Exploding Stars and Invisible Planets

What happens to space and matter near a black hole? Where did the moon come from? How do we know what stars are made of? Are we alone in the universe?

In Exploding Stars and Invisible Planets, Fred Watson, an award-winning astronomer, presents the most up-to-date knowledge on hot topics in astronomy and space science, providing a fascinating and entertaining account of the latest research. Watson explains how to find invisible planets around other stars, why dark matter matters, and the future of citizen space travel, all while recounting the seismic shifts in understanding that have taken place during his illustrious career.

The book features illuminating discussions of microbes in space; the dividing line between day and night; exploding stars and light echoes; fast radio bursts and signals from space; meteors, meteorites, and space dust; what happened to the Martian ocean; the seas and lakes of Titan; and the birth of the universe.

Fred Watson is astronomer at large with the Australian Commonwealth Department of Industry, Innovation, and Science. He worked at both of Britain’s royal observatories before joining the Australian Astronomical Observatory as astronomer in charge in 1995. Recognized internationally for helping to pioneer the use of fiber optics in astronomy during the 1980s and ’90s, Watson is best known today for his radio and TV broadcasts and popular astronomy books, which include Stargazer: The Life and Times of the Telescope (2004) and Why Is Uranus Upside Down? And Other Questions About the Universe (2007). He also has an asteroid named after him (5691 Fredwatson).

An up-to-the-minute, entertaining revelation for armchair explorers of deep space.

Mark Thomas, Canberra Times:
Watson sifts and orders a most extensive range of material, then makes it all readily understandable... This book genuinely deserves a readership spanning all ages and many levels of prior expertise.

Richard Glover, ABC Radio:
Full of science and wonder, this book will leave you looking upwards.

Jocelyn Bell Burnell, University of Oxford:
This is a great read! Twenty-one chapters, each a self-contained gem, exploring today's hot topics in astronomy and space research. It is up to date, clear, and entertaining. A great way to get up to speed with developments in astronomy such as gravitational waves and fast radio bursts. Highly recommended!

Col. Pamela A. Melroy, USAF, Ret., former NASA astronaut:
Exploding Stars and Invisible Planets is a superb romp through the historical, cultural, and scientific astronomical phenomena that surround us every day. Fred Watson is a treasure for his witty and incisive descriptions of science, fun and interesting to all. The book spans medieval astronomers to NASA deep space missions and even includes Goldilocks and The Terminator (revealed as serene and even romantic). Enjoy!

Amanda Bauer, head of education and public outreach, Large Synoptic Survey Telescope:
Despite the complexity of the universe, you feel as though you’ve always been part of unraveling its mysteries as you read Fred Watson’s entertaining book. You will explore its history, spot things in the night sky you’ve never noticed before, and if you’re hoping for a wild new travel adventure, you’ll learn how to go to space without contaminating the cosmos with pesky earthly microbes. Bonus!