From the earliest beginnings of our species, the night sky has been a source of wonder and inspiration. That window on the universe has fired humanity's quest to unlock the secrets of existence, first through myths, then science. This lavishly illustrated volume traces that quest from the Stone Age, to ancient civilizations, to the first telescope, to awe-inspiring high-tech photographs captured by the Planck space telescope today.  Historic images and beautifully reproduced documents of major scientific significance lend hands-on excitement to this majestic story of human discovery and exploration.