The Cambridge Planetary Handbook [Hardcover]

Michael E. Bakich (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 13, 2000

The Cambridge Planetary Handbook is an invaluable reference text, bringing together key facts and data on the planets and their satellites, discoverers and researchers. It summarises many centuries' worth of data, from the earliest observations of the planets through to the most recent spaceprobe findings. The author discusses the history, mythology and theories of the main objects in our solar system, and provides a comprehensive information section with accurate and up-to-date data on the planets. The book contains excellent photography and explanatory illustrations, along with numerous historical drawings from Galileo, Huygens, Herschel and other astronomers. This book is a must for all astronomy enthusiasts, as well as academic researchers, students and teachers. Those unfamiliar with the sky will find this a user-friendly guide written in clear, non-technical language.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Combining both recent knowledge and historical background about the planets of the solar system, this source will be a valuable addition to the astronomy collections of both academic and public libraries. The author also wrote The Cambridge Guide to the Constellations (Cambridge, 1995).

The book is arranged in two parts. Part one presents planetary data, such as atmospheric pressure, composition, and future conjunctions and transits. Part two contains a summary on each planet, including its moons. These summaries cover cloud and atmospheric conditions, surface features, historical early ideas about each planet, and recent discoveries from the Hubble Space Telescope and other data collected in the "late 1990s." The planetary information is supplemented by historical photographs, illustrations, and portraits. Appendixes provide very brief biographies of selected astronomers and a glossary.

The handbook is well suited for amateur astronomers and students of astronomy. Readers with less technical background may need to refer to a scientific dictionary, and professional astronomers may find the coverage too popular. This title makes a nice companion to Encyclopedia of the Solar System [RBB Mr 15 99]. For instance, The Cambridge Planetary Handbook provides data on the surface gravity of the planets, while Encyclopedia of the Solar System provides a discussion of Newton's laws of motion and the universal law of gravity.
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

'Combining both recent knowledge and historical background about the planets of the solar system, this source will be a valuable addition to the astronomy collections of both academic and public libraries ... The new volume is arranged in two parts. Part one presents planetary data, such as atmospheric pressure, composition, and future conjunctions and transits. Part two contains a summary on each planet, including its moons ... The handbook is well suited for amateur astronomers and students of astronomy.' Booklist

'... an excellent book ... The Cambridge Planetary Handbook is a credit to both author and publisher, and good value for money.' Mark Williamson, Earth Space Review

'This book is a must for all astronomy enthusiasts, as well as academic researchers, students and teachers. Those unfamiliar with the sky will find this a user-friendly guide written in clear, non-technical language.' Europe and Astronomy

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 346 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (February 13, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521632803
• ISBN-13: 978-0521632805
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,375,764 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Handy Reference Book, June 10, 2006

By 

Dave Tyler "AstroTyler" (WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Cambridge Planetary Handbook (Hardcover)

If you need a quick look up reference for statistical information on the major bodies of the solar system then this is a really fine book.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Resource Guide, October 6, 2004

By 

Inspiration (East Coast USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Cambridge Planetary Handbook (Hardcover)

I found this book while researching in the library one day for astronimical events. I opened it and became intrigued immediately. The information contained within it kept me fascinated for hours and still does. I refer to it anytime I wish to know anything about the planets, eclipses, statistics concerning the planets etc. Each planet is addressed separately giving a history of the founder, how it was located. The beginning of each section pertaining to a planet includes items such as:

Physical Data: Size, Mass, Escape Velocity, Temperature Range, Oblateness, Surface Gravity, Volume, Magnetic Field Strength and orientation, Albedo, Density, Solar Irradiance, Atmosphere Pressure, Composition of Atmosphere, Maximum Wind Speeds, Cloud Features, Surface Features, Orbital Data, Observational Data, Early Ideas (a good history of how people interpreted information in earlier periods of time when technology was not as advanced as now), Important Concepts, Transits, Interesting Facts, Observing Data which includes Conjunction dates, elongation dates, Close conjunctions, Eclipses if applicable, Historical timelines.

The above information is provided for each planet, which makes this invaluable source book. In the beginning of the book there are comparison charts showing how each planet compares in Albedo, Angular Size, Atmospheric Composition, Atmospheric Pressure, Brightness & size of the Sun from each planet, Brillancy at Opposition, Cloud Features, Constellations Visited by the Moon and Planets, Density, Distances from Earth, Distances from Sun, Eccentricity, Escape Velocity, Future Dates of Conjunction (up to 2010), Future dates of Opposition (up to 2010), Future Significant Alignments, Future Transits (up to 2255), Inclination of Orbit, Magnetic Field strength and orientation, Mass, Named features on the planets and the Moon, Names of the planets, Sun and Moon around the world (includes: Arabic, Danish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Russian, Spanish, Swedish), Oblateness, Orbital period, Orbital Velocity, Rotational Period, Rotational Velocity (equatorial), Size, Solar Irradiance, Speed of Light Travel Times, Surface Gravity, Synodic Period, Temperature Range, Tilt of Axis, Volume, Winds Speeds, Satellites (which includes all the subject headings here for each satellite)

This is a wonderful book, packed with information that will fascinate and amaze at the same time teaching you about the universe. Science was not one of my favorite subjects but now as an adult I truly have begun to love it thanks to this one book.

I also consult this book whenever I wish to validate any astrological information that I might be working with or on. Truly and indispensible book.