Space

The Mysterious Universe by Ellen Jackson

City of Publication: Houghton Mifflen Company, 2008

 Call Number: 523.8 JAC

**__Summary/Description__: Alex Filippenko and the High-Z Supernova Search Team are group of scientists dedicated to unlocking some of the most amazing secrets of the universe. The High-Z Supernova Search Team searches for supernovae, objects that mark the death of great stars. In addition, they hope to learn more about dark energy, a little known about force that constantly pushes the universe apart. This force contributes to the expansion of the universe at an increasing speed. Join Alex as he strives to conceive the vast secrets of space and decipher what the stars and galaxies have to tell us about the future of the universe.**

__**Beyond the Book**__: Go beyond the book by exploring these recommended web resources:


 * [|High-Z Supernova Search Team] The High-Z Supernova Search Team is a group of scientists that study the expansion of the universe and also search for supernovae. They go to various places when studying stars and galaxies such as Mauna Kea in Hawaii and Mount Hamilton in California. Scientists can measure how fast stars are moving by their redshift or blueshift. Some of these vital components can help Alex and his team tell us about the fate of the universe. Let this superior website teach you about what work High-Z Supernova Search Team does and how they do it.
 * [|The Big Bang] The story begins during the first moments of the universe when an enormous explosion blazed forth with such power never to be equaled again. This first inferno started all time and space, and to the universe we can see today. Fourteen billion years later, the universe is still expanding at an accelerating speed, and it shows no sign of slowing down. This thorough website further explains what, when, why and how the big bang happened as partially mentioned in the novel. Visit this website to gain more knowledge on this object that started the universe.
 * [|Star Formation] This website talks about how stars form from a nebula to their death as a supernova. Stars can take many different paths such as becoming red giants or white dwarfs as they are born and die. In the novel, Alex and his team specifically search for type Ia supernovae so they can record their spectra and determine how fast they are going. This contributes to answering the question of how fast the universe is expanding. Do not miss out on this vital information on the formation of these celestial giants.
 * [|W. M. Keck Observatory] At the W. M. Keck Observatory, the dazzling domes of Keck 1 and Keck 2 appear. Scientists use these telescopes to find some of the farthest galaxies, supernovae, etc. After all, they are two of the largest telescopes in the world. Alex and the High-Z Supernova Search Team constantly use this terrific observation site to accomplish their work goals. Interact with this cite to discover the history of these telescopes and understand how they work today.
 * [|Dark Energy and Dark Matter] Dark energy and dark matter are two components that make up 96% of the universe. No one understands what these two ingredients of the universe are, but astronomers must know more about them to further learn about the expanding universe. So far, we have learned that dark energy contributes to the expansion of the universe, and all galaxies are mostly made of dark matter. These mysterious substances cannot be seen but detected by the movement of other objects in the universe. Check out this website to learn more about what Alex and his team struggle to understand.
 * [|Black Holes] Just as a hypernova (a colossal supernova) is about to explode, its core collapses to form a black hole. As a black hole spins, a jet of radiation and particles blasts off into space. If by chance that discharge is pointing in the direction of Earth, astronomers see a gamma-ray burst. Alex studies this second type of supernova for an entirely different reason. They might help to explain the creation of these bizarre objects known as black holes. Discover more about these wondrous menaces at this detailed website.