From Neil deGrasse Tyson, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, comes a spirited journey to the planets and stars, where the answers to curious stargazers' questions lie.In this companion volume to Merlin's Tour of the Universe, we visit again with Merlin, a timeless space traveler from Planet Omniscia, who answers a collection of imaginative questions about the cosmos from Earthlings of all ages. Whether waxing poetic about Earth and its environs, the Sun and its stellar siblings, the world of light, physical laws, or galaxies near and far, Merlin's remarks are engaging, humorous, and clear as a starry night sky.Merlin tackles such conundrums as:If aliens exploded Earth's moon, what effect would it have on us?What are your thoughts on the theory that a star named Nemesis is circling our solar system and was responsible for killing off the dinosaurs?If I leave a container on my roof for a period of time, can I collect particles from outer space?Lively and entertaining, Just Visiting This Planet is a useful guidebook to the universe.
"Tyson has created a space-age Merlin. An astrophysicist and educator, Tyson weaves together imaginative with straightforward science."
"Tyson is a master of streamlining and simplification…taking mind-bogglingly complex ideas, stripping them down to their nuts and bolts, padding them with colorful allegories and dorky jokes, and making them accessible to the layperson."
"We all have some questions we'd like to ask about astronomy. Well, here they are-and the answers too, short, straightforward, light-hearted, and correct."
