Space Gimmick Library – Cosmos by Carl Sagan

It’s another entry in the Space Gimmick Library.

Cosmos by Carl Sagan was a great read.  Carl Sagan was an astute science communicator who knew how to project the knowledge of science and space into a form that was easy for many people to understand.

Various topics about space and science were covered here.  Sagan spoke about atomic particles and their place in the universe.  He presented topics related to the projection of light from distant stars including Earth’s own Sun (or Sol, as in “Solar”). 

I found his description of gravity and it’s importance in the formation of stars and planets to be very informative.

Other topics included black holes, quasars, pulsars, and planetary nebulae to name a few.

Sagan brought the human dimension into his book as well, namely the background of key individuals that helped shape our understanding of Space.  This included Tycho Brahe, Isaac Newton, Edmund Halley, Johannes Kepler, Copernicus, Ptolemy, and others and it included their efforts to understand the heavens. 

Scientific history was presented as well that included institutions such as the Library of Alexandria and Cambridge University and their impact on the world of science.

A history of various religions and philosophic impacts on space knowledge was presented in the book, and I believe it did well in giving equal voice to various viewpoints between creationist and secular theories and the points of view that lent themselves to each.

The book’s reading level is at least high-school level and not all might understand what is being presented.  However, the purpose is to communicate knowledge of the grand-scale of space knowledge and is meant to spark further interest in knowing more about it.  On those merits, it is a good place to begin if one wanted to know more about the physical process and properties of the interstellar realm.

I give this book a very high rating and it is highly recommended.  In addition, on Disney+ Network, there is a series based on the book also called Cosmos and hosted by Neil DeGrasse Tyson. It is more abbreviated (considering a viewing versus a reading audience), but it also accomplishes the main objective of Sagan’s book.  I would consider both to be complementary and should both be read and viewed to get a greater perspective on the science and nature of space.

For a The Great Galactic Space Gimmick, I’m Gimmick Commander Ben Faltinowski.

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