Author Dora Musielak has taken some of of the latest developments in astrophysics, astronomy and astronautics to present a view of space exploration that begins with a glimpse of the mysteries of the Universe and its overwhelming size, highlighting especially the challenges of a cosmic journey, even moving at the speed of light. The author expands on many interesting themes such as the nature of black holes, the discovery of extrasolar planets, and the mystery of dark matter and dark energy. In the last chapters, Dr. Dora Musielak introduces rocket science to help us understand how challenging it is to break free of Earth's gravity field to reach orbit and go beyond the Moon.

To introduce the varied and exciting topics of astrophysics and astronautics, Dr. Musielak spinned an awe-inspiring fantasy, a Prelude to Kuxan Suum. In this science story reminiscent of a fairy tale, a Mayan princess travels through space in search of knowledge and the truth of the cosmos. Through her fantastic voyage, the young woman describes the beauty of the cosmic environment around her.  

In the chapters that follow, Musielak explains in simple terms the science behind the metaphor. Intended to stir excitement in space exploration and scientific inquiry, Kuxan Suum: Path to Center of the Universe seeks to inspire young readers and give them another reason to pursue studies of science, mathematics, and engineering. This book is for everybody interested in the wonders of the Universe.

Table of Contents

Prelude of Kuxan Suum
Preface

1.    How Big is the Universe? (this chapter gives a brief tour of the universe)
2.    A Universe is Born! (addresses the Big Bang theory)
3.    A Cosmic Paradox (deals with the question, why is the night sky so dark?)
4.    A Question of Time (examines the concept of time and how it is linked to spacetime)
5.    Mysteries Unsolved (focuses on many problems of astronomy as yet resolved)
6.    Are We Alone? (addresses extrasolar planets and possibility of life there)
7.    Dragons of the Universe (this chapter is about black holes)
8.    Hyper-Light Travel (can we travel at the speed of light? faster?)
9.    Space Robots (chapter dedicated to space exploration with space probes)
10.  Blazing Trails in the Sky (this is a brief introduction to rocket science)
11.  To the Moon, to Mars! (chapter addressing human exploration of the Moon and Mars)
12.  Living in Space (addresses how human body is affected in space environment)
13.  Space Beckons Us! (personal call to readers to continue the quest to explore the cosmos)

Questions to Ponder
Glossary
Useful Resources
Acknowledgements