[Reader Reviews]
“This is a truly outstanding encyclopedia, suitable for readers of all ages. The book is rich in content, highly practical, and packed with information. Its thick black pages are designed to resemble outer space. Numerous clear photographs and detailed illustrations make everything easy to understand.”

“This is a publication I highly recommend, featuring beautiful illustrations and a very thorough explanation of space and the planets. I really love Braga’s book and gave it as a gift to a friend who studies space. The recipient was extremely pleased, and I was delighted to hear their feedback. I’m very glad that such a publication is priced so reasonably. I believe it’s perfect for anyone interested in the fundamental principles of the universe and how it works.”

★ Forty years of stargazing notes from the Pulkovo Observatory—a richly illustrated visual compendium of cosmic knowledge.
★ From planets to black holes, from Earth to the edge of the universe, this single book will help you unravel the mysteries of the stars.
★ The entire volume combines cutting-edge scientific imagery and detailed diagrams with clear explanations, and includes a practical star chart and a list of celestial objects observable with a small telescope, balancing in-depth knowledge with hands-on observation—ideal for both beginners and advanced readers in astronomy.
★ By Kirill Maslennikov, Russian astronomer, astrophysicist, PhD candidate in physics and mathematics, senior researcher at the Pulkovo Observatory for forty years, and recipient of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Science Popularization Award!

Today’s starry sky, just as it was hundreds of centuries ago, continues to captivate the imagination and remains full of unsolved mysteries. Humanity relentlessly explores these secrets: observing stars and planets with telescopes, launching artificial satellites and interstellar probes into space, and continually refining radiation detectors and computational methods. Science strives to construct a coherent and unified set of physical and mathematical theories that describe our vast, boundless universe.

This book is authored by Kirill Maslennikov, a senior astronomer at the Pulkovo Observatory, drawing on forty years of experience in astronomical observation. Starting with Earth and the Moon, it systematically examines the major planets and their moons in the Solar System, then extends to smaller celestial bodies such as asteroids and comets. It delves deeper into the internal structure of the Sun, the birth and death of stars, and evolutionary remnants like white dwarfs and black holes, ultimately expanding to the Milky Way, extragalactic galaxies, active galactic nuclei, and the Big Bang theory.

Within these pages, readers will find a concise yet comprehensive introduction to the cosmos, fully aligned with contemporary scientific understanding. The illustrations, photographs, and diagrams are all sourced from recent authoritative research publications, with images of various celestial objects captured by the most advanced telescopes and radiation detectors available today. The book also includes star charts and a complete catalog of celestial objects observable with small telescopes. This richly illustrated atlas integrates the latest scientific advances with practical observational techniques. Our star chart will guide you on an exhilarating journey—starting from the Solar System and gradually venturing into the depths of the universe—unveiling the mysteries of everything from planets to quasars. You will discover:
- All the secrets of the planets and minor bodies in the Solar System.
- How spacecraft explore other worlds.
- The inner workings of stars, as well as their birth and death.
- The enigmas of black holes and quasars.
- The different types of galaxies and what sets them apart.
- The large-scale structure of the universe.
- Which celestial objects can be observed in the night sky, even with an amateur telescope.

[Author] Kirill Lvovich Maslennikov (1950) — Russian astronomer, astrophysicist, lecturer, teacher, candidate of physical and mathematical sciences, senior staff member of the Pulkovo Observatory, creator of the popular science YouTube channel “QWERTY,” and science communicator. Recipient of the Russian Academy of Sciences Prize for Science Popularization (2020)!
Born on June 15, 1950, in Saint Petersburg. After graduating from secondary school, he enrolled at Leningrad State University, from which he graduated in 1972. He then pursued studies at the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, where he earned his doctoral degree. Currently, he serves as a senior researcher in the Stellar Physics Department of the Pulkovo Observatory. Kirill has been engaged in astronomical observations and the study of cosmic mysteries at the Pulkovo Observatory for 40 years! As an active advocate for astronomy, he runs the popular science YouTube channel “QWERTY,” which boasts over one million subscribers.

Preface 7
I. The Solar System 8
Planetary Earth 10
Exploration of Earth 14
The Moon 16
Mercury 26
Planets
Venus 40
Mars 50
Jupiter and Its Moons 66
Saturn, Its Moons, and Ring System 82
Uranus, Its Moons, and Ring System 90
Neptune and Triton 100
Small Bodies of the Solar System
Asteroids 106
Comets 114
Pluto and Other Dwarf Planets 120

II. The Sun 124

III. Stars and the Milky Way 140
Stars: Spectral Types; Giants and Dwarfs 142
The Birth and Death of Stars 150
Products of Stellar Evolution:
White Dwarfs, Neutron Stars, and Black Holes 160
Variable Stars 170
Binary and Multiple Stars, Star Associations, and Star Clusters 176
Interstellar Clouds 184
Planetary Systems Around Stars; Exoplanets 192

IV. The Large Universe 210
Galaxies 212
Active Galactic Nuclei and Supermassive Black Holes 222
Cosmic Expansion and the Big Bang 232

V. Reference Appendix 238