Discoveries in astronomy challenge our fundamental ideas about the
universe. Where the astronomers of antiquity once spoke of fixed stars,
we now speak of whirling galaxies and giant supernovae. Where we once
thought Earth was the center of the universe, we now see it as a small
planet among millions of other planetary systems, any number of which
could also hold life. These dramatic shifts in our perspective hinge on
thousands of individual discoveries: moments when it became clear to
someone that some part of the universe--whether a planet or a
supermassive black hole--was not as it once seemed.
Secrets of the Universe invites us to participate in these moments of
revelation and wonder as scientists first experienced them. Renowned
astronomer Paul Murdin here provides an ambitious and exciting overview
of astronomy, conveying for newcomers and aficionados alike the most
important discoveries of this science and introducing the many people
who made them. Lavishly illustrated with more than 400 color images, the
book outlines in seventy episodes what humankind has learned about the
cosmos--and what scientists around the world are poised to learn in the
coming decades. Arranged by types of discovery, it also provides an
overarching narrative throughout that explains how the earliest ideas of
the cosmos evolved into the cutting-edge astronomy we know today. Along
the way, Murdin never forgets that science is a human endeavor, and
that every discovery was the result of inspiration, hard work, or
luck--usually all three.
The first section of Secrets explores discoveries made before the
advent of the telescope, from stars and constellations to the position
of our own sun. The second considers discoveries made within our own
solar system, from the phases of Venus and the moons of Jupiter to the
comets and asteroids at its distant frontier. The next section delves
into discoveries of the dynamic universe, like gravitation, relativity,
pulsars, and black holes. A fourth examines discoveries made within our
own galaxy, from interstellar nebulae and supernovae to Cepheid variable
stars and extrasolar planets. Next Murdin turns to discoveries made
within the deepest recesses of the universe, like quasars, supermassive
black holes, and gamma ray bursters. In the end, Murdin unveils where
astronomy still teeters on the edge of discovery, considering dark
matter and alien life.
