Product Description

Born almost 5 billion years ago at the edge of the Milky Way galaxy, our Solar System is a place filled with mystery and wonder. In the last fifty years, we have learned more than ever about the farthest reaches of our world. With dramatic full-color photographs and spacecraft images, Our Solar System takes young readers on a fascinating tour of the sun, the eight planets, and their moons, plus asteroids, comets, and meteoroids. Award-winning science writer Seymour Simon has teamed up with the Smithsonian Institution on this new, updated edition of his much admired book about the vast and mystifying part of the universe that we live in.

Customer Reviews (13)

I had this book as a kid...
This book is still in my collection after many years. I used to read it all the time as a young lad and drool over he huge pretty pictures of out majestic solar system. Needless to say I'm now studying astrophysics so I cannot deny this book to have been an inspiration for me! Get it for your children :]

Great!
This book was exactly what i was looking for. great pictures and full of information.

ridiculous
After reading only the first few pages of this book, I could see where it was headed, so I read no further.It's pretty clear that the author is an un-apologetic heliocentrist.In the introduction, he skips right over the fact that it has never been proved that the Earth revolves around the Sun.

The idea that the Earth revolves around the Sun is a ridiculous theory which goes against all observable facts.

Choose this book!A huge hit with a 5 yr old & 8 yr old
If you're trying to choose between several different books on the solar system, choose this!It's beautiful and intriguing for a five year old, readable for an 8 -10 year old, and educational for folks of all ages.After a little research on amazon, I purchased three solar system/space books for a birthday gift and this book was by far the best received of the three.I have since purchased a couple more.The book is exceptionally well done with broad and lasting appeal.

The photographs are stunning and plentiful, as in a coffee-table book.Nearly every other page features a full-page photograph.The text is readable.The sentences are short and clearly-written, but they're not dumbed down in any way.There are many full pages of text, but all are double-spaced and there is abundant white space around the text, so it's not so dense as to scare off early readers.Everything about the book is child-friendly, but it's not a cute or silly kid's book in any way.I think most adults would find plenty to learn from the textand would appreciate the fact that one doesn't need an astrophysics degree to understand it.

One important note -- it's updated.Pluto no longer gets star billing.Pluto is mentioned as a dwarf or smaller planet, along with Ceres and Eris.

Overall, I highly recommend this book, and I would not hesitate to consider any other collaboration between author Seymour Simon and the Smithsonian Institution.

Beautiful Illustrations and Very Informative
My four year old showed an interest in planets, so I purchased this book as a Christmas present. My husband reads it to him before bed and they discuss it and look at all the pictures. Although the book is sophisticated, my husband and I sometimes only read parts of the book, paraphrase or just examine the pictures. It has only added to his fascination with the planets and space. Well worth the money. ... Read more

Product Description
You live on Earth, so you already know a lot about it. But do you know about its place in out solar system? For instance, it's not the largest planet. If Jupiter were a hallow ball, 1,000 Earths would fit inside it. And did you know our planet Earth takes 365 days to go around the sun, while the planet Pluto takes 248 years?

This simple text by Franklyn M. Branely introduces the nine planets in our solar system and is complemented by Kevin O'Malley's full-color illustrations, which incorporate some of the newest space photographs available. How hot is it on Venus? Which planet takes longest to orbit the sun? Find out the answers in this updated version of this popular text. Kevin OMalleys often humorous illustrations depict a group of children and an astronomer as they learn all about our solar system. Included are some of the newest space photographs available, as well as many hands-on activities.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Great Space Starter Book
My preschooler loves this book and chooses it often for his bedtime reading. He loves the pictures and often sits and "reads" by himself. There are good examples that make the information more easily understood by young minds. We love it!

Educational for mom too..
This book talks not just about the basic concept of us having 9 planets but goes a bit more indepth about the physical characteristics of those planets. Distance from the sun, size, ability to sustain life, temperature and orbit are covered here as well.

Some of the facts were new to even mom and we are glad to have added it to our growing collection.

Pretty Good
My son is obsessed with planets.This text is good and the artwork is nice.But a new edition needs to come out to explain that Pluto is no longer considered a planet.We have to read the book and then explain that to him afterwards.

Great Book!
I put this book in my 4 year old sons Easter Basket, and it was his favorite part of the basket. He loves it and has learned SO much from reading it. Not only is it a great book for this age, it teaches so much in a really easy format that is easy to retain. We love it.

good for kids just learning about the solar system
I have a 5 yr old that loves anything to do with space. I got older (adult) books from the library about the solar system and he learned tons of info. When we got this book he was excited but he didn't end up learning anything new. The book mostly talks about the relationship of the planets to the sun, their order, if they're hot or cold. They grouped the planets together stating which ones were hot or cold but didn't individually talk the planets other than saying you can see Mars early in the evening and Earth is the life planet. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (4)

Good Book On The Solar System
This Book clearly explains all aspects of the solar system chapter by chapter. It is easy to read (not overly scientific), yet very informative. It is a great resource. It is a complete guide to the solar system!

AWESOME
This was a great purchase.I found the correct edition for a great price.I am happy I got it.

Pleased!
Fast service and the book came in great condition as described! Will do service with again!

