Giles Sparrow

Join us on the most amazing voyage imaginable: travel over 13 7-billion light years and experience the awesome sights, spectacles and breathtaking scale of the cosmos Along the way you will visit planets, moons, asteroids, stars, nebulae, white dwarfs, black holes, dark matter and other phenomena that populate the heavens...

The magnificent vault of stars emblazoning Earth''s night skies are but an infinitesimal fraction of the hundreds of billions that inhabit our galaxy - and there are at least as many galaxies in the universe as there are stars in the Milky Way. Cosmos makes sense of this dizzying celestial panorama by exploring it one step at a time, illustrating the planets, moons, stars, nebulae, white dwarfs, black holes and other exotica that populate the heavens with some of science''s most spectacular photographs. The book opens with an orbital survey of planet Earth, before venturing into the solar system heading for interstellar space and the heart of our galaxy. As the journey unfolds, the rhythms of stellar life emerge: we pass through dark clouds of dust and gas ablaze with newly smelted stars and we witness dying stars bloom and fade as planetary nebulae, or tear themselves apart as supernovae. Having crossed the Milky Way, we enter intergalactic space. Out here we watch the hidden lives of galaxies: we see them flock and cluster, forming massive conglomerations that span millions of light years, visibly warping space with their tremendous gravity. After covering an almost unimaginable 13.4 billion light years, we approach the edge of space and the dawn of time where our voyage must end, but not before we consider how the universe was born, and how it might die.

El 4 de octubre de 1957 la Unión Soviética dejó al mundo atónito con el lanzamiento del Spútnik 1, la primera nave que entró en órbita terrestre. Fue un acontecimiento crucial que auguró el inicio de un periodo extraordinario de la historia humana: la era espacial. Con detalles vivos y apasionantes, Astronautica narra la historia de una epoca increible que comenzo con el Sputnik, vio a la humanidad aterrizar en la Luna, presencio los exitos y las tragedias del transbordador espacial, y prosigue rauda con proyectos de misiones futuras sin precedentes. Buzz Aldrin, historico miembro de la tripulacion del Apollo 11 en 1969, prologa Astronautica, una obra donde se pone de manifiesto la transformacion que experimento la vida en la Tierra cuando satelites, sondas y misiones tripuladas revolucionaron las comunicaciones y la tecnologia, al tiempo que nos dotaron de una vision diferente del universo y del lugar que nos corresponde dentro de el. Desde los primeros precursores, como Wernher von Braun, Yuri Gagarin y Alan Shepard, y a traves de los logros y las tragedias de programas sucesivos, odiseas a planetas distantes y la prevision de nuevas aventuras hacia lo desconocido, Astronautica cuenta la historia de la gente, la ciencia y los instrumentos que nos han propulsado hacia la era espacial. Astronautica, con fotografias asombrosas y graficos unicos en tres dimensiones acompañados de un texto cautivador y riguroso, constituye la guia definitiva del primer medio siglo de la humanidad en el espacio exterior.

¿Se cansó ya de pasar las vacaciones en la Tierra? ¿Quiere viajar al espacio? Entonces le conviene disponer de la Guía turística del Sistema Solar. Será su compañera en la aventura de visitar los confines mas exoticos del Sistema Solar, y le servira de ayuda para descubir todo lo que usted siempre quiso saber sobre otros destinos mas habituales como Marte, Saturno o Jupiter. Lo unico que necesita es un vehiculo lanzador de clase V, un traje espacial, el cepillo de dientes... y este libro. No es facil elegir entre tantas atracciones turisticas. Reserve una semana de estancia en la Luna, con una cena incluida en orbita lunar. Juege al golf con una gravedad que asciende a tan solo la sexta parte de la terrestre. Hagase una foto junto a la huella de Neil Armstrong antes de enfundarse en un traje espacial acorazado para pasear por el caluroso paisaje de Venus. Descubra alli volcanes gigantes, montañas sobrecogedoras y rios de lava solidificada. Explore los restos de las sondas espaciales sovieticas. Practique patinaje sobre hielo en los satelites helados de Jupiter. ¡Hay un sinfin de posibilidades! Incluye consejos de viaje fundamentales para cada destino

For millenia the planets have fascinated mankind. But only in the last 40 years have those wandering points of light in the night sky been revealed in their glory, unmasked by a fleet of satellites and interplanetary probes: Cassini, Deep Space I, Galileo, Hubnle Space Telescope, Magellan, Mars Global Surveyor, NEAR Shoemaker, Stardust, SOHO, TRACE, Viking, and Voyages I & II, to name but a few.

