Outer space refers to the region of space beyond the Earth’s dense atmosphere, where there is no clear demarcation line. Outer space is referred to be known as cosmic space and also refers to the void region outside the atmosphere in the earth’s sky. Outer space is usually used to distinguish from territory. It is generally defined as the space about 1,000 kilometers above the earth’s surface.

Here are our top picks as the best books on outer space in 2023.

1. Paint by Sticker Kids: Outer Space: Create 10 Pictures One Sticker at a Time! Includes Glow-in-the-Dark Stickers

Paint by Sticker Kids: Outer Space
Author: Workman Publishing 4.9/5.0

It includes everything you need to create ten sticker paintings on sturdy card stock. Kids will love stickering a Mars rover, a space shuttle, an astronaut, iconic celestial bodies like Saturn, Jupiter, the Sun, and more! Plus, the back of each image includes a fascinating scientific fact about each galactic subject. Includes glow-in-the-dark stickers! There are three steps providing for you. The first step is to find the sticker, and then, peel the sticker. At last, Place the sticker. Add the next, and the next, and watch your enchanting paintings come to life! Moreover, all the pages are perforated, making it easy to tear out each finished work to frame and share!

2. Earth and Space: Photographs from the Archives of NASA

Earth and Space: Photographs from the Archives of NASA
Author: Nirmala Nataraj 4.8/5.0

Featuring a preface by Bill Nye, this engaging volume offers up-close views of our remarkable cosmos, and sparks wonder at the marvels of Earth and space. Take a tour of the universe with this breathtaking collection of photographs from the archives of NASA. Astonishing images of Earth from above, the phenomena of our solar system, and the celestial bodies of deep space will captivate readers and photography lovers with an interest in science, astronomy, and the great beyond. Each extraordinary photograph from the legendary space agency is paired with explanatory text that contextualizes its place in the cosmic ballet of planets, stars, dust, and matter—from Earth’s limb to solar flares, the Jellyfish Nebula to Pandora’s Cluster.

With stunning color-enhanced images, each picture is accompanied by a descriptive caption. Offering information on the location of the phenomena, it relates planetary or interstellar history, and the time and the way of the photo was taken. Therefore, it is a great gift for both professional astronomers as well as for interested beginners who are just learning about Space.

3. Outer Space (Ken Jennings’ Junior Genius Guides)

Outer Space (Ken Jennings’ Junior Genius Guides)
Author: Ken Jennings 4.8/5.0

With this book about space, you’ll become an expert and wow your friends and teachers with the world’s most unusual facts: Did you know that Mars has a volcano bigger than Arizona? Or did you know a star with a diamond the size of our moon in its core? There are plenty of spatial facts written in a humorous tone, as well as some creative eye-opening contrasts that make the book readable and educational. In addition, the unique writing style and rich content also attract readers’ interest in reading. Moreover, with great illustrations, cool trivia, and fun quizzes to test your knowledge, this guide will have your wunderkind status on the road soon! So, don’t hesitate to buy.

4. Astronomy for Kids: How to Explore Outer Space with Binoculars, a Telescope, or Just Your Eyes!

 Astronomy for Kids
Author: Dr. Bruce Betts 4.7/5.0

One of the coolest things about outer space is that anyone can explore it. All you have to do is go outside and look up! Using plain sight, binoculars, or a small telescope, the book shows stargazers how easy it is to explore space, just by stepping outside. With this book as their guide to the northern hemisphere, kids will learn to find and name amazing objects in the night sky. Moreover, fully illustrated with fun facts throughout, kids can point out sights to friends and family, saying things like, “that’s Jupiter,” and, “those stars are the constellation Cygnus the Swan,” and maybe even, “that group of stars doesn’t have a name but I think it looks like my dog getting belly rubs.”

The book ignites their passion for exploring the night sky and is the astronomer’s guidebook for kids ages 7 to 13. No matter how many times you’ve orbited the Sun, the book is really for kids of all ages. Dr. Betts shows you how to become an astronomer or an observer of the stars. With this book, you can know the cosmos and your place within it. Read on, like all big things, outer space is something you have to see to believe.

