Journey to the event horizon in this playful, mind-bending introduction to one of our universe's most mysterious marvels--narrated by a black hole itself. Lurking at the center of our galaxy and in the farthest reaches of space are black holes. Once unseeable and unknowable, these cosmic devourers--sometimes born from the death of stars--swallow even light itself. What exactly is a black hole? And how do we even know they exist? In a kid-friendly, rhyming narration, the elusive astronomical object introduces itself as both a behemoth star-eater and a shy, rarely-spotted phenomena. Physicist Eve M. Vavagiakis's approachable text is paired with Jessica Lanan's imaginative depictions of a young astronaut venturing where no human has gone before, along with stunning renderings of our fascinating narrator and the final frontier. Endnotes expand, spread by spread, on the fascinating science behind black holes and the cutting-edge experiments used to study them. This second entry in the Meet the Universe series will light readers' curiosity and have them racing to discover more secrets hidden among the stars.

Trace India's journey through its space program, from its early skywatchers, the myths and legends, and the dreamers in a newly independent country, to the visionaries who continue to inspire generations to look towards the stars. In 1947, a newly independent India struggled to manage its new borders, limited resources, and a burgeoning population. Almost instinctively, its leaders turned towards the skies, looking up and beyond to see how they could use technology and space to help their people. This wasn't a new endeavour, however. Skywatchers in ancient India had always looked towards the stars, mapping them, giving them names, and building myths. So, new India turned towards the stars once again - using satellites to help with agriculture, forecast weather, and build better communication. Today, India's space program has morphed into something larger. The country looks towards the stars--not to sustain itself, but to explore, to reach the final frontier, and to take its own place among global space players. India's Space Odyssey is as much about India's space program as it is about understanding space and space exploration. It aims to be a definitive encyclopedia that will combine key concepts with key events, people, and places, and place it within the global context. The book will be broadly divided into four sections. The first section will look at Ancient Skywatchers, from Brahmagupta to Bhaskara and Aryabhatta in 6th century BCE, the myths around space, and the Vedanga Jyotisha, one of the earliest known Indian text on astronomy. The second section will look at astronomy from the 16th century, the royal patronage astronomers received as well as the observatories that were built during the time. The third section will look at a newly independent India and its efforts to build a space programme with the help of the US and Russia. The final section will look at India's achievements in the 21st century and its missions.

Did you know that the International Space Station is the largest human-made space object? Something that big might seem like it can't move fast--but the ISS cruises through space at about 5 miles (8 km) per second! Spend some time on this massive, speedy space station to learn about how ISS crew members work on incredible science experiments and stop their food from floating away in low gravity. Discover extreme facts about the International Space Station in this fun and kooky book.

Inspired by her popular Wild Thing podcast, journalist Laura Krantz incorporates the scientific method and her journalistic skills to determine if aliens might exist How likely is it that humans aren't alone in the universe? Reports of strange lights, UFO sightings, and alien encounters abound--and some (like recent accounts from US Navy pilots) even sound credible. And in recent years, armed with state-of-the-art technology and better information, the search for extraterrestrials overflows with exciting possibilities. Within our own solar system, astrobiologists search for the biochemical building blocks that might sustain microbes, astronomers discover far-flung stars, orbited by planets that could be teeming with life, and astrophysicists point sophisticated telescopes toward the deep reaches of the universe, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Is There Anybody Out There? turns our collective gaze skyward: What's the likelihood of life on other planets? Or that aliens have already made the trip to visit us? How would they get here? Why do we want to find them? And what does it mean if we do (or don't)? Teaching readers to challenge their gut assumptions and open their minds to new possibilities, using critical thinking and the scientific method, journalist Laura Krantz investigates the science, culture, and philosophy of a universe where we're not alone--and why the idea of alien life has abducted our imaginations.

Halley's Comet tells its own history in this unique STEM book Halley's Comet, visible from Earth only once every 75 years, tells its own story in this unique informational picture book. With each return of the comet, the book highlights human life at that time, and how science has advanced toward a greater understanding of our universe. Told in minimal, poetic text paired with detailed captions for context, the book begins with sightings in ancient civilizations, where for centuries, the comet was a mystery recorded in art and writing. From Edmond Halley's successful prediction of the comet's return in 1758, through the advent of technologies like cameras and eventually a spacecraft that photographed its ice core, Halley's Comet tells an inspiring and wide-reaching story of scientific advancement and cultural history. The book closes by inviting readers to wonder what our world might look like the next time Halley's Comet is visible from earth, expected in 2061. What will the comet "see," next time it passes by on its journey?

Mars is millions of miles away from where you stand. The race to get from here to there has been going on for decades. With every passing day, that journey through the stars has changed from science fiction to a scientific factual possibility. New inventions have led the way toward space exploration. What can we take with us into the future, and what will we need to leave behind on Earth? Full-color photos show the new advancements that will get us there. 21st Century sidebars discuss technological advancements, hypothesize future endeavors and inventions, and solve problems and challenges astronauts might face. An activity at the end lets readers think about what they learned in a hands-on way.

"How soon can you board a rocketship to Mars? And how will you survive when you get there? There are so many challenges to overcome in sending a human into space, such as problems of distance, fuel, and propulsion. This compelling book describes the history and future of space travel and the exciting areas of research travel presents."-- "About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.