This fascinating guide is not meant to delve too deeply; instead it gives the reader the grounding needed to appreciate the night sky. Clue- up on the basics with concise information on every planet in the solar system, and practical advice on observing the planets and stars with binoculars, telescopes and the naked eye.

You’ll find the latest theories about how the universe came to exist, incisive explanations of the formation of galaxies and weird concepts such a dark matter, wormholes and superstrings. The guide also provides travel-based information on planetariums, observatories and 'deep sky' sites as well as listings of star clubs, space news sources and other Internet resources. With dozens of photographs and star charts of every constellation, The Rough Guide to the Universe is The Stargazer’s essential handbook.

It’s difficult to avoid the cliche' If you could only buy one book. . . when this book is the topic of conversation. Anybody with a smidge of interest in astronomy should have this book on hand, novice and expert alike, no question about it. - Palm Beach Post

Conveys a real enthusiasm for the night sky . . . Scalzi writes well and is informative. . . I found the resource section most useful. - Popular Astronomy