Space Without Myths: From UFOs to Astrological Predictions—How Scientists Investigate and Debunk Cosmic Sensations

Did you know that police pursuits of unidentified flying objects often end with… Venus? Or that astrological predictions have been tested against thousands of marriages and career choices—with no evidence that they work?
For more than fifty years, Moscow State University astronomer Vladimir Surdin has been one of Russia's leading popularizers of astronomy. In his new book, he applies the methods of scientific inquiry to some of the most enduring mysteries and sensational claims about outer space.
Readers will discover how scientists explain the famous Petrozavodsk phenomenon, unravel the myths surrounding alleged "lunar bases," and show why our brains are inclined to perceive flying saucers where there are only Starlink satellites. They will learn how a mysterious "giant sphere" seen over the city of Ivanovo turned out to be nothing more exotic than the Moon near the horizon, and why astronauts sometimes report seeing "UFOs" that are, in fact, particles released by their own spacecraft.
The book is not about belief or disbelief. It is about evidence and method. Surdin demonstrates how to distinguish an Iridium satellite flare from an extraterrestrial spacecraft, how to estimate the angular size of an object in the sky, and why astrology belongs not to science but to the realm of cultural belief.
Written for readers who prefer evidence to magic and reality to fantasy, Space Without Myths is an invitation to think critically, ask better questions, and understand the universe through the lens of science.

Vladimir Surdin. Space Without Myths: From UFOs to Astrological Predictions—How Scientists Investigate and Debunk Cosmic Sensations. — Moscow: Bombora, 2026.
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