More interesting than I expected
I bought this book for a class in college and I really liked the pictures and concepts. The whole topic was more interesting than I could have ever expected and I did great in the class. ... Read more

Product Description

The extreme events that we hear about daily—hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions—are extreme in purely human terms, in the devastation they do. But this book moves our understanding of the extreme into extraterrestrial dimensions and gives us an awe-inspiring sense of what our solar system at its utmost can do. Martian dust devils taller than Mount Everest. A hurricane that lasts over 340 years. Volcanoes with “lava” colder than Antarctica. Hail made of diamonds. Here, as the authors say, the “WOW” factor is restored to our understanding of scientific discovery, as we witness the grandeur and the weirdness that inspire researchers to dig deeper and go ever farther into the mysteries of the universe.

The 50 Most Extreme Places in Our Solar System combines a fascination with natural disasters and the mesmerizing allure of outer space to take readers on a journey that will forever change the way they view our solar system. Full of dazzling photographs from NASA’s most recent observations, this book explores extreme regions on Earth and beyond—giant turbulent storms, explosive volcanoes, and the possibility of life surviving in harsh conditions.

More than a collection of facts, the book conveys the dynamism of science as a process of exploration and discovery. As they amuse and entertain, David Baker and Todd Ratcliff, two experts in planetary science, highlight recent developments and unresolved mysteries and strive, at every turn, to answer that important scientific question: “Why?”

Customer Reviews (3)

Great for classrooms too
I am a middle school science teacher, and my students love this book as much as I do.They love hearing about these extreme places and are always in awe.It gets them (and me) excited to learn about our solar system. The authors include amazing pictures and the book is very engaging.The companion website is also fun to explore and you can vote for which place you think is the most extreme.I think this is a fun book for anyone, but it would be a great asset to teachers who teach about space at any level.

Science for everyone!
"50 Most Extreme Places..." presents some pretty complicated material in an easy to understand manner.We keep this book on our coffee table and my 12 and 9 year old daughters find it as fascinating as I do.The beautiful photographs throughout the book certainly help to make it a more compelling read.The authors should be applauded for making a science book for us non-scientists.

A must have for those interested in space !
The photographs in this book are outstanding ! The topics presented are fascinating.This book provides an excellent overview of how vastly different the planets and other objects in our solar system are.I especially like the fact that each topic is only about 5 pages including illustrations.So there is enough explanation on each topic to provide an understanding, but not so much scientific jargon so the "layman" would get lost.(My six year old enjoys the book as well) The book is slightly smaller in size (not pages) than I would have liked since the photographs are so interesting.It would be great to have this available in an oversized book.

I strongly recommend this book.It is an excellent value for the money ! ... Read more

Product Description
Aimed at the popular audience by experienced astronomy author Patricia Daniels with contributions by former editor of Astronomy magazine Robert Burnham and highlighted by 160 photographs, diagrams and maps, this superb guide explores every corner of Earth’s planetary neighborhood, from the fiery sun at its center to the dark, icy realm where interstellar space begins. It’s a state-of-the-art observation of the solar system as we know it today and a knowledgeable forecast of what to expect in the future, from Pluto’s demotion to plutoid to the upcoming Moon mission, the likelihood of a manned expedition to Mars, and much more.

From breathtaking full-color photographs to detailed explanatory diagrams to expert essays, fascinating sidebars, and informative fact boxes, the New Solar System is not just an easy-to-use, solidly reliable reference, but also a visually stunning, invitingly browsable volume guaranteed to fire the imagination of even the most casual reader.

As we celebrate NASA’s first half-century and look outward to exciting new possibilities, public interest in all things interplanetary will only grow more intense—and this wonderfully timely book is poised to launch us once more into the High Frontier. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Thanks to the reader who said he'd tried voting for this review but accidentally voted against it
Great for the coffee table, great for kids and just as great for reflection and thought!

Yes, you won't find any cutting edge data or new theories here but that doesn't matter. With the 160 photos showing every step between here and the edge of the solar system, this is a book where the picture -- litterally -- tells the story.

And what a story it is...

It's hard to believe that we've only had space flight for the past fifty years to think that now we can say we've dispatched exploratory craft throughout the inner planets of the solar system and we've managed a landing as far out as Titan...the largest moon of Saturn.

Though you can read this book sequentially, I think it's one of those ones best left for "grazing" where you attack the chapters by order of interest.

Visit the Moon this week.Next week go to Jupiter.

In ending inserts the book even speculates on extra solar planets and life outside the solar system.Interestingly enough, the two fields are actually related.

As covered in this book, there's an excellent equation developed by astromer Frank Drake back in the early 1960s which attempted to quantify the ubiquity of life in the universe.As a series of questions it asked how many suns were out there, how many would have planets like our Earth, how many of those planets would give rise to life and of those how many would see intelligent life and how long would those intelligent civilizations last.

In that last particular, we here on Earth are running an experiment.The longer humanity can endure against its own ingnorance the better prospects are finding intelligent life elsewhere.

This is a great book, highly recommended and a work that litterally makes you see the sky in whole new way.

A popular, up-to-date look at the solar system
Having been raised on Time-Life Books' _The Planets_, it was a pleasant surprise to find a worthy successor to the astronomy text I loved as a child.

And there is much to like in National Geographic's _The New Solar System_:

* For the masses of nonscientists, yet retaining facts and educational merit
* Great attention to photos, illustrations, and graphic layout, counterbalanced by text that is easy to read and process
* Up to date, featuring the latest info on space exploration and new discoveries within our solar system and just beyond
* A methodical outline of the journey from sun to Oort Cloud that never lags for interest
* A long chapter devoted to plutoids and Kuiper Belt objects
* An excellent overview of changing theories within astronomy and why the field is still in flux
* A fine cultivation of the sense of mystery and awe that confront modern astronomers and cosmologists
* Countless interesting facts about how astronomers make new discoveries
* Short biographic sidebars on astronomers whose names may not be household but who made significant contributions to the field

The only flaw, and it's a small one, is that the author occasionally "breaks the plane" through clichéd or overly familiar wordings.

