Complete Idiot's Guide to Astronomy

So many stars-so many questions. You're no idiot, of course. You know that astronomy is an ancient science dating back to early civilizations. However, the majority of information accumulated about the universe has been learned in only the last fifty years-and additional findings reveal that we've barely scratched the surface. You don't have to camp yourself in the planetarium! The Complete Idiot's GuideR to Astronomy, Third Edition, covers the latest technological advances, the most recent findings, and the newest theories concerning the study of our universe. In this updated and revised Complete Idiot's GuideR, you get: * Information regarding the possibility of life on Mars. * The discovery of an extrasolar planetary system similar to Earth's. * New observations about the idea of an accelerating universe-and how it will end. * Scientific speculation about extraterrestrial life. Keep an eye on the sky. * Read the latest theories on the Big Bang phenomenon. * Discover how radio telescopes function. * See new data from extrasolar planets and images from asteroid flybys. * Study the anatomy of a comet. * Investigate data regarding the black hole at the center of our Galaxy. * Understand the cyclical nature of sunspots. * Compare and contrast ancient interpretations of the universe to modern findings. * Take a look at the Galaxy from the Hubble Space Telescope's point of view.De Pree, Christopher is the author of 'Complete Idiot's Guide to Astronomy', published 2004 under ISBN 9781592572199 and ISBN 1592572197.