Don't Know Much About The Universe
Who dug those canals on Mars? What was the biblical Star of Bethlehem? Were the pyramids built by extraterrestrials?
From the ancients who charted the heavens to Star Trek, The X-Files, and Apollo 13, outer space has intrigued people through the ages. Yet most of us look up at the night sky and feel totally in the dark when it comes to the basic facts about the universe.
Kenneth C. Davis steps into that void with a lively and readable guide to the discoveries, theories, and real people who have shed light on the mysteries and wonders of the cosmos. Discover why Einstein was such a genius, the truth behind a blue moon or two, the amazing secrets of Stonehenge, and even how one great astronomer lost his nose.
With the fun question-and-answer format that has appealed to the millions of readers of his bestselling Don’t Much About® series, you’ll be taking off on an exciting armchair exploration of the solar system, the Milky Way, and beyond.
Buy it: Paperback $13.95 ISBN: 0060932562 | Hardcover $26.00 ISBN: 0060194596
Did You Know?
The Sun is 400x larger than the Moon, but the Moon is 400x closer to Earth, so they appear the same size. (p. 101)
Jupiter is the largest planet, 318 times the mass of the Earth. (p. 88)
In 2001, a supercluster of galaxies was found, believed to be the largest known object in the universe. (p. 199)
Every star has a lifecycle, and the Sun, born nearly 5 billion years ago, is just shy of a midlife crisis. (p. 105)
The Sun's surface pulsates rhythmically caused by low-frequency sound waves trapped inside. (p. 100)
The Big Dipper is an asterism within the constellation Ursa Major, the Big Bear. (p. 26)
England's Stonehenge was erected in the Bronze Age to chart the Sun, Moon, and planets. (p. 36)
Mercury can reach 800ºF during the day and plunge to -290ºF at night. (p. 106)
A meteor is no more than a speck of dust coming into contact with the Earth's atmosphere. (p. 155)
The Earth does not spin perfectly but wobbles a bit, like a top that is starting to slow down. (p. 115)
The word galaxy comes from the Greek for "circle of milk." (p. 181)
The universe is between 13 and 20 billion years old. (p. 7)
Blue moons are quite predictable and generally occur every three years. (p. 120)
Astronomy is derived from the Greek astron for "star" and nomos for "law." (p. 10)
Laser eye-surgery comes from satellite atmospheric studies. (p. 256)
Galileo's "Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems" was banned by the Pope. (p. 461)
The temperature on the surface of the Sun is about 10,000ºF (5,500ºC). (p. 96)
Continuous winds blow across the Martian surface at 125 m.p.h. (p. 127)
Under perfect weather conditions, a person with good eyesight can detect about 3,000 stars. (p. 41)
People in South America blamed a devastating 1918 outbreak of influenza on a solar eclipse. (p. 102)
The first English sundial was built in Newcastle in 675 A.D. (p. 43)
The Moon and the Earth are locked in similar rotation, so we always see the same side of the Moon. (p. 229)
Mars has two tiny moons, Phobos and Deimos, that race around the planet. (p. 127)
The Russian satellite Sputnik 2 carried a mixed-breed terrier on board named Laika ("Barker"). (p. 229)