"Finalist for the PROSE Award in Cosmology and Astronomy, Association of American Publishers" Michael Werner is a senior research scientist at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology. He has been the lead scientist for the Spitzer Space Telescope since 1984. He lives in Pasadena, California. Peter Eisenhardt is a senior research scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He received NASA's Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal for his work on Spitzer. He lives in Altadena, California.
A sweeping tour of the infrared universe as seen through the eyes of NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope
Astronomers have been studying the heavens for thousands of years, but until recently much of the cosmos has been invisible to the human eye. Launched in 2003, the Spitzer Space Telescope has brought the infrared universe into focus as never before. Michael Werner and Peter Eisenhardt are among the scientists who worked for decades to bring this historic mission to life. Here is their inside story of how Spitzer continues to carry out cutting-edge infrared astronomy to help answer fundamental questions that have intrigued humankind since time immemorial: Where did we come from? How did the universe evolve? Are we alone?
In this panoramic book, Werner and Eisenhardt take readers on a breathtaking guided tour of the cosmos in the infrared, beginning in our solar system and venturing ever outward toward the distant origins of the expanding universe. They explain how astronomers use the infrared to observe celestial bodies that are too cold or too far away for their light to be seen by the eye, to conduct deep surveys of galaxies as they appeared at the dawn of time, and to peer through dense cosmic clouds that obscure major events in the life cycles of planets, stars, and galaxies.
Featuring many of Spitzer's spectacular images, More Things in the Heavens provides a thrilling look at how infrared astronomy is aiding the search for exoplanets and extraterrestrial life, and transforming our understanding of the history and evolution of our universe. "Spitzer . . . merits a detailed and authoritative account of its successes, and More Things in the Heavens is just that."---Michael Rowan-Robinson, Nature "For serious space fans, this ode to NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope reveals what we've learned by looking at the universe through an infrared lens." "Werner and Eisenhardt, both at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, have been involved with Spitzer for decades and know their subject intimately. After a whirlwind tour of the universe as seen in the infrared, they cover in detail every aspect of astronomy that Spitzer has touched."---Rick Fienberg, Sky & Telescope "A fascinating insight into how the scientific process of discovery works, putting the results made by the huge team using Spitzer in context with the wider research field."---Dr. Chris North, BBC Sky at Night "More Things in the Heavens is a well-written account of the accomplishments of a great observatory over its more than 16-year lifetime."---Edward L. Wright, Physics Today "More Things in the Heavens is an unashamed celebration of one of the great scientific projects of the early 21st century. . . . It is a labour of love by two men who committed their lives to transform a dream into reality, to bringing us a deeper understanding of the Universe with a mirror no bigger than the one in most bathrooms."---Nick Smith, Engineering & Technology "This is a most impressive story, not just for specialists, clearly told and profusely illustrated. I found it a pleasure to read and recommend it strongly."---Peredur Williams, The Observatory "More Things in the Heavens reveals how important infrared astronomy has been to increasing our understanding of the cosmos."---Iain Todd, BBC Sky at Night "A timely and welcome addition to this genre."---Manoj Puravankara, Current Science "Had we known how wonderful the infrared is, we would have been born with infra
