Complete Idiot's Guide to Astronomy

Astronomy is an ancient science on the cutting edge. Although it's been around for more than 5,500 years, astronomers say that we've learned more than 90 percent of what we know about the universe in just the last 50 years. Of this body of knowledge, a disproportionate amount has been acquired in the past decade, with each new year yielding more information than the last. The Complete Idiot's Guide (R) to Astronomy, Third Edition, covers these new advances and discoveries and is repositioned to focus more on exciting, cutting-edge cosmology topics and less on backyard astronomy. The new edition contains approximately 35% new material. Some of the highlights include: the latest news regarding the possibility of life on Mars; new images of newly discovered extrasolar planets and asteroid fly-bys; the new discovery of an extrasolar system that looks very much like our own; the latest information regarding what is known about the Big Bang; new information on the nature and shape of our universe; exciting new observations concerning the theory of an accelerating universe and how it will end; new data on the black hole at the center of our galaxy; the latest scientific speculation on the possibility of extraterrestrial life; the latest information on the International Space Station; the most up-to-date information and images from Cassini, BOOMERANG, and other current missions; and the next steps for NASA.