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Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Universe: And Our Place Within It
The universe is a beautiful, awe-inspiring place – from glowing nebulae to the sweeping majesty of the Milky Way, from complex cloud patterns on Jupiter to the rippling curtains of aurorae. But many of us struggle to grasp the complex ideas and science behind it all, or to see how it relates to our everyday lives.
In Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Universe, Professor Andrew Newsam draws on his vast expertise to show us what’s going on beyond the limits of our planet, from our solar system to distant galaxies – and what this tells us about our own place in this vast expanse.
Will our explorations of our neighbouring planets reveal life or a new place to settle? What happens inside black holes? Is dark matter real? Would a solar flare have a devastating effect on our planet? Could we do anything to prevent being wiped out by an approaching asteroid? What can observations of stars reveal about our origins – and our future?
A brilliantly vivid and enlightening guide to the incredible phenomena of outer space – and to ourselves.
In Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Universe, Professor Andrew Newsam draws on his vast expertise to show us what’s going on beyond the limits of our planet, from our solar system to distant galaxies – and what this tells us about our own place in this vast expanse.
Will our explorations of our neighbouring planets reveal life or a new place to settle? What happens inside black holes? Is dark matter real? Would a solar flare have a devastating effect on our planet? Could we do anything to prevent being wiped out by an approaching asteroid? What can observations of stars reveal about our origins – and our future?
A brilliantly vivid and enlightening guide to the incredible phenomena of outer space – and to ourselves.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published June 11, 2020
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123 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 1, 2020
Nowadays, TV science presenters tend to be young, attractive and matey, but there was a time when they were more like erudite but twinkly old uncles, imparting their wisdom to the next generation. Andrew Newsam's writing style is very much in this wise old uncle vein.
I don't see this as a bad thing - quite the reverse. In my youth, the doyen of such eccentric TV uncles was Patrick Moore, who got me interested in astronomy to the extent of being out on dark nights with a 6 inch reflector. Moore wrote clear, readable books - and Newsam gives us a straightforward, accessible tour of the astronomical universe in solid Moore style.
The title is a bit of an exaggeration - it's not so much everything you might want to know about the universe, but rather about astronomy. However, within that field Newsam gives us well-constructed tours of the view from Earth, the Sun as a star, the solar system, stars in general, galaxies and the Big Bang. Although there is a touch of astrophysics required in some of these sections, the approach sticks primarily to the astronomical view, which has the advantage of making it more timeless. We do get passing mentions, for example, of black holes, dark matter and dark energy, but topics like these aren't emphasised.
There is one oddity here. Manuscripts are often provided double spaced to the publisher to aid with editing, but it does feel strange to read a published book with such wide spacing between lines of text. Either they forgot to change the spacing, or the final book was shorter than expected.
Don't come to this book expecting to explore hot new theories and weird quantum effects. That's not what it's for. And it is has entered a relatively crowded market as an overview of astronomy. However, Newsam does what he does well - I'd recommend it for anyone dipping a first toe in astronomical waters.
I don't see this as a bad thing - quite the reverse. In my youth, the doyen of such eccentric TV uncles was Patrick Moore, who got me interested in astronomy to the extent of being out on dark nights with a 6 inch reflector. Moore wrote clear, readable books - and Newsam gives us a straightforward, accessible tour of the astronomical universe in solid Moore style.
The title is a bit of an exaggeration - it's not so much everything you might want to know about the universe, but rather about astronomy. However, within that field Newsam gives us well-constructed tours of the view from Earth, the Sun as a star, the solar system, stars in general, galaxies and the Big Bang. Although there is a touch of astrophysics required in some of these sections, the approach sticks primarily to the astronomical view, which has the advantage of making it more timeless. We do get passing mentions, for example, of black holes, dark matter and dark energy, but topics like these aren't emphasised.
There is one oddity here. Manuscripts are often provided double spaced to the publisher to aid with editing, but it does feel strange to read a published book with such wide spacing between lines of text. Either they forgot to change the spacing, or the final book was shorter than expected.
Don't come to this book expecting to explore hot new theories and weird quantum effects. That's not what it's for. And it is has entered a relatively crowded market as an overview of astronomy. However, Newsam does what he does well - I'd recommend it for anyone dipping a first toe in astronomical waters.
February 9, 2022
I found this a very interesting book, really easy to read and I never found myself too far out of my depth. Most importantly I have learnt bucketloads…enough to annoy the wife with all the repeating of facts to her. Whilst reading this book I watched a movie called “Don’t Look Up” and I loved how much more understanding I had for this disaster movie, normally it would have been a big old rock about to hit Earth but this time I was able to identify that it was a comet as they were working it out, so massive thanks go to Newsam for making me so wise.