This concise, illuminating guide takes us on a comprehensive tour of the solar system, from the Sun at its very heart - via the planets and their moons - to the icy objects at its periphery, some 150 billion kilometres away. The Solar System in Minutes explains the history and features of all the major celestial bodies, including the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, the planets' main moons, the asteroids, comets, dwarf planets and the Kuiper belt; as well as the birth, evolution and science of the solar system and the story - and future - of its exploration. With 200 of the very latest space photographs and explanatory diagrams, here is the easiest way to understand our cosmic neighbourhood.

This user-friendly companion to the cosmos is packed with a universe of facts. Embarking on a 13.7 billion light year journey, it will steer you safety through the myriads of exotic celestial objects, from active galactic nuclei to gamma-ray bursters that lie between our home planet and the very edge of space and time. Published in a special large format edition, fully up-to-date with the latest discoveries and gloriously illustrated with 500 images.

The 50-year quest to conquer the final frontier - this compelling story of exploration beyond our own planet chronicles and celebrates man in space, from Sputnik''s momentous first foray to the spellbinding missions planned for the future. Introduced by astronaut Buzz Aldrin, with unforgettable images and vivid first hand accounts, "SpaceFlight" shows how satellite and manned missions have dramatically changed human life. From pioneers like Werner Von Braun and Yuri Gagarin to the triumphs and tragedies of succeeding programmes, read about the people, the science and the hardware that have propelled us into the space age.

Top tips for space travellers! Get to know the inner planets of your solar system in this up-close tour of key cosmic destinations.The Space Travellers Guide: Earth and the Inner Planets is a personal tour of our unique planet, Earth, the three other rocky planets closest to the Sun - Mercury, Venus and Mars - plus a pit-stop in the asteroid belt and our amazing Moon! Learn the unmissable formations at each location, from the Amazon rainforest on Earth to the winding channels through Mars desert known as Gorgonum Chaos. Includes Travellers Tips for surviving extreme conditions in each spot, and dont miss the real-life tour photos at the back!The Space Travellers Guide series is the perfect one-stop-shop for space lovers, brought to you by expert astronomy and physics author Giles Sparrow. It includes astounding facts to inspire young space-travel hopefuls, plus humorous cartoons to draw them through the pages, and presents key science learning in an accessible format for readers aged 9 and up.Contents list, Earth and the Inner Planets: The local neighbourhood / Mercury / Venus / Earth / Extreme Earth / The living planet / The Moon / Cratered surface / Mars / The Martian landscape / Martian weather / The asteroid belt / Tour snapshots / Glossary / Resources / IndexThe series includes: Earth and the Inner Planets, The Outer Planets, The Sun and Stars and Space Exploration

Top tips for space travellers! Get to know the outer planets of your solar system in this up-close tour of key cosmic destinations.The Space Travellers Guide: The Outer Planets is a personal tour of the gassy and icy planets furthest from the Sun - Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune - plus a pit-stop among the comets, several amazing moons and even a look beyond the planets to the Kuiper Belt, Oort Cloud and of course the dwarf planets! Learn the unmissable formations at each location, from Saturns Dragon Storm to the snow-spewing geysers on the surface of the moon Enceladus. Includes Travellers Tips for surviving extreme conditions in each spot, and dont miss the real-life tour photos at the back!The Space Travellers Guide series is the perfect one-stop-shop for space lovers, brought to you by expert astronomy and physics author Giles Sparrow. It includes astounding facts to inspire young space-travel hopefuls, plus humorous cartoons to draw them through the pages, and presents key science learning in an accessible format for readers aged 9 and up.Contents list, The Outer Planets: The outer solar system / Jupiter / Io / Europa / Ganymede and Callisto / Saturn / Ringed wonder / Saturns moons / Uranus / Neptune / Comets / Beyond the planets / Tour snapshots / Glossary / Resources / IndexThe series includes: Earth and the Inner Planets, The Outer Planets, The Sun and Stars and Space Exploration

