The Fullness of Space - Gareth Wynn-Williams

This book describes the gas and dust that fills the space between the stars.
There is a full treatment
of the methods that astronomers use to study this interstellar matter. The author explains where the matter came from in the first place, how it collects together in clouds and clumps, and the way in which new stars and planets form from material in space. Within our home galaxy, the Milky Way, the space is never completely empty. Although the density is extremely low, there is enough matter to make billions of new stars like the Sun. We see the matter as glorious gas clouds, such as the Orion Nebula, shimmering in rich hues of red and orange. Telescopes reveal inky black clouds, the molecule factories in which new stars and planets are made. Radio, infrared and ultraviolet telescopes have given astronomers stunning new images of interstellar matter. The Fullness of Space is a comprehensive account of what we know about the stuff between the stars. It is beautifully illustrated with many of the finest photographs available of dust clouds and bright nebulas. The text is non-technical. No detailed knowledge of astronomy is needed to enjoy this introduction.