organised her bibliography, as if I were to mostly consider how much I have enjoyed actually reading The Mysterious Universe: Supernovae, Dark Energy, and Black Holes, Ellen Jackson’s printed words, they are in fact and definitely only two stars for me.
However, even though I certainly am academically ecstatic with regard to the above mentioned secondary sources encountered in The Mysterious Universe: Supernovae, Dark Energy, and Black Holes, if I then decide to turn my full attention to the author’s, to Ellen Jackson’s actual presented text (and yes, even though Jackson certainly features much educational, much enlightening information and details about the universe, about the supernovae, dark energy and black holes of the book title, and while Nic Bishop’s accompanying photographs are visually stunning and provide a very nice aesthetic mirror to and for the featured narrative), I do readily admit that I rather find in particular Ellen Jackson’s writing style, I do consider how she features her facts and figures about the universe for the most part so verbally tedious and dragging that I often am catching myself not only majorly distracted but also impatiently skimming and wishing that The Mysterious Universe: Supernovae, Dark Energy, and Black Holes would just stop and be done with (and yes, actually rather feeling myself a bit like a black hole swallowing and destroying my potential reading pleasure).
And albeit that I am still rating The Mysterious Universe: Supernovae, Dark Energy, and Black Holes with three stars, this is really just because I am so totally intellectually impressed with how Ellen Jackson has presented and organised her bibliography, as if I were to mostly consider how much I have enjoyed actually reading The Mysterious Universe: Supernovae, Dark Energy, and Black Holes, Ellen Jackson’s printed words, they are in fact and definitely only two stars for me.
December 3, 2011
Author: Ellen Jackson
Genre: Informational
Summary: Discusses the importance of supernovae, and dark energy in understanding the expansion of the universe.
A. The content of this book is critiqued
B. The book presents several aspects of astronomy in a clear and understandable manner for older students. The phenomenon of supernovae, dark energy and black holes are made clear through vivid illustrations. The role that dark energy plays in the expansion of the universe is well illustrated (pg 38).The information is presented in a factual, but light-hearted manner allowing young students to fill comfortable reading this text. On page 5, for example it states "Wahoo!" he shouts. "We nailed it. We've got a Type 1a (One-A) supernova!” However, the appeal to young readers sometimes seems to go a bit too far, for example on page 16, the author is pictured holding a boogie board at the beach and the text refers to him eating pizza, that appears more distracting than engaging. Also, the content of the story focuses primarily on the astronomical work of one person, the author, Alex Filippenko that causes one to wonder if the information presented is shared by the wider science community.
C. Appropriate for teaching a science curriculum covering astronomy basics of dark energy, black holes, super novae, and how Doppler shift can to measure the universe's speed of expansion, and how astronomers use the Doppler shift to predict the beginning of the universe.
Genre: Informational
Summary: Discusses the importance of supernovae, and dark energy in understanding the expansion of the universe.
A. The content of this book is critiqued
B. The book presents several aspects of astronomy in a clear and understandable manner for older students. The phenomenon of supernovae, dark energy and black holes are made clear through vivid illustrations. The role that dark energy plays in the expansion of the universe is well illustrated (pg 38).The information is presented in a factual, but light-hearted manner allowing young students to fill comfortable reading this text. On page 5, for example it states "Wahoo!" he shouts. "We nailed it. We've got a Type 1a (One-A) supernova!” However, the appeal to young readers sometimes seems to go a bit too far, for example on page 16, the author is pictured holding a boogie board at the beach and the text refers to him eating pizza, that appears more distracting than engaging. Also, the content of the story focuses primarily on the astronomical work of one person, the author, Alex Filippenko that causes one to wonder if the information presented is shared by the wider science community.
C. Appropriate for teaching a science curriculum covering astronomy basics of dark energy, black holes, super novae, and how Doppler shift can to measure the universe's speed of expansion, and how astronomers use the Doppler shift to predict the beginning of the universe.
November 29, 2011
1.Informational
2.The Mysterious Universe works to explain the existence of supernovae, dark energy and black holes through the work of Alex Filippenko, an astronomer at the University of California, Berkeley.
