Voyages To the Planets, Voyages to the Universe

by Andrew Fraknoi; Sidney C. Wolff; David Morrison

• ISBN13: 9780030267932
• ISBN10: 0030267935
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-07-01
• Publisher: Brooks/Cole

Summary

VOYAGES THROUGH THE PLANETS, covering our solar system and planets, provides students and professors with the best of both worlds. It is written by two distinguished research scientists, David Morrison and Sidney Wolff and an award-winning astronomy educator, Andrew Fraknoi. This author team combines the latest science with classroom-tested teaching strategies. Written in a student-friendly, accessible language, VOYAGES THROUGH THE PLANETS features down-to-earth analogies, superb full-color diagrams and images, and even occasional touches of humor. Readers all around the country are turning to this book with pleasure.

Table of Contents

About the Authors	v
Preface for the Student	vi
Preface for the Instructor	viii
Prologue and Brief Tour of the Universe	1	(14)
Observing the Sky: The Birth of Astronomy	15	(24)
The Sky Above	16	(5)
Ancient Astronomy	21	(6)
Astrology and Astronomy	27	(2)
The Birth of Modern Astronomy	29	(10)
Making Connections: Testing Astrology	29
Astronomy Basics: What's Your Angle?	18	(16)
Seeing for Yourself: Observing the Planets	34	(5)
Orbits and Gravity	39	(18)
The Laws of Planetary Motion	40	(3)
Newton's Great Synthesis	43	(3)
Universal Gravity	46	(1)
Orbits in the Solar System	47	(2)
Motions of Satellites and Spacecraft	49	(8)
Making Connections: Astronomy and the Poets	49	(8)
Earth, Moon, and Sky	57	(24)
Earth and Sky	58	(1)
The Seasons	59	(4)
Keeping Time	63	(2)
The Calendar	65	(2)
Phases and Motions of the Moon	67	(3)
Ocean Tides and the Moon	70	(2)
Eclipses of the Sun and Moon	72	(9)
Making Connections: Astronomy and the Days of the Week	68	(5)
Voyagers in Astronomy: George Darwin and the Slowing of the Earth	73	(3)
Seeing for Yourself: How to Observe Solar Eclipses	76	(5)
Radiation and Spectra	81	(24)
The Nature of Light	82	(3)
The Electromagnetic Spectrum	85	(5)
Spectroscopy in Astronomy	90	(3)
The Structure of the Atom	93	(3)
Formation of Spectral Lines	96	(3)
The Doppler Effect	99	(6)
Making Connections: The Rainbow	91	(14)
Astronomical Instruments	105	(24)
Telescopes	106	(3)
Optical Detectors and Instruments	109	(3)
Optical and Infrared Observatories	112	(3)
Radio Telescopes	115	(5)
Observations Outside the Earth's Atmosphere	120	(9)
Astronomy Basics: How Astronomers Really Use Telescopes	109	(7)
Voyagers in Astronomy: George Ellery Hale: Master Telescope Builder	116	(5)
Making Connections: Choosing Your Own Telescope	121	(8)
Other Worlds: An Introduction to the Solar System	129	(18)
Overview of Our Planetary System	130	(4)
Composition and Structure of Planets	134	(4)
Dating Planetary Surfaces	138	(1)
Origin of the Solar System	139	(8)
Making Connections: Names in the Solar System	134	(2)
Astronomy Basics: There's No Place Like Home	136	(5)
Voyagers in Astronomy: Carl Sagan: Solar System Advocate	141	(6)
Earth as a Planet	147	(22)
The Global Perspective	148	(2)
The Crust of the Earth	150	(5)
The Earth's Atmosphere	155	(2)
Life and Chemical Evolution	157	(3)
Cosmic Influences on the Evolution of Earth	160	(9)
Voyagers in Astronomy: Alfred Wegener: Catching the Drift of Plate Tectonics	154	(15)
Cratered Worlds: The Moon and Mercury	169	(20)
General Properties of the Moon	170	(2)
The Lunar Surface	172	(3)
Impact Craters	175	(4)
The Origin of the Moon	179	(2)
Mercury	181	(8)
Seeing for Yourself: Observing the Moon	178	(4)
Making Connections: What a Difference a Day Makes	182	(7)
Earth-Like Planets: Venus and Mars	189	(26)
The Nearest Planets: An Overview	190	(3)
The Geology of Venus	193	(3)
The Massive Atmosphere of Venus	196	(3)
The Geology of Mars	199	(1)
Martian Polar Caps and Climate	200	(9)
Divergent Planetary Evolution	209	(6)
Voyagers in Astronomy: Percival Lowell: Dreaming of an Inhabited Mars	191	(17)
Making Connections: Astronomy and Pseudo-science: The ``Face on Mars''	208	(7)
The Giant Planets	215	(20)
Exploring the Outer Planets	216	(2)
The Jovian Planets	218	(5)
Atmospheres of the Jovian Planets	223	(12)
Making Connections: Engineering and Space Science: Teaching an Old Spacecraft New Tricks	219	(5)
Voyagers in Astronomy: James Van Allen: Several Planets Under His Belt	224	(11)
Rings, Moons, and Pluto	235	(24)
Ring and Satellite Systems	236	(1)
The Galilean Satellites and Titan	237	(8)
Triton and Pluto	245	(5)
Planetary Rings	250	(9)
Voyagers in Astronomy: Clyde Tombaugh: From the Farm to Fame	248	(11)
Comets and Asteroids: Debris of the Solar System	259	(20)
Asteroids	260	(5)
Asteroids Far and Near	265	(2)
The ``Long-Haired'' Comets	267	(4)
Origin and Evolution of Comets	271	(8)
Voyagers in Astronomy: Edmund Halley: Astronomy's Renaissance Man	268	(5)
Making Connections: Comet Hunting as a Hobby	273	(6)
Cosmic Samples and the Origin of the Solar System	279	(18)
Meteors	280	(2)
Meteorites: Stones from Heaven	282	(4)
Formation of the Solar System	286	(4)
Planetary Evolution	290	(7)
Seeing for Yourself: Showering with the Stars	283	(1)
Making Connections: Some Striking Meteorites	284	(13)
The Sun: A Garden-Variety Star	297	(22)
Outer Layers of the Sun	298	(6)
The Active Sun Introduced	304	(2)
The Sunspot Cycle	306	(2)
Activity Above the Photosphere	308	(2)
Is the Sun a Variable Star?	310	(9)
Voyagers in Astronomy: Art Walker: Doing Astronomy in Space	305	(6)
Making Connections: Solar Flares and Their Effects on Earth	311	(4)
Seeing for Yourself: Observing the Sun	315	(4)
The Search for Planets and Life Elsewhere	319	(1)
Our Place in the Universe	320	(2)
Astrobiology	322	(2)
Planets Beyond the Solar System	324	(5)
The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence	329	(5)
Voyagers in Astronomy: Jill Tarter: Trying to Make Contact	334
Appendices
1 Astronomy on the World Wide Web	1	(3)
2 Sources of Astronomical Information	4	(1)
3 Glossary	5	(12)
4 Powers-of-Ten Notation	17	(2)
5 Units Used in Science	19	(1)
6 Some Useful Constants for Astronomy	20	(1)
7 Data for the Planets	21	(1)
8 Satellites of the Planets	22	(2)
9 Upcoming (Total) Eclipses	24	(1)
10 The Chemical Elements	25	(2)
11 The Constellations	27
Index	1
Star Charts