Moons and Planets - Hardcover

Hartmann, William K.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0534493939 ISBN 13: 9780534493936

Publisher: Brooks Cole, 2004

Synopsis

Author William Hartmann has fully updated this text, which retains a comparative approach to the principles of planetology, including organization by physical topic rather than by planet. This unique approach promotes an understanding of the unifying principles and processes that cause similarities and differences among the moon and planets. This edition features findings and photos from Mars Odyssey and Mars Global Surveyor missions as well as information on new discoveries about Mars, such as underground ice and possible glacial features. The author also includes new results about the "Tagish Lake fireball," material from the landing of the NEAR spacecraft on asteroid Eros, and updates on satellites of Jupiter and Saturn. The text's unique math boxes provide flexibility to teach planetary science at a descriptive level or at a moderately advanced level involving algebra and elementary calculus.

About this title

About the Author:

William K. Hartmann is known internationally as a planetary astronomer, writer, and painter. He is a Senior Scientist at the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Arizona. His research has involved the origin and evolution of planets and studies of the surfaces of Mars, the moon, asteroids, and comets. Asteroid 3341 is named after him in recognition of this work, and in 1998 he was named first recipient of the Carl Sagan medal of the American Astronomical Society for communicating planetary science to the public. In 2002 he was awarded a medal from the European Geophysical Society for his work on planetary cratering. He has authored three other astronomy books for Thomson, Brooks-Cole, several popular astronomy books, and two novels, MARS UNDERGROUND and CITIES OF GOLD.

Review:

1. Introduction: Planetary Science and the Cosmic Perspective. 2. The Solar System: An Overview. 3. Celestial Mechanics. 4. The Formation of Stars and Planetary Material. 5. The Formation of Planets and Satellites. 6. Meteorites and Meteoritics. 7. Interplanetary Worldlets: Asteroids and Comets. 8. Planetary Interiors. 9. Planetary Surfaces I: Petrology, Primitive Surfaces, and Cratering. 10. Planetary Surfaces II: Volcanism and Endogenic Processes of Surface Evolution. 11. Planetary Atmospheres. 12. Life: Its History and Occurrence. 13. Martian Epilogue: Applying Planetary Science on a New Frontier. Appendix: Planetary Data Table. References. Index.

About this edition

• Publisher: Brooks Cole
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0534493939
• ISBN 13: 9780534493936
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 5
• Number of pages: 456