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The final frontier is conquered in the
DK Space Encyclopedia and
Eyewitness Encyclopedia of Space CD-ROM, the most beautiful, best organized family information sources yet for our galaxy and beyond. In the section called "Observing the Universe," space buffs will discover detailed diagrams of various telescopes, along with explanations of how they're used to pick up light, radio waves, and other emissions from faraway objects. In "Exploring Space," you'll find out how rockets work to launch satellites, people, and gear into space. If you're curious about what it's like to live in space, check out the information on astronauts' daily routines--did you know one astronaut smuggled a ham sandwich into his capsule after hearing how bad NASA's food was?
"Planets and Moons" introduces all the worlds of our solar system, from Mercury out to Neptune and Pluto. Fantastic photos of the planets taken by fly-by probes and the Hubble space telescope show unbelievable details like mountains, craters, and giant canyons. Moving farther away from home, "The Stars" takes you on a tour of our own sun and our stellar neighbors. The life cycle of a star is shown, as well as such strange things as novas, binary stars, rotating variables, and black holes. "Galaxies and Beyond" introduces basic cosmology, the study of the universe, with sections on the Milky Way and other galaxies as well as the latest theories about the size and age of the universe. Finally, readers get tips on how to observe astronomical objects and events, a time line of discoveries, and short biographies of major figures in the field. The DK Space Encyclopedia and Eyewitness Encyclopedia of Space CD-ROM are packed with amazing pictures, diagrams, and facts that no space fan should miss. (Ages 9 and older) --Therese Littleton
From School Library Journal
Grade 6-10-This ambitious resource offers thorough and up-to-date coverage of space sciences. The first two sections examine the technology used to study the universe. The focus then moves to our solar system, then to the stars, and finally to galaxies. A final section covers "Practical Stargazing" and includes basic star maps. Within the subject divisions, topics are explored on two-page spreads. Each one opens with a large print, often conversational overview. Blocks of smaller print text offer specific information and accompany the many full-color photographs, diagrams, and illustrations. Short time lines add historical perspective. Like the numerous charts and tables, they are neatly shaded to make them easily identifiable. The illustrative material provides visual context for some of the more difficult concepts. However, it is not always clear which caption goes with which illustration and in some cases the logical order of reading the information is not apparent. Despite minor flaws, this useful book is sure to be appreciated by students and astronomy enthusiasts. The caption-based text makes it less cohesive than Roy Gallant's engaging National Geographic Picture Atlas of Our Universe (National Geographic, 1995), but the need for currency in the field is crucial. Jacqueline and Simon Mitton's Scholastic Encyclopedia of Space (Scholastic, 1999) is a fine choice for slightly younger readers, but DK Space Encyclopedia is more comprehensive. The appealing layout and wealth of up-to-date visual and textual information make it an excellent addition for most reference collections.
Steven Engelfried, Deschutes County Library, Bend, OR Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
