YAKIMA, Wash. -- Have you ever looked up at the night sky and wondered about the stars, planets and galaxies but have no time to read up on it? Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson can help with that.

What exactly is astrophysics? Its the branch of astronomy concerned with the physical nature of stars and other celestial bodies. The book offers small chapters of easily consumable information about our universe.

Tyson is a well-known astrophysicist, author and general science communicator. I was excited when I saw he had a new book out. I have had a busy summer, but his book is especially designed for people with a full schedule, making it a quick, fun read.

He begins with the Big Bang and the formation of the universe. Tyson moves on to some intriguing facts about the universe while also briefly explaining the history of physics itself. Some topics he touches on are the cosmic background, what it is and why its so important to studying the universe.

He writes about how exciting and weird the space between galaxies can be, containing million-degree X-ray emitting gas, dark matter, faint blue galaxies ... super-duper high-energy charged particles and the mysterious quantum vacuum energy.

The author also includes chapters on dark matter and dark energy, and why they are so interesting. And he explains why the planet Uranus has moons named after characters in Shakespearean plays.

Tyson does an excellent job of taking broad, often confusing topics and making them easily understandable and engaging. His writing, while witty and delightful, is likewise beautiful and thought-provoking.

Heres an example. When I track the orbits of asteroids, comets and planets, each one a pirouetting dancer in a cosmic ballet, choreographed by the forces of gravity, sometimes I forget that too many people act in wanton disregard for the delicate interplay of Earths atmosphere, oceans and land, with consequences that our children and our childrens children will witness and pay for with their health and well-being.

I really enjoyed this book, picking it up whenever I had a spare moment, transporting me to the wonders and mysteries of our universe. I would highly recommend this as a gift for teens and adults interested in space or science. I believe it is also a wonderful place to begin if youre just starting to ponder the universe yourself.

Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson was published in May by W.W. Norton & Co. It retails for $18.95.

Rachel Fowler works for Inklings Bookshop. She and other Inklings staffers review books in this space every week.

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Book Scene: Pondering the universe ... quickly - Yakima Herald-Republic