Books in Space 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.

"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!"--

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.

"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 moon is a constant presence that children become aware of in their earliest days. So many young readers wonder and ask about the moon soon after they learn to speak, and it's the topic of many early childhood bedtime books. The author's expertise as an educator on communicating complex concepts to children through easy, accessible language brings the subject of the moon engagingly up-close, even for the most reluctant of readers. Color photography from NASA and graphics add to comprehension of a range of STEAM topics.

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 will thrill the reader's eyes. Thought-provoking text answers the title's question with easy, accessible language, while igniting interest. This book is right at home in any collection.

"We see the moon waxing and waning every month, and we know it controls the tides. However, we rarely wonder how it got there in the first place and why it continues to accompany Earth around the sun. Readers will learn some fascinating theories about the moon's origin and decide for themselves if they agree with the current accepted explanation"--Provided by publisher.