Unique book a little bit Star Trek, a little bit science
A Montreal astronomer and author stopped at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum Thursday to celebrate the launch of his book, Star Trek: The Official Guide to Our Universe.
The book is the product of two decades of work melding the fictional worlds of Star Trek with the natural wonders of the universe.
“Star Trek is just such a great way to get people to learn about STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics),” Andrew Fazekas said. “About 20 years ago, I’d notice, while staging these stargazing parties, that, when I made the correlation between Star Trek TV or movie plots and the real world, people all of a sudden would become more engaged.”
Fazekas, who is known online as the “Night Sky Guy” and writes regularly for National Geographic, has continued to use the imagery of Star Trek to help people better understand the universe around them. It wasn’t long before National Geographic approached him with a book deal.
The opportunity was a dream come true for the Montreal native, who wears a jet-black Star Trek-themed ring around his wedding finger. He sees the book as a chance to use Star Trek to inspire others the way the show has inspired him.
“I used to wake up every Sunday, run to my parents’ room and watch Star Trek. Then I would ask my dad all of these questions about, ‘How are they going so fast?’ or, ‘How did they do that?’ ” he said. “He eventually wore down and bought me a telescope. I didn’t realize that was more pivotal than I’ve ever thought.”
Fazekas’s 240-page coffee table book is loaded with artwork from various Star Trek series, diagrams explaining the science behind the show and easy-to-read passages about planets, comets, black holes and the intricate science behind the inner workings of the universe.
The book also relates the science to various plot devices in Star Trek, and includes a forward from William Shatner, who played the original Captain Kirk in the Star Trek TV series.
The book was approved for publication by CBS Corp., which owns the rights to Star Trek, and features several previously unpublished images.
Fazekas said coming to Ottawa was only natural. Star Trek, which is about to get a major TV reboot, is celebrating its 50th year. The franchise has a new movie in theatres, Star Trek Beyond, and the Canada Aviation and Space Museum is hosting Star Trek: The Starfleet Academy Experience — an interactive exhibit that lets visitors shoot phasers, transport to a faraway world, use tricorders to diagnose the medical condition of two Klingon patients, and even try their hand at the Kobayashi Maru, the impossible-to-pass Starfleet test.
The exhibit is set in a 10,000square-foot space in a warehouse adjacent to the museum and runs until next month.
Fans lined up to buy the book and receive an autograph from Fazekas. He personalized each copy with a brief note to each buyer before signing the book with the famous Star Trek catchphrase, “Live Long and Prosper.”
Fazekas will now head off on a North American tour to publicize the new book. He said he will be in Chicago, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Washington, D.C., in the coming weeks.
The book is available anywhere books are sold. It retails for $29.95.