3.A. Content B. The book uses everyday examples from Alex Filippenko’s own teachings to help explain many of the concepts surrounding astronomy while including photographs of him at work in and among the telescopes. C. Chocolate chip cookies in the oven, ping pong balls on bungee cords and Alex dressed up like a black hole are all ways in which this book helps young readers understand and identify with the science of astronomy. One photograph shows Alex with the very telescope that he got for Christmas at the age of fourteen while another shows him standing inside the dome of the massive Keck telescope in Hawaii. These additions to the book all help personalize Alex and his work for the reader.
4.This book is an excellent resource for the study of astronomy and the universe. Students may also want to continue further research using the list of resources at the back of this book.
2.The Mysterious Universe works to explain the existence of supernovae, dark energy and black holes through the work of Alex Filippenko, an astronomer at the University of California, Berkeley.
3.A. Content B. The book uses everyday examples from Alex Filippenko’s own teachings to help explain many of the concepts surrounding astronomy while including photographs of him at work in and among the telescopes. C. Chocolate chip cookies in the oven, ping pong balls on bungee cords and Alex dressed up like a black hole are all ways in which this book helps young readers understand and identify with the science of astronomy. One photograph shows Alex with the very telescope that he got for Christmas at the age of fourteen while another shows him standing inside the dome of the massive Keck telescope in Hawaii. These additions to the book all help personalize Alex and his work for the reader.
4.This book is an excellent resource for the study of astronomy and the universe. Students may also want to continue further research using the list of resources at the back of this book.
February 13, 2017
Well, I learned something from this book--never heard of "dark energy" before. I must read more! I love this "Scientists in the Field" series. This one describes an astronomer's search for a particular type of supernova. I especially liked seeing what modern telescopes look like, and was surprised to learn that using these telescopes requires sitting at a computer rather than looking through an eyepiece. The incredible vastness of the universe as described in the text and shown in the photographs was difficult for me to wrap my mind around. At one time in my life I thought I might want to be an astronomer, but books won out. At least I can continue reading about it in books like this one.
May 22, 2019
Every so often, I pick up a random nonfiction book and try to learn something. This book was very cool, I have always loved animals, plants, rocks, space—I guess that’s science! I learned a lot, I puzzled a lot, astronomy is like time travel—thinking too hard about what temperature a white dwarf is and how they actually know it makes my brain hurt a bit....but I am glad I read it!
October 17, 2008
The photos of white dwarfs, nebulae, and other brilliantly colored stars and explosions were the best part of the book. The text was sometimes engaging, but often more scientific than I needed. Dark energy and dark matter are certainly intriguing concepts!
December 14, 2008
I love the astronomy information, but the common thread about one man was off putting...just t.m.i
October 13, 2025
Author Ellen Jackson and photographer Nic Bishop, who previously collaborated on
Looking for Life in the Universe: The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
, joined forces again in this examination of the work of scientist Alex Filippenko, whose research involves supernovae, dark energy and black holes. Following Filippenko and his graduate students as they travel to the Keck Observatory on Mauna Kea in Hawaii, and then the Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton, California, the book also gives basic background information about space, astronomy, and the big bang theory, discussing how the research being undertaken by Filippenko and others uses information gained about supernovae to track the speed at which the universe is expanding. The book concludes with extensive back matter, including lists of further reading and resources, more information about the author, photographer and subject of the book, a glossary and an index...
Published in 2008, The Mysterious Universe: Supernovae, Dark Energy, and Black Holes is part of Houghton Mifflin's Scientists in the Field series, to which Jackson and Bishop's earlier book also belongs. It is the second title in the series I have read, following upon Sy Montgomery and Nic Bishop's Saving the Ghost of the Mountain: An Expedition Among Snow Leopards in Mongolia , and is the ninth book overall I have read from Jackson, whose work spans a number of different genres within the world of children's literature. In any case, I found it a good basic introduction to these topics, and thought it did an excellent job on a number of different fronts, from highlighting the titular mysterious nature of the universe—so fascinating to think that 96% percent of the universe is made up of matter and energy we cannot see and do not understand!—to emphasizing the fact that much of what we think we know in these areas is theory rather than fact, as we do not currently possess the ability to prove these ideas. I was also impressed by the extensive back matter, which provides additional resources. Recommended to young star watchers and astronomers, and to those looking for a good general introduction to space, physics, and supernovae.
