Cycles of Fire: Stars, Galaxies, and the Wonder of Deep Space

With lavish paintings, charts and photographs, the authors provide an accessible yet scholarly tour of the heavens. Topics covered include basics such as the formation of stars and the shape and characteristics of the Milky Way Galaxy and theoretical questions about the creation of the universe and its form today. (Astronomers ""find no end to the system of galaxies, no edges. We do not even have a fluid medium as an analog of the ocean. All we have is empty space.'') In the final chapter, the authors speculate on the next potential revolution: the possibility of finding life beyond Earth. A superbly illustrated, mind-opening book. (January)