_The New Solar System_ is the kind of popular science book that any family would be blessed to own. At this price, it's a tremendous value and will bring joy for years to come.

Disappointing
If you were expecting National Geographic-style glossy pics, forget it. The graphics are supposed to be innovative but they are just annoying. Daniels writes well but there were nonsensical statements, scientific inanities, on every page - pity the editorial process missed them; if you know any physics, you'll find it infuriating.

Excellent - Interesting, Plain Language, Impressive Photographs!
Daniels begins with a brief history of both our solar system and humans' efforts to study and understand it. She points out that this learning process has gone through three stages: 1)Use of the naked eye. 2)Use of telescopes. 3)Use of satellites.

Our solar system is over 4.5 billion years old. As the 20th century opened, studying the solar system was a backwater shunned by ambitious astronomers who preferred probing far-away stars, nebulae, and galaxies. Amateur astronomer Clyde Tombaugh got the Pluto-hunting job because he was cheaper to hire than a 'real' astronomer.

Our solar system abruptly came back into priority in 1957 when the Soviets launched a 184 lb. satellite into Earth orbit. Since then our moon, then Venus and Mars were visited close-up or in person. In 2015 a NASA spacecraft will start imaging Pluto. In the between years we've found water on Mars, rings around every gas giant planet, and erupting volcanoes on Jupiter's moon Io. The sun's immense magnetic energies have also been charted. Today's information now comes from streams of data analyzed by powerful computers.

Author Daniels then takes readers through a focus on our sun - our early understandings of it, its anticipated growth and eventually swallowing Earth, composition (mostly hydrogen - 71%, and helium - 27%), origins about 5 billion years ago (now about half through its expected life cycle), temperatures, size, layers, emissions (light, neutrinos, radiation, solar wind, etc.).

Then it's on to the various planets and finally a brief consideration of "Are We Alone?" ... Read more

Product Description
The Solar Electricity Handbook is a practical and straightforward guide to using electric solar panels.Assuming no previous knowledge of solar panels, the book explains how solar panels work, how they can be used and explains the steps you need to take to successfully design and install a solar electric system from scratch using photovoltaic solar panels.

This is an update to the 2010 Edition of the book with even more diagrams, details and up-to-the-minute information on this exciting technology.

Accompanying this book is a solar resource website containing lots of useful information, lists of suppliers and on-line solar energy calculators that will simplify the cost analysis and design processes.

Why buy the Solar Electricity Handbook?
* The Handbook is a simple, practical guide to using electric photovoltaic panels.
* The book is suitable for enthusiastic novices and professionals.
* Clear examples, diagrams and example projects are given to demonstrate the true capabilities of these systems.
* The Handbook is updated yearly, providing a up-to-date reference for anyone planning to use electric photovoltaic technology.
* It is the most comprehensive book on solar electric systems available today.
* It is backed up by the most powerful online calculator tools available, to make your design and calculations as straightforward as possible.
* With comprehensive detail in the book for both North America and Europe, the Handbook provides you with information that is relevant to you and your project - where ever you live. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Excellent Resource
I really enjoyed this book, it was detailed enough to be useful but explained everything in clear and simple terms.

Solar electricty handbook, 2010 edition
Wanting to know elementary and perhaps more detailedelements ofsolarelectricity I ordered two books: 1.solar energy for the home by Martin O'Donnell,which I did not appreciated,and
2.Solar electricity handbook, by Michael Bowell, which I appreciatedvery very much: Plenty of facta, nice and clear explanations,usefulhints andsuggestions.I sent thisbook to theteachers of my sponsoredchild in Africa, inKanya, Meibeki, in the primaryKapkorosschool ofMoiben, where theteachershave been planning to get solar panels for light, and possibility to later for desktop computers. I think the bookshouldsuite well for getting practicalknowledge, and allso for educating themselves and thepupils about greenelectricity.
I liked the book so much that I immeadiatelyorder thesame book for myself. I gotit lastweek and it is already readonce, butit will be read several times, and be a goodthesaurus for me. Thank you so much.

Solar Electricity Handbook by Michael Boxwell
The book is comprehensive and easy to understand. It is suitable for beginners who want to learn about solar system installation and wiring concepts and basic design. People who have technical knowledge will find it very easy to understand. The book should not be called a handbook as it lacks technical and material specifications on solar panels and other necessary equipment and also limited in in-depth design calculation. It essentially provides a basic understanding and practical knowledge for people to start with.

WHY I LIKED THIS BOOK ABOVE THE OTHERS I BOUGHT
THE BOOK IS RECENT
IF YOU NEED TO LEARN ABOUT TODAY'S STUFF DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY ON A BOOK THAT IS NOT A CURRENT YEAR AS WELL AS A FIRST EDITION.

THIS BOOK EXPLAINS THE BASICS YOU NEED TO KNOW IF YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE A SYSTEM FOR YOUR OWN USE REGARDLESS OF HOW LARGE OR HOW SMALL.

READ AND OUTLINE THE BOOK AND IF YOU COME ACROSS SOMETHING YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND GO TO THE INTERNET AND FIND OUT WHAT YOU NEED BEFORE GOING FARTHER.

YOU BUY THE BOOK TO LEARN AND THIS BOOK IS THE BEST STARTING POINT I HAVE EVER SEEN.

