Space a Visual Encyclopedia (Visual Encyclopedia), New Edition

Description

Contents INTRODUCTION OBSERVING THE UNIVERSE What is space? Our place in space A circle of stars Early ideas Telescopes Giant telescopes Seeing light Infrared astronomy Messages from the stars Invisible rays Hubble Space Telescope Witches and giants Observatories in space Unusual observatories THE VIOLENT UNIVERSE What is the Universe? Birth of the Universe 100 billion galaxies Galaxy formation A sombrero in space The Milky Way The Magellanic Clouds The Local Group The heart of the Milky Way When galaxies collide… Active galaxies Dark matter LIFT-OFF! How rockets work 3, 2, 1… The space shuttle Launch centres Launching Ariane 5 Artificial satellites Satellites in orbit Satellite shot Space probes Space debris Space nations Super spacecraft HUMANS IN SPACE Space pioneers Becoming an astronaut Space walking Living in space Animals in space Extending the house The first space stations The International Space Station Science in space Space tourism Future flyers Reaching for the stars SOLAR SYSTEM Birth of the solar system The Sun’s family Mercury Venus Views of Venus Mars Mars missions Martian sand art Asteroids Jupiter Jupiter’s moons Voyager 1 & 2 Saturn Saturn’s moons Saturn by sunlight Uranus Neptune Pluto and beyond Comets Comet missions Meteors Meteorites Life on other worlds EARTH The unique Earth The perfect planet Earth’s seasons On the surface Up in the air Life on Earth THE MOON Earth’s companion Eclipses The lunar surface Destination Moon Man on the Moon Splashdown! Return to the Moon THE SUN The Sun Inside the Sun The Sun’s atmosphere Solar storms Amazing aurora The solar cycle Observing the Sun STARS AND STARGAZING What are stars? Birth of a star A flash of brilliance The death of a star Interstellar space Multiple stars Globular clusters Other solar systems Extreme stars Black holes Be a skygazer The night sky The northern sky The southern sky Space in time Glossary Index Acknowledgments