Each image tells a remarkable story, augmented by lengthy explanations and links to other sites. My favorite is Planetary Nebula IC 418, a sunlike star that in its death throes became a red giant and then ejected its outer layers into space, forming the nebula. But they are all gems. Take NGC 3314, a spiral galaxy pair. The two are aligned so that one is silhouetted against the other, giving us the rare chance to view the light-absorbing dust clouds darkening the spiral arms of a distant galaxy.
Every image is magnificent. .
Robert Anderson is a freelance science writer living in Los Angeles. Tracing the recent history of the Sun's destructive power, astronomer Odenwald warns us about the coming cycle of solar flares and storms, which may cause blackouts, satellite malfunctions, and other kinds of havoc.