The Orion Nebula: Where Stars Are Born

O'Dell, professor of astrophysics emeritus at Rice University and a former chief scientist for the Hubble Space Telescope, is eminently qualified to explain to general readers the nature of the heavenly phenomenon known as the Orion Nebula and the development of our knowledge of it. He deftly does so, and also provides a unique insider's view of the building of the Hubble telescope and an explanation of""how it has revealed a new view of the Orion Nebula."" His account is both engaging and clear enough for beginners as he explains the Orion Nebula as""both an object and a process, the process of turning the debris from dying stars into a new generation of stars."" The 20 color illustrations (and 27 b&w images) will make this a nice gift for any novice astronomy buff.