A gorgeous exploration of the ways in which humans have documented the beauty of the cosmos – in a new compact edition
"The quality of the reproductions is superb... The text is reassuringly authoritative, while allowing room for admissions where our collective understanding is still in flux... In some ways, then, the arrangement of the pictures mimics the experience of walking through an intelligent and well-curated museum exhibition, where the "visitor" is provided with sufficient information to encourage active engagement with the subject at hand, but is left free to browse and discover, to muse and opine, to reflect and challenge. As such, it panders – in the best of ways – to our curiosity and sense of wonder."—Kristen Lippincott, The Saxl Project
"Navigate the wonders of the night sky via Phaidon's book Universe: Exploring the Astronomical World. It's an entertaining and thought-provoking journey through our fascination with space, from cave paintings to modern astrophotography."—The Awesomer
Paul Murdin has worked as an astronomer in the USA, Australia, England, Scotland, and Spain. Previously a research scientist and a science administrator for the UK Government and the Royal Astronomical Society, he now works at the Institute of Astronomy at the University of Cambridge, England, and is visiting professor at John Moores University, Liverpool.