KEEP IN MIND THAT THE WORDS "STARTING POINT" APPLY TO TODAY AND NOT TOMORROW.TOMORROW IS ANOTHER BOOK HOPEFULLY BY THE SAME GUY WHO TOOK THE CARE THAT WAS DONE IN THIS ONE.

INSTRUCTION SHEETS WRITTEN BY ENGINEERS ARE USUALLY WORTHLESS AS THEY TOO OFTEN ASSUME THAT YOU KNOW AS MUCH ABOUT THE SUBJECT AS THEY DO.
(GERMAN FACTORY MANUALS FOR MY PORSCH COST OVER $400 NO MATTER HOW YOU BUY THEM AND YOU CAN SEE THE TECH WRITERS SNEERING AT YOU)
THE BEST MANUALS WERE EDITED BY PEOPLE WHO KNEW NOTHING ABOUT ANYTHING AND GOT THE PROBLEMS FIXED.
THE WRITER OF THIS BOOK IS A THOUGHTFUL PERSON.IT WILL NEVER GET BETTER THAN THAT.

great nuts & bolts guide
This is a neat book for non electricians.It explains concepts clearly and shows you how to design & build your own system. ... Read more

Product Description

Nine planets
-- More than seventy moons --
And hundreds of stellar facts about the
Solar System!

Davis, author of the bestselling Don't Know Much About History, has turned to a younger audience with his Don't Know Much About series. Don't Know Much About the 50 States is a great companion to the solar system title, while Don't Know Much About Planet Earth and Don't Know Much About Space work well for older readers. (Ages 6 to 9) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great information
The illustrations and photos are terrific.It is jam packed with information.

Very good
Nice book for a teaching your kids.

Any space buff will have fun with this book.
My six year old and 11 year old fact nuts sat spellbound for an hour and a half as I read this book with them, and it kept my interest as well.

The fun but factual text is interspersed with cute cartoons that my six year old enjoyed, and which helped fix certain ideas in all of our memories.

The only drawback...they wouldn't let me stop reading it!

I can't wait to try out Don't Know Much About Geography.

An Out of this World Experience.....
Do you know how old the universe is, why our galaxy is called the Milky Way, or why Venus is the smartest planet in the night sky?Do you know how far away outer space really is, if you could stand on Jupiter, or catch a shooting star?The answer to these and many other similar questions, can be found in Kenneth Davis' marvelous, fact filled, Don't Know Much About the Solar System.This is a book chock full of interesting information, fun facts and trivia and history about the universe, galaxy, solar system, planets, moons, asteroids, meteoroids, comets, stars, space exploration and astronomy.Mr Davis' text is written in an easy to read, question and answer, conversational style and complemented by Pedro Martin's humorous and engaging illustrations, that just add to the fun.Perfect for youngsters 8-12, Don't Know Much About the Solar System whets the appetite and leaves kids running to the library for more.So find out if there are aliens living on Mars, and enjoy! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

For Young Scientists
I bought this as a gift for a grandson, and ended up with a second copy, so I took that to my classroom of first and second graders.It is currently on of the more popular books in the room.It is very readable for my young students, illustrations are well done.A must for young scientists.

Super
I bought this book for my 5 year old nephew's bday. My sister called to thank me for the book. My nephew loves the "Space Book" and has her reading it with him every day. He especially loves the section about Mars. Apparently, there's a pic of a Martian that's so interesting...lol....The pictures of the planets are wonderful and my nephew sits still thru the whole book... Great purchase... ... Read more

Product Description
By emphasizing the scientific method, THE SOLAR SYSTEM, 7th Edition provides users with a stronger conceptual foundation to answer these fundamental questions: What are we? How do we know? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

terrible service
I had placed my order two weeks ago for this book and just now they cancel it.Only buy from these guys if you don't actually want the book but instead you would rather have a waste of time.

Right book, right price
I was happy with the quality of the book and the price I purchased it at.

Great book at a great price for college
I needed this book for a class I was taking in college and Amazon was the cheapest way to get it.As far as my review of the actual content of the book, it was great.The author brings you to the reading with a journey together to explore the Solar system.It is a very detailed and accurate book indeed, my Professor who had a PhD. used this book in class and we learned about the Solar System in its entirety.This is a good book if you are a home Astronomer also, or if you are just curious about our planets and how the moon may have been created, etc.

An Excellent Book
"The Solar System (with CD-ROM, Virtual Astronomy Labs, AceAstronomy, and InfoTrac)", fourth edition. is an excellent book for learning the elements of astronomy withing our solar system. The author, Michael A. Seeds, gives not just facts, but, also, a conceptual framework to understand how the logic of science works.The book has many, excellent, colored illustrations and photos with simple explanations.While some of the mathematics is there, the author makes it possible to use the book without resorting to the math.

This edition comes with a CD that has a student tutorial system.This addition makes this edition more worthwhile than the sixth edition that does not have this useful extra.

The book is extensive (my copy has 657 pages) and is easy to read.I strongly recommend this book for any teenager who is interested in learning more about the Solar System and about astronomy.

