Exploding Stars and Invisible Planets: The Science of What’s Out There

At this point, we’ve learned so many amazing things about the universe around us that it’s hard to capture all of it in a single book and feel like you’re giving each mind-blowing cosmic wonder a fair shake. From the birth of our solar system and the origins of the moon to mysterious radio signals and how light can both inform us and deceive us, the universe is an incredible playground of ideas, and Fred Watson manages to capture delicious little tidbits, samples from all sorts of wonders, for readers to enjoy.

Exploding Stars and Invisible Planets is a buffet-style exploration of space, never lingering on one topic for too long before neatly segueing into the next, whetting the reader’s appetite and then offering a new flavor to complement what they’ve just experienced.

The rich, full-color imagery and photography that accompany the entries only serve to tickle the imagination further, making you wish your teacher had spent more time on the weird weather patterns of Saturn or how planetary ring systems “rain” down material on the planets. How cool is that?

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.