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The Solar System in Close-Up

  • Book
  • © 2016

Overview

Authors:
  1. John Wilkinson

    1. Castlemaine, Australia

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  • Supported by colorful close up images, the book presents what is currently known about the sun, solar system planets, their moons as well as small solar system objects
  • Provides the latest discoveries and early results of space missions like "Dawn", "Rosetta" and "New Horizons"
  • Serves as a complete guide to the Solar System
  • Each chapter begins with a list of recent highlights
  • Includes also early views on each object discussed

Part of the book series: Astronomers' Universe (ASTRONOM)

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Table of contents (13 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xiv
    Download chapter PDF

  2. The New Solar System

    • John Wilkinson
    Pages 1-24

  3. Space Probes and Telescopes

    • John Wilkinson
    Pages 25-46

  4. The Dominant Sun

    • John Wilkinson
    Pages 47-68

  5. Mercury: The Iron Planet

    • John Wilkinson
    Pages 69-83

  6. Venus: A Hot, Toxic Planet

    • John Wilkinson
    Pages 85-101

  7. Earth: The Planet of Life

    • John Wilkinson
    Pages 103-128

  8. Mars: The Red Planet

    • John Wilkinson
    Pages 129-150

  9. The Asteroid Belt

    • John Wilkinson
    Pages 151-167

  10. Jupiter: The Gas Giant

    • John Wilkinson
    Pages 169-188

  11. Saturn: The Ringed Planet

    • John Wilkinson
    Pages 189-213

  12. Uranus: The Coldest Planet

    • John Wilkinson
    Pages 215-232

  13. Neptune: Another Cold World

    • John Wilkinson
    Pages 233-248

  14. Beyond Neptune: TNO’s and Comets

    • John Wilkinson
    Pages 249-279

  15. Back Matter

    Pages 281-291
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Keywords

About this book

In response to the new information gained about the Solar System from recent space probes and space telescopes, the experienced science author Dr. John Wilkinson presents the state-of-the art knowledge on the Sun, solar system planets and small solar system objects like comets and asteroids. He also describes space missions like the New Horizon’s space probe that provided never seen before pictures of the Pluto system; the Dawn space probe, having just visited the asteroid Vesta, and the dwarf planet Ceres; and the Rosetta probe inorbit around comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko that has sent extraordinary and most exciting pictures. Those and a number of other probes are also changing our understanding of the solar system and providing a wealth of new up close photos. This book will cover all these missions and discuss observed surface features of planets and moons like their compositions, geisers, aurorae, lightning phenomena etc.Presenting the fascinating aspects of solar system astronomy this book is a complete guide to the Solar System for amateur astronomers, students, science educators and interested members of the public.

Reviews

“Each chapter begins with bullet points of chapter highlights, followed by copious detail on the subjects … many excellent images, some tables, and useful diagrams. … All references are web links (mostly to NASA). Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates, general readers.” (M.-K. Hemenway, Choice, Vol. 54 (4), December, 2016)

Authors and Affiliations

  • Castlemaine, Australia

    John Wilkinson

About the author

Dr. John Wilkinson is an experienced science author having recently written  “The Moon in Close-up” (Springer 2010),  and “New eyes on the Sun” (Springer 2012) and 100+ science textbooks published for Australian schools.  Science textbooks have been published by Macmillan Australia and Oxford University Press (Australia).
John is a science educator and former university lecturer in Physics and Science Education, 30 years as a secondary science teacher.  He writes regular Astronomy articles for Australian Science Teachers Journal, Lab Talk, and Australian Astronomy magazines.
John completed his Masters degree and PhD in science education at LaTrobe University, Melbourne. He has research interests in science education and astronomy.

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