Published in 2008, The Mysterious Universe: Supernovae, Dark Energy, and Black Holes is part of Houghton Mifflin's Scientists in the Field series, to which Jackson and Bishop's earlier book also belongs. It is the second title in the series I have read, following upon Sy Montgomery and Nic Bishop's Saving the Ghost of the Mountain: An Expedition Among Snow Leopards in Mongolia , and is the ninth book overall I have read from Jackson, whose work spans a number of different genres within the world of children's literature. In any case, I found it a good basic introduction to these topics, and thought it did an excellent job on a number of different fronts, from highlighting the titular mysterious nature of the universe—so fascinating to think that 96% percent of the universe is made up of matter and energy we cannot see and do not understand!—to emphasizing the fact that much of what we think we know in these areas is theory rather than fact, as we do not currently possess the ability to prove these ideas. I was also impressed by the extensive back matter, which provides additional resources. Recommended to young star watchers and astronomers, and to those looking for a good general introduction to space, physics, and supernovae.
February 3, 2026
This wasn't quite was I was anticipating, so if I were going off of what I THOUGHT this book was going to be, I'd have given it 3 stars. But the book itself, as it is, really does merit 4, I think. I do realize it says in a prominent circle in the top right corner "Scientists in the Field," but I anticipated more info on the astronomy as the subject matter and less on the astronomer and astronomy practices. Also, I thought maybe there would be more info on black holes and dark matter and energy. The book just really didn't go deep enough into the science for what I was looking for - it rested a little more elementary when I wanted. BUT for those not looking quite so deep, for middle school or whatnot, and for those wanting to know what it's actually like to be an astronomer TODAY, this book is excellent. And I've actually watched one of Alex Fillipenko's lecture series and it was FABULOUS and I think he is amazing. So it was fun to "see" him in action! The book is still great.
April 25, 2018
Informational - This is definitely a good book for the upper grades. It's a lot harder to get through than I thought, so I definitely ONLY SKIMMED IT. I really wanted to be knowledgeable about this series, but I really couldn't get through the book. It's a good reminder that sometimes kids really will not like a book and that's ok! This book is all about one scientist, Alex, and his study of black holes, supernovae, and the idea that the earth is expanding based on dark energy. Really well-done book, just not my cup of tea!
September 21, 2025
This book provides a kind of "day in the life" (or, more accurately, week in the life) for a research academic astronomer, visiting various telescopes and searching for type IA supernovae. It interested my elementary school child with a special interest in this area.
March 6, 2016
The Mysterious Universe is a well-thought and informative book by Ellen Jackson and Nic Bishop. This non-fiction writing is mainly about the mysteries of the universe; supernovae, black holes and dark energy, and how scientists research these wonders in the universe. When analyzing the information contained in this book, the reader realizes how complicated and bountiful the universe is. The universe contains thousands of galaxies, which are home to billions of stars. An interesting fact is that there are more stars in our universe than grains of sand on Earth. Furthermore, the universe is getting vaster by the second, which is because galaxies are always in motion away from each other, which creates more and more space in our cosmos. Not only does The Mysterious Universe talk about galaxies, but it also explains supernovae and the different kinds of supernovae. Supernovae are stars that end their life by an explosion. After the explosion, however, the stars vary. Bigger stars can become hypernovae or neutron stars, as for smaller stars end their life as white dwarfs. White dwarfs are very useful to scientists; they are used as candles in space, which can help measuring distances. Hypernovae, in the contrary, are very dangerous. Hypernovae keep getting smaller and smaller, denser and denser until they reach a point called singularity. Singularity is a point with an immense gravity, and it is also a point where space and time are non-existent. Singularity is a very dangerous point because it is the cause of a black hole. Apart from that, The Mysterious Universe also points out dark matter and dark energy. Dark matter is all the empty space that we see outside of Earth, and about 97% of the entire universe is this material. Dark energy, on the other hand, is a force that keeps driving galaxies away from each other, thus expanding the cosmos. All in all, Jackson and Bishop have composed an interesting and informative book, The Mysterious Universe.
