What happens to space and mass near a black hole? Where did the moon come from? How do we know what stars are made of? Are we alone in the universe?
In Exploding Stars and Invisible Planets, Fred Watson, an award-winning astronomer, presents the most up-to-date knowledge on hot topics in astronomy and space science, providing a fascinating and entertaining account of the latest research. Watson explains how to find invisible planets around other stars, why dark matter matters, and the future of citizen space travel, all while recounting the seismic shifts in understanding that have taken place during his illustrious forty-year career.
The book features illuminating discussions of microbes in space; the dividing line between day and night; exploding stars and light echoes; fast radio bursts and signals from space; meteors, meteorites, and space dust; what happened to the Martian ocean; the seas and lakes of Titan; and the birth of the universe.
Industry Reviews
Despite the complexity of the universe, you feel as though you've always been part of unraveling its mysteries as you read Fred Watson's entertaining book. You will explore its history, spot things in the night sky you've never noticed before, and if you're hoping for a wild new travel adventure, you'll learn how to go to space without contaminating the cosmos with pesky earthly microbes. Bonus! -- Amanda Bauer, head of education and public outreach, Large Synoptic Survey Telescope
Exploding Stars and Invisible Planets is a superb romp through the historical, cultural, and scientific astronomical phenomena that surround us every day. Fred Watson is a treasure for his witty and incisive descriptions of science, fun and interesting to all. The book spans medieval astronomers to NASA deep space missions and even includes Goldilocks and The Terminator (revealed as serene and even romantic). Enjoy! -- Col. Pamela A. Melroy, USAF, Ret., former NASA astronaut
This is a great read! Twenty-one chapters, each a self-contained gem, exploring today's hot topics in astronomy and space research. It is up to date, clear, and entertaining. A great way to get up to speed with developments in astronomy such as gravitational waves and fast radio bursts. Highly recommended! -- Jocelyn Bell Burnell, University of Oxford
Full of science and wonder, this book will leave you looking upwards. -- Richard Glover, ABC Radio
Watson sifts and orders a most extensive range of material, then makes it all readily understandable... This book genuinely deserves a readership spanning all ages and many levels of prior expertise. -- Mark Thomas, Canberra Times
An up-to-the-minute, entertaining revelation for armchair explorers of deep space. * Kirkus Reviews *
Watson explains and entertains to equally strong effect. * Publishers Weekly *
Bringing as it does the sheer wonder of space to life with quirky stories, endless passion and a great deal of fun. * BBC Sky at Night Magazine *
Exploding Stars and Invisible Planets is accessible science done right, providing the solid fundamentals for understanding, never overwhelming the reader with too much jargon, and sparking the interest and awe that could send new readers off to learn more on their own. It's terrific stuff. -- Glenn Dallas * Manhattan Book Review *
This is a book to whet the appetite of budding astronomers. The sheer range of activities and areas of research that are being pursued and described in this book are enormous. The excitement and fulfilment on offer from this branch of a life scientific comes through loud and clear. * Physics Education *
