This narrative, designed for young readers, uses a fictional storyline to provide a factual introduction to the vastness of space and time. It explores the extent and primary components of our solar system, as well as the historical and geological eras of planet Earth. The text encourages outdoor activities designed to exercise the mind, broaden perspectives, and establish a larger context for observing the small speck of time and place that occupies our daily lives. Activities involve the simple construction of a model of the solar system and a basic geological timeline.
The book celebrates the boundless reaches of the human mind and the ability to ponder a universe far beyond ourselves. It commemorates four centuries of progress in astronomy from the time Galileo turned the world’s first 30x handheld telescope toward the night sky, to the impending launch of the massive James Webb Space Telescope, scheduled for 2018.
David Weston Marshall 