Hubble’s Universe: Greatest Discoveries and Latest Images

From its orbit some 360 miles above the Earth’s surface, the 12-ton Hubble space telescope has taken hundreds of thousands of images that challenge and humble astronomers as much as they charm and astound. With the glorious 350 photos he has selected, Dickinson, a science writer who specializes in astronomy (NightWatch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe), shows how the Hubble “sees” with unprecedented clarity and sharpness. The 2009 installation of the wide field camera 3 further improved its capabilities, giving researchers an even bigger window on the universe: the atmospheres of extrasolar planets, black holes and the evolution of our universe, even dark energy and dark matter. Evocatively named nebulae—“Cat’s Eye,” “Loch Ness,” “Elephant’s Trunk”—swirl and shimmer, revealing the fireworks of newly ignited stars. Dickinson’s choice of images lets us see into the core of our own Milky Way as well as deep space, where the glimmer of distant galaxies offers clues to the structure of the universe. Part gorgeous coffee-table book, part accessible and mesmerizing astronomy book, Dickinson’s latest is a treasure map to the majesty of our universe. (Oct.)