No importance on time
I was very unhappy with this purchase.I paid to have this item expedited so my daughter could use it for school and the seller did not even send the item out until 11 days later.I tried to cancel the order because I had to buy another book at whole price due to the lack of concern from the seller of this book.Very unhappy about the whole purchase. ... Read more

Product Description
In this stellar activity book, kids delve into the rich history of space exploration, where telescopes, satellites, probes, landers, and human missions lead to amazing discoveries. Updated to include the recent discovery of Eris which, along with Pluto, has been newly classified as a dwarf planet by the International Astronomical Union, this cosmic adventure challenges kids to explore the planets and other celestial bodies for themselves through activities such as building a model of a comet using soil, molasses, dry ice, and window cleaner; or creating their own reentry vehicle to safely return an egg to Earth s surface. With biographies of more than 20 space pioneers, specific mission details, a 20-page field guide to the solar system, and plenty of suggestions for further research, this is the ultimate guidebook to exploring the solar system. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

ehh.
Being a nerd, I was sure my 6-y/o would love this, since he wanted "space stuff."He never got into it.I forgot he had it until I saw it on the "review your amazon purchase" page.

Exploring the Solar System:A History with 22 Activities
I must say that this is a very well-written and illustrated reading material for all ages, not just for kids.

Solar System Book-Space Info
I bought this for my 6 yr. daughter.She's very interested in Space.It's a good quality book (no cheap paper). It has a lot of information from the past.First attempt into space they sent a dog.My daughter is very smart and understands what she is reading (or what I help her read).I would say it's more for 8 yrs and up (but perfect for a younger mature child). It has original pictures (not cartoon drawings) and is very educational for the whole family (if you are interested in learning about space).I recommend it for your collection.

An awesome choice for our star-crazy young ones!
In true Mary Kay Carson fashion, Exploring the Solar System : A History with 22 Activities isn't dumbed down even the slightest.Carson respects children and seems to grasp well what they can be expected to understand - which is often more than what they are credited with.As a result, her text is thorough and frank and can easily be read to would-be astronauts as young as 4 or 5 years.And the illustrative photos are stunning, the perfect foil for the text in capturing the imagination.From interviews with well-regarded scientists (including explanations of how they themselves became interested in studying space) to easy-to-execute activities to a very thorough timeline of space exploration, Carson has once again thought of everything for engaging our own little scientists.I simply cannot recommend this book enough. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (9)

Excellent for the beginner
The book contains hundreds of beautiful photos, the quality of the paper and the print are very high. It contains for each planet a brief description of its features and the history of its exploration. Overall it is a very nice book for a person that is not into astronomy but is curious and wants to approach it to learn something more. It is a perfect gift for a smart boy. I am not a boy anymore but found it full of informations. Considering that I only studied this subject in high school I discovered a lot more reading it and was amazed to discover how far space science has gone these years.

I would say that it might be a first step for a person that wants to approach the exploration of our solar system and later buy more publications on the subject.

My only criticism goes to the excessive attention given to asteroids, comets, satellites. I would have preferred more pages dedicated to the main planets, particularly the 4 big gaseous ones.

Excellent Book!
Giles Sparrow supplements his incredible book, "The Cosmos" with this beautiful smaller book, "The Planets" which focuses on our solar system.If you've read the Cosmos, expect the same type of high quality images of the planets, their moons, the sun, and asteroids.I love what this author has published, and I wish there were more books like this and "the Cosmos."Well worth the small price on Amazon.

So just to clarify, this book is slightly oversize, but not nearly as big as The Cosmos, if you've see that.It's about the same height and width as "The Universe," a book which has several contributing authors, but not as many pages (~225).If you're an avid sky viewer or just a beginner to space (like I was), you don't have to be on a particular level to enjoy this book -- it's very engaging.

Excellent imagery in this book
The images and accompanying text are excellent. It was an excellent book to go through with my daughter, as the images captured her attention

Superb; A Picture Truly Says a Thousand Words!
An old proverb that has proven its correctness once again in this illustrated Journey through the solar system "THE PLANETS". Pick an interesting topic such as the planets, provide the most astounding images and present in an elegant layout and you have a masterpiece for everyone to enjoy. The stunning pictures in the book with a little commentary before each object and footnotes make this an item to be presented in a museum. That aside, the book is a must for everyone; yes even those who have no inkling interest in the solar system and the planets; will even enjoy the beauty of our celestial neighbours.
In this book, you embark on a remarkable journey probing the Sun with images that reveal the most spectacular details through different lenses and wavelengths. Visit Mercury the obscure planet; unveil the shroud of Venus to see a truly alien and mysterious world. Earth, our home gets its fair share of images that best illustrate its uniqueness and special place in the cosmos. Take a Giant Step to the Moon and see the magnificent desolation, even Neil Armstrong's foot step has a picture that illustrates Mankind's dreams and accomplishments. Continue on your trek to the "Red Planet - Mars" and see geological features that are familiar yet alien. Navigate to the Asteroid belt and beyond to the outer planets; see Jupiter and its moons, Saturn with its magical rings and Moons. Take a peek at the wonders of Uranus and Neptune and finally end your journey with a few strange "Ice Worlds" and Comets including our beloved Pluto.

Do not buy this book to place it on the shelf, buy this book to read it, enjoy it and share it! It can be a wonderful gift to the young minds to inspire their imagination, or for those who are so busy with life chores that have forgotten that there is beauty and magnificence all around. There are books with a more information, some are dedicated to each planet or moon, but this is "Superb; a Picture Truly Says a Thousand Words!"

