The Cambridge Planetary Handbook

by Michael E. Bakich

• ISBN13: 9780521632805
• ISBN10: 0521632803
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-02-13
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

The Cambridge Planetary Handbook is an invaluable reference text, bringing together key facts and data on the planets and their satellites, discoverers and researchers. It summarises many centuries' worth of data, from the earliest observations of the planets through to the most recent spaceprobe findings. The author discusses the history, mythology and theories of the main objects in our solar system, and provides a comprehensive information section with accurate and up-to-date data on the planets. The book contains excellent photography and explanatory illustrations, along with numerous historical drawings from Galileo, Huygens, Herschel and other astronomers. This book is a must for all astronomy enthusiasts, as well as academic researchers, students and teachers. Those unfamiliar with the sky will find this a user-friendly guide written in clear, non-technical language.

Author Biography

Michael E. Bakich has a BS in Astronomy from Ohio State University and an MA in Planetarium Education from Michigan State University. He currently resides in EI Paso, Texas, where he is a writer, a planetarium consultant, and also leads tours to see eclipses and astroarchaeological sites.

Table of Contents

Preface	vii
Acknowledgements	ix
Part 1 Lists
Planets
Albedo	5	(1)
Angular size	6	(1)
Atmospheric composition	7	(3)
Atmospheric pressure	10	(1)
Brightness and size of the Sun from each planet	11	(1)
Brilliancy at opposition	12	(1)
Cloud features	13	(1)
Constellations visited by the Moon and planets	14	(1)
Density	15	(1)
Distances from Earth	16	(1)
Distances from Sun	17	(1)
Eccentricity	18	(1)
Escape velocity	19	(1)
Future dates of conjunction	20	(4)
Future dates of opposition	24	(2)
Future significant alignments	26	(3)
Future transits	29	(1)
Inclination of orbit	30	(1)
Magnetic field strength and orientation	31	(3)
Mass	34	(1)
Named features on the planets and the Moon	35	(9)
Names of the planets, Sun and Moon around the world	44	(2)
Oblateness	46	(1)
Orbital period	47	(1)
Orbital velocity	48	(1)
Rotational period	49	(1)
Rotational velocity (equatorial)	50	(1)
Size	51	(1)
Solar irradiance	52	(1)
Speed of light travel times	53	(1)
Surface gravity	54	(1)
Synodic period	55	(1)
Temperature range	56	(1)
Tilt of axis	57	(1)
Volume	58	(1)
Wind speeds	59	(4)
Satellites
Albedo	63	(2)
Density	65	(2)
Discoverers and dates of discovery	67	(2)
Distance from planet	69	(2)
Eccentricity	71	(2)
Inclination of orbit	73	(2)
Mass	75	(2)
Orbital period	77	(2)
Size	79	(4)
Part 2 Planets
Mercury	83	(22)
Venus	105	(29)
Earth	134	(31)
Mars	165	(38)
Jupiter	203	(29)
Saturn	232	(29)
Uranus	261	(15)
Neptune	276	(21)
Pluto	297	(13)
Appendix A Short biographies of some astronomers	310	(5)
Appendix B Unit conversion table	315	(1)
Glossary	316	(18)
References and sources	334	(1)
Index	335