Books in Solving Space's Mysteries series

"For many years, it was accepted as fact that our solar system had nine planets. However, one important meeting of astronomers in 2006 reduced that number to eight. They decided that Pluto was not a planet, a declaration that outraged some people. Readers will learn more about distant Pluto, such as how it was accidentally discovered. Brilliant photographs accompany the fascinating facts"--Provided by publisher.

Cosmic inflation is the theory that the early universe went through fast, exponential expansion for a fraction of a second after the Big Bang and then slowed down to the current rate of expansion. Simplified explanations of complex scientific concepts such as dark energy, dark matter, and the cosmic microwave background and dynamic images will help students comprehend how the study of cosmic inflation has reshaped our understanding of how the universe was born, evolved, and might be in the future. This book correlates with the Next Generation Science Standards' emphasis on scientific collection and analysis of data and evidence-based theories. Informative sidebars explore related timely topics in depth, while a Further Reading section provides several resources for additional study.

"The night sky is a place of wonder for all young readers. Stars are of particular fascination, especially once they learn that the sun is a star! In this book, learners explore the gases and life cycle of a star. Incredible, colorful photographs straight from NASA's telescopes and probes bring each spread to life. Thought-provoking text answers the title's question with easy, accessible language while still igniting interest. This book is right at home in any collection!"--

What are asteroids, comets, and meteors made of? What can scientists do if an asteroid is headed toward Earth? Learn how astronomers prepare for space objects hitting Earth, from tracking them to building asteroid-hunting telescopes. Budding astronomers will learn all about meteors, asteroids, and comets, including the history of asteroids hitting Earth and the differences between space rocks.

What are asteroids, comets, and meteors made of? What can scientists do if an asteroid is headed toward Earth? Learn how astronomers prepare for space objects hitting Earth, from tracking them to building asteroid-hunting telescopes. Budding astronomers will learn all about meteors, asteroids, and comets, including the history of asteroids hitting Earth and the differences between space rocks.

"Every generation is filled with the wonder of what's out there beyond our planet, making space travel and exploration one of the most popular science topics of all time. But what happens to all that stuff we send up into outer space? Does it come back down to Earth or stay up there forever? This exciting, high-interest topic attracts even reluctant readers to read about STEAM topics. Fact boxes add extra information that's "Out of this World!" throughout the book. Each spread is complemented with vivid NASA photography."--

When a solar or lunar eclipse is approaching, people excitedly prepare to watch the enthralling events. They're just small reminders that other celestial bodies are out there. In this book, readers will learn with the help of diagrams and key science vocabulary how eclipses happen, when they can expect them, and the differences between partial and full eclipses. Fun facts sprinkled throughout the text will encourage stargazers to mark their calendars for the next eclipse.

The Big Bang theory describes the very beginnings of the universe, when it was infinitesimally small and infinitely dense, and follows its rapid expansion and evolution, from the formation of nuclei within the first few minutes to the creation of the first galaxies a billion years later. The Big Bang theory is a cornerstone of modern cosmology, and although astronomers cannot directly observe the birth of the universe, the theory is widely accepted because it makes concrete predictions of the current observable universe, which have been tested repeatedly with striking success. Supporting the Next Generation Science Standards' emphasis on scientific collection and analysis of data and evidence-based theories, this book will help students understand the observational evidence supporting the Big Bang theory and speculate on the ultimate fate of the universe it implies.

On December 26, 2015, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) detected gravitational waves generated from merging black holes for the first time in human history. Through an engaging, easily accessible approach, the origins, dynamics, and ultimate fate of black holes are thoroughly unraveled so that students without a scientific background can grasp complex physics theories. This book supports the Next Generation Science Standards' emphasis on scientific collection and analysis of data and evidence-based theories by discussing the methods research universities and space agencies use to explore black holes.