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Product Description
Product Description
Embark on the most astounding of odysseys, a voyage into realms not only stranger than we can imagine but also far, far more beautiful. "Universe: A Journey from Earth to the Edge of the Cosmos" leads us into a celestial panorama that extends for 130 billion trillion kilometres (80 billion trillion miles) in every direction, and allows us to explore nearly 200 of the most extraordinary astronomical views ever uncovered. Complementing these up-to-date and spectacular images are enlightening descriptions of the planets, stars, nebulae, white dwarfs, supernovae, black holes and other exotica that populate our universe.
From the Inside Flap
Embark on the most astounding of odysseys, a voyage into realms not only stranger than we can imagine but also far, far more beautiful. Universe: A Journey from Earth to the Edge of the Cosmos leads us into a celestial panorama that extends for 130 billion trillion kilometres (80 billion trillion miles) in every direction and allows us to explore nearly 200 of the most extraordinary astronomical views ever uncovered. Complementing these up-to-date and spectacular images are enlightening descriptions of the planets, stars, nebulae, white dwarfs, supernovae, black holes and other exotica that populate our universe.
Setting off from planet Earth and travelling at the speed of light, we cross the 385,000 kilometres (240,000 miles) to the moon in just 1.3 seconds. At this velocity Mercury, Venus, Mars and the Sun are reached in minutes, and we are only hours from the edge of the solar system. But having crossed this rubicon, over four years of travel separate us from our next landmark, the star Proxima Centauri.
As we press deeper into the Milky Way distances are measured in hundreds and even thousands of light years. On this scale, the rhythms of stellar life unfold before our eyes: we pass through dark nebulae afire with newly smelted stars, watch dying stars bloom and fade and skirt the debris clouds of supernovae. Navigating through think swarms of stars, we approach the galactic core, a gravitational court of white dwarfs, neutron stars and hypergiants in the thrall of a supermassive black giant.
Hundreds of thousands of light years must be covered to reach the Milky Way’s companion galaxies, the Large and Small Magellenic Clouds, and millions more devoured before we cross true intergalactic space. Out here we watch the hidden lives of galaxies: we see themlocked in gravitational combat, tearing each other apart or swallowing their companions whole.
Now billions of light years from Earth, we can discern the large-scale structure of the universe: massive conglomerations of galaxies gather like grains of dust on a veil of cobwebs, warping space with their tremendous gravity. Having crossed an almost unimaginable 13.4 billion light years, we encounter a wall of radiation. Here our voyage into the cosmos must finally end, for we have reached the very edge of the visible universe: what stands before us is the afterglow of the Big Bang itself.
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
Our tenure on the universe's largest known rocky planet is as brief as our habitat is narrow: excluded from two-thirds of the planet by the deep ocean, the surface of Mars is better mapped; and what we consider truly Earth-like conditions will prevail for less than ten percent of the planet's overall lifespan. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Our tenure on the universe's largest known rocky planet is as brief as our habitat is narrow: excluded from two-thirds of the planet by the deep ocean, the surface of Mars is better mapped; and what we consider truly Earth-like conditions will prevail for less than ten percent of the planet's overall lifespan. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Mind blowing. I chanced upon this gem in a bookstore & couldn't believe it was just £9.99. I've toyed with the idea of various other expensive pictorial guides but it's always a bit of a risk to buy without seeing. One flick through this one however and I was convinced.
After buying the first copy as a gift, I swiftly bought 2 more from Amazon (at an amazing price) - one for me, and one as another gift.
I have just put it down (reluctantly) after a 45 minute sitting, my imagination and wonder stoked and my mind struggling to comprehend what i have just seen and read.
The combination of beautiful, quality images and minimal intriguing text explanations are a perfect match. My only frustration was that I wanted to know more technical info on each object, though in reality they have done the image/text balance well, and it serves to feed my thirst to find out more.
An amazing book, which could just change your perspective. Buy it! you won't be disappointed.
After buying the first copy as a gift, I swiftly bought 2 more from Amazon (at an amazing price) - one for me, and one as another gift.
I have just put it down (reluctantly) after a 45 minute sitting, my imagination and wonder stoked and my mind struggling to comprehend what i have just seen and read.
The combination of beautiful, quality images and minimal intriguing text explanations are a perfect match. My only frustration was that I wanted to know more technical info on each object, though in reality they have done the image/text balance well, and it serves to feed my thirst to find out more.
An amazing book, which could just change your perspective. Buy it! you won't be disappointed.
43 of 44 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I bought this book cheaply but have been very presently surprised by both the quality of the pictures and the of the accompanying writing/captions.
The format is that of a full page picture each with a short explanatory paragraph of text. This text is written for a general audience but with a wonderful eye to both the lyrical beauty and the scientific significance of the of the images.
I also found the steady progression from pictures of the solar system out to the far reaches of the universe very helpful in putting all those beautiful Hubble telescope pictures into a context.
This is among the most interesting astronomical writing I have read.
All in all I highly recommend this book for anyone with a general interest in the Universe we all live in.
35 of 36 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I've been searching the book shops trying to find the best book for pictures in astronomy. I've looked through 'Beyond' which is suposed to be the best out there, didn't think it was near worth the money, and i looked through all the others i could find,visions of the universe, hubble:mirror of the universe, etc. I already owned this one and while looking at all the others which are alot dearer i couldn't find one i thought was better. I think this book is beautiful and i'm very suprised at its price.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Graphical Perfection
This is a visually pleasing book, crammed full of very high quality images and just enough descriptions of each planet or galaxy to get one hooked but not bored. Read more
Published on 3 Jan 2010 by Chris Carter
simply soberb
I can not believe in how beautiful, astonishing and in the same time cheap is this book. This book is unique. Very cheap and very instructive. Read more
Published on 30 Dec 2009 by Arne Antonio Sanche
Great Images, But Lack Of Proper Information.
I was quite disappointed with the lack of proper information contained in this book. I was expecting this book to hold more information about the images you saw, but instead, the... Read more
Published on 3 Nov 2009 by zx50
interesting read
Found this book to be full of knowledge and interesting facts - a good read!
Published on 21 Sep 2009 by S. Singer
Universe
Beautifully illustrated book, a lot of book for such a cheap price. I was a little wary that it would not be up to the mark. However my fears were unjustified. Read more
Published on 15 Sep 2009 by M. Pemberton
much to see
beatiful book, lots of images and little (but enough) text. just sit down and let your mind travel through the universe!!!
Published on 29 Aug 2009 by Juan Rodriguez
cheap and valuable
It's unbelievable. This book is very cheap and very valuable, informative and beautiful. Everybody should buy this book. It's simply the best. Read more
Published on 11 Jun 2009 by Arne A. S. Junior
Review from a space enthusiast.
A Star Trek voyage from earth to the edge of known space. By definition a single line approach albeit not straight visiting all points of interest en route. Read more
Published on 16 May 2009 by Mrs. O. D. Crompton
Amazing Value!
I am so pleased with this book! So much cheaper than alternatives I've seen and beter quality images than most!
Published on 1 May 2009 by K. Williams
Universe
I bought this book as a present for my 11 year old nephew who is very much into 'space' and sciency stuff. He absolutely loves it and takes it with him everywhere. Read more
Published on 23 Mar 2009 by L. Wilkes
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