Space Explorers (Sparrow)

Early humans turned what they could see above them into rich creation myths. Later philosophers created cosmologies that pushed myth closer toward empiricism. The flat disc universe yielded to celestial spheres, and the stationary Earth at the center of it all yielded to a spinning planet in a heliocentric solar system that was one of only untold hundreds of billions of solar systems in hundreds of billions of galaxies. This expansion of the cosmos was further revolutionized by theoretical physics, including the theory of relativity. The mind-expanding history of humanity's understanding of the universe is related here with gorgeous full-color photographs, captivating primary source imagery, and loads of capsule information and infographics.

From the shocking launch of the Soviet satellite Sputnik and the subsequent acceleration of the American space program to the first manned space flights, the moon landings, and the Space Shuttle and International Space Station programs, the history of space travel is full of fascinating stories, technological marvels, hair-raising and death-defying feats of courage, and an inspiring spirit of both adventure and discovery. This is all brought into sharp focus in spreads that are bursting with color, fascinating facts, and stunning imagery. Also examined is the future of space travel, including space tourism, manned missions to Mars, and intergalactic manned exploration of deep space.

Your readers will take a thrilling and mind-boggling voyage of discovery throughout the universe with this information-packed and gorgeously illustrated volume. And when we say "the universe," we mean all of space and time and all that is contained within them, including planets, moons, stars, galaxies, matter, and energy. So this is a grand tour indeed, encompassing the birth of the universe with the Big Bang, hypotheses on its eventual demise, and fascinating conjectures about its shape and possible alternate "multiverses." Also examined is humanity's evolving understanding of the universe and the latest discoveries? Always front and center, however, are the universe's many marvels and wonders, all the heavenly bodies, celestial objects, and mind-blowing phenomena that comprise existence past, present, and future.

In a mind-bogglingly vast universe, our solar system feels like a comparatively cozy home, perched out on one of the outer arms of the spiral Milky Way galaxy. Formed 4.6 billion years ago from the gravitational collapse of a giant molecular cloud, it is comprised of eight terrestrial and gaseous planets, several hundred dwarf planets, nearly five hundred moons, and other small bodies such as asteroid belts, comets, and dust clouds. Chock full of breathtaking satellite imagery, meticulously detailed computer renderings, diagrams, infographics, and the latest discoveries, readers are treated to a wealth of mind-blowing facts, images, and data. They will gain familiarity with our home solar system while also becoming curious about what lies beyond our threshold in deep space.

On any clear night, the night sky offers an ever-changing display of fascinating objects, visible to the naked eye: stars, constellations, bright planets, the moon, human-made satellites, and sometimes-even meteor showers or the International Space Station. With gorgeous high-definition imagery and a wealth of charts, graphs, and infographics, readers will find here what is visible in the night sky at various times of the year and from what locations around the world. They will learn what additional objects they can see with the help of telescopes, binoculars, and sky maps. Also featured are sky watching terms and night sky observing tips.

Luminous spheres of plasma held together by their own gravity, each star is born out of the collapse of gaseous nebula and develops a core that radiates astounding amounts of energy, the result of thermonuclear fusion of hydrogen into helium, through its interior and across outer space. Ever-expanding, the star throws off mass, which helps form new stars, while the core begins to collapse, becoming a white dwarf, a neutron star, or even a black hole. Multiply this single star by 300 sextillion and you see how much drama and energy exist in the universe. The sheer wonder and power of stars is on full display here, with stunning high-definition photographs, intricate computer renderings, cutaway diagrams, and infographics.