5. Lost in Outer Space: The Incredible Journey of Apollo 13

Lost in Outer Space: The Incredible Journey of Apollo 13
Author: Tod Olson 4.8/5.0

This exciting second book in this series tells the incredible true story of the doomed Apollo 13 moon mission that nearly ended in disaster. On April 13, 1970: Two hundred thousand miles from Earth and counting, an explosion rips through Jim Lovell’s spacecraft. The crippled ship hurtles toward the moon at three times the speed of sound, losing power and leaking oxygen into space. Lovell and his crew were two days from the dream of a lifetime – walking on the surface of moon. Now, they will count themselves lucky to set foot on Earth again. From “Houston, we’ve had a problem” to the final tense moments at Mission Control, the book takes readers on the unbelievable journey of Apollo 13 and inside the minds of its famous and heroic astronauts. Complete with photographs of the crew and diagrams of the spacecraft, this is an up-close-and-personal look at one of the most thrilling survival stories of all time.

6. Outer Space Is Here! A Survey of the Latest Aerospace Developments from Earth and Beyond

Outer Space Is Here! A Survey of the Latest Aerospace Developments from Earth and Beyond
Author: Liz Knowles 5.0/5.0

This is your resource for all the latest technological innovations from NASA, SpaceX, and aerospace industries. A resource for all individuals, families, students of all ages, tourists, and entrepreneurs with an interest in what is happening in the space program here and in outer space! A must have resource for updates on all of the exciting happenings in the space program in Florida and all around the world. The US space shuttle program ended in 2011 and after years of little action – we now have an unbelievable abundance of space exploration and aerospace developments. Read about satellites, telescopes, rovers, and missions to the International Space Station and ones planned to the moon and Mars that are forthcoming. There is so much happening that it is hard to keep track of everything.

7. Outer Space to You (Kindle Edition)

Outer Space to You
Author: Howard Menger 4.6/5.0

The book, first published in 1959, is a fantastical account of encounters with aliens from other planets, alien abduction, space travel, UFOs, and teleportation. The second portion of the book deals, in part, with the best diet for optimal health, and growing nutritious foods. And included16 pages of illustrations of alien spacecraft and extraterrestrials. Author Howard Menger, who claimed to have met his first alien at the age of 10, died in 2009 at the age of 87. Moreover, this story is written in English from beginning to end, and the language is relatively simple with a certain readability. If you are interested in outer space, this book will be a good choice.

8. War and Peace in Outer Space: Law, Policy, and Ethics

War and Peace in Outer Space: Law, Policy, and Ethics
Editor: Cassandra Steer 5.0/5.0

This book delves into legal and ethical concerns over the increased weaponization of outer space and the potential for space-based conflict in the very near future. Unique to this collection is the emphasis on questions of ethical conduct and legal standards applicable to military uses of outer space. No other existing publication takes this perspective, nor includes such a range of interdisciplinary expertise.

The essays included in this volume explore the moral and legal issues of space security in four sections. Part I provides a general legal framework for the law of war and peace in space. Part II tackles ethical issues. Part III looks at specific threats to space security. Part IV proposes possible legal and diplomatic solutions. With an expert author team from North American and Europe, the volume brings together academics, military lawyers, military space operators, aerospace industry representatives, diplomats, and national security and policy experts. The experience of this team provides a collection unmatched in any academic publication broaching even some of these issues and will be required reading for anyone interested in war and peace in outer space.

9. Placing Outer Space: An Earthly Ethnography of Other Worlds (Experimental Futures)

Placing Outer Space: An Earthly Ethnography of Other Worlds (Experimental Futures)
Author: Lisa Messeri 4.7/5.0

In the book, Lisa Messeri traces how the place-making practices of planetary scientists transform the void of space into a cosmos filled with worlds that can be known and explored. Making planets into places is central to the daily practices and professional identities of the astronomers, geologists, and computer scientists Messeri studies. She takes readers to the Mars Desert Research Station and a NASA research center to discuss ways scientists experience and map Mars. At a Chilean observatory and in MIT’s labs she describes how they discover exoplanets and envision what it would be like to inhabit them. Today’s planetary science reveals the universe as densely inhabited by evocative worlds, which in turn tells us more about Earth, ourselves, and our place in the universe.

Messeri’s book is an excellent addition to both the increasing scholarship concerning the cosmos in science and technology studies and the resurgent field of outer space anthropology. Her thorough analysis of place-making practices by an often insulated community is accompanied by her vivid and absorbing ethnographic writing. And this book is an excellent example of academic writing that is supremely beneficial and accessible to both the academy and the public. Moreover, her spirit of adventurous ethnographic contact carries the day, delivering new insights into off-Earth explorations by experts and amateurs alike. In bringing us, up close, to those engaged in fashioning new home worlds and remapping the cosmos, Messeri urges us to follow the future making. Therefore, if you are interested in Messeri’s field of study, this book is one of the best choices for you.

