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Reflector Book Review:
The New Solar System,
Fourth Edition
Category: Science of Astronomy
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The New Solar System, Fourth Edition
Editors: J. Kelley Beatty, Carolyn Collins Pertersen,
and Andrew Chaikin
Sky Publishing Corporation
49 Bay State Road
Cambridge, MA 02138
(800) 253-0245
Softcover, 421 pages, $39.95
ISBN: 0-933346-86-7
The explosion of information in the
field of planetary science in recent years has made
it very difficult for the lay person to keep up with
the latest knowledge and theories about the part of
the universe in which we live. From the time the space
program took off in the late 60's until today, NASA
has sent an ever increasing number of missions to study
our star and the planets of our Solar System.
The first edition of The Solar
System, published in 1981, was away for those interested
in planetary science to catch up with a burgeoning amount
of research. Since the Third Edition of The New Solar
System was published in 1990, there have been so
many developments in planetary science, that the new
Fourth Edition is nearly twice as large as its predecessor.
This book is neither a text book nor
a coffee table took. It lies somewhere in between. Its
28 chapters cover every aspect of Solar System research,
from the Sun to Pluto, and all the planets, satellites,
comets, atmospheres, and asteroids in between. The final
chapter gives a census of the rapidly growing number
of known worlds around other stars. Up-to-date tables
of planetary, satellite, and small-body characteristics,
a glossary of terms, suggested readings and references,
and an index complete the book.
This is not a book by one person or
a group of editors. Instead, it is a collection of chapters
drawing together the talents of a multitude of planetary
experts into one place. The list of luminaries contributing
to this edition include David Morrison on Exploring
the Solar System, Paul Weissman on Cometary Reservoirs,
Eugene and Carolyn Shoemaker on The Role of Collisions,
and William K. Hartman on Small Worlds: Patterns and
Relationships.
The theme of the book is that the
Solar System is no longer a place of isolated bodies,
but is instead an interrelated whole, indeed, a system,
whose parts must be studied comparatively. The aim of
the editors has been to encourage their authors to make
neither sweeping generalizations nor detailed analyses.
Instead, they have striven to make this book enjoyable
reading for those with either a casual or professional
interest. And, it seems, they have succeeded.
The chapters are presented in a logical
sequence, from an overview of the Solar System, through
a discussion of each of the planets and their major
features. But this does not mean that the book can only
be read from cover to cover. Each chapter is independent,
and a reader looking for information on a specific area
of interest, say Mars, can easily study only that chapter
without feeling that he is missing something.
There is a wealth of beautiful NASA
and other photos supplementing the text, as well as
clearly drawn and colorful diagrams by illustrator Sue
Lee. In fact, it is possible to glean an incredible
amount of information just by reading the picture captions.
And the whole thing is supplemented with the superb
paintings and drawings of artist Don Davis, who is famous
for his work on the Cosmos TV series and the movie Contact.
This edition of The New Solar System
is a welcome addition to Sky Publishing Corporation's
catalog of astronomy books. As with all Sky Pub products,
it is expertly laid out and beautifully printed. To
use a phrase from another industry, it has good hand.
If you are interested in the current state of knowledge
about planetary science, The New Solar System, Fourth
Edition, will be a welcome addition to your library.
Ed Flaspoehler
former Reflector Editor
Reviewed in the August 1999 issue.
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