Enjoyable picturebook
The Planets - A Journey Through the Solar System is highly enjoyable book with stunning pictures. The only thing lacking is more in depth information on the things that are to be seen. It is more a book to watch than to read. But as an introduction to astronomy and our solar system it serves that purpose well. ... Read more

Product Description
As the definitive guide for the armchair astronomer, The New Solar System has established itself as the leading book on planetary science and solar system studies. Incorporating the latest knowledge of the solar system, a distinguished team of researchers, many of them Principal Investigators on NASA missions, explain the solar system with expert ease.The completely-revised text includes the most recent findings on asteroids, comets, the Sun, and our neighboring planets. The book examines the latest research and thinking about the solar system; looks at how the Sun and planets formed; and discusses our search for other planetary systems and the search for life in the solar system. In full-color and heavily-illustrated, the book contains more than 500 photographs, portrayals, and diagrams.An extensive set of tables with the latest characteristics of the planets, their moon and ring systems, comets, asteroids, meteorites, and interplanetary space missions complete the text. New to this edition are descriptions of collisions in the solar system, full scientific results from Galileo's mission to Jupiter and its moons, and the Mars Pathfinder mission. For the curious observer as well as the student of planetary science, this book will be an important library acquisition. J. Kelly Beatty is the senior editor of Sky & Telescope, where for more than twenty years he has reported the latest in planetary science.A renowned science writer, he was among the first journalists to gain access to the Soviet space program.Asteroid 2925 Beatty was named on the occasion of his marriage in 1983.Carolyn Collins Petersen is an award-winning science writer and co-author of Hubble Vision (Cambridge 1995). She has also written planetarium programs seen at hundreds of facilities around the world. Andrew L. Chaikin is a Boston-based science writer. He served as a research geologist at the Smithsonian Institution's Center for Earth and Planetary Studies.He is a contributing editor to Popular Science and writes frequently for other publications. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

gingerAZ
This is a great scientifically written book that explain changes that have happened and are happening in the universe.
The scientific processes are explained.

Joyful companion on diverse disciplines of knowledge.
When other books fail to get me to sit down and read, this book has always been a true joy. The authors implemented the beauty of art and photography with the quest for the remote unknowns that allow the reader's imagination to grow freely. The contrast between the dark and immense space and colorful and selective graphs grasps the reader's curiosity for search for clues on the ultimate purpose of the universe.

During cold and long nights, that book brings the pleasure of rejoicing the triumph of our human race over myth and trivial conflicts that plagued our long history. The authors demonstrate the immense potential of science and international cooperation in space discovery. It also addresses fundamental issues such as the origin of both biological life as well as stellar and planetary life. Of course, the book did not attempt to explain why some elements were more abundant in the solar system than others, or whether there was an ultimate secret in the large space universe versus the immensely small nuclear core of atoms, or why atoms behaved in such manner that created life and organic matter. The book however laid out the authors' current knowledge about the solar system.

Compared to the construction of the Great Pyramids of Egypt, the space program has comparably gigantic antennas of 70 meters diameter, similarly gigantic rocket launching structures, oddly designed neutrino detectors of 40 meter by 40 meters and over a thousand of photo-detectors.The book displays such human yearning for the history-long quest for knowledge of the greater world, with comparable passion for integrating many fields of knowledge.

The sad fact about the science of astronomy is the minute number of scientists of merely 1500 worldwide. While the Pyramids were built thousands years ago with resourceful and generous commitment by the weak state, modern astronomers are confronted with indifferent statesmen and the public that is more interested in feeding, educating, and caring for its own exploding population growth.

As the authors stated in the book introduction, that book neither is a textbook or a coffee table book, but rather in between. The book includes plenty of tables, graphs, and photos without delving into the hard science of space physics. The book reads like an illustrated story telling about the events in the solar system. It thus provides the reader with plenty of food for thought.

The main drawback in the book is the variation of writing styles from one chapter to another since each chapter is written by a different coauthor. Such lack of systematic approach to each topic in the book leaves the reader with the extra task of sorting out its unexpected flow of thoughts. I would rather prefer the unified template of thought flow along all the chapters in order to facilitate the comparison between the different members of the solar system.

Enjoyable & complete, our beautiful solar system.
This book is packed full of exciting pictures and is an in depth look at the solar system based on that latest discoveries in space exploration.It is an exciting read for anyone who is into astronomy.Some parts of the book are filled with scientific detail that can be difficult to read, but can be understood if you are willing to get through them.

A glorious introduction to our solar system
It's easy to read!You can read the chapters in just about any order.The material is mostly descriptive, without any complicated mathematics.And it's a terrific collection, with wonderful color pictures, graphs, and charts.This Fourth edition (1999) is the first to have pictures (and other data) of Jupiter and of the Jovian satellites taken by the Galileo mission.And yes, I suspect there will be a fifth edition which will include, among other new material, pictures of Saturn and its satellites taken by the Cassini mission.

This is the best possible introduction to the study of our Solar System.I'd recommend reading it before getting into a more formal university textbook on the subject.

Non-expert's opinion
As a layperson reading this book, I find it very easy to understand what is being said, and I feel that I am learning a great deal from it. The writing is interesting enough to hold my attention and keep me from drifting off, which is a problem I have with many other science texts. Overall, I am finding reading this book an enjoyable experience. ... Read more

Product Description
Au revoir, Pluto! In this newly revised, bestselling backlist title, beginning readers and budding astronomers are launched on a wild trip to visit the now eight planets in our solar system (per the International Astronomical Union’s 2006 decision to downgrade Pluto from a planet to a dwarf planet), along with the Cat in the Hat, Thing One, Thing Two, Dick, and Sally. It’s a reading adventure that’s out of this world!Amazon.com Review
The perfect first space book for those almost-readers,There's No Place Like Space takes us on a whirlwind tour of oursolar system, with a few constellations thrown in for goodmeasure. Cat in the Hat (along with beloved Thing One and Thing Two)straps on his space suit and rhymes his way among the nine planets,presenting important facts along the way. Where else could yourpreschooler learn phonics and astronomy at same time? "A planet canhave satellites that surround it.Uranus has lots of these objectsaround it" is just one example. This is a fine addition to the libraryof any young stargazer--few books are written with this many factsfurnished in such an easy-reading manner. (Preschool to early reader)--Jill Lightner ... Read more

