The Oxford Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Universe is an authoritative and accessible reference book, giving a comprehensive overview of astronomy. Every important aspect and all major constituents of the universe are described in alphabetically arranged entries. The volume includes current theories of the birth and evolution of the universe and of individual stars and their sometimes catastrophic destruction as supernovae; neutron stars; pulsars; and black holes; coverage of the planets and satellites of the solar system; and planetary exploration. The book explains in clear, lay language the fundamental principles of physics-- for example, the theory of relativity--that underpin our understanding of astronomy. The editor has structured the book to provide, through cross-references, an explanation of the more technical entries. Readers are helped to understand complex theories through simple, colorful line drawings, as well as more elaborate artwork. Biographical entries on key astronomers add the human dimension to the study of the universe; surveys, scattered over several entries, are given of the centuries of intellectual upheaval and progressive thinking that have brought us to the present day. A concise chart of the evolution of astronomy is also included.