Hubble: Imaging Space and Time - Hardcover

Devorkin, David H.; Smith, Robert

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1426203225 ISBN 13: 9781426203220

Publisher: National Geographic, 2008

Synopsis

In the spirit of National Geographic’s top-selling Orbit, this large-format, full-color volume stands alone in revealing more than 200 of the most spectacular images from the Hubble Space Telescope during its lifetime, to the very eve of the 2008 final shuttle mission to the telescope. Written by two of the world’s foremost authorities on space history, Hubble: Imaging Space and Time illuminates the solar system’s workings, the expansion of the universe, the birth and death of stars, the formation of planetary nebulae, the dynamics of galaxies, and the mysterious force known as "dark energy."

The potential impact of this book cannot be overstressed: The 2008 servicing mission to install new high-powered scientific instruments is especially high profile because the cancellation of the previous mission, in 2004, caused widespread controversy. The authors reveal the inside story of Hubble’s beginnings, its controversial early days, the drama of its first servicing missions, and the creation of the dynamic images that reach into the deepest regions of visible space, close to the time when the universe began.

A wealth of astonishing images leads us to the very edge of known space, setting the stage for the new James Webb Space Telescope, scheduled to launch in 2013. Find the stunning panoramic of Carina Nebula, detailing star birth as never before; a jet from a black hole in one galaxy striking a neighboring galaxy; a jewel-like collection of galaxies from the early years of the universe; and a giant galaxy cannibalizing a smaller galaxy.

Timed for the 2008 shuttle launch and coinciding with the 400th anniversary of Galileo’s first telescope, Hubble: Imaging Space and Time accompanies a high-profile exhibit at the National Air and Space Museum and will be featured on the popular NASM website.

About this title

About the Author

David Devorkin is curator for history and astronomy and the space sciences at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. In his more than 30-year career, he has written over 90 articles and seven books. He lives in Maryland.

Robert Smith is professor of history and past chair of the Department of History and Classics at the University of Alberta, and formerly a staff member at the National Air and Space Museum. His books include the award-winning The Space Telescope: A Study of NASA, Science, Technology and Politics. He has closely followed Hubble’s history for 20 years.

From Booklist

The Hubble Space Telescope began taking spectacular photographs of the cosmos just as the Internet spread its web on Earth, granting public access to these astonishing, beautiful, and unprecedented images. So cherished were these glimpses into the universe, when NASA announced in 2004 that it would end the shuttle missions necessary to service the telescope, the protest was vehement enough to rescind the decision. This handsome volume celebrates the technological and scientific breakthroughs that have made the Hubble such a resounding success. The full, up-to-date story is told in glorious photographs and the equally sparkling commentary of Hubble experts DeVorkin and Smith. From a profile of the brilliant astronomer Edwin Hubble (1889–1953) to detailed explanations of how the spectacular photographs of such phenomena as the Orion Nebula (its portrait required 150 orbits) were taken, the authors cover the people, science, and aesthetics of the stellar Hubble era. Not only are the telescope’s contributions to science beyond quantification, DeVorkin and Smith aver, the images the Hubble has gathered have also had profound effects on our imagination and spiritual growth. --Donna Seaman

Edition details

• Publisher: National Geographic
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 1426203225
• ISBN 13: 9781426203220
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 224