The structure of the book is well laid out, Newsam starts out looking up at the sky and moves onto the sun and our planets and gradually gets further and further away, eventually discussing how it all started with the Big Bang. Thinking about how scientists managed to figure this out has always hurt my head and trying to grasp the distances involved is tough to do but he has explained things in a way that I can almost get it, how they figured out the big bang theory and then proved it was fascinating.
A lot of my questions have been answered too, why was Pluto no longer considered a planet, it always seemed unfair but as per usual the media twists the truth and barely tell you any of the facts, Newsam’s explanation makes sense and I can see why it was changed, no longer shall I seek vengeance for Pluto. One thing I’ve always wanted to know is how they figure out all the facts about the universe and this book gives you a nice run down on how the science works, who figured it out and how it was proved. There are also plenty of diagrams and photos to aid your understanding.
So, if you are wanting to know more about what’s around us but don’t think you have the ability to understand then give this book a go, Newsam explains things in a way that always has you nodding along without feeling belittled by his expert knowledge, this is the sort of book that could make you want to have a career spying on the stars.
Blog review: https://felcherman.wordpress.com/2022...
The structure of the book is well laid out, Newsam starts out looking up at the sky and moves onto the sun and our planets and gradually gets further and further away, eventually discussing how it all started with the Big Bang. Thinking about how scientists managed to figure this out has always hurt my head and trying to grasp the distances involved is tough to do but he has explained things in a way that I can almost get it, how they figured out the big bang theory and then proved it was fascinating.
A lot of my questions have been answered too, why was Pluto no longer considered a planet, it always seemed unfair but as per usual the media twists the truth and barely tell you any of the facts, Newsam’s explanation makes sense and I can see why it was changed, no longer shall I seek vengeance for Pluto. One thing I’ve always wanted to know is how they figure out all the facts about the universe and this book gives you a nice run down on how the science works, who figured it out and how it was proved. There are also plenty of diagrams and photos to aid your understanding.
So, if you are wanting to know more about what’s around us but don’t think you have the ability to understand then give this book a go, Newsam explains things in a way that always has you nodding along without feeling belittled by his expert knowledge, this is the sort of book that could make you want to have a career spying on the stars.
Blog review: https://felcherman.wordpress.com/2022...
February 17, 2022
We are fortunate that just north of us we have a designated dark skies area, Cranborne Chase where there is so little artificial light that the magnificent spectacle that is the night sky can be seen in all its glory. But knowing what each of those pinpricks of light is many lifetimes work for scientists and astronomers.
For the layperson, though it can be a bit overwhelming. The distances between each of the stars are mind-bogglingly large. I still can get my head around some of the numbers quoted from us to our nearest neighbouring star, Proxima Centauri. It is four light-years away and you can’t even see it unless you have a telescope!
To help find your way through the vastness of space, Andrew Newsam, Professor of Astronomy Education and Engagement has written this guide for those that want to know a little bit more about the heavens. He has split the book into five sections, a brief history of observation of the stars and planets, a chapter on the sun, the star that gives us heat and light and the solar system. He then moves onto other stars and then galaxies, before ending with a chapter going right back to the very beginnings of the universe when the big bang happened.
As an introduction to the sun, planets and stars that we can see from our pale blue dot, this is a great way of finding out a little bit more about them. Newsam writes in a way that is not too technical but is drawing on his experience as a Professor in the subject. If you are looking for more detail there are other books out there that will fill in the gaps. The only thing that I thought it was missing was a further reading section for those that want to use this as a stepping stone for more information about the particular astronomy subject that fascinates them. 3.5 stars
For the layperson, though it can be a bit overwhelming. The distances between each of the stars are mind-bogglingly large. I still can get my head around some of the numbers quoted from us to our nearest neighbouring star, Proxima Centauri. It is four light-years away and you can’t even see it unless you have a telescope!
To help find your way through the vastness of space, Andrew Newsam, Professor of Astronomy Education and Engagement has written this guide for those that want to know a little bit more about the heavens. He has split the book into five sections, a brief history of observation of the stars and planets, a chapter on the sun, the star that gives us heat and light and the solar system. He then moves onto other stars and then galaxies, before ending with a chapter going right back to the very beginnings of the universe when the big bang happened.
