Death Stars, Weird Galaxies, and a Quasar-Spangled Universe: The Discoveries of the Very Large Array Telescope |  | Author: Karen Taschek
Publisher: University of New Mexico Press
List Price: $19.95
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Seller: eastriverbooks
Rating:  2 reviews
Sales Rank: 175965
Media: Hardcover
Reading Level: Young Adult
Pages: 88
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 10.2 x 7.3 x 0.5
ISBN: 0826332110
Dewey Decimal Number: 522.682
EAN: 9780826332110
ASIN: 0826332110
Publication Date: May 16, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
In 1931, Karl Jansky was hired by AT&T to search for sources of static that might interfere with radio waves for transatlantic communications. Jansky identified static from thunderstorms and random radio noise from devices on Earth, but he also found a radio hiss from the Milky Way galaxy. After World War II, astronomers constructed more radio telescopes with greater sensitivity to faint radio signals from space. In the 1970s, the National Radio Astronomy Observatory built the Very Large Array (VLA) radio telescope, on the plains of San Agustin, New Mexico. The VLA is well equipped to hunt for strange objects and solve astronomical mysteries. The VLA receives radio signals from outer space. Most are so faint, a blastingly strong signal would be a cell phone ringing on the moon, 238,900 miles away from Earth. The VLA has shown ice on the burning-hot planet of Mercury, has discovered a burst of brand-new star formations, and has probed dying and exploding stars. Karen Taschek introduces young readers to the wonders revealed by the VLA. She begins with basic information on our solar system and our own Milky Way galaxy and then extends the discussion to galaxies billions of light-years from Earth. Reading level: 14 years and up
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| Customer Reviews:
 A Boring Universe February 17, 2009
Deborah Muldawer
Death stars and galaxies. Cool. Quasers. Neat. This book. Boring.
I recently read this for the NM Battle of the Books and found it dense, highly technological, and full of scientific information. If a person was interested in this subject, it would provide a good overview of many things found in space. However, as a casual read or even for classroom use, I could not recommend this book.
The writing is dull and reminiscent of a poorly written textbook where too much information is crammed into too small a space. A better format for young adults, the target audience, would be less information with accompanying pictures, vocabulary definitions, and personal accounts.
This book might be more acceptable to upper high school students and college students with a particular interest in science, but as a young adult book it deserves to be devoured by a black hole and regenerated as new matter.
 A wealth of fun and interesting finds attributed to the VLA's research June 14, 2006
Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Death Stars, Weird Galaxies, And A Quasar-Spangled Universe: The Discoveries Of The Very Large Array Telescope by Karen Taschek is an informative and easy-to-follow study of the Very Large Array (VLA) as constructed by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in in San Augustin, New Mexico. Ably authored, and historically concise, Death Stars, Weird Galaxies, And A Quasar-Spangled Universe presents the story of Karl Jasky and his discoveries, and continues on to share a wealth of fun and interesting finds attributed to the VLA's research. Beautifully illustrated throughout and a welcome addition to school and community library Astronomy reference collections, Death Stars, Weird Galaxies, And A Quasar-Spangled Universe is very highly recommended as a complete, active, thorough, and exclusive coverage of the fascinating world of the discoveries made with the technology of modern astronomical sciences for readers of all ages who are interested in the science of astronomy.
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