In 75 essays, Evans supplies fascinating facts and raises questions about the mysteries of astronomy. Why is the night sky dark? How likely is it that meteors killed the dinosaurs? Since Halley's Comet orbits the "wrong way" around the sun, did it originate outside our solar system? He also encourages the reader to become involved in our "cosmic backyard", pointing out that a telescope isn't necessary for most viewing - binoculars are adequate for most sights and are actually better for seeing meteors and some nebulae. Aimed at the general science reader, this book tackles subjects ranging from current "dark matter" theories and the background of astronomy, to the human interest story of Clyde Tombaugh, the man who discovered Pluto. Barry Evans is a well-known lecturer, and his weekly column on astronomy "Star Watch" is syndicated in more than 35 newspapers in the USA. He is s member of the Astronomical Society for the Pacific and the Peninsula Astronomical Society.