Understanding the Universe

Quebec publishers

Accurate, detailed visual information is all defined in lay language to make it readily accessible to the non-expert. Definitions to scientific terms are given either in the explanation itself, or in the comprehensive glossary.

Table of contents
Understanding the Universe	1
Table of contents	5
The solar system	8
The solar system	9
Comparative table of the planets	11
The Sun	13
How the Sun evolved	15
Solar eclipses	17
Planets and satellites	18
Mercury	20
Venus	21
Earth	22
The origin of Earth	23
The magnetosphere	25
Earth’s atmosphere	27
Geographic coordinates	29
Astronomical coordinates	30
The seasons	31
The Moon	33
Lunar phases	35
Lunar eclipses	36
Mars	37
The asteroids	38
Meteorites	39
Comets	41
Jupiter	43
Saturn	44
Uranus	45
Neptune	46
Dwarf planets	47
The stars	48
The origin of stars	50
Multiple stars	51
Classification of stars	52
Low-mass stars	53
Massive stars	55
Black holes	57
Star clusters	59
The constellations	61
The constellations of the Southern Hemisphere	63
The constellations of the Northern Hemisphere	65
The galaxies	68
The galaxies	69
Classification of the galaxies	70
The Milky Way	71
The Local Group	73
Galactic clusters	74
Active galaxies	75
Structure of the Universe	78
The size of the Universe	79
The Big Bang	81
The Universe expands	83
Cosmic background radiation	84
Astronomical observatories	86
The electromagnetic spectrum	87
Telescopes	89
Astronomical observatories	91
A new generation of telescopes	93
The Hubble Space Telescope	95
Radio telescopes	97
Life elsewhere in the Universe	99
Extrasolar planets	101
Space exploration	104
Surrounding Earth	105
Space probes	107
Exploration of the Moon	109
Exploration of Mars	111
Magellan	114
Pioneer 10 and 11	115
Voyager	116
Galileo	117
Cassini and Huygens	118
Ulysses	119
Exploring mini-planets	120
Glossary	121
Index	123
Photo Credits	126