The Mysterious Universe is an informative, exciting and relevant book. By analyzing the title, the reader automatically knows what the book will mainly be about; an overview of the mysteries of the universe. This is why, in my opinion, there are no titles as short and effective as ‘The Mysterious Universe’ that describe a book about black holes, supernovae and dark matter. Furthermore, this non-fiction book is resourceful because it gives the reader a ton of information concerning the universe, its mysteries and modern-day science. Not only have I learned that there are two types of supernovae and one type of hypernovae, but I also learned that type 1a supernovae are used as candles in space to determine closer galaxies from farther ones. In addition, I was taught about dark matter (97% of all the universe), which is the empty space beneath all matter. Dark energy, on the other hand, is the force that expands the universe, creating more dark matter. Lastly, I learned about black holes, which are formed by hypernovae’s point of singularity. Finally, although this book has interesting parts, it also possesses boring information. My favorite part is about the dangerous black holes, that can’t be seen without futuristic technology. My least favorite segments, however, were about Alex (a very famous astronomer)’s life and work. These pieces of the book were irrelevant to the topic. All in all, The Mysterious Universe is informative and relevant, but it contains some unnecessary facts.
Although it is an interesting and thought-provoking book, I don’t recommend The Mysterious Universe to everyone. Primarily, I recommend this book only to experienced readers and readers of long texts. That is because not only is The Mysterious Universe extensive, but it also possesses a complex structure. Age-wise, I would advise it to 7th grade through 10th grade, due to their advanced understanding. However, this non-fiction piece of literature is not recommended to older students, because they probably already learned about supernovae, black holes and dark matter. Finally The Mysterious Universe wouldn’t be enjoyable to people inexperienced to space science. The reason behind it is that the scientific information inside the book requires minimal knowledge about the universe, which some people do not possess. All in all, The Mysterious Universe is a very interesting text, but not to everyone.
The Mysterious Universe is an informative, exciting and relevant book. By analyzing the title, the reader automatically knows what the book will mainly be about; an overview of the mysteries of the universe. This is why, in my opinion, there are no titles as short and effective as ‘The Mysterious Universe’ that describe a book about black holes, supernovae and dark matter. Furthermore, this non-fiction book is resourceful because it gives the reader a ton of information concerning the universe, its mysteries and modern-day science. Not only have I learned that there are two types of supernovae and one type of hypernovae, but I also learned that type 1a supernovae are used as candles in space to determine closer galaxies from farther ones. In addition, I was taught about dark matter (97% of all the universe), which is the empty space beneath all matter. Dark energy, on the other hand, is the force that expands the universe, creating more dark matter. Lastly, I learned about black holes, which are formed by hypernovae’s point of singularity. Finally, although this book has interesting parts, it also possesses boring information. My favorite part is about the dangerous black holes, that can’t be seen without futuristic technology. My least favorite segments, however, were about Alex (a very famous astronomer)’s life and work. These pieces of the book were irrelevant to the topic. All in all, The Mysterious Universe is informative and relevant, but it contains some unnecessary facts.
Although it is an interesting and thought-provoking book, I don’t recommend The Mysterious Universe to everyone. Primarily, I recommend this book only to experienced readers and readers of long texts. That is because not only is The Mysterious Universe extensive, but it also possesses a complex structure. Age-wise, I would advise it to 7th grade through 10th grade, due to their advanced understanding. However, this non-fiction piece of literature is not recommended to older students, because they probably already learned about supernovae, black holes and dark matter. Finally The Mysterious Universe wouldn’t be enjoyable to people inexperienced to space science. The reason behind it is that the scientific information inside the book requires minimal knowledge about the universe, which some people do not possess. All in all, The Mysterious Universe is a very interesting text, but not to everyone.
November 25, 2012
1. Genre: Juvenile Non-Fiction
2. This book explores the mystery of the universe including supernovae, dark energy, and black holes.
3. a) Area for comment: Style
b) Although this book is non-fiction and deals with very complex concepts concerning the universe the text is written in a style that is appropriately suitable for young readers. Additionally, the author goes our of her way to engage the reader and present the information in other ways and uses examples that makes understanding the abstract concepts even easier to understand.
c) Examples of style:
"People sometimes have difficulty understanding how the universe can be expanding. Imagine a chocolate chip cake baking in the oven. As the cake rises, it gets larger. Each of the chocolate chips inside the cake moves away from every other chocolate chip. This is similar to the way galaxies all move away from each other." (Page 11)
"Gas and dust clouds surrounding Eta Carinae can be seen in this Hubble telescope image." (Page 48) On this page there is also a picture that shows the exact photo taken by the Hubble telescope. This is just one of the many examples and illustrations used throughout the book to provide additional information into the concepts presented in the text.
