Solar System: A Visual Exploration Of Every Known Planet, Sun, Moon, Asteroid And Dwarf Planet

Based on the latest ebook sensation developed by Theodore Gray and his company Touch Press, this beautiful print book presents a new and fascinating way to experience the wonders of the solar system

Following the stunning success of both the print edition and the app of The Elements, Black Dog & Leventhal and Touch Press have teamed up again. Solar System is something completely new under the sun. Never before have the wonders of our solar system—all its planets, dwarf planets, the sun, moons, rocky Asteroid Belt, and icy Kuiper Belt—been so immediately accessible to readers of all ages.

Beginning with a fascinating overview and then organized by planet, in order of its distance from the sun, Solar System takes us on a trip across time and space that includes a front-row seat to the explosive birth of the solar system, a journey to (and then deep inside) each of its eight planets, and even an in-depth exploration of asteroids and comets.

With hundreds of gorgeous images produced especially for this project and through a collaboration between NASA and the graphics experts at Planetary Visions Ltd. and Joe Zeff Design, Solar System gives us page after page of unique, detailed, and never-before-seen views, both photographic and computer-generated. Take a dive down into the canyons of Mars; ride across the rings of Saturn; fly over the volcanoes of Io, Jupiter's so-called Pizza Moon; and sail through the fiery loops of gas that are constantly erupting from our sun.

Every planet and moon is introduced with a big, beautiful, full-page image and a databox that shows the orbit and position of the planet or moon in relation to surrounding bodies, as well as the diameter, mass, volume, surface temperature, atmospheric makeup, and orbital period of the planet; a scale comparison graphic; and a planet cross-section for the eight planets.

Throughout, award-winning author and CalTech radio astronomer Marcus Chown explains everything to us in his easy-to understand, exciting style. The result is a gorgeous and thoroughly entertaining—not to mention educational—book.

Editorial Reviews

If you think that there is nothing new under the sun, look inside this book. With hundreds of images especially produced for this project, this large format hardcover lays out the whole solar system as you have never seen it before. The sun, planets, moons, dwarf planets, asteroids, comets, the rocky Asteroid Belt, and the icy Kuiper Belt all pop into visibility in spectacular photographs, comparison graphics, and data-boxes. Radio astronomer Marcus Chown presides over this grand assemblage. The night sky will never look the same again.

About The Author:

Marcus Chown is an award-winning writer and broadcaster. Formerly a radio astronomer at the California Institute of Technology, he is now cosmology consultant for New Scientist magazine. He lives in London, England.