Skip to main content
Touch the Universe: A NASA Braille Book of Astronomy

VIEW LARGER COVER

Touch the Universe

A NASA Braille Book of Astronomy (2002)

Touch the Universe is a unique and innovative astronomy book that will help visually impaired people "see" the wonders of our universe. Using a combination of Braille and large-print captions that face 14 pages of brilliant Hubble Space Telescope photos, it is embossed with shapes that represent various astronomical objects such as stars, gas clouds, and jets of matter streaming into space.

"Universally designed" for both the sighted and visually impaired reader, Touch the Universe takes readers on a voyage of discovery, starting at Earth, proceeding through the solar system, and ending with the most distant image taken by Hubble, the mind-boggling "Hubble Deep Field" photo -- the first telescope image ever to bring home to human consciousness in a deeply fundamental way the literally infinite reaches of our universe of galaxies.

As the author puts it, "A visually impaired person can still touch and smell a flower, or a tree, or an animal, but he or she could only imagine what an astronomical object is like ... until now."

Joseph Henry Press logo Contractual obligations prohibit us from offering a free PDF of this title published under the Joseph Henry Press imprint of the National Academies Press.

The views expressed in this book are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Academies.

RESOURCES AT A GLANCE

Author Bio

Noreen Grice holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Astronomy from Boston University, a Master of Science degree in Astronomy from San Diego State University, a Professional Certificate in Museum Studies from Tufts University, and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management through the Boston Center for Adult Education. She has taught astronomy courses for students of all ages, from grammar school through college, and has worked in the planetarium field since 1984. Her first book on astronomy, Touch the Stars, is a Braille/print edition using tactile illustrations.

Topics

Suggested Citation

Noreen Grice. 2002. Touch the Universe: A NASA Braille Book of Astronomy. Washington, DC: Joseph Henry Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/10307.

Import this citation to:

Publication Info

67 pages | 8.5 x 11 |  DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/10307

Copyright Information

The National Academies Press (NAP) has partnered with Copyright Clearance Center's Rightslink service to offer you a variety of options for reusing NAP content. Through Rightslink, you may request permission to reprint NAP content in another publication, course pack, secure website, or other media. Rightslink allows you to instantly obtain permission, pay related fees, and print a license directly from the NAP website. The complete terms and conditions of your reuse license can be found in the license agreement that will be made available to you during the online order process. To request permission through Rightslink you are required to create an account by filling out a simple online form. The following list describes license reuses offered by the National Academies Press (NAP) through Rightslink:

  • Republish text, tables, figures, or images in print
  • Post on a secure Intranet/Extranet website
  • Use in a PowerPoint Presentation
  • Distribute via CD-ROM
  • Photocopy

Click here to obtain permission for the above reuses. If you have questions or comments concerning the Rightslink service, please contact:

Rightslink Customer Care
Tel (toll free): 877/622-5543
Tel: 978/777-9929
E-mail: customercare@copyright.com
Web: http://www.rightslink.com

To request permission to distribute a PDF, please contact our Customer Service Department at 800-624-6242 for pricing.

To request permission to translate a book published by the National Academies Press or its imprint, the Joseph Henry Press, pleaseclick here to view more information.