The Universe and Our Place in It takes stargazers to the ends of the documented universe in this vibrant, accessible book. Whether readers are interested in how scientists have uncovered the reasons for any number of celestial phenomena, how they have scoured the ground for meteorites, or even in how the chemical composition of a nebula is determined, this book provides precise details, and with captivating photographs to boot.

Table of Contents

• The Outer Planets
• Introduction
• Giant Jupiter
• Saturn: The Jewel of the Solar System
• Uranus: An Ice Giant
• Big, Blue Neptune
• Conclusion
• Stars and Nebulae
• Introduction
• The Nature of Stars
• Understanding Star Clusters
• Super Stars
• Nebulae
• Conclusion
• The Sun and the Origins of the Solar System
• Introduction
• Understanding the Sun
• Types of Solar Activity
• Our Solar System
• Our Solar System's Origin
• Conclusion
• The Inner Planets
• Introduction
• Mercury
• Venus
• Earth
• Mars
• Conclusion
• The Milky Way and Other Galaxies
• Introduction
• The Milky Way
• The Study of Galaxies
• Galaxies of Many Types
• Galaxies Other Than Our Own
• Conclusion
• Asteroids, Meteors, Meteorites, and Comets
• Introduction
• Amazing Asteroids
• Shooting Stars: The Science of Meteors
• Studying Meteorites
• The Universe of Comets
• Conclusion
• Glossary
• Bibliography