Light: The Visible Spectrum and Beyond

A stunning visual exploration of the power and behavior of light across the entire electromagnetic spectrum.

Light allows humans to see things around us, but we can only see a sliver of all the light in the universe, also known as the electromagnetic spectrum. Renowned science communicators Kim Arcand and Megan Watzke bring the entire spectrum to life and present the subject of light as never before. Organized along the order of the electromagnetic spectrum--from Radio waves to Gamma rays--each chapter focuses on a different type of light. From ultraviolet light, used in microscopy to image plant cells and bacteria, to X-rays, which let us peer inside the human body and view areas around black holes in deep space, Arcand and Watzke show us all the important ways light impacts us. With hundreds of stunning full-color photographs, including new images from the James Webb Space Telescope, Light is a joy to read and browse.

Kimberly Arcand and Megan Watzke are award-winning directors, producers, and authors who have spent their careers in science and technology. Dr. Arcand is the visualization scientist and emerging tech lead for NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, specializing in image and meaning research, and data representation. She lives near Providence, RI. Watzke is the press officer for NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, specializing in communicating astronomy with the public. She lives in Seattle, WA. They are co-authors of several popular science books including Magnitude: The Scale of the Universe, Your Ticket to the Universe, and have written dozens of articles in print and online.