4. Because this book is non-fiction, it lends itself beautifully to be incorporated in many different science lessons concerning outer space and the planets. Also, this book can be used to introduce more abstract concepts to students. This book can be used in English/Language Arts lessons to show students what a non-fiction books look like as well as the kind of information that can be found within a non-fiction book
2. This book explores the mystery of the universe including supernovae, dark energy, and black holes.
3. a) Area for comment: Style
b) Although this book is non-fiction and deals with very complex concepts concerning the universe the text is written in a style that is appropriately suitable for young readers. Additionally, the author goes our of her way to engage the reader and present the information in other ways and uses examples that makes understanding the abstract concepts even easier to understand.
c) Examples of style:
"People sometimes have difficulty understanding how the universe can be expanding. Imagine a chocolate chip cake baking in the oven. As the cake rises, it gets larger. Each of the chocolate chips inside the cake moves away from every other chocolate chip. This is similar to the way galaxies all move away from each other." (Page 11)
"Gas and dust clouds surrounding Eta Carinae can be seen in this Hubble telescope image." (Page 48) On this page there is also a picture that shows the exact photo taken by the Hubble telescope. This is just one of the many examples and illustrations used throughout the book to provide additional information into the concepts presented in the text.
4. Because this book is non-fiction, it lends itself beautifully to be incorporated in many different science lessons concerning outer space and the planets. Also, this book can be used to introduce more abstract concepts to students. This book can be used in English/Language Arts lessons to show students what a non-fiction books look like as well as the kind of information that can be found within a non-fiction book
November 27, 2012
The Mysterious Universe, by Ellen Jackson (2008, Houghton Mifflin) p.60.
Junior book: non fiction
Summary: I chose the book The Mysterious Universe by Ellen Jackson. I chose this book because I was thinking of my boys who love to learn how things work and there is a lunar eclipse this week. The book starts with an explanation that stars are as numerous as the grains of sand on a beach. Then it explains the theory of the Big Bang and why our sun could never go super nova. It explains light travel, black holes and the composition of the universe. There is a glossary in the back with the definitions of the terms used; this will be helpful to readers.
a) accuracy
b) The information was featured by an astronomy professor. The featured scientist Alex Fillippenko also has written over a hundred articles, and is heralded as the most quoted astronomer. The information is accurate and the description of the expanding universe has a picture demonstration that is amazing.
c) On page 12 the description of the expanding universe, on page 25 an accurate description of an astronomical candle unit, pg. 44 pictures of the Lisk refractor at the Mauna Kea observatory.
Curriculum connection:
Social Studies, Christopher Columbus knowing the world was round. Aristotle, Martin Luther, Plato, Romans, navigation.
Science: Chemistry, biology, chemical compositions, energy, mass, weight, matter, light speed, neutrons, nucleus, protons, molecules, solutions, solutes, etc...
Junior book: non fiction
Summary: I chose the book The Mysterious Universe by Ellen Jackson. I chose this book because I was thinking of my boys who love to learn how things work and there is a lunar eclipse this week. The book starts with an explanation that stars are as numerous as the grains of sand on a beach. Then it explains the theory of the Big Bang and why our sun could never go super nova. It explains light travel, black holes and the composition of the universe. There is a glossary in the back with the definitions of the terms used; this will be helpful to readers.
a) accuracy
b) The information was featured by an astronomy professor. The featured scientist Alex Fillippenko also has written over a hundred articles, and is heralded as the most quoted astronomer. The information is accurate and the description of the expanding universe has a picture demonstration that is amazing.
c) On page 12 the description of the expanding universe, on page 25 an accurate description of an astronomical candle unit, pg. 44 pictures of the Lisk refractor at the Mauna Kea observatory.
Curriculum connection:
Social Studies, Christopher Columbus knowing the world was round. Aristotle, Martin Luther, Plato, Romans, navigation.
Science: Chemistry, biology, chemical compositions, energy, mass, weight, matter, light speed, neutrons, nucleus, protons, molecules, solutions, solutes, etc...
