From Here to Infinity: A Beginner's Guide to Astronomy

Renowned science writers John and Mary Gribbin team up with one of the most historic scientific sites in the world?the Royal Observatory, Greenwich?to take readers on a stunning visual tour of the universe. This riveting journey moves from our home planet outwards to the Moon, Sun, Inner and Outer Solar Systems, Milky Way, and other galaxies. Not only do the Gribbins discuss the always-intriguing topic of alien life, but they divulge little-known facts (Venus is the only planet in our solar system to rotate backwards), as well as all the basics beginning armchair astronomers need to know. Dramatic four-color photographs complement the informative text, giving readers a sense of what it might be like to be an astronaut?and go where no one has gone before.

Dr. John Gribbin trained as an astrophysicist at the University of Cambridge. A full-time science writer, he has worked for the science journal Nature and New Scientist magazine, and has contributed articles to the Times, the Guardian, and the Independent. He is the author of more than 100 books, including In Search of Schrödinger's Cat, The Universe: A Biography, and Deep Simplicity: Bringing Order to Chaos and Complexity. Gribbin is currently a Visiting Fellow in astronomy at the University of Sussex. Mary Gribbin has written for publications including She magazine and New Scientist, and is the author of several books on scientific topics for young readers, including Big Numbers and From Atoms to Infinity, as well as The Science of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials. She is also a Visiting Fellow at the University of Sussex. The Royal Observatory, Greenwich--home of Greenwich Mean Time and the Prime Meridian, Longitude--is one of the most important historic scientific sites in the world. It was founded in 1675 by King Charles II and has since played a key role in seeking and answering fundamental questions about time, space, and the universe.