Book excerpt: This edition contains many new features, from explanations of dark matter and neutrinos to techniques of digital observing and photography. As well as giving an informative portrait of each element of the cosmos, the book provides superb star maps and sound advice on practical observing, making it an ideal choice for newcomers to astronomy.Sir Patrick's narrative is supremely clear, absorbing and entertaining, as he recounts the history of space exploration, describes the Solar System, stars and galaxies, and explains the latest theories on the origins of the Universe. The book is illustrated with hundreds of maps and diagrams, plus Sir Patrick's own selection of the best photographs from ground-based telescopes and the Hubble Space Telescope, along with spectacular images from nearly four decades of robotic exploration of the planets.Highlights of this new edition include an explanation of the extraordinary concepts that have shaken our picture of the Universe - dark matter and dark energy, as well as new strands of science that have emerged in recent years such as astrobiology and neutrino astronomy.An expanded practical section reflects the new era in amateur astronomy - affordable high-quality cameras and telescopes, computer control and image-processing have made astronomy accessible to millions of new enthusiasts.