"After a few billion years of bearing witness to life on Earth, of watching one hundred billion humans go about their day-to-day lives, of feeling unbelievably lonely, and of hearing its own story told by others, the Milky Way would like a chance to speak for itself. All one hundred billion stars and fifty undecillion tons of gas of it. It all began some thirteen billion years ago, when clouds of gas scattered through the universe's primordial plasma...

"The first artificial satellite launched on October 5, 1957, forever changing humanity's relationship with the mysterious galaxy we call home. Since then, we have ventured farther into the Milky Way, making incredible scientific discoveries. This fascinating, interdisciplinary volume takes readers through the history of space exploration and into the final frontier of human travel-space beyond the Milky Way. They'll learn key scientific concepts about...

Is there life in outer space? Scientists around the country and around the world are devoting their lives to finding the answer. Here are some of their stories.

"An introduction to galaxies with information about their formation and characteristics. Includes diagrams, fun facts, glossary, resource list, and index"--Provided by publisher.

"An overview of the structure and nature of objects that make up the universe. Includes diagrams, fun facts, glossary, resource list, and index"--Provided by publisher.