Visions of the Universe by Raman Prinja; 2006. Hardcover.

Visions of the Universe presents a unique and exquisite collection of the most recent images from NASA, ESA, and ESO that capture the visual drama, beauty and challenging activity of the universe, from the origins of stars and galaxies, to the most detailed images ever obtained of the Sun, and new discoveries confirming the presence of super-massive black holes. These photographs come from the most advanced telescopes on Earth as well as facilities in space itself, such as The Hubble Space Telescope, the Galileo and Cassini spacecraft and the latest exploration vehicles to land on Mars. Starting with an explanation as to why our recent exploration of the solar system has been a hunt for water, and how the spectacular images of liquid water traces from Jupiter's moons and Mars are leading us to a better understanding of the possibility of life on other planets. Dr Prinja further explores what the latest images show us about the origins of the universe and some of its most violent processes, including the death throes of stars, and a study of the detailed search for the "dark matter" that is currently hidden from our telescopes. In an exhilarating and accessible way, awarding-winning scientist Dr Raman Prinja explains the fresh perspectives that scientists have gained on the content, structure, and fate of the universe.