Solar System Books

This book would be a good way to introduce children to the solar system. It focuses on the nine planets, and has a "punch-out" glow-in-the-dark kit that allows you to make your own model of the solar system. The information is of the most basic, which would probably be best for children from four to eight.

If you're content to have your view of the universe stop right where it is, don't read this book. But if you want to know the planetary exploration history and latest information about the search for planets beyond our solar system, then pick up "Looking for Earths."

Alan Boss, a NASA adviser at the Carnegie Institution, has presented us with an extremely well written, smart and well-informed account of the search for "extrasolar planets", those beyond our solar systems. Just in case anyone thinks that's an easy step-you know, just pull up the telescope and point it at the stars, here is his description of the difficulty:

"Trying to see an extrasolar planet right next to its star is akin to trying to see a tiny mirror being held by a person standing next to a powerful carbon-arc searchlight that is pointed right at you-you can't see the light from the mirror because you are blinded by the far brighter light from the
searchlight itself. Human beings could start at the sky until
their eyes popped without ever seeing a planet belonging to another star."

What Boss does is quickly but clearly tell us the history of planetary exploration, tracing thoughts and discoveries,
starting with Pythagoras in the sixth century B.C.E., who thought the Earth was fixed an unmoving, then explaining the brilliance of Copernicus and then Kepler, Brahe, Giordano Bruno, Kant and other early giants.

Then he moves on to such contemporary heroes as Peter van de Kamp, Daniel Goldin and George Gatewood as they come up, rapid-fire, it seems, relatively speaking, with proof of the extrasolar planets' existence, some coming so quickly that scientists joked about subscribing to "Planet of the Week".

What Boss does especially well, besides writing in utterly understandable language, is connect the dots, as it were.

If you read this book, you'll get a wonderful look at scientific thinking and development, instead of getting science piecemeal.

Boss has a rather interesting approach: starting with
Chapter 3, he dates events as he opens the chapter, so that each chapter, and often sub-chapters start with the date of the discovery or event that led to a discovery. It's a neat way of encompassing history and allows us to see how quickly ideas can move along. Most obvious to me was the sense that discoveries are speeding up-each development happens a little more quickly and closely to its predecessor, feeding yet the next discovery.

The science outlined in this book is totally comprehensible to most teenagers and adults and probably some pre-teens as well, if they're reasonably aware of astronomical issues. You may want to skip some of the deeper science and just read about the discoveries and who made them. Charts and photos accompany
several chapters to help explain who did what and why it was important.

Anyone wanting to know more about what's next, and not have to get all their science from Star Trek would be well advised to read this book.

NASA, the Mars Mission, Martians and exploration...this is a strangely REAL work of science "fiction" and quite unique. Author is unknown (?!) but I don't believe this could be a debut novel. It's so well-crafted and conceived, and the dialogue, even that of Pi John and Omm Sam, our intrepid young martian protagonists, is ingenuous. More, more!

Mrs. Frizzle takes her class on an "extremely" hands-on field trip, and takes her readers on an "extremely" hands on voyage as they can place stickers on the book to create their own scenes. Students can learn about different planets, moons, meteors, and more, and younger children enjoy the stickers!

Ewen Whitaker has a gift for reading the lunar surface, and an equal one for writing that conveys not only the facts about the moon and the history of human interest in it, but also a true teacher's delight in sharing his knowledge and enthuiasm. This book will entertain and inform the layman as well as the expert.

This book is fantastic. It is not only a simple guide to observe Mars, but there are also a lot of important astronomical concepts. Really you can learn a lot about it. This book helps us to see what our eyes have seen in a beautiful place very far and what and how we can see again.

I lost count somewhere around "Oceans" or "Dogs," but this has to be Simon's millionth book. Either way, there's no arguing that this guy can write some great material for kids and even adults (who have kids and are smart enough to read with them so they don't grow up illiterate). I doubt Stephen Hawking read this book and had some amazing epiphany, nevertheless, this entire series of planet books is perfect for grade school through middle school science reports and projects or even if you just want to learn a bit more about what's out there in our universe.

Full color and page-sized photos only add to Simon's academically written text that truly gets kids into science and into wondering about the world about them.

WOW! what a book this is for aspiring and experienced observers! I'm in awe. Dr. Jenniskens' new book is so chock-full of information it will take years to soak it all in. He has done a masterful job of explaining everything that goes into the generation of comet dust trails and the resultant meteor showers they spawn. That -- plus a comprehensive listing of EVERY expected meteor outburst (and their expected ZHRs!) for the next fifty years! Not just the main showers like the Leonids and Perseids, but all minor showers as well.
I'm absolutely astounded by the enormous amount of work that must have gone into creating this book! It is simply an amazing work that should be in every library and on every meteor enthusiast's shelf -- because you'll be going back to it again and again for the rest of your life!

(Note: This is probably not the right meteor book for youngsters just getting to know this wonderful science and hobby, however. The charts, graphs, and mathematics are a little overwhelming for beginners.)

Pete Bias (author of Meteors and Meteor Showers, an Amateur's Guide to Meteors)

First some definitions from Wikipedia: A METEORITE is an extraterrestrial body that survives its impact with the Earth's (or other planet's) surface without being destroyed. While in space it is called a METEOROID. When it enters the atmosphere, air resistance causes the body to heat up and emit light, thus forming a fireball, also known as a METEOR or shooting star.

This book is about meteorites, their makeup, and what we have learned from them. Some 88 authors from nine countries have contributed to the writing. This book describes the state of the art as known to science as of March 2006 when the book was finally put to bed. It is suitable as a graduate level text and a reference for meteoriticists and other researchers in allied fields.

The study of meteorites is a fairly new science. It is only in the last century or so that people realized that rocks could fall from the heavens. In that time scientists have come to realize that these rocks, coming from outside the Earth provide a unique insite to exterrestrial situations including the birth of the solar system.

The leonid's fireball cover image is taken by me! But very sadly and disappointed, there is not any acknowledgement written anywhere in the book.

For the content, it is mostly about research on meteor. It is good for researchers, but not for leisure.

Tommy Tang