Customer Reviews (32)

Learning is fun with the Cat in the Hat.
This book is written in a very kid-friendly and familiar manner. The rhymes are actually mnemonics which assist in learning about our solar system.Information is accurate in that Pluto is no longer included as a planet. Children learn facts about each of the eight planets, plus several constellations, our moon and the sun.The book itself is made of durable, high quality material and should last through many, many readings.

A great book to engage young kids in astronomy
Compared to other books in this Dr. Seuss series, The Cat in the Hat's Learning library, this book is the easiest for early readers to read, and has the most accessible content.Kids can identify with the moon, sun, and stars -- just as we turn the page where you will find it, our daughter says, "moon," and enjoys pointing it out as soon as the page has turned -- and similarly for the earth and the sun.My daughter discovered the moon in the sky before her second birthday, and ever since has always been pleased to find pictures of it in books.Like my daughter, all kids can relate to concepts and images in this book to their experience.It's a fun story to read with delightful pictures.The book tells a few basic things about each object in the night sky.It is not overly detailed, just enough to engage the interest of early readers in astronomy.One goal of the book is clearly to help prepare early readers for the type of reading comprehension skills they will need in school, but it comes across as an enjoyable book to read with some useful base knowledge of space.I was frustrated to learn that Pluto was completely removed from the revised edition.Just because it's no longer technically a planet, I thought it was a bit extreme to remove it all together.I wish they had simply described what Pluto actually is, but left it in the book.(They are also removing Indigo from the rainbow:Roy G. Biv = Roy G. Bv now.Next year we might not have the number 9...)Still, I loved the book very much, and would share it with any child.I highly recommend it.I think it's the best book in the series, and my daughter agrees.
I have a minor critique about the part of the book that shows that the earth is spinning and attempts to explain why we don't feel it spin:The simplified answer given is that we're spinning with the earth each day.I don't think that kids will find this to be satisfactory when they get older:When they ride in circles in amusement parks, they will see that they are spinning with the car, and yet very much feel the spinning, and so will find this contradictory to the explanation given.This is a very minor detail, and by bringing up the issue the book is showing kids to try to reason through ideas which they are curious about.

Great!
The book arrived sooner than it was expected and in very good condition.
Thanks!

VERY USED
I was very surprised when I received this book. It was a used library book that has been extremely used. The spine is broken and it looks like it might have gotten wet before too. I shouldn't complain because it was very inexpensive but the description said it was used but in very good condition. Disappointed

Be aware Pluto and Ceres and Charon are missing from this!
I don't know when this book was revised, but buyers should be aware that Ceres and Pluto are missing. Charon(moon around Pluto)is also not included.

Otherwise, it's a really cute book. ... Read more

Product Description
This Professional Edition features many full color diagrams and pictures. Tom Lane, inducted in 2006 into the Solar Hall of Fame, has spent countless hours developing this premier manual which covers every aspect of the Solar Energy field. This manual features all the latest technologies and innovations and is considered a must have for everyone interested in solar energy. From homeowners to contractors, this comprehensive manual will detail solar hot water, solar pool heating and solar energy. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Robot Explorers from the Planet Earth
With an emphasis on amazing photographs from NASA and several international space agencies, this book is a delight for adults as well as children.The reality of other worlds is demonstrated through fantastic images of familiar earth-like features such as oceans, volcanoes, deserts, and storms.2009 is the 400th anniversary of Galileo's first observations with a telescope, and the short history of astronomy in the introduction is well done.Moving on to the invention of rockets and the space race, Beyond: A Solar System Voyage follows the travels of the robot space probes launched from Earth to explore our solar system.The book describes the major elements of the solar system, excluding the dwarf planets (Pluto) and comets due to the limitations of available photography.With a target audience of ages 8 to 14 years, Beyond: A Solar System Voyage is clearly written and age appropriate.Michael Benson has a talent for writing using vocabulary that will challenge young readers into learning new terms while at the same time not going beyond their skill level.Descriptive analogies and a good glossary make the concepts presented easy to understand.

Reviewed by Laurie Racca ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

fast service - excellent condition
This book was everything and more than we expected! Thank you! Super fast service and book came in excellent condition, I highly recommend buying from this seller.

Complete Book of Solar System
We love the book not only does it have very good information of the solar system is also a work book, my son loves it.

the complete book of our solar system
my grandson and myself find this book very interesting and easy to go through. it keeps his interest and anything that will keep him interested so he will learn is a good thing

Excellent Homeschool Tool
I homeschool my kids and this is a great workbook.There are enough pictures and color to be interesting without being overbearing.It has good explanations of each topic and then lots of practice pages so the kids can really get a good feel for each topic.Many workbooks just touch on a subject but do not provide enough daily assignments and then you have to supplement.This book is more than sufficient on its own.There is an answer key in the back.This is a nice thick substantial book.

