Providing an in-depth understanding both for general readers and astronomy enthusiasts, this highly comprehensive book provides an up-to-date survey of our knowledge of the Universe beyond Earth. The book explores our Solar System, its planets and other bodies; examines the Sun and how it and other stars evolve through their lifetimes; discusses the search for planets beyond our Solar System and how we might detect life on them; and highlights interesting objects found within our galaxy, the Milky Way. It also looks at our current understanding of the origin and evolution of the Universe, as well as many other intriguing topics, such as time, black holes and Einstein's theories, dark matter, dark energy and the Cosmic Microwave Background. The book is uniquely supported by video lectures given by the author, available online. It also includes the very latest astronomical observations, such as those made by the Planck and Kepler spacecraft.

'It would be hard to find a clearer and more balanced survey of what we know about the cosmos - from the Solar System, out to the remotest galaxies.'

Martin Rees - University of Cambridge

'… copiously illustrated … [and] attractively presented for easy reading. … I recommend it heartily to all Gamow devotees and anyone else who wants to have an up-to-date … awareness of what is known, and what remains mysterious, about the Universe.'

Colin Cooke Source: The Observatory