Deep Space: Beyond the Solar System to the End of the Universe and the Beginning of Time

by Govert Schilling

Explore the mysteries of space that lie beyond our solar system on this spectacular, visual journey to nebulae, galaxies, black holes, and the edge of the observable universe.

Join award-winning astronomy writer Govert Schilling on a journey across the universe that will ignite the imagination. The trip begins inside our own solar system with a brief tour of the sun, the planets and their moons, asteroids, comets, and dwarf planets. We then accelerate into deep space.

With Schilling as our guide, we explore the birth of stars and stellar nurseries, such as the Orion and Carina Nebulae; the death of stars, from red giants to catastrophic supernova explosions; and galaxies and galaxy clusters beyond our own including spiral galaxies, elliptical galaxies, and lenticular galaxies.

We learn about supermassive black holes, which astronomers now believe exist at the center of every galaxy including our own, and exoplanets, billions of which are believed to be orbiting stars in the Milky Way and beyond. The book concludes at the edge of the cosmological horizon with a look at dark matter, dark energy, and theories of extraterrestrial life and the Multiverse.

Including hundreds of photographs and custom illustrations, as well as a star atlas that shows the full celestial sky, Deep Space is the perfect book for astronomy buffs, students, and anyone fascinated with the mystery and beauty of the cosmos.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Space, Astronomy, Collections, Physics

224 pages, Hardcover

First published November 4, 2014

About the author

Govert Schilling is freelance wetenschapsjournalist en publicist. Hij schrijft over sterrenkunde en ruimteonderzoek voor kranten en tijdschriften in binnen- en buitenland, o.a. voor de Volkskrant, Eos magazine, Science, New Scientist, Sky & Telescope en BBC Sky at Night. Hij publiceerde tientallen boeken over uiteenlopende sterrenkundige onderwerpen, waarvan sommige zijn vertaald, o.a. in het Engels, Duits en Chinees. Regelmatig geeft hij op radio en tv toelichting op ontwikkelingen in de astronomie. Daarnaast verzorgt hij publiekslezingen en cursussen, en is hij eindredacteur van de populaire website allesoversterrenkunde.nl.

Govert is autodidact op het gebied van de astronomie en de journalistiek. Hij was jarenlang actief in de Jongerenwerkgroep (JWG) voor sterrenkunde, was van 1980 tot 1987 hoofdredacteur van het sterrenkundig tijdschrift Zenit, en was tot 1998 werkzaam als programmaleider bij het Artis Planetarium in Amsterdam.

Voor zijn werk op het gebied van de popularisering van de sterrenkunde ontving Govert diverse prijzen en onderscheidingen, waaronder de Simon Stevin-kijker van de Koninklijke Nederlandse Vereniging voor Weer- en Sterrenkunde KNVWS (1989, samen met astronaut Wubbo Ockels), de Eureka-oeuvreprijs van de Nederlandse organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek NWO (2002) en de David N. Schramm Award van de High-Energy Astrophysics Division van de American Astronomical Society (2014). In 2007 werd planetoïde (10986) Govert naar hem genoemd door de Internationale Astronomische Unie (IAU); in 2021 is hij benoemd tot erelid van deze organisatie.

Govert Schilling is getrouwd, heeft een zoon en een dochter, en woont in Amersfoort.

Reviews

[Mehsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw this one in my library (in Dutch though, but I will review the English book/will review the book in English) and just had to have it.

This book is gorgeous. There are hundreds of beautiful space photography and images of planets, stars, black holes and a lot more. You will be lost in some pictures because they are just that pretty.

Next to all those photographs and images we have a whole lot of information. About the stars and planets, but also things that have to do with the topic of Space. Things like how Telescopes were invented to how astronomy started. It is all highly informative and fun, because the author has a good sense of humour and is not afraid to add some humour to something serious like this.
We also have information about the people who discovered things, or who invented things that we now use to see the stars.

Most of the pages have a little information part, which lists the name(s), heights and some other fun little facts about the stars/planets/nebulas/etc.

At the end of the book we have star charts. Which makes the book even more fun, because now you can see where everything is exactly.

The book is really awesome and I would really recommend it to everyone interested in the subject of space. Or people who just like looking at pretty pictures of space.

Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful pictures. Their are brief narratives about each picture and summary comments on each groupings. Helps one appreciate creation.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well illustrated with good explanations. The chart on star types was one of the most clear that I have seen.

