Experiencing Hubble: Exploring the Milky Way

Product Description

The Milky Way is the magnificent band of stars that arches overhead on a dark night. It is also the galaxy where we live. Of the billions of galaxies in the universe, the Milky Way provides our most direct access to the forces at work in all galaxies. And what better way to explore this Earth-encompassing star system than with the Hubble Space Telescope? In 12 spectacular half-hour lectures, Experiencing Hubble: Exploring the Milky Way showcases a generous selection of Hubble’s most recent images of the Milky Way and beyond. Noted astronomer Dr. David Meyer of Northwestern University is your guide, taking you from comets in the solar system, to the galactic core, to the nearby galaxy that is on a collision course with the Milky Way. Each of the featured images is first pinpointed on a starfield. Then, you dramatically zoom in, taking in ever more detail until you see exactly what Hubble sees. The effect is to make the night sky more wondrous than you ever imagined. You also learn an impressive amount of astronomy, all while admiring a view that can be appreciated for its grandeur alone. Dr. Meyer introduces such concepts as star birth, planet formation, atomic synthesis, supernova explosions, black holes, and galactic evolution. For comparison, he shows images from other ground- and space-based observatories. The result is a tour of the galaxy and its environs that is as awe-inspiring as it is instructive.