10. Dreamy Outer Space: Where Sky’s NOT The Limit

Dreamy Outer Space: Where Sky's NOT The Limit
Author: Maya Sara Karthik 4.4/5.0

Written in rhyme, this story will take you on a wildly imaginative trip to Outer Space. Featuring playful verses by young author Maya Sara Karthik and charming illustrations, the story will make every kid want to become an astronaut! And, at the same time, the book will give so many interesting factoids that will help you learn so much more about Outer Space. There exists lots of things making you surprised. If you could drive to the sun in a car, it would take more than 170 years to get there. And there are 10 times more stars in the universe than grains of sand in the world’s deserts and beaches. Moreover, as of December 2019, 565 astronauts (of them 65 were women) from 41 different countries have travelled to space.

Would you like to go on an intergalactic space adventure? Would you want to befriend a cute alien? How about a space-ship race? Or, maybe play a game of Astro-tag? Yes? Read on to go on this adventure and learn more about outer space and all that is in it. Then this is a perfect book for you!

11. From Outer Space to You

From Outer Space to You
Author: Howard Menger 4.4/5.0

The book sent the UFO field into a tizzy after it was first published by Gray Barker in 1959. For years, Menger and his attractive wife, Connie, spread the word about their UFO contacts, and the alien abduction experiences of others, while the “scientific ufologists” scraped their nails on chalkboards in anguish. In the end, the Mengers claimed that the CIA had put them up to the whole thing, making it a must-listen for today’s conspiracy-minded saucer enthusiast.

Howard Menger is an amazing man, and the stories in this book are also amazing and very believable. His unique writing style makes many readers admire him. The book is reasonably readable if you are interested in outer space.

12. The Penguin Book of Outer Space Exploration: NASA and the Incredible Story of Human Spaceflight

The Penguin Book of Outer Space Exploration: NASA and the Incredible Story of Human Spaceflight
Editor: John Logsdon 4.2/5.0

Renowned space historian John Logsdon traces the greatest moments in human spaceflight by weaving together essential, fascinating documents from NASA’s history with his expert narrative guidance. Beginning with rocket genius Wernher von Braun’s vision for voyaging to Mars, and closing with Elon Musk’s contemporary plan to get there, this volume traces major events like the founding of NASA, the first American astronauts in space, the Apollo moon landings, the Challenger disaster, the daring Hubble Telescope repairs, and more. In these pages, we such gems as Eisenhower’s reactions to Sputnik, the original NASA astronaut application, John Glenn’s reflections on zero gravity, Kennedy’s directives to go to the moon, discussions on what Neil Armstrong’s first famous first words should be, firsthands accounts of spaceflight, and so much more.

This is a fascinating story of how NASA sent humans to explore outer space, told through a treasure trove of historical documents–publishing in celebration of NASA’s 60th anniversary and with a foreword by Bill Nye. In addition, it is considered as an extremely useful and thought provoking documentary journey through the maze of space history. And we can say that there is no wiser or more experienced navigator through the twists and turns and ups and downs than John Logsdon. Among all the technological accomplishments of the last century, none has captured our imagination more deeply than the movement of humans into outer space. Therefore, if you are interested in it, don’s miss it.

13. Operation: Outer Space

Author: Murray Leinster 4.0/5.0

This is a generally interesting tale of space exploration. After a slow and overly detailed start that leads to discovery of a means of long distance space travel. And this is a space adventure filled with romance, strange animals on pristine planets, and a scientist, an idiot, a money and deal maker, and other interesting characters 

Here I want to mention the author of this book. If you can know more about him, you can get a better understand of this book. Murray Leinster was a prolific and outstanding writer of Science fiction. He was born William Fitzgerald Jenkins on June 16, 1896 in Norfolk, Virginia and finished his formal education at the age of 13. With the loss of his father’s job and subsequent downturn in the family’s fortunes, Leinster would not be able to pursue the career in chemistry that he had longed for. But he would go on to another significant achievement – publishing more than 1,500 short stories, novellas, and novels in his lifetime. As well as science fiction, Leinster wrote love stories, murder mysteries, adventure stories, westerns, fantasy, television and film scripts, and mainstream fiction. Leinster was definitely a renaissance man of words and ideas. But he is remembered for his remarkable prescience and vision in the sci-fi genre, especially around innovations in science and communications technologies.

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