Majestic Universe
Majestic Universe
£71.99
GBPWitness the birth of stars; scan the sky for extrasolar planets; venture near black holes; travel into the realm of galaxies and clusters of galaxies; glimpse the ultimate limits of space thanks to the Hubble Deep Field; gauge the vastness of space with Hipparcos; and finally wonder about the history and future of our mysterious universe. This beautiful large-format book takes us on an exploration of the vast expanse of the universe through the magic of more than 200 incredible photographs taken by the Hubble Space Telescope and the largest telescopes in the world. After describing the great theories of the structure of the cosmos, Brunier describes the latest advances in cosmology in terms that are accessible to everyone. Probing deeper and deeper into space, he delves farther and farther back in time seeking the answer to the question of the origin of the universe, of space, and of time.
- Over 200 incredible images of the universe taken by Hubble and the biggest telescopes in the world
- Up to date news about the origin, structure and future of the cosmos
- Large-format and full-colour throughout
Reviews & endorsements
'This really is a magnificent book, a joy to simply thumb through and a pleasure to read. The more than 200 full color photographs in this large format volume (36 x 25 cm), taken by the Hubble Space Telescope and some of the world's largest terrestrial telescopes, are guaranteed to fill any reader with awe and wonder.' Science Books and Films
'Undoubtedly, this book of celestial imagery is one of the best ever produced if you wish to show your dinner guests what astronomers are getting so excited about … The author's text is concise, very informative, simple and fascinating. This is a book of pictures, probably drawn from all the best produced by the major observatories as well as the Hubble Space Telescope. If one has seen some of them before, this new excitingly large format will bring back those first impressions. Majestic Universe is ridiculously cheap, and it should be on everyone's library shelf.' A. D. Andrews, Irish Astronomical Journal
' … while Brunier is a masterful writer, 'Majestic Universe' is first and foremost a book of stunningly beautiful astronomical photographs … Brunier leads the reader through the vast universe of stars, galaxies, black holes and the enigmas that puzzle today's cosmologists. The photographs, in full color, are magnificent - and take us out to the edges of the known universe, across billions of years of time and billions of lightyears of distance. More than a coffee table book, 'Majestic Universe' is the perfect holiday gift.' Naples News
'The Helix nebula in the constellation of Aquarius is, at 450 light-years away, the closest planetary nebula to Earth. Shown above is its central star, a very hot white dwarf. Pictures of this and many other images obtained using the world's largest telescopes, including the Hubble Space Telescope, are to be found in Majestic Universe. The book charts the latest advances in cosmology, and the way in which the spatial and temporal limits of the cosmos have, in the past decade, been pushed back virtually as far as the Big Bang.' Nature
'… the quantity, size and quality of the illustrations, not to mention their topicality, are just stunning. This is a valuable addition to any library.' Richard Knox, GNOMON
Product details
October 1999Hardback
9780521663076
216 pages
366 × 260 × 27 mm
2.095kg
200 colour illus.
Out of stock in print form with no current plan to reprint
Table of Contents
- Foreword
- 1. The history of cosmology
- 2. The galaxy, an island in space
- 3. A thousand generations of stars
- 4. The next supernova
- 5. Planets by the billion?
- 6. The enigma at the heart of the Milky Way
- 7. A sea of galaxies
- 8. The architecture of the universe
- 9. The Big Bang, and the history of the universe
- 10. Gravitational lenses
- 11. The mystery of the missing mass
- 12. Searching for the ultimate
- 13. Towards the cosmological horizon
- Appendices
- Glossary
- Index
- Bibliography.