As an introduction to the sun, planets and stars that we can see from our pale blue dot, this is a great way of finding out a little bit more about them. Newsam writes in a way that is not too technical but is drawing on his experience as a Professor in the subject. If you are looking for more detail there are other books out there that will fill in the gaps. The only thing that I thought it was missing was a further reading section for those that want to use this as a stepping stone for more information about the particular astronomy subject that fascinates them. 3.5 stars
January 30, 2022
I am not a scientifically minded person, I struggle with large numbers and most of the stuff goes over my head. What I am though, is curious. It is curiosity that is the start for many/ most of the advances in everything we know, build, connect and learn from. So, there is hope for me yet!
This is a relatively short book and one that I found to be really informative, but most importantly for me, it was also understandable. When I say understandable, I mean that as I read it made sense as the author laid everything out in a basic way. He also made comparisons to things we know.
Anything to do with space or the universe involves some seriously mega numbers. Million is a tiny amount! Millions of millions are a bit larger, but when numbers have 10 or 20 or more zeros in them then it is mind-blowing for this mere mortal. The author put these numbers into a perspective that gave me some idea of the size, this gave the figures a meaning that before I would just go, "yeah that's beyond me to imagine anything that large". I think this is what makes this book so interesting and informative, the author breaks things down into manageable and understandable numbers and also terms. Whether he is referring to the difference between fusion or fission, the difference between dark matter or mass, he gives his explanations in basic terms.
This is a book that deals with the Universe from its earliest and continues over billions of years. How guesswork and theories have changed, challenged or proven as advances in observational equipment and computers, studying the universe is something that will always throw up new questions and quests. There is also a really interesting part about the future of the Universe.
I have to say tha5t this is a book that I find really enjoyable to read. I didn't expect to enjoy it as such, I expected it to be informative and hopefully, I would learn something as I read. The author has an almost conversational style to his writing, it felt as if he was interacting with me personally as he led me through the mysteries, phenomena, science, discoveries and challenges.
If you are curious about where the universe started and like me have no science background then this book is a wonderful place to start. It has definitely made me more curious. Very accessible to read, understandable with explained jargon and terms, An excellent book to read and one that I would definitely recommend.
This is a relatively short book and one that I found to be really informative, but most importantly for me, it was also understandable. When I say understandable, I mean that as I read it made sense as the author laid everything out in a basic way. He also made comparisons to things we know.
Anything to do with space or the universe involves some seriously mega numbers. Million is a tiny amount! Millions of millions are a bit larger, but when numbers have 10 or 20 or more zeros in them then it is mind-blowing for this mere mortal. The author put these numbers into a perspective that gave me some idea of the size, this gave the figures a meaning that before I would just go, "yeah that's beyond me to imagine anything that large". I think this is what makes this book so interesting and informative, the author breaks things down into manageable and understandable numbers and also terms. Whether he is referring to the difference between fusion or fission, the difference between dark matter or mass, he gives his explanations in basic terms.
This is a book that deals with the Universe from its earliest and continues over billions of years. How guesswork and theories have changed, challenged or proven as advances in observational equipment and computers, studying the universe is something that will always throw up new questions and quests. There is also a really interesting part about the future of the Universe.
I have to say tha5t this is a book that I find really enjoyable to read. I didn't expect to enjoy it as such, I expected it to be informative and hopefully, I would learn something as I read. The author has an almost conversational style to his writing, it felt as if he was interacting with me personally as he led me through the mysteries, phenomena, science, discoveries and challenges.
If you are curious about where the universe started and like me have no science background then this book is a wonderful place to start. It has definitely made me more curious. Very accessible to read, understandable with explained jargon and terms, An excellent book to read and one that I would definitely recommend.
March 9, 2022
I don't think I've ever read non-fiction as quickly as I read this brilliant book. I know very little about astronomy although I've always been interested in our solar system, however, many astronomy books just go straight over my head. This is most definitely not the case with Andrew Newsam's Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Universe: And Our Place Within It that is written in such an informative and engaging way that I found easy to understand and incredibly entertaining.
I not only learnt things, I found that I retained the information and it made me eager to find out more. The writing is captivating and entertaining without being patronising to any readers who may already know some basics about astronomy. It's clearly written for the layperson who has no prior knowledge of astronomy and incredibly easy to read. I'm amazed at how much knowledge about the universe I gained and retained. It's true what Frank Carson said: it's the way you tell 'em!
There are six chapters: Looking out from Earth, The Sun as a star, The Solar System, Stars, Galaxies, and The Big Bang. Ranging from 16 to 52 pages long, each chapter covers a lot of ground but it never gets boring and I found myself eager to read just one more chapter, which is almost unheard of for me when reading non-fiction. There are also some stunning colour images in the middle plate section to enhance and support the text.
