Overview

In this vibrant, eye-opening tour of milestones in the history of our universe, Chris Impey guides us through space and time, leading us from the familiar sights of the night sky to the dazzlingly strange aftermath of the Big Bang. What if we could look into space and see not only our place in the universe but also how we came to be here? As it happens, we can. Because it takes time for light to travel, we see more and more distant regions of the universe as they were in the successively greater past. Impey uses this concept-""look-back time""-to take us on an intergalactic tour that is simultaneously out in space and back in time. Performing a type of cosmic archaeology, Impey brilliantly describes the astronomical clues that scientists have used to solve fascinating mysteries about the origins and development of our universe. The milestones on this journey range from the nearby to the remote: we travel from the Moon, Jupiter, and the black hole at the heart of our galaxy all the way to the first star, the first ray of light, and even the strange, roiling conditions of the infant universe, an intense and volatile environment in which matter was created from pure energy. Impey gives us breathtaking visual descriptions and also explains what each landmark can reveal about the universe and its history. His lucid, wonderfully engaging scientific discussions bring us to the brink of modern cosmology and physics, illuminating such mind-bending concepts as invisible dimensions, timelessness, and multiple universes. A dynamic and unforgettable portrait of the cosmos, How It Began will reward its readers with a deeper understanding of the universe we inhabit as well as a renewed sense of wonder at its beauty and mystery.

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Reviews

Here is a universe wrapped in a dream of spacefaring for everyone to share. Author Chris Impey combines the vision of a practicing scientist with the voice of a gifted storyteller. He has crafted some of the finest metaphors imaginable for capturing astronomy s most grandiose concepts. How It Began glitters with a sprinkle of Moon dust. --Dava Sobel, author of A More Perfect Heaven: How Copernicus Revolutionized the Cosmos

...Chris Impey's How It Began is a joy for the layman. His style is informative and entertaining...an intergalactic gem. Patrick Neale, Booksellers' Choice, The Bookseller Impey is in a class of his own when it comes to guiding the reader through the infinite reaches of the universe. He is a masterly exponent of comparison and metaphor... New Scientist In clear, enthusiastic and occasionally lyrical prose, Mr Impey takes the reader on a mind-blowing tour... The Wall Street Journal Europe ...a strange but compelling mix of travelogue, science fiction and textbook, with countless notes and references. But the skilful writing keeps you hooked and will help many to appreciate the wonders of the cosmos. Sky at Night

Author Information

Chris Impey is a distinguished professor in the Department of Astronomy at the University of Arizona and the critically-acclaimed author of Beyond, How It Began, and How It Ends, and four other books, as well as two astronomy textbooks. He lives in Tucson, Arizona.

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