Why is Uranus upside down?: and other questions about the universe

Description

Have you ever wondered what dark matter is or why galaxies collide? And would you recognise a quasar or a quark if you bumped into one in a dark alley? Space is really, really big, as Douglas Adams once pointed out, and there is no better guide to it than Fred Watson, astronomer to the stars. Fred Watson has taken the many, many questions that have been asked by his radio audience, and answered them in Why Is Uranus Upside Down? This highly entertaining and informative introduction to our planet and the universe we live in is a must-read for inquiring minds of all ages.;Ch. 1. Radio astronomy: The news from the rest of the Universe -- Ch. 2. Stargazing: Astronomy, telescopes and observatories -- Ch. 3. Running like clockwork: The mechanisms of planet Earth -- Ch. 4. Out of thin air: Light and the atmosphere -- Ch. 5. Would-be spacefarers: Humankind tackles the final frontier -- Ch. 6. Green cheese no longer: Earth's essential companion -- Ch. 7. More than just eight planets: The new Solar System -- Ch. 8. Starstruck: Our galaxy from the inside -- Ch. 9. Across the universe: The realm of galaxies -- Ch. 10. Industrial strength- astronomy: Cosmology and basic physics -- Ch. 11. Cosmic loose ends: Some really interesting questions.