• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: National Geographic; 2 edition (October 23, 2018)
Space Atlas combines updated maps, lavish photographs, and elegant illustrations to chart the solar system, the universe, and beyond. For space enthusiasts, science lovers, and star gazers, here is the newly revised edition of National Geographic’s enduring guide to space, with a new introduction by American hero Buzz Aldrin.
In this guided tour of our planetary neighborhood, the Milky Way and other galaxies, and beyond, detailed maps and fascinating imagery from recent space missions partner with clear, authoritative scientific information. Starting with the sun and moving outward into space, acclaimed science writer and physicist James Trefil illuminates each planet, the most important moons, significant asteroids, and other objects in our solar system. Looking beyond, he explains what we know about the Milky Way and other galaxies–and how we know it, with clear explanations of the basics of astrophysics, including dark matter and gravitational waves. For this new edition, and to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his moonwalk, astronaut and American hero Buzz Aldrin offers a new special section on Earth’s moon and its essential role in space exploration past and future.
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The Space Atlas is a stunning collection of knowledge, diagrams and photographs that National Geographic has collected over the years. I dug right into the book beginning with the Foreword by Buzz Aldrin. This was perhaps by favorite part; reading about Buzz Aldrin's thoughts as he looked back at the space program over the years, his time on the moon and where he believes we should go from here. From here the Space Atlas is divided into four sections: our own solar system, the Milky Way galaxy, the universe and the theoretical multiverse.
For me, the most useful parts of the Space Atlas were in our own solar system. Within this section there are beautiful and informative diagrams of star maps, each planet and moons. Along with this is a wealth of information on each written in a way that I could easily understand, but still using scientific terms. One of my favorite diagrams was of the Cosmic Journeys; an infographic showing every mission from Earth into the solar system, a remarkable way to show our reach into space so far. Along with this, I was amazed by pictures of our Milky Way, Saturn's Rings, and Pluto's surface. I could not possibly talk about everything that is included in this volume, it is a comprehensive work that is perfect for anyone from stargazer to space enthusiast to astronomer.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.