This illuminating volume carefully breaks down the features of the Milky Way galaxy. It explains such characteristics as size, shape, and age; examines planets, stars, and star clusters; and delves into such concepts as black holes and dark matter.

"How many stars are in the sky? How did the universe begin? Where did it come from? This is the story of Edwin Hubble, a boy fascinated by the stars who surmounted many hurdles to follow his dreams of becoming an astronomer. Using the insights of great mathematicians and endlessly observing the sky, he succeeded in confirming two things that altered human life forever: that there are more galaxies than our own, and that the universe is always expanding....