[Julie theriault · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a good book but I wish the descriptions were less detailed and simply written

[İlter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Baskı kalitesi güzel ve uzay ile ilgilenenler için kitaplıkta bulunması gereken bir kitap.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

By Govert Schilling

Publication Date: November 14, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-57912-978-1
Publisher: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers New York

Did you know that in the year 1054 a supernova explosion shined so bright that it was visible in the day? What about how our galaxy will one day collide with the Andromeda Galaxy? Deep Space by Govert Schilling is a great and fascinating book that teaches readers the wonders of space and will entice any reader to learn more about what lies beyond the boundaries of our home planet. Govert Schilling has written many books which educate readers on various aspects of space, science, and physics. As you read, you move further and further from home through the other planets of our system, and to asteroids and comets. After the Solar System, it moves on to star formation, supernovae, exoplanetary systems, and more. Containing stunning pictures from Hubble and other telescopes, those who read it will learn the fantastic phenomena of our galaxy and beyond, as the book teaches about our neighboring galaxies, galaxy clusters, and superclusters. This book is extremely helpful to all who want to learn more about space with many facts about what lies beyond Earth in the Solar System, Milky Way, and the entire Universe. As the introduction states, “In writing the text and selecting the images, I realized once again what a miraculous Universe we find ourselves in. Join me on a voyage through Deep Space, enjoy the views, and learn about the wide and wondrous world you live in.”

[Josh Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published on November 4, 2014 by Running Press Book Publishers, the non-fiction book Deep Space: Beyond the Solar System to the End of the Universe and the Beginning of Time is truly a good read. Well-informed astronomer Govert Schilling takes you on a mind-bending adventure through the in’s and out’s of our complex universe in his engaging guide through the mysteries of existence. Schilling is an astronomer and author who bases his ideas off science. He starts off simple with our solar system and sun, then expands deeper into the bigger, more complicated ideas like black holes, supernovas, and more. That isn’t the least of it, not only is there a motherload of information, but this book also provides breathtaking images of galaxies, stars, and beautiful planets. Before deciding to check out this book, it’s smart to maintain a moderate understanding of basic astronomy, because otherwise you can easily get lost in the difficult space vocabulary. Schilling has created numerous works throughout his years as a writer, almost all of which share the same topic of the universe, which prove his credibility and passion for his work. As I previously stated, the necessity of prior knowledge in fully understanding this book has brought my rating down by one star, because although it may seem like a minor issue, it still creates a problem for the reader. Now, if you’re an excited space enthusiast ready to take on the almost endless knowledge of the universe, get this book now. It is made for you.

[Folko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Het is een heel interessant boek over alles tussen de aarde en het einde van het universum (en daar voorbij). Het is alleen soms wel heel ongrijpbaar, zoals dat er alleen in ons sterrenstelsel (de Melkweg) alleen al honderden miljarden sterren zijn en dat er dan ook nog eens meer dan honderdmiljard sterrenstelsels in het waarneembare heelal zijn. Dan begint het soms wel even te duizelen. Toch is het grotendeels wel in een begrijpelijke taal geschreven. Ik snap weer wat beter hoe het universum in elkaar zit. Mocht je geen zin hebben in die teksten dan is het ook de moeite waard om alleen de afbeeldingen te bekijken, die zijn ook fascinerend.

[Darya Kowalski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deep Space exceeded my expectations. A lot of research has gone into the making of this book. Govert Schilling is an award-winning astronomy writer, and he's used his photography skills as well as writing to reveal in-depth information that, as I said, exceeded my expectations. The three misconceptions of the Big Bang theory were my favourite. If you're an amateur astronomer or just curious, this book is a worthwhile read.

[Esteban · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book was nothing short of awe-inspiring. Trying to explain so much terms and concepts of the universe to non astronomers must be quite difficult but this book does it extremely well, using high resolution photos and artistic illustrations. You'll end hungry for more and more.

[Leah Hortin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took months to get through but I did enjoy it. Some good analogies, a lot of information, and stunning pictures. My only complaint is that due to the layout of the book, some topics were highly repetitive.

[Richard Archambault · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful pictures. Slightly out of date (JWST and gravity waves).

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. All of the pages are filled up with spectacular images of space with brief snippets about space. I will say that Schilling stated many of the theories without showing the work behind these conclusions. This stance infantilizes the reader.

[Sharie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dense but in short spurts. Not sure I care for the organization of the book, but it works. Lots more than just the planets.

[Bill Kasakoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a picture book. Great pictures! White text on a glossy black paper makes for difficult reading. One more nail in the coffin of typography.

[Sheryl Sato · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful look at our universe and beyond, with fascinating artistic concepts and visions of what we will learn in the future.