Couper and Henbest start their excellent survey with the astronomical drama of the last decade, the story of one of the most expensive science experiments ever (costing well over a billion US dollars), the building and launch of Hubble Space Telescope in 1990.Fortunately, the endeavour was ultimately successful and ranks as one of the great technical achievements of all time. As so many of the remarkable pictures in this book show, the telescope has allowed us to look further into deep space and with greater definition than ever before.

To provide a text that can compete with such spectacular and arresting pictures can be difficult. Heather Couper and Nigel Henbest are ideally qualified to write for a general readership and combine academic qualifications with award winning science writing. The book is divided into four sections starting with the origin of the Universe followed by the stars, planets and SETI--the search for extra-terrestrial intelligence. The narrative is greatly enhanced by extensive quotes and comments, derived from interviews with the world's leading astronomers. --DouglasPalmer

Synopsis
As the Millennium approaches, people are looking at the grand scale, seeking information on the widest issues. This book accompanies Channel 4's broadcasting venture of the same name. "Universe" presents a grand overview of the universe, as it is understood at the threshold of the new millennium. The series seeks to understand the big questions that people have asked through the ages. "How did the universe begin?", "Are we alone?". Astronomers all around the world explain their observations and the theories required to understand the universe today. Graphics explain esoteric concepts, from the structure of the Big Bang to the anatomy of the Sun. The result is a summary of our vision of Universe 2000. Arising from a common research base, the concepts of "Universe" will be available across all media outlets - enabling the user to access the information in whatever form they want. This will include the book and series, a video, radio series, magazine and newspapaer features, and interactive CD-ROM and Internet access.