Review by Choice Review
English astronomer Geach (Univ. of Hertfordshire) does an admirable job of distilling his expertise in the formation and evolution of the cosmos in this, his first popular science book. The engaging but at times dry text may be a bit advanced for the average general reader, but those with an introductory knowledge of science will enjoy this journey through the universe. The author makes especially good use of the large number of full-page, high-quality pictures of galaxies and other astronomic phenomena. These galactic illustrations demonstrate the physics outlined throughout the text, with full captions used to highlight specific features of interest in each picture. Advanced researchers may be frustrated by the purposeful lack of higher-level mathematics, but the casual reader will appreciate how well Geach presents a clear narrative of the science. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower- and upper-division undergraduates; general readers. --Jean Marie Cook, University of West Georgia
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Astrophysicist Geach goes an order of magnitude further than the usual popular astronomy title-those full of breathtaking images, but little in the way of context-by giving readers the fascinating stories revealed by those images: how galaxies are created, how they evolve, and what they tell us about our universe. The sheer variety is stunning: "grand design" spirals like our Milky Way; barred spirals; irregular and amorphous galaxies with no discernible structure; dynamic interacting and colliding galaxies where new stars form like popcorn; and quasars, ancient, distant galaxies whose central black holes spew copious amounts of x-ray, ultraviolet, and visible radiation. Living in the Milky Way gives us an insider's view of a typical spiral galaxy, with its broad disc of stars surrounding a bulge or hub of older stars cloaking a supermassive black hole. Geach explores the technology behind modern big telescopes-as well as their instrumentation and techniques-that scientists use to study galaxies as they determine what they're made of, how much is unknown dark matter, and how fast they're receding away from us in our expanding universe. Gorgeous color photos, coupled with clear and engaging explanations of the science behind them, make this book a winner on every level. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
