Product Description
The Hubble Space Telescope has produced the most stunning images of the cosmos humanity has ever seen. It has transformed our understanding of the universe around us, revealing new information about its age and evolution, the life cycle of stars, and the very existence of black holes, among other startling discoveries. The Universe in a Mirror tells the story of this telescope and the visionaries responsible for its extraordinary accomplishments. Robert Zimmerman takes readers behind the scenes of one of the most ambitious scientific instruments ever sent into space. After World War II, astronomer Lyman Spitzer and a handful of scientists waged a fifty-year struggle to build the first space telescope capable of seeing beyond Earth's atmospheric veil. Zimmerman shows how many of the telescope's advocates sacrificed careers and family to get it launched, and how others devoted their lives to Hubble only to have their hopes and reputations shattered when its mirror was found to be flawed. This is the story of an idea that would not die--and of the dauntless human spirit. Illustrated with striking color images, The Universe in a Mirror describes the heated battles between scientists and bureaucrats, the perseverance of astronauts to repair and maintain the telescope, and much more. Hubble, and the men and women behind it, opened a rare window onto the universe, dazzling humanity with sights never before seen. This book tells their remarkable story.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.0 based on 15 reviews)

Missing Hubble itself by R. Geoghegan

3 Stars
March 16, 2010
The subtitle is unfortunately too accurate: "The Saga of the Hubble Space Telescope and the Visionaries Who Built It." Too much saga, not enough Hubble. The book never seems to find its balance between telling Hubble's overall story and imparting new detail. The saga, personalities and politics are thoroughly covered. Sometimes too thoroughly -- mountain climbing occupies 5-6 pages of the book's main narrative of 235 pages, yet the first mention of the chief engineer is at the mid-point. The first 75 pages can be tough slogging. The most enjoyable parts of the book cover Hubble's launch, embarrassment, recovery, success and public appreciation. An editor should have trimmed the first part of the book to allow more here. Besides the mirror diameter of 2.4 meters, opting for in-orbit repairs and sensor choice, the design process is barely examined. There's nothing on Hubble's basic dimensions, structure, power use, etc. How were orbital repairs implemented in the design? There's a quick mention of Hubble leaders knowing of contemporary spy satellites with 2.4 meter mirrors and Perkin-Elmer's work on them. No follow-up comes after that. What other design elements may or may not have been adopted from then secret satellites? Surely much of this is not secret 30 years after the fact. The author makes no effort to open this up. Construction is also given little treatment, save for the main mirror flaw. Little Teacher's review cites some basic errors, such as with the CCD dimensions. More are easy to spot, showing the need for better editing.

the biography of the Hubble telescope by M. Heiss (USA)

4 Stars
August 27, 2009
This is a story of a normal thing, something we don't look at with wonder but simply accept as something that "is." In that way, the book reminds me of "The Box" by Marc Levinson. The story has an undeniable appeal. The Hubble photographs themselves have universal interest - they are how we show what we know about the universe. More than photographs, Hubble has given us "galactic pin-ups" -- super-beautiful photos that are eye-catching and exciting. Our knowledge of and interest in space has expanded enormously because of the Hubble telescope. Hubble has shaped our knowledge and our expectations for science. This book has plenty of photos to augment the story, along with very nice charts and diagrams. The center section is full-color reproductions of Hubble portraits of our solar system, other galaxies, and deep space. The main story line -- how Hubble was mis-designed, and how human genius repaired it, is marvelous. And it's depressing: Most chapters of this book tell the story of a telescope that almost wasn't. The book is a showcase of getting things done (poorly) through the government: the byzantine decision making, the labyrinths of committee meetings and agendas, the conflicting priorities, the zero-sum nature of bureaucratic planning, the paralysis attendant upon failures. It is utterly dismal how much "science" depends on massaging the government budget process. In America! What a shame.

People and Politics by Bob Buddy

3 Stars
June 21, 2009
This book goes into great detail about the decades-long effort to build and fly the Hubble, and then the problem with the mirror. If you're looking for technical details, though, there isn't much here.

Hubble comes to light! by Eric B. Haynes

4 Stars
December 24, 2008
This book is definitely a must for anyone interested in space science. Mr. Zimmerman tackles a very difficult obstacle -- How do you write about science and make it interesting? -- and he comes out with a winner. Although there are other books out there about the Hubble, none of them come close to describing the behind the scenes SAGA of this amazing instrument as this book does. This is where Zimmerman, along with the great Hubble, shines!

NASA's Greatest Success, Warts and All by Brent A. Warner (Maryland, USA)

5 Stars
October 23, 2008
This history of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is both thorough and interesting. It starts decades before launch, when HST was just a crazy idea, and goes up to (almost) today. No one involved gets a free ride. Although the author obviously supports NASA's mission in general (and the Space Telescope in particular) he is up front about the flaws, foibles, and failings of the people, corporations, and agencies involved. In particular, he gives a full account of the flawed mirror and what led up to it. On the other hand, he also makes it clear what a tremendous success the program has been, and how much effort from so many dedicated people went into making it possible. The book is so interesting because the author presents all aspects, the good, the bad, the bureaucratic, and the scientific. Anyone interested in astronomy and space should enjoy this book. (Standard disclaimer: my opinions are my own, and not necessarily those of my employer.)

SIMILAR PRODUCTS

	Hubble: The Mirror on the Universe by Robin Kerrod (Author), Carole Stott (Author), David S. Leckrone (Foreword) The latest photos from Hubble's recent discoveries, with fascinating new and updated information. After 17 years, 25,000 astronomical targets and more than 700,000 images, the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) continues to return images and data that amaze astronomers. Within the past few months alone, the Hubble has revealed a gold mine of just-formed star systems in the newborn Universe, provided detailed views of a second red spot emerging on Jupiter, and confirmed that monster...
	The Soul Of A New Machine by Tracy Kidder (Author) Computers have changed since 1981, when Tracy Kidder memorably recorded the drama, comedy, and excitement of one companys efforts to bring a new microcomputer to market. What has not changed is the feverish pace of the high-tech industry, the go-for-broke approach to business that has caused so many computer companies to win big (or go belly up), and the cult of pursuing mind-bending technological innovations. The Soul of a New Machine is an essential chapter in the history of the machine that...
	Hubble: Imaging Space and Time by David Devorkin (Author), Robert Smith (Author) In the spirit of National Geographic’s top-selling Orbit, this large-format, full-color volume stands alone in revealing more than 200 of the most spectacular images from the Hubble Space Telescope during its lifetime, to the very eve of the 2008 final shuttle mission to the telescope. Written by two of the world’s foremost authorities on space history, Hubble: Imaging Space and Time illuminates the solar system’s workings, the expansion of the universe, the birth and death of stars, the...
	Digital Apollo: Human and Machine in Spaceflight by David A. Mindell (Author) As Apollo 11's Lunar Module descended toward the moon under automatic control, a program alarm in the guidance computer’s software nearly caused a mission abort. Neil Armstrong responded by switching off the automatic mode and taking direct control. He stopped monitoring the computer and began flying the spacecraft, relying on skill to land it and earning praise for a triumph of human over machine. In Digital Apollo, engineer-historian David Mindell takes this famous moment as...
	American Heroes: Profiles of Men and Women Who Shaped Early America by Edmund S. Morgan (Author) These revelatory stories of American heroes and their undaunted courage will forever alter our understanding of American history. The last two decades have witnessed an explosion of interest in the founding fathers so intense that a reader or television viewer of today might imagine that America was the creation of beings who were flawless in their wisdom and courage. As Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Edmund S. Morgan shows here, Americans have long been obsessed with their heroes. But,...