Under the Stars: Astrophysics for Bedtime by Professor Lisa Harvey-Smith

Released: 1st October 2019

Published by: Melbourne University Press

Genre: Kids Non-Fiction

Source: Publisher

Pages: 277

Booktopia | QBD | Dymocks

Under the Stars- Bedtime Astrophysics transports curious kids and inquisitive adults on an incredible journey through the night sky. Explore our solar system from the comfort of your cosy bedroom.

Find out why the sky is blue. Fly around a black hole and peer inside! Learn why Jupiter has stripes.

When astrophysicist Lisa Harvey-Smith isn't looking skyward, she is answering the smart questions of school kids. Her engaging storytelling in this colourfully illustrated book brings the night sky to life, giving amazing new perspectives to young explorers who are always asking, 'Why?'

Author Interview with Professor Lisa Harvey-Smith

What was your motivation for writing Under the Stars: Astrophysics for Bedtime?

I have always had a fascination with the night sky, which blossomed into a wonderful career in astronomy. Aside from my research though, one of the most energising parts of my job has always been visiting schools and talking to kids about space. They are always so excited and enthusiastic and the questions they ask are so creative! I knew that I needed to create a book just for them. 

When you were a kid, what interested you about space?

When I was a child, it was really the beauty of the stars that first captured my imagination. My Dad and I used to go out somewhere really dark and just take it all in. After a while though, I had questions running though my head like, “How many stars are there?”, “How big is the universe?”, “Is there other life out there?”... and the list goes on. So, I began reading books about astronomy and I was enthralled by this amazing new window on our universe.

What are five things about space that still make you go 'Wow!'?

*Astronauts age more slowly in space than they do on Earth, ever so slightly! That's because the Earth's gravity bends our universe and makes time pass more slowly. It's called 'time dilation'. Weird or what?!

*If you got too close to a black hole, your entire body would be stretched by the enormous gravitational forces and you'd become 'human spaghetti'.

*Ever wondered why the sky is blue? It's because the light from the Sun is made up of all the colours of the rainbow. As the sunlight hits our atmosphere, it is scattered across the sky by tiny particles of oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide that make up the air. These particles act as millions of tiny mirrors. Blue light is scattered from these particles more easily than red light, so that is why the sky appears blue. 

*Shooting stars are not stars at all. They are actually tiny specks of space dust that crash through our atmosphere as we orbit the Sun. The bits of space dust rub against the air and heat up, reaching a temperature of 1000 degrees and burn up, creating bright streaks of light in the sky. 

*Our Sun is a gigantic ball of gas. Tiny particles crash together in its middle, creating a nuclear furnace that burns at a temperature of 15 million degrees. Four million tonnes of the Sun's gas is burned into heat and light EVERY SINGLE SECOND!

What has been your career highlight so far?

I would have to say that seeing the first pictures from the gigantic telescope I helped to build in remote Western Australia was a real highlight for me. It's part of a global mega-science project involving more than 10 countries and I had worked on the project for seven years before we got any results. After all that time, seeing those first images of distant galaxies was a real highlight for me. Also, on a personal note, touring Australia with Buzz Aldrin, the Apollo 11 astronaut who first set foot on the Moon with Neil Armstrong in 1969 was a real highlight for me. Talking with someone who has explored another world and sharing their experiences, it's just such an incredible feeling.

If you could travel into space, where would you want to go and why?

Since I was about 15, I have dreamed of being the first Woman to go to the Moon. It won't be me, but I'm very excited that NASA has pledged to send the first woman to the moon by 2024. 

What do you think still needs to be discovered about space, the galaxies or the night sky?

The great thing about our universe is that there is so much still to discover! For example, we only understand what 4% of space is made from. The other 96% is completely out of our grasp. We don't know how the universe will end, or if it will ever end at all. We are yet to learn how life began on Earth and whether we are alone in the universe. So many mysteries are yet to explore. 

Please describe a day in the life of an astrophysicist

Astrophysics is a wonderful pursuit. On a typical day I might work with a team of scientists on a scientific problem or make pictures of the sky from information I have gathered from telescopes. I'd read the latest astronomy research and see what other people are discovering, to get new ideas. I might travel to a conference or a telescope in a far-flung region of the world or share my results by writing a scientific report or speaking to fellow scientists about my latest discovery. Then I might work with students and help the next generation of scientists learn and grow in their discoveries. 

What do you think kids will get most out of reading your new book?

Under the Stars: Astrophysics for Bedtime is all about cultivating a sense of wonder and exploration in young children. The illustrations are designed so that every child can see a role model who looks like them. It is so important for girls and boys to engage enthusiastically in science, technology, engineering and maths subjects so that we can build a future designed by everyone that serves the needs of society.

Parents get an opportunity to read fascinating stories about space to their children and help stimulate their curiosity at the same time. As kids get older, they will get a bit of peace and quiet as children get engrossed in reading the book themselves! Older primary-aged kids will love reading the stories again and again, each time learning something new. And don't tell the kids - but this book is also for the grown-ups too! You can have a sneaky read once the littlies have gone to sleep. Learning is a life-long joy after all.  

Please feel free to share any amazing stories or anecdotes about writing this book if you have any!

