Grade 9: Science: Earth & Space

He was the first astronaut to orbit the Earth. Nearly four decades later, as the world's oldest astronaut, his courage reveted a nation. But these two historical events only bracketed a life that covers the sweep of an extraordinary century. John Glenn's autobiography spans the seminal events of the twentieth century. It is a story that begins with his childhood in Ohio where he learned the importance of family, community, and patriotism. He took these values with him as a marine fighter pilot during World War II and into the skies over Korea, for which he would be decorated. Always a gifted flier, it was during the war that he contemplated the unlimited possibilities of aviation and its frontiers. We see the early days of NASA, where he first served as a backup pilot for astronauts Alan Shepard and Gus Grissom. In 1962 Glenn piloted the Mercury-Atlas 6 Friendship 7 spacecraft on the first manned orbital mission of the United States. Then came several years in international business, followed by a twenty-four year career as a U.S. Senator-and in 1998 a return to space for his remarkable Discover mission at the age of seventy-seven.

The latest photos from Hubble's recent discoveries, with fascinating new and updated information. After 17 years, 25,000 astronomical targets and more than 700,000 images, the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) continues to return images and data that amaze astronomers. Within the past few months alone, the Hubble has revealed a gold mine of just-formed star systems in the newborn Universe, provided detailed views of a second red spot emerging on Jupiter, and confirmed that monster black holes lurk at the center of galaxies. This brand new and updated edition features: 80 new full-color images A new introduction that reveals Hubble's future The data behind Pluto's recent demotion to non-planetary status Hubble's most important and fascinating new discoveries Explanations of how these new discoveries are revising scientific understanding of the Universe. New photographs reveal astonishing and previously unseen details of what once appeared only as gray blurs or dots on a star map. Examples include the Eagle Nebula and the birth of a star; newly formed stars blowing a cavity in the center of the Small Magellanic Cloud; colliding Antennae galaxies; and a massive galaxy just under assembly. Hubble transports readers beyond our solar system to galaxies millions -- even billions -- of light years away. These dramatic, unforgettable new images bring into sharp focus the ways in which the Universe is unfolding in new and astonishing ways.

It was a small sphere, less than two feet in diameter. But when the Soviet Union launched Sputnik into orbit on October 4, 1957, waves of excitement and anxiety rippled around the world. the United States had been preparing to launch its own satellite, but the Soviet Union had beaten them to it. the race for space was on. Who would be the first to the moon? This retrospective title captures the competitive spirit and enthusiasm for each country's accomplishments during the sixties. It also highlights how the fascination with space led to a new emphasis on science in the schools, in space-age architecture and design, in toys featuring rockets and astronauts, and in advertising with a space-age theme--and continues to influence today's efforts in space exploration.