The Firefly Encyclopedia of Astronomy.THE FIREFLY ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ASTRONOMY PAUL MURDIN AND MARGARET PENSTON, EDS (Electronic Data Systems, Plano, TX, www.eds.com) Founded in 1962 by H. Ross Perot (independent candidate for the President of the U.S. in 1992), EDS is the largest outsourcing and data processing services organization in the country. . This oversize o·ver·size n. 1. A size that is larger than usual. 2. An oversize article or object. adj. o·ver·size also o·ver·sized Larger in size than usual or necessary. Adj. 1. reference takes readers to the cutting edge of the latest research and advances in astronomy and documents the history of the field and the lives of the scientists who have advanced it. Some 800 professional and amateur astronomers from around the world contribute to the 1,750 entries. A multitude of illustrations and pictures bring out the beauty of the cosmos. The book documents key space missions since the launch of Sputnik Sputnik: see satellite, artificial; space exploration. Sputnik Any of a series of Earth-orbiting spacecraft whose launching by the Soviet Union inaugurated the space age. , provides a history of the universe from the Big Bang big bang Model of the origin of the universe, which holds that it emerged from a state of extremely high temperature and density in an explosive expansion 10 billion–15 billion years ago. to the present, and details some of the most intriguing aspects of space, such as Martian dust storms and the nature of dark matter. Readers also get a sense of the contributions that amateurs are making to this field. To this end, there is practical advice for viewing an eclipse, observing auroras, and purchasing a telescope. Firefly, 2004, 472 p., color photos/illus., hardcover, $59.95. |
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