A basic guide to the latest news from the cosmic frontier-about black holes in the centers of galaxies, about galactic cannibalization, about the vast distances between galaxies, and about new evidence regarding dark energy and cosmic expansion-this book provides a foundation for exploring the more speculative fringes of our current understanding.

Orienting readers with an insider's tour of their cosmic home, and Milky Way, the authors then take readers on a spectacular journey, inviting them to probe the structures and dynamics of the galaxies in this basic guide to the latest news from the cosmic frontier. Illustrations.