The Universe in Bite-sized Chunks

Colin Stuart Michael O’Mara £9.99 HB

The Universe in Bite-sized Chunks really is just that; a whistle-stop tour of our spectacular Universe in small, easyto-manage, fun-to-read pieces. Without complicated jargon or intimidating equations, Colin Stuart takes the reader on a journey from our Solar System to the farthest corner of the Universe, exploring all of the sights along the way. Starting with a brief history of timekeeping on Earth, we learn about the great astronomers of the past and how they contributed to our heliocentric, Copernican view of the Solar System. If the science of stars, galaxies and everything in-between is the main course, then cosmology is for dessert. To conclude, we’re treated to a fantastic overview of current theories about how the Universe began and its ultimate fate “in approximately 22 billion years”.

From mini-biographies to mission profiles, from Albert Einstein to the Cassini probe, this book is full of interesting snippets highlighted in boxes throughout. For example, did you know the Juno spacecraft, currently in orbit around Jupiter, carries three Lego figures on board? With useful headings such as ‘The Drake Equation’ and ‘The Asteroid Belt’, the book is also well structured, making it very easy to navigate.

If you’re already quite familiar with many of the Universe’s wonders, though, this book might not be for you. It introduces a wide variety of topics in astronomy but lacks depth. If you’re new to the subject, however, or are trying to spark the astronomy bug in someone else, then this volume is an excellent place to begin your adventure.