Astronomical!: An Awesome Encounter with the Wonders of the Universe

Gr 3-8–A fascinating and jam-packed compendium of space photos, infographics, and out-of-this-world facts. Divided into two parts, one focusing on our Solar System and the other on Deep Space, this design-rich volume explores what is already known about the planets, moons, stars, and phenomena. It also details the past and present expeditions that have been launched to gather more information about the unknown, including photos of Venus’s surface and Mercury’s magnetic field. Earth is the point of comparison here—Jupiter’s year equals 4,332 Earth days, and if all the ice from Mars’s surface melted, it would cover Earth in an ocean 115 feet deep. This book is very design- and image-heavy, with most of the illustrations set against a dark background. The second half of the book focuses on subjects not often covered in youth space titles, such as colliding galaxies, and the mysteries of black holes. Back matter includes a glossary and index.