Waubonsee Community College

The solar system in close-up, John Wilkinson

eng

Includes bibliographical references and index

illustrations

index present

non fiction

The solar system in close-up

bibliography

946962623

John Wilkinson

Astronomers' universe

"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 in orbit 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." -- Publisher's description

1. The new Solar System -- Planets -- Difference between a planet and dwarf planet -- Moons and dwarf planets -- The Asteroid Belt -- The Kuiper Belt -- The Oort Clout -- Comets -- The Modern Nebula Theory -- The Modern Laplacian Theory -- The Nice Model -- The Grand Tack Hypothesis -- 2. Space probes and telescopes -- The Hubble Space Telescope -- The Chandra Space Telescope -- The XXM-Newton Space Telescope -- The Spitzer Space Telescope -- The Kepler Space Telescope -- Future space telescopes -- Using space probes to explore the Solar System -- The Messenger Probe -- The New Horizons Probe -- The Stereo Probe -- The Rosetta Probe -- The Dawn Probe -- Solar Dynamics Observatory -- The Juno Probe -- Mars Science Laboratory -- Probing comets -- 3. The dominant sun -- Features of the sun -- Energy and luminosity -- Zones of the sun -- The core of the sun -- The radiative zone -- The convective zone -- The photosphere -- The chromosphere -- The corona -- The solar wind -- Cycles in solar activity -- Types of radiation from the sun -- Solar eclipses -- Influence of the sun on the earth -- 4. Mercury : the iron planet -- Early views about Mercury -- Probing Mercury -- Position and orbit -- Density and composition --The surface -- Mercury's atmosphere -- Temperature and seasons -- Magnetic field -- 5. Venus : a hot, toxic planet -- Early views about Venus -- Probing Venus -- Position and orbit -- Density and composition --The surface -- The atmosphere -- Temperature and seasons -- Magnetic field -- 6. Earth : the planet of life -- Early views about Earth -- Probing Earth -- Position and orbit -- Density and composition --The surface -- The atmosphere -- Temperature and seasons -- Magnetic field -- The Moon -- Early views about the moon -- Probing the moon -- Position and orbit -- Density and composition --The surface -- The atmosphere of the moon -- Temperature -- Magnetic field --7. Mars : the red planet -- Early views about Mars -- Probing Mars -- Position and orbit -- Density and composition --The surface -- The Martian atmosphere -- Temperature and seasons -- Magnetic field -- Martian moons --8. The Asteroid Belt -- Early views about the asteroids -- Probing the asteroids -- Position and orbit -- Asteroid collisions with Earth -- Size and composition -- The surface -- The atmosphere -- Temperature -- Magnetic field -- 9. Jupiter : the gas giant -- Early views about Jupiter -- Probing Jupiter -- Position and orbit -- Density and composition -- The surface -- The atmosphere -- Jupiter's ring system -- Temperature and seasons -- Magnetic field -- Moons of Jupiter -- Other moons of Jupiter -- 10. Saturn : the ringed planet -- Early views about Saturn -- Probing Saturn -- Position and orbit -- Density and composition -- The surface -- The atmosphere -- The rings -- Temperature and seasons -- Magnetic field -- Moons of Saturn -- Other moons of Saturn -- Chariklo -- 11. Uranus: the coldest planet -- Early views about Uranus -- Probing Uranus -- Position and orbit -- Density and composition -- The surface -- The atmosphere -- The rings -- Temperature and seasons -- Magnetic field -- Moons -- 12. Neptune : another cold world -- Early views about Neptune -- Probing Neptune -- Position and orbit -- Density and composition -- The surface -- The atmosphere -- The rings -- Temperature and seasons -- Magnetic field -- Moons of Neptune -- Neptune's status in the Solar System -- 13. Beyond Neptune : TNO's and comets -- The Kuiper Belt -- Pluto -- Early views about Pluto -- Probing Pluto -- Position and orbit -- Density and composition -- The surface -- The atmosphere -- Temperature and seasons -- Magnetic field -- Moons of Pluto -- Other Kuiper Belt objects -- The Scattered Disc -- The Oort Cloud -- Comets -- Parts of a comet -- Probing comets -- Meteoroids -- The future