Pluto and Charon : Ice Worlds on the Ragged Edge of the Solar System
Editorial Reviews
Review
Rave reviews for Pluto and Charon 1/E: Ice Worlds on the Ragged Edge of the Solar System
"The story of the quest to understand Pluto and the resulting transformation of our concept of the diminutive planet from that of solar-system misfit to king of the Kuiper Belt is told in this book by Alan Stern and Jacqueline Mitton. Stern, a Plutophile to the core, is one of the most energetic, talented, and savvy planetary astronomers in the business today. Mitton, trained as an astronomer, is an experienced writer and editor of scientific books for nonscientists. Together they have created an immensely informative book . . . Written in an engaging and informal style, Pluto and Charon takes the reader step by step from the discovery of the ninth planet in 1930 to the current understanding of Pluto and its moon, Charon." - Sky & Telescope
"More than a book summarizing what we know about [the] planet, [Pluto and Charon is] about how far and how fast astronomical technology has come since 1965 . . . Stern and Mitton use the narrative of Pluto research to explain in comfortable, everyday language how such work is done . . . One of the nice touches in the book is that Stern and Mitton tell us something about each astronomer. - Astronomy
"Pluto and Charon presents the exploration of the ninth planet-written as a vivid historical account-for anyone with an interest in science and astronomy . . . the authors describe in simple language the methods researchers use to explore the universe and the way ever-improving instrumentation helps their knowledge advance." - Physics Today
Book Description
The exploration of Pluto and its moon, Charon, is a tale of perseverance and ingenuity on the part of the planetary scientists who have been lured by the fascination of these far-flung miniature worlds. In their book, Stern and Mitton turn that story into and entertaining adventure, starting with the discovery of Pluto in 1930. In a highly accessible narrative, they bring to life the many Pluto researchers (“Plutophiles”), who with skills and resourcefulness have pieced together over several decades an amazingly detailed picture of the nature of Pluto and Charon. The book also documents vividly the struggle to persuade NASA to fund the first mission to Pluto, At last, New Horizons (led by author Stern and Principal Investigator) is due to be launched in early 2006 on a 9-year journey to Pluto, Charon and beyond.
For the second edition, Stern and Mitton have brought their 1998 book fully up to date, including the latest discoveries about Pluto’s ancient relationship with the members of the Kuiper Belt of icy bodies and dwarf planets beyond
Pluto and Charon : Ice Worlds on the Ragged Edge of the Solar System
Pluto and Charon: Ice Worlds on the Ragged Edge of the Solar System,Alan Stern,Jacqueline Mitton,John Wiley & Sons,3527405569,Astronomy - General,Science,Science/Mathematics,Planets & asteroids,Science / Astronomy
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