"Providing current and accurate information, Encyclopedia of Space and Astronomy is a useful reference for high school and college students. Comprehensive coverage includes significant breakthroughs in space and astronomy, in addition to definitions of basic related terms, thought-provoking essays, and capsule biographies of notable scientists. Written in an easy-to-understand format, the encyclopedia examines the technical, social, and philosophical influences that space and astronomy have on contemporary life." Featuring more than 3,000 cross-referenced entries, the encyclopedia includes 15 essays, interspersed throughout the text, that discuss a variety of topics, including the hazards of space travel, space technology and national security, and the consequences of interstellar contact. The volume is enhanced by more than 200 black-and-white illustrations, photographs, and charts. The encyclopedia also includes five helpful appendices - a bibliography of print resources, an extensive list of Web sites, a chronology of significant events in space and astronomy, a table of basic planetary data, and a breakdown on how planets and other celestial bodies were named - as well as an extensive index.