CHECK IT OUT:

From the dawn of man to 2008, humans have been interested in, fascinated by, and afraid of the universe and the events that happen within in it and because of it. The Newport Beach Public Library has a wide variety of books, audio books and DVDs on the many aspects of astronomy just waiting to be discovered.

It all began with the big bang, or did it? Check our database to see materials about the big bang theory, including, “The Three Big Bangs: Comet Crashes, Exploding Stars, and the Creation of the Universe” by Philip Dauber. Is the theory valid? “The Endless Universe: Big Bang, Big Crunch and Beyond” by Paul J. Steinhardt and “The Big Bang Never Happened” by Eric Lerner tend to disagree.

A good place to start exploring our world is with the planets. “The Solar System” by Paul P. Sipiera is ideal for the very young child while “The Planets” by David McNab is more in-depth for the older elementary school student. We have Carl Sagan’s “Cosmos,” an early layperson’s venture to understanding our universe, in both book and DVD format.

Mars has been in the news for years as we wonder if there are Martians and water on the planet. There could be life on Mars but not in the way science fiction writers have depicted it. Check out “The Hunt for Life on Mars” by Donald Goldsmith, to find out what kind of life may be there.

For now, the best travel information is found in “A Traveler’s Guide to Mars: The Mysterious Landscapes of the Red Planet” by William K. Hartmann. Here you will find places to visit as Olympus Mons, Tharsis Planitia and the Valles Marineris. Don’t know what these are? Read the book!

For readers who don’t have much time to thoroughly investigate the universe, grab a quick guide to an overview of the subject with accessible explanations and illustrations. One of the best books for this is “1001 Facts about Space.” It’s in the kid’s collection, but is perfect for all ages. Similar, but without as many illustrations, is “1001 Things Everyone Should Know about the Universe” by William A. Gutsch. An excellent dictionary/encyclopedia, with 3000 entries, is “The Universal Book of Astronomy” with more than 200 illustrations in color and black and white.

Viewing stars and planets from Earth is an exciting experience for all ages. The library has many star maps and guides to how, when and where to view the sky.

Some of the more recent titles, with spectacular illustrations include: “The Young Astronomer: A Young Enthusiast’s Guide to Astronomy” by Harry Ford, “Nightwatch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe” by Terence Dickinson, “The 50 Best Sights in Astronomy and How to See Them” by Fred Schaaf, “City Astronomy” by Robin Scagell and “Splendors of the Universe: A Practical Guide to Photographing the Night Sky” by Terence Dickinson.

And the fate of Pluto — is it or isn’t it a planet? Whether you agree or disagree with the latest decision, do some reading and decide how you would have voted. Kids can check out “Pluto” by Gregory L. Vogt and “When is a Planet Not a Planet” by Elaine Scott and adults can consult “Is Pluto a Planet?” by David A. Weintraub or place a hold for the December release of “Pluto Files: The Rise & Fall of America’s Favorite Planet” by Neil de Grasse Tyson.

A final recommendation: “First Light: The Search for the Edge of the Universe” by Richard Preston is an illuminating biography of the Palomar Observatory’s huge telescope and the mirror that took 14 years to cast and polish with some of the parts coming from a junk pile in the basement of the observatory!

CHECK IT OUT is written by the staff of the Newport Beach Public Library.