CLOSE ENCOUNTERS Exploring the Universe With the Hubble Space Telescope

No doubt the book features gorgeous color photos of astronomical phenomena, obviously lacking here. Strictly as audio, the presentation boils down to Astronomy 101, covering our immediate locale, as well as the most distant and oldest galactic objects ever seen. Elaine Scott knows her subject and distills difficult ideas down to their most understandable essence. (She wrote an earlier book on the Hubble, the award-winning ADVENTURE IN SPACE: THE FLIGHT TO FIX THE HUBBLE.) Nelson Runger reads slowly, deeply, and kindly, carrying the impression of a kindly uncle or grandfather and conveying every word with precision and distinction. D.R.W. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 00]