So, if you've always wanted to know more about the universe then this is the book for you. I didn't even hesitate before awarding the full five stars and it deserves every single one of them. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for more books by Andrew Newsam and I highly recommend this book.
Many thanks to Alison Menzies for sending me an ARC to read and review; all opinions are my own.
I not only learnt things, I found that I retained the information and it made me eager to find out more. The writing is captivating and entertaining without being patronising to any readers who may already know some basics about astronomy. It's clearly written for the layperson who has no prior knowledge of astronomy and incredibly easy to read. I'm amazed at how much knowledge about the universe I gained and retained. It's true what Frank Carson said: it's the way you tell 'em!
There are six chapters: Looking out from Earth, The Sun as a star, The Solar System, Stars, Galaxies, and The Big Bang. Ranging from 16 to 52 pages long, each chapter covers a lot of ground but it never gets boring and I found myself eager to read just one more chapter, which is almost unheard of for me when reading non-fiction. There are also some stunning colour images in the middle plate section to enhance and support the text.
So, if you've always wanted to know more about the universe then this is the book for you. I didn't even hesitate before awarding the full five stars and it deserves every single one of them. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for more books by Andrew Newsam and I highly recommend this book.
Many thanks to Alison Menzies for sending me an ARC to read and review; all opinions are my own.
August 20, 2024
A great physics book - beginning relatively simplistic and gradually getting into more advanced topics, but everything is explained very well no matter the complexity. I especially liked the way Newsam explained black holes, the whole book was down to earth and easy to understand while still going into enough depth and using just enough physics jargon.
November 24, 2024
I deeply appreciate a book title that tells you exactly what to expect *and* has gorgeous silver foiling. Beyond the aesthetics and the immediately captivating title, 'Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Universe: And Our Place Within It' by Andrew Newsam has quickly become my favorite astronomy nonfiction book. It’s now my go-to recommendation for anyone seeking a mind-opening exploration of the cosmos.
The book is structured across six chapters, each building on fundamental scientific theories. As someone without a scientific background, I found the explanations approachable and often tethered to ideas I vaguely remembered from school. Starting from our experiences on Earth and expanding outward—from the Sun and Solar System to distant stars, galaxies, and even back to the Big Bang—the journey feels logical and expansive. While there were moments I didn’t fully grasp the intricacies of particular theories, I always felt I could understand the bigger picture and the implications of what was being discussed.
Newsam makes the vast complexities of the universe accessible. His personal, laid-back writing style is interwoven with approachable explanations of theories, engaging anecdotes about pioneering scientists and reflections drawn from his own experiences in the field. I appreciated the inclusion of thoughtfully chosen images, clear graphs and the use of expanded forms of measurements, which helped ground the mind-boggling scale of the universe in something tangible.
This book was an absolute joy to read, and I’m excited to recommend it to anyone with even a passing interest in astronomy or science in general. It’s a wonderful mix of awe, wonder and accessible learning—precisely what a great science book should be!
The book is structured across six chapters, each building on fundamental scientific theories. As someone without a scientific background, I found the explanations approachable and often tethered to ideas I vaguely remembered from school. Starting from our experiences on Earth and expanding outward—from the Sun and Solar System to distant stars, galaxies, and even back to the Big Bang—the journey feels logical and expansive. While there were moments I didn’t fully grasp the intricacies of particular theories, I always felt I could understand the bigger picture and the implications of what was being discussed.
Newsam makes the vast complexities of the universe accessible. His personal, laid-back writing style is interwoven with approachable explanations of theories, engaging anecdotes about pioneering scientists and reflections drawn from his own experiences in the field. I appreciated the inclusion of thoughtfully chosen images, clear graphs and the use of expanded forms of measurements, which helped ground the mind-boggling scale of the universe in something tangible.
This book was an absolute joy to read, and I’m excited to recommend it to anyone with even a passing interest in astronomy or science in general. It’s a wonderful mix of awe, wonder and accessible learning—precisely what a great science book should be!
November 21, 2022
This book explains a lot very succinctly and in easy enough terms that even I can understand it. Although it’s quite scientific, the author explains it very well. A lot of topics are covered and it’s all very interesting, and there’s not too much information about each thing (which would be overwhelming). I’ve learnt a lot of incredible facts from this book!
March 10, 2024
Andrew knows how to explain without ever becoming patronising he is funny and thorough with his chapters. Very easy read and wanted more when it was over which I think says it all.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews