STARMAP: AN INTRODUCTORY PICTORIAL TOUR OF THE UNIVERSE

By Edward Alan Ridgill M.D.

Starmap is an introductory pictorial guide of our universe. It contains vivid NASA images, diagrams, and depictions of the cosmos with easy-to-understand explanations and descriptions. It contains full-page pictures of our universe. It makes a great coffee-table book and is great for virtual learning.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fulton Books, Inc.
• Release date: May 16, 2022
• ISBN: 9781639857951

Book preview

Contents

Chapter 1: Our Neighborhood in the Universe

Our Sun

Earth’s size relative to our Sun

Planet sizes and positions relative to the Sun

Our Milky Way Galaxy Viewed from Earth

Sun’s Position in Milky Way Galaxy

Chapter 2: The Planets

Mercury

Venus

Earth

Earth’s Structure

Moon

Mars

Asteroid Belt

Jupiter

Saturn

Uranus

Neptune

Chapter 3: Inside the Milky Way Galaxy

Interstellar Space

Proxima Centauri: Our Closest Star

Exoplanets

Dark Matter

Chapter 4: Meteors, Asteroids, and Comets

Meteors

Asteroids

Comets

Anatomy of a Comet (Wise Geek)

Diagram Of Comet Hale-Bopp’s Elliptical Orbit

Chapter 5: Nebulae

Chapter 6: Supernovas, Neutron Stars, Pulsars, Black Holes, and Quasars

Supernova

Neutron Stars

Pulsars

Black Holes

Quasars

Chapter 7: Intergalactic Space

Types of Galaxies in the Universe

Galaxies That Neighbor the Milky Way

Galaxy Clusters

Chapter 8: How We View the Universe

Chapter 9: Human Space Exploration

Unmanned Space Exploration

Chapter 10: The Big Bang Theory of the Origin of the Universe (NASA Image)

Chapter 11: The String Theory of the Universe

Chapter 12: The Possibility of Life in the Universe

Notes

Introduction

This book will introduce the reader to the universe. It is a pictorial and informational tour of our universe. It will take the reader from our home planet, Earth, through the solar system, into interstellar space, the Milky Way galaxy, intergalactic space, and the universe.

Each planet in our solar system will be reviewed, as will the sun and the asteroid belt. We will review the nature and composition of interstellar space, our closest star, and exoplanets. Also, meteors, asteroids, and comets will be examined.

Our Milky Way galaxy will be explored, and we will review the nature and images of nebulae, pulsars, neutron stars, black holes, and quasars. We will examine pictures of far-off galaxies as well as our closest neighboring galaxy, Andromeda. The reader will be introduced to the unimaginably vast distances between star systems, beautiful celestial phenomena, and galaxies in our universe.

Imaging is critical to understand our universe; we will review images and descriptions of terrestrial telescopes and imaging systems as well as space-based telescopes. Manned space flight possibilities will be reviewed. The necessity of hyper-light-speed travel to explore our universe and its challenges regarding human physiology and Einstein’s theory of relativity will be discussed.

Questions of our history and place in the universe will be examined. We will delve into theories of the creation of the universe and introduce the reader to the string theory of the universe.

It is hoped that this book will establish an initial understanding of the incredible nature, scope, and breadth of our universe and stimulate additional interest in pursuing more advanced study on this subject.

Chapter 1

Our Neighborhood in the Universe

OUR SUN

The Sun is the star at the center of the Earth’s solar system. It is a sphere of hot plasma, heated by a continuous nuclear fusion reaction in its core. The sun radiates energy mainly as light and infrared radiation. The temperature of the sun’s core is 26,999,540 degrees Fahrenheit (14,999,727 Celsius). Its surface temperature is about 11,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

The sun’s diameter is 864,000 miles (1.9M kilometers), which is 109 times the size of the Earth. Its mass is 330,000 times that of Earth. The sun is part of the Cassiopeia constellation