December 5, 2013
Mysterious Universe: Supernovae, Dark Energy, and Black Holes- Ellen Jackson
This book is an introduction for elementary to middle school age children to the science of astronomy and the ways astronomers are unlocking the mysteries of the universe.
Curriculum Connection:
The book is written in a simple style and is clearly aimed at informing children. I would recommend it to 4th-8th graders with an interest in science or even as an introduction to non-fiction books.
Personal Reaction:
The book did an exceptional job explaining difficult scientific concepts like the origin of the universe and the objects that make up the universe like dark matter and supernovae. I learned SO much. My favorite idea was that these scientists believe that most of the atoms in our bodies and everything that surrounds us except for hydrogen were formed in the hearts of stars and spread through space by supernova explosions. It also will be interesting for young readers to see how these scientists got their start in science and what their daily jobs are like.
Visual Appeal: The photographs in this book are stunning and inspire the reader's imagination about what could be possible with space exploration.
Intended Audience: 4th to 8th grades.
Genre: Informational.
This book is an introduction for elementary to middle school age children to the science of astronomy and the ways astronomers are unlocking the mysteries of the universe.
Curriculum Connection:
The book is written in a simple style and is clearly aimed at informing children. I would recommend it to 4th-8th graders with an interest in science or even as an introduction to non-fiction books.
Personal Reaction:
The book did an exceptional job explaining difficult scientific concepts like the origin of the universe and the objects that make up the universe like dark matter and supernovae. I learned SO much. My favorite idea was that these scientists believe that most of the atoms in our bodies and everything that surrounds us except for hydrogen were formed in the hearts of stars and spread through space by supernova explosions. It also will be interesting for young readers to see how these scientists got their start in science and what their daily jobs are like.
Visual Appeal: The photographs in this book are stunning and inspire the reader's imagination about what could be possible with space exploration.
Intended Audience: 4th to 8th grades.
Genre: Informational.
May 31, 2012
The Mysterious Universe is a nonfiction book about supernovae, dark energy, and black holes. The book explains the mystery of the ever-expanding universe, and introduces Alex Filippenko, an astronomer with a deep interest in supernovae. While this topic may be very complex, Jackson does a great job of writing for a younger audience. The book makes scientific concepts relatable and visible in everyday life. It is extremely informative and the pictures help to explain the large amount of text. The photographs are enticing and beautifully taken; they are easily the most entertaining part of this book. It's a great book to keep in the classroom, because students can flip through it and don't have to read the whole thing at once. The amount of information in this book is vast, especially for those who have just been introduced to the concept of supernovae. I would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in science, or is learning about the subject in school. While some might consider the book lengthy, I believe the photography and pictures will lead to a very interested and intrigued reader.
January 18, 2009
My son originally checked out this book because Nic Bishop took the photographs.
I'm really proud of myself for reading this after he finished. Although I love astronomy in general, physics is the bane of my existence. (That's my husband's department. I made him sit in on my physics class and help me do my homework, just to get a B.)
Since this is a juvenile book, it's o.k. to just sit back and enjoy the ride. This book was fascinating. Dark energy? Dark matter? Did you know that the room that you are sitting in contains dark energy? Did you know that 1% of the static on your t.v. is radiation left over from the big bang? The universe is amazing and full of mystery. I loved hearing about supernovae, neutron stars, etc. I still can't wrap my brain around the idea that the universe may have started out smaller than an atom and then exploded into what we see (and don't see) now.
Do you ever get to the end of a book and just can't help smiling, because it was so amazing? Read this book. I think you'll smile!
I'm really proud of myself for reading this after he finished. Although I love astronomy in general, physics is the bane of my existence. (That's my husband's department. I made him sit in on my physics class and help me do my homework, just to get a B.)
Since this is a juvenile book, it's o.k. to just sit back and enjoy the ride. This book was fascinating. Dark energy? Dark matter? Did you know that the room that you are sitting in contains dark energy? Did you know that 1% of the static on your t.v. is radiation left over from the big bang? The universe is amazing and full of mystery. I loved hearing about supernovae, neutron stars, etc. I still can't wrap my brain around the idea that the universe may have started out smaller than an atom and then exploded into what we see (and don't see) now.
Do you ever get to the end of a book and just can't help smiling, because it was so amazing? Read this book. I think you'll smile!
