Book description
Astronomy in the 1970s has reached an exciting phase. The spectacular results of planetary probes and the discovery of such phenomena as quasars, pulsars and black holes have stimulated a wide new interest in this age old science. These advances have led to cherished theories being abandoned, new puzzles revealed. Yets some of the basic mysteries of the universe – the origin of the Solar System, the prevalence of life on other planets, for example – remain unsolved.
This dictionary aims to provide not only a basic framework for study of astronomy – and of how it draws on and contributes to other sciences – but also, with the aid of extensive illustrations, to capture the flavour of the exciting new research currently being pursued.