1Before blasting off into space, young astronauts need a basic knowledge of what lies beyond Earth's atmosphere. This stellar volume provides the information they need, including astonishing facts about the sun, moon, planets, and our own Earth. High-interest science curricular topics such as black holes, asteroids, and space missions are explained through comprehensible and at-level text. Cute cartoon characters communicate more fun facts, and a practical activity on every spread encourages reader participation. A final quiz about essential information offers an opportunity for self-assessment.