From Blue Moons to Black Holes: A Basic Guide to Astronomy, Outerspace and Space Exploration

Our universe is a magnificent place, full of exotic entities like black holes and blue moons, white dwarfs and red giants. And it’s out there for anyone who takes the time to look up! As this engrossing popular astronomy book makes clear, you don’t need a degree in astrophysics to explore the vast reaches of outer space. All you need is curiosity and a little imagination.
From Blue Moons to Black Holes is written specifically for those who have always been intrigued by or have been developing a growing interest in astronomy and space, but have had little time to explore the amazing world of exploding stars, distant galaxies, rovers on other planets, and more. The book consists of three sections: Questions and Answers, Quick Facts, and A Brief History of Lunar and Planetary Exploration.
Knocke — who has often lectured at the prestigious Mount Wilson and Lowell Observatories — provides answers to the most frequently asked questions regarding astronomy, outer space, and space exploration in the Questions and Answers section. She gives simple and easy-to-understand answers to such provocative questions as: "What is a blue moon?" "Could you travel through a black hole?" "Is the North Star the brightest star in the sky?" "Is Pluto really a planet?"
The Quick Facts section offers the reader an easy way to look up fascinating statistics about the moon and planets, bright stars, constellations, and more. This section also includes a guide to upcoming meteor showers and lunar and solar eclipses.
A Brief History of Lunar and Planetary Exploration includes a chronological listing of every mission that has been launched to the moon and planets. By listing both the successes and failures, readers gain a better understanding of just how difficult it is to travel beyond our own planet.
This generously illustrated volume will also include a color insert containing, among other pictures, beautiful images of Saturn from the Cassini spacecraft, currently in orbit around the planet. Whether read from cover to cover or used as a reference tool to search for specific answers, From Blue Moons to Black Holes will prove to be fun, accessible, and wonderfully thought provoking.

An astronomy educator at such well-known observatories as the Lowell and Wilson offers a quick tour of current knowledge about the universe via common questions and answers, quick facts, and an overview of space exploration. Basic illustrations are eclipsed by color images of a rover exploring Mars, the planets, nebulas, and other heavenly bodies. Suitable for teen to adult space enthusiasts. Annotation ©2005 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Melanie Melton Knocke (La Crescenta, CA), the former director of science education and public outreach at the Mount Wilson Observatory and Lowell Observatory, is a writer and web editor for The Planetary Society (http://planetary.org) and the author of Observing for the Fun of It, Will Black Holes Devour the Universe? And 100 Other Questions & Answers about Astronomy, and Astronomy with Binoculars.