The Planets

Fülszöveg

THE
PLANETS
By Heather Couper,
President ofthe British Astronomical Association, with Nigel Henbest, Astronomy Consultant, New Scientist Magazine
Heather Couper is President of the British Astronomical Association. She has had a lifelong interest in astronomy, and graduated with a degree in astronomy and physics from Leicester University. After a period of research into galaxies at the University of Oxford, she became Lecturer at the Greenwich Planetarium, Old Royal Observatory -a post she held for 5 years. In 1983 she left to concentrate on broadcasting and writing full-time. She has written over a dozen books and appears regularly on radio and TV. The Planets is her third television series.
A PAN ORIGINAL
From the very earliest times, when Babylonians observed five 'wandering' stars and the ancient Greeks measured their motions precisely, the planets have been an essential ingredient in man's unfolding knowledge of the Cosmos. But it is only recently, as spaceprobes have... Tovább

Fülszöveg

THE
PLANETS
By Heather Couper,
President ofthe British Astronomical Association, with Nigel Henbest, Astronomy Consultant, New Scientist Magazine
Heather Couper is President of the British Astronomical Association. She has had a lifelong interest in astronomy, and graduated with a degree in astronomy and physics from Leicester University. After a period of research into galaxies at the University of Oxford, she became Lecturer at the Greenwich Planetarium, Old Royal Observatory -a post she held for 5 years. In 1983 she left to concentrate on broadcasting and writing full-time. She has written over a dozen books and appears regularly on radio and TV. The Planets is her third television series.
A PAN ORIGINAL
From the very earliest times, when Babylonians observed five 'wandering' stars and the ancient Greeks measured their motions precisely, the planets have been an essential ingredient in man's unfolding knowledge of the Cosmos. But it is only recently, as spaceprobes have investigated our nearest neighbours in , uncompromising close-up, that we have begun to unravel some of the really complex mysteries. More has been learned about the planets in the last twenty years than throughout the whole previous history of mankind.
Based on the spectacular TV series, The Planets is a fascinating and thrilling exploration of our solar system. Emphasizing throughout the human stories that have be6n inextricably linked to new discoveries — from Copernicus to the Voyager team - it looks at each planet from an historical, cultural and scientific point of view, describes how our ideas
about them have evolved since ancient times, how they have influenced life on earth, and what the very latest spaceprobes reveal.
In looking both to the past and the future, The Planets reviews new theories about the creation of the solar system, considers the possible existence of a 'Tenth Planet', and examines what we can learn from the innumerable chunks of space 'debris' - meteors, meteorites and comets. It also investigates the latest claims for solar systems beyond our own. Might they harbour life?
Illustrated in full colour with some ofthe most stunning pictures taken by recent spaceprobes, the book also contains practical information on how to observe the planets for yourself with little or no , special equipment, how to observe comets, a list of annual meteor showers, and a guide to planetary movements over the next five years. Vissza