Writing Under the Stars was a labour of love. Since I work full-time, I did my writing at night, dreaming up stories and crafting the book from my bed. I think that writing at night helped create the dreamy 'astrophysics for bedtime' vibe of the book.  

About the author

Astronomer and Australian Government Women in STEM Ambassador. Professor Lisa Harvey-Smith is an award-winning astrophysicist with a talent for making the secrets of the universe accessible to all. She has spent 15 years conducting astrophysics research at universities and research institutes across the world.

Books about Books Part 2 - The Storytime Edition

In part 1 of this feature I looked at some non-fiction books about reading, from the magic of bookstores to what authors find in their favourite page-turners. Today, it's all about the mini bookworms; going right back to those early years where a passion for reading begins. I still have my favourite picture books from when I was a kid, and though a little worn in places, they are all well-loved. I hope to bring those out again one day to share with the next generation of budding bookworms, but there are also others I've come across recently which would make lovely gifts and seem equally charming.

Franklin's Flying Bookshop

Franklin the dragon loves stories and loves reading stories to people too, but everyone is too scared to even talk to him. One day, he meets a girl named Luna who, rather than being afraid, is fascinated to meet Franklin, having recently read all about dragons in one of her books. They instantly become friends and talk nonstop about what they’ve read: books about roller-skating, King Arthur, spiders, and how to do kung fu. Together they hatch a plan to share their love of books with others by opening a bookshop―a flying bookshop, that is―right on Franklin’s back! 

Franklin, a well-read and peace-loving dragon, and Luna, a young girl with an independent spirit and an insatiable love of reading, make fantastic role models for young children. Franklin’s Flying Bookshop brings the magic of classic fairy tales into the twenty-first century through exquisite illustrations, and will enchant children as well as anyone who loves books.

Jen Campbell is known for writing The Bookshop Book, Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops, and her short story collection The Beginning of the World in the Middle of the Night. I've seen this book in person and the stunning illustrations by Katie Harnett are reason enough to buy it. Aside from that, I love the idea of giving fairytales a new twist.

The Incredible Book Eating Boy

Like many children, Henry loves books. But Henry doesn’t like to read books, he likes to eat them. Big books, picture books, reference books... if it has pages, Henry chews them up and swallows (but red ones are his favorite).

And the more he eats, the smarter he gets—he’s on his way to being the smartest boy in the world!

But one day he feels sick to his stomach. And the information is so jumbled up inside, he can’t digest it! Can Henry find a way to enjoy books without using his teeth?

With a stunning new artistic style and a die-cut surprise, Oliver Jeffers celebrates the joys of reading in this charming and quirky picture book. It’s almost good enough to eat.

What better way to teach that books are a fountain of knowledge than with a story by Oliver Jeffers? This book sounds like it has a good message, wrapped up in a funny plot that is just the right amount of extraordinary to keep the little ones engaged.

A Child of Books

I am a child of books. 

I come from a world of stories. 

A little girl sails her raft across a sea of words, arriving at the house of a small boy. She invites him to go away with her on an adventure into the world of stories...where, with only a little imaginaton, anything at all can happen.

Irresistibly engaging characters by Oliver Jeffers set sail and chart their way through Sam Winston's fascinating typographical landscapes in this extraordinary ode to the power and promises of storytelling. Forty treasured children's classics and lullabies are featured in the pictures, providing endless opportunities for discovery, memories and sharing.

Woven together by a simple story line, the one-of-a-kind illustrations in a A Child of Books provide an unforgettable reading experience that will inspire and encourage readers of all ages to explore, question, and imagine timeless stories of their own.

I can already see this making the perfect gift for some of my younger cousins, and the idea of incorporating popular classics into the mix makes it appealing to adults as well. Exploring the magic created by words in an inspiring way is just what a good book like this should do.

The Not So Quiet Library

It’s Saturday, which means Oskar and Theodore get to go to the library with their dad! It means donuts for breakfast! And it means endless quiet hours lost in stories.

But on this not so quiet Saturday, Oskar and Teddy get a rude surprise when they're interrupted by a five-headed, hangry monster!

Will Oskar ever get to finish his book in peace? Will Teddy ever get to gorge on his donuts? Or might both of them hold the secret weapons to taming the beast?

OHora brings his signature humor and quirkiness to a story with evergreen appeal. This laugh-out-loud picture book is perfect for story time.

The Not So Quiet Library takes an almost old-school approach to illustrations, but still promises to deliver an adorable read set among all the stories anyone could ask for. Released only last year, I've seen it compared to It's a Book by Lane Smith which is another one to add to the list!

Lucy's Book

Lucy's Book captures that special connection between a child and their favourite book, as well as celebrating the way sharing stories can bring people together.

Lucy's mum takes her to the library every Saturday. Lucy loves to read, but there is one special book that she borrows over and over again.

The book is shared between friends, dropped in the ocean, flown to China and even made into a banana sandwich.


But what will happen when everyone's favourite book goes missing?

Some things never change, and as predictably nerdy as it is, going to the library was always an adventure for me. Even as more books are available digitally, nothing compares to picking up a hard copy off the shelf, and I love how Lucy's Book communicates that.

A few of the picture books I grew up with

What were some of your bookish childhood favourites?