The Cosmic Keyhole: How Astronomy Is Unlocking the Secrets of the Universe (Astronomers' Universe)

It is 400 years since Galileo first turned the newly invented telescope towards the heavens and saw things that few had ever seen before. His discoveries, along with those of his contemporaries, completely changed our view of the world. Since that time, there have been many revolutions in our understanding of the universe, some perhaps even more revolutionary than the ones from Galileo’s time. In this book, Will Gater leads us through various recent advances in modern astronomy that have increased our understanding of the universe and seen it grow from a single Solar System full of intriguing worlds to a galaxy filled with other star systems and their own planets — maybe even Earthlike worlds. This is a journey like no other. What you glimpse through Gater’s keyhole is vast, breathtakingly beautiful, and sometimes utterly bizarre, certainly unfamiliar to those of us on Terra Firma. From the desolate plains of Mars and the frozen moons of the outer Solar System, from the Milky Way to the ends of the universe, you will learn of wonders often hard to describe and sometimes even harder to fathom. And you, too, will come to know some of the enthralling secrets of the universe. It is 400 years since Galileo first turned the newly invented telescope towards the heavens and saw things that few had ever seen before. His discoveries, along with those of his contemporaries, completely changed our view of the world. Since that time, there have been many revolutions in our understanding of the universe, some perhaps even more revolutionary than the ones from Galileo's time. In this book, the author leads us through various recent advances in modern astronomy that have increased our understanding of the universe and seen it grow from a single Solar System full of intriguing worlds to a galaxy filled with other star systems and their own planets and, maybe even Earthlike worlds. This is a journey like no other. What is glimpsed through the author's keyhole is vast, breathtakingly beautiful, and sometimes utterly bizarre, certainly unfamiliar to those of us on Terra Firma. From the desolate plains of Mars and the frozen moons of the outer Solar System, from the Milky Way to the ends of the universe, the author reveals wonders often hard to describe and sometimes even harder to fathom, some of the enthralling secrets of the universe. This book focuses on some of the most important discoveries, but also discoveries which people are most interested in. It provides interviews with the people who made the discoveries and includes their own insight and analysis and asks some important questions on the prevalence of life, the future of modern astrophysical problems and what we might discover in the far off reaches of our Solar System Front Matter....Pages i-xxiv Front Matter....Pages 2-2 The Hardiest Microbes on Earth....Pages 3-11 The Hunt for Life Begins....Pages 13-25 Where Does Water Flow?....Pages 27-48 Front Matter....Pages 50-50 Cassini and Its Saturnian Adventure....Pages 51-76 The Hidden Wanderers and a Cometary Meeting....Pages 77-96 Front Matter....Pages 98-98 Planetary Nurseries and Dusty Discs....Pages 99-114 The Discovery of Extrasolar Planets....Pages 115-133 Front Matter....Pages 136-136 The Universe on a Grand Scale....Pages 137-153 The Era of Hubble – From Disaster to Deep Field....Pages 155-170 Star Life in Starlight....Pages 171-186 Exotic Space....Pages 187-212 Back Matter....Pages 213-239

In the last thirty years humans have probed the Universe, explored the Solar System and visited with spacecraft some of the most incredible places humans have ever laid eyes upon. We have expanded our knowledge slowly and surely, but still now only see a glimpse of the bigger picture. The Cosmic Keyhole explores the big discoveries of recent years and asks what’s next? How prolific is life in the Universe? How far back to the Big Bang can we probe? And what hidden treasures still await us in the hidden corners of our Solar System?