How to Read the Solar System

by Paul Abel

Overview

What exactly is the solar system? We've all learned the basics at school but do we really understand what we are seeing in the night sky? Expert astronomers Chris North and Paul Abel, provide a fascinating guided tour of our Solar System and explain its many wonders.They look at all the major players, including our more familiar cosmic neighbors—the Sun, the planets and their moons—as well as the occasional visitors to our planet—asteroids, meteors and comets—in addition to distant stars and what might lie beyond our Solar System, including the mysterious Earth Mark II? North and Abel recount the history of how our Solar System came to be, and the myths that once shaped astronomy. Through their cogent explanations of the latest scientific discoveries, they reveal how any amateur astronomer can view and interpret the Solar System and enrich their understanding of our universe.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781605987552
Publisher:	Pegasus Books
Publication date:	01/15/2015
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	320
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Paul G. Abel is a British astronomer, mathematician, broadcaster and writer. Currently, he is based in the Centre for Interdisciplinary Science in the department of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Leicester where he teaches Mathematics. He is a presenter the BBC's "The Sky at Night" program and has written for many popular astronomy magazines, focusing on how amateur astronomers can contribute to the field.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements 9

Foreword 11

1 What is the Solar System? 15

2 Ancient Stargazers 23

3 Celestial Mechanics 37

4 The Sun 59

5 Mercury 81

6 Venus 95

7 Earth and Moon 119

8 Mars 151

9 Jupiter 177

10 Saturn 201

11 Uranus and Neptune 233

12 Asteroids and Dwarf Planets 253

13 Comets 275

14 One Among Many 295

Glossary of Useful Terms 305

Index 311

Picture Credits 320

Editorial Reviews

11/10/2014
North and Abel, hosts of the BBC’s popular astronomy TV series, The Sky at Night, step into print with this highly accessible introduction to basic astronomy. The authors open with a romp through the history of the field, from the earliest recorded celestial observations, made in Bronze Age China, through the discoveries of the ancient Greeks, to the work of Renaissance scientists such as Copernicus, Kepler, and Galileo. The sun and planets of our solar system each receive individual attention (though Uranus and Neptune share a chapter), and subsequent sections offer brief introductions to asteroids, the Kuiper Belt, comets, and the ongoing search for exoplanets. The authors comprehensively cover all the basics, making this book a great primer for readers who are just getting started in their reading on the subject, and it includes a foreword by astronomer (and Queen guitarist) Dr. Brian May. Like The Sky at Night, this chatty, non-technical discussion is perfect for the armchair or budding astronomer who wants a bit of background and history spread widely across the field. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

An entertaining and basic introduction to the planets and other objects in Earth's solar system.

Choice

11/15/2014
From ancient stargazers to scientists at today's powerful orbiting and ground-based observatories, humanity has long been engrossed in the quest to observe and comprehend its own space in the universe. While technology has changed dramatically over the millennia, the drive to understand our planet's nearest neighbors remains as exhilarating as ever. Coauthors North (researcher, Cardiff Univ. Sch. of Physics and Astronomy) and Abel (copresenter, BBC's The Sky at Night; assistant director, Saturn Section of the British Astronomical Association) provide amateur astronomers with the latest and greatest advances in the field that will enable them to explore the cosmic neighborhood on their own. Beginning with a brief historical overview of scientific observation and celestial mechanics, the authors then take readers on an enlightening tour of the solar system, from the Sun to Neptune, before turning to other objects, including asteroids, comets, and dwarf planets (where you will find Pluto). Individual chapters contain discussions of historical and current observations and intriguing notes about landscapes, mechanics, and orbiting moons. VERDICT This fascinating read supported by the latest research will engage and enchant. Recommended for anyone with an interest in astronomy and fans of the show Cosmos with Neil deGrasse Tyson.

Library Journal