This superb guide explores every corner of Earth's planetary neighborhood to the outer expanse of our known universe—from the fiery sun at our solar system's center to the dark, icy realm where interstellar space begins, to the dynamics of galaxies and the mysterious force known as "dark energy." Interstellar is a state-of-the-art observation of what we know and a knowledgeable forecast of what to expect in the future, including the likelihood of a manned expedition to Mars and the search for life in other galaxies.