Merlin's Tour of the Universe [Paperback]

Neil de Grasse Tyson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 14, 1997

Merlin, a fictional visitor from the Andromeda Galaxy, Planet Omniscia, has been friends with many of the most important scientific figures of the past including Kepler, da Vinci, Magellan, Doppler, Einstein and Hubble. In this delightful tour of the galaxies, Merlin often recounts his conversations with these historical figures in his responses to popular astronomy questions asked by adults and children alike. Merlin's well-informed answers combine a unique combination of wit and poetry along with serious science explained in refreshingly clear, reader-friendly language.



Dear Merlin: Can a person cross our galaxy in a spaceship during one human lifespan?



Merlin: In 1905, Merlin's good friend Albert Einstein introduced the "Special Theory of Relativity," which predicts that time will tick slower and slower the faster you travel. Were you to embark on such an adventure you could conceivably age as little as you wish, depending of course, on your exact speed. The problem arises when you return to Earth, which will have moved several hundred thousand years into the future and everyone will have forgotten about you.



A skywatcher's book for lovers of the universe by one of its greatest lights.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This is a collection of questions and answers from Star Date , a popular astronomy magazine. The answers to questions from the general public are supplied by Tyson, who has assumed the persona of "Merlin," an alleged visitor from the Andromeda galaxy. The material is clustered in 13 chapters; the first several deal with various parts of the solar system, and the others are concerned with topics such as stars, telescopes, and galaxies. The responses are generally terse but accurate; one or two of them appear not to deal with what the reader was asking. The author makes liberal use of humor, some strained; the Merlin character is rather pointless. Although hardly an essential work, this may be a useful acquisition for some public libraries.
- Jack W. Weigel, Univ. of Michigan Lib . , Ann Arbor
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Publisher

Merlin, a fictional visitor from the Andromeda Galaxy, Planet Omniscia, has been friends with many of the most important scientific figures of the past including Kepler, da Vinci, Magellan, Doppler, Einstein and Hubble. In this delightful tour of the galaxies, Merlin often recounts his conversations with these historical figures in his responses to popular astronomy questions asked by adults and children alike. Merlin's well-informed answers combine a unique combination of wit and poetry along with serious science explained in refreshingly clear, reader-friendly language.

Dear Merlin: Can a person cross our galaxy in a spaceship during one human lifespan?

Merlin: In 1905, Merlin's good friend Albert Einstein introduced the "Special Theory of Relativity," which predicts that time will tick slower and slower the faster you travel. Were you to embark on such an adventure you could conceivably age as little as you wish, depending of course, on your exact speed. The problem arises when you return to Earth, which will have moved several hundred thousand years into the future and everyone will have forgotten about you.

A skywatcher's book for lovers of the universe by one of its greatest lights.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 316 pages
• Publisher: Main Street Books; 1 edition (July 14, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385488351
• ISBN-13: 978-0385488358
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.5 x 5.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #415,184 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Neil deGrasse Tyson is an astrophysicist with the American Museum of Natural History, director of the world-famous Hayden Planetarium, a monthly columnist for Natural History, and an award-winning author. He lives in New York City.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent starting point for laymen/amateur astronomers, March 12, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Merlin's Tour of the Universe (Paperback)

Professor Tyson has written a lucid, well-thought, and sensitive introduction the field of astronomy and astrophysics. He has presented the reader with intelligent questions and readable, highly understandable answers. Even questions one would not think of asking, but are nonetheless interesting are presented, and are given the same consideration as old hat questions such as how far is the sun from the earth, or how far away is the nearest star. I for one would like to hear more from Merlin, and hope that his next book comes out in the very near future.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars awesome!, September 15, 2004

By 

astrochick (new york) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Merlin's tour of the universe (Paperback)

i bought this book for my six year old son who loves astronomy. merlin, a wizard whose birthday coincides with that of the solar system, answers thought provoking questions about earth, the solar system, the universe, stars, etc. merlin's answers are written in tyson's usual writing style, down to earth and easy to understand. he even makes difficult concepts understandable. merlin is asked questions such as "what would happen if the earth stopped rotating?" and " why is the south pole colder that the north pole?" he gives theories as to why three of the nine planets rotate retrograde. i read a few questions to my son each night before he goes to bed and i continue reading it even after he's already asleep; it's hard to put down. i just love it and highly recommend it to anyone interested in astronomy, young or old.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Merllin's Tour of the Universe, December 2, 2009

By 

Enid Logan (Simi Valley, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Merlin's Tour of the Universe (Paperback)

I love anything by Neil DeGrasse Tyson. He explains things in a way that makes it easier to understand. This book is more for a young person though. I'm 77 year old but I still like to learn. However, I enjoyed it none the less and then gave it to a friend who has youngsters. I think it is presented in a way that they will enjoy it very much and get something valuable out of it.