August 28, 2008
A supernova is a star that's ending its life in a fantastic explosion. They are so far away that light from a supernova can take billions of years to reach human eyes. Looking at a supernova is like looking back in time, seeing it how it was many, many years ago. Alex Filippenko studies supernovae. He also studies black holes.
Why study supernovae and black holes? Scientists have determined that most of the universe is made up of things called dark matter and dark energy... and no one is sure exactly what those are. The more we study them, the closer we come to knowing what makes up our universe and possibly how it started and what will happen to it in the future.
With brilliant photographs and informative sidebars, this is a great entry in the Scientists in the Field series. It describes the mysterious objects in our universe and makes it plain that there is lots that we don't know. A bibliography, list of resources for students and teachers, and an index round out the book.
Why study supernovae and black holes? Scientists have determined that most of the universe is made up of things called dark matter and dark energy... and no one is sure exactly what those are. The more we study them, the closer we come to knowing what makes up our universe and possibly how it started and what will happen to it in the future.
With brilliant photographs and informative sidebars, this is a great entry in the Scientists in the Field series. It describes the mysterious objects in our universe and makes it plain that there is lots that we don't know. A bibliography, list of resources for students and teachers, and an index round out the book.
March 19, 2010
I'm going to put this somewhere between 3-1/2 and 4 stars. This is a rating in the context of the age group it was written for which is listed in the resource I use for age considerations as 8 to 12 year olds. It seems to me that the intention was to cover the subject in a way that would spark an interest in those just being introduced to science in general and astronomy/physics in particular. I believe it would do an excellent job of that. If you have any knowledge of the subject at all you probably won't get much out of it. It was a little hard sticking with this for me but some of the things I read are for the sake of evaluating whether I want to pass them on to a couple young friends. This will definitely be one that I pass on.
August 29, 2016
I picked this book off the shelf at the library to read with my 5 year old daughter. She seemed to enjoy the book and I learned quite a bit as well. In fact, my complaint with the book is that the cover did not disclose it was a "Scientists in the Field" book. As I read, I was puzzled why they would focus so much on Alex instead of talking more generally about supernovae and discoveries across the board. However, once it became clear that this book is more about astronomers studying the universe, I realized it covers its subject quite well. Perhaps the best tribute to this book is that my daughter wants to get another book about the universe for us to read together.
October 9, 2008
I don't know what's more interesting: the book's (very well written) explanation of supernovae, or Jackson's profile of astrophysicist Alex Filipenko, the kind of guy who likes to be a black hole for Halloween and radiate candy. I love that this book (and indeed, the entire "Scientists in the Field" series) not only shows how scientists find information (what DO they do in those observatories?) but what they do with their research, and what being a scientist is like (i.e. they are usually fun, smart people who love their work). Nic Bishop's photographs are, as always, top-notch.
September 13, 2012
A winning combination of astronomical information, (predominately about stars, supernovas, and black holes) and insights into the life of a practicing astronomer. Ideas were clearly explained with concrete examples and illustrations.
This would work for advanced learners in upper elementary, but would be good for any age beyond that.
This would work for advanced learners in upper elementary, but would be good for any age beyond that.
November 12, 2012
An excellent book about specific astronomy info. It traces an astronomer's days trying to find supernovae and explains what they are. It left me wanting to learn more about dark energy and find out--just like everyone else, I guess--what dark energy is. Beautiful pictures, excellent explanations and wonderfully simple and engaging text.
August 5, 2011
More like 3.5 stars. This was a fun book to read aloud to my 7-year-old. Very high level stuff (middle school?), but with some support, she was able to understand quite a bit of it.
I always loved astronomy as a kid, so it's neat to pass some of that along to my daughters.
I always loved astronomy as a kid, so it's neat to pass some of that along to my daughters.
September 3, 2008
A great book for kids and pre-teens on dark energy and dark matter!
May 10, 2009
I would guess a middle school level astronomy book. Very advanced as far as concepts (standard candles etc) but has the usual vibrant pictures and text that is relatively easy to follow.
November 21, 2009
This was a very informative book. I liked it a lot.
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October 30, 2017This book goes over things like Black holes, dark matter and supernovas, just to name a few. I liked this book, and think it could be good in the later grades to maybe introduce some of these topics, but part of me thinks there may be some concepts in the book that students this age might not need/want to go over.
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