The heavens are alive with breathtaking beauty: from the incandescent surface of the Sun to the shimmering tail of a comet; the birth of planets to the death of stars; the dancing shadows of Jupiters moons to the silhouettes of eclipses. The Cosmic Gallery contemplates the entire cosmos as a grand celestial art exhibit. In six thematically organized chapters, Giles Sparrow presents an array of stunning images, ranging from easily seen phenomena to the most distant and intricate galaxies, providing the reader with an exciting and beautiful new perspective on the cosmos.

This stunning collection of images and essays surveys the key breakthroughs that have shaped our understanding of the universe around us - from the discovery of the solar system, to Supermassive black holes and the remote depths of the cosmos. Beginning with the theories put forward for the origin of our universe - the Big Bang and its rivals - and ending with what the eventual fate of our cosmos might be, this overview of 100 landmark discoveries tells the story of how we have endeavoured to understand the place of our own planet in the wider universe.

For 20 years the Hubble Space Telescope has been hurtling around our planet at 17,500 mph sending spectacularly sharp images of the universe back to Earth. Hubble is a visual celebration of this large and versatile telescopes astonishing scientific and technical achievements. This fully revised and updated edition of Hubble: Window on the Universe (Legacy Edition) showcases the very latest and clearest images of galaxies, nebulae, quasars, exploding stars and stellar nurseries. More than 200 remarkable cosmic images reveal the inner workings of the solar system, the expansion of the Universe, the birth and death of stars, the formation of planetary nebulae, the dynamics of galaxies and the mysterious force known as dark energy. Featuring the history of the project from its origins and launch in 1990, the discovery and emergency repair of a defective mirror, the impact of subsequent servicing missions and finally, its extraordinary legacy this stunning giant volume will take you on a journey through the universe via 200 glorious full-colour images.

What is the Higgs Boson? Where did life come from? And what are you looking at when youre looking at Modern ArtPut your knowledge to the test - and learn to think and talk like a genius. The Genius Test takes you on a journey through humanitys most brain-bending ideas, from the big bang and the origins of life to chaos theory, existentialism and special relativity, challenging you to understand and providing the tools to help you master the big ideas. Shortcuts to becoming a genius include: · Are you a Genius? quizzes - questions to test your knowledge· The 10 things a Genius would know· Talk like a Genius - intellectual conversation gambits· A Bluffers summary The Genius Test challenges you to understand 50 subjects including: The Hard Problem of consciousness; the human genome; Evo-devo; the human brain; A.I.; Fermats Last Theorem; the Riemann Hypothesis; Godels Theorem of Incompleteness; Post-modernism; Modern architecture; Keynesianism; Semiotics and Structuralism; Schrodingers cat; DNA; Deconstructivism; the mind-body problem; Superstrings; Quantum Theory; The Big Bang; black holes...and many more.

From our own solar system to the edges of the universe, 50 Astronomy Ideas You Really Need to Know is your introduction to the most important concepts, discoveries and mysteries in astronomy. How did the universe begin? Where did the Moon come from? What happens in the heart of a black hole? Why are gravitational waves so significant? And is there life elsewhere in the cosmos?In fifty fascinating essays covering the central ideas of astronomy and cosmology, accompanied by diagrams, definitions of essential terms and timelines of key discoveries, this book examines the nature and variety of our universe - the life cycle of stars, the formation of planets, the structure of galaxies and the puzzles of dark matter and the multiverse. Expansive and illuminating, 50 Astronomy Ideas You Really Need to Know is the complete guide to the birth, life and possible death of the cosmos.