Cosmic Catastrophes

DAVID A. AGUILAR is an internationally recognized astronomer. He is the author and space artist of nine National Geographic and three Random House award-winning books, including: 7 Wonders of the Milky Way, a lively galactic journey through our home in the cosmos and Luna: The Science and Stories of Our Moon. He is an on-screen contributor and space artist for the History Channel’s Universe series, the Science Channel’s NASA’s Unexplained Files, and the NHK (Japanese National Television Corporation) Cosmic Front series. In 2015, he joined NASA’s New Horizons Mission Team as part of the historic Pluto Mission, and later in 2018-19, the Ultima Thule Kuiper Belt (KBO) Flyby Mission. In 2010, Asteroid 1990DA was named to honor his exceptional decades-long work to advance science education outreach. CHRISTINE PULLIAM is the news director for the Space Telescope Institute in Baltimore, MD, and the past manager of media relations for the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, MA. In her spare time, she flies airplanes. PATRICIA DANIELS has written more than a dozen science and history books for adults and children, including the National Geographic Encyclopedia of Space and Constellations: My First Pocket Guide.