~Note for fellow homeschoolers~
'The Complete Book of...' line offers many great great workbooks.Some of the others we use are: Animals, English and Language Arts, Grammar and Punctuation, US History, Presidents and States, Dinosaurs, Science... just to name a few.They are great! ... Read more

Product Description
Save the planet . . . Pluto! Stink Moody, wise-cracking champion of everything small, is on a new mission: to reinstate his favorite celestial orb.

Look! Up in the sky! Is it a falling leaf ?
A speck of dust? A speeding mosquito?
No, it’s Stink Moody, Solar System Superhero!

When Stink learns that Pluto has flunked out of the Milky Way for being too shrimpy, he feels like he might just explode with a Big Bang. Stink has no choice but to take a stand for the sake of little planets (and little people) everywhere. Will he be smart enough to defeat a panel of big-shot scientists? Will he be strong enough to beat know-it-all Riley Rottenberger and her "Team KPB"? Will he succeed in rescuing Pluto from a fate worse than being swallowed by a black hole? Start the countdown for a funny (and very informative) out-of-this-world adventure—and prepare to have your universe rocked! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

not as good as the others
I have 2 children that are totally loving the Stink books and the Judy Moody books....but this one was just not as good.They didn't stay interested in it enough to read it everynight.

Highly recommended for early readers, reluctant readers, or anyone who loves a good story
When Stink Moody begins preparing for his science test the next day, he realizes he has to stuff his brain with facts about all the planets in the solar system. Stink only knows about Saturn, so he decides to get help from big sister Judy Moody. Of course, he's hoping Judy is in a good mood so she'll actually be helpful.

Judy is busy plumbing her artistic talents by creating a masterpiece out of Already-Been-Chewed gum. At first she is reluctant to help her little brother study, but Stink manages to butter her up with some flattering words about her high intelligence. The deciding factor, though, is that Stink gives Judy permission to boss him around (everyone knows how much Judy enjoys that).

Right away, Judy assists Stink by teaching him how to remember the names of all the planets. Of course, he is puzzled at first when she blurts out, "My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas." When Judy explains that the first letter of each word represents a planet, Stink is awed by his sister's inventiveness.

However, the next day's test results are a huge disappointment to the budding planet scholar. He learns that the Pizza in Judy's memory sentence is a problem. "P" may stand for "Pluto," but Pluto is no longer a planet, having been demoted by "the President of Outer Space" (at least according to Stink's version of the events). Stink is more disappointed than might be expected about Pluto's downgrading. He adores Pluto...and he relates to the smallest used-to-be-planet in the solar system. After all, Stink is the smallest kid in his class. Pluto is his second-favorite planet (he is loyal to Saturn), and he begins wondering what he can do to help this underdog ex-planet.

Meanwhile, Nick, the new kid in school, and Stink bond over their mutual distress over "The Pluto Problem." Stink is excited about all the things he and Nick have in common, but is ecstatic when he finds out that Nick's nickname is "Skunk." What a coincidence! The two smelly-nicknamed boys put their heads together to come up with a new saying to remember the official planets plus the dwarf planets (that way, Pluto is not excluded again).

Although Stink's teacher is impressed with the boys' mnemonic sentence, the class's know-it-all, Riley Rottenberger, seems determined to squelch their pleasure. Riley even wears a t-shirt dissing Pluto and tells jokes that put the poor ex-planet down. She thinks she knows everything about space because she attended Space Camp. Their disagreement leads to an interesting solution suggested by their teacher: a debate about Pluto. But can the "Pluto Heads" make their points about why Pluto should still be a planet against Team Kick Pluto's Behind's arguments against planethood?

Filled with tons of fascinating facts about the planets, and funny and wonderful illustrations by Peter H. Reynolds (I particularly enjoyed the comics dedicated to each of the solar system's planets ) --- not to mention a lively plot starring likable Stink Moody --- STINK: SOLAR SYSTEM SUPERHERO is another big home run for author Megan McDonald. Highly recommended for early readers, reluctant readers, or anyone who loves a good story filled with plenty of laughs and facts.

Pluto's Been Kicked Out of the Solar System?!
Reason for Reading: My son enjoys these books, his dad reads them to him at bedtime and I thought it was time I saw what they liked about these books so much.

A totally enjoyable experience from start to finish! Stink is a regular kid, with regular kid problems and fears but when he gets an idea he becomes determined and full of spunk. Stink is flabbergasted when he gets his science test back and is told Pluto is no longer a planet, even Judy, his older sister, can't believe it. Stink gets his facts straight and insists that even if it is a "dwarf" planet then it still is a planet. When the resident Space expert in his class teases him and regales him with all the reasons why Pluto is not a planet, the teacher breaks in and explains that they both are right. Scientists took a vote to send Pluto packing, but some scientists still believe Pluto should counted as a planet. She then assigns Stink and "Space Camp" Riley to a debate the next week and their class will have their own vote on whether Pluto is a planet.

A truly delightful book. As my first introduction to Stink, I was taken with him right away and can understand why my son enjoys his books so much. At the end of each chapter was a comic page with information about each of the planets in order based on the mnemonic saying "My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas" which was very interesting and extremely humorous. I have to say I particularly liked the stance the author took on Pluto, acknowledging the ongoing debate, showing both sides equally. (I wish all books on science topics did the same!). An amusing and entertaining first chapter book, that could be read aloud to younger children and will hold the interest of older reluctant readers. I'll have to make sure I get books 1-4 read before another new one comes out as I won't be missing out on Stink's adventures any more!

He loves it
When your 8 year old ADD boy wakes up at 6am just to finish reading a book, you know it's a good one.He loves Stink & he loved this book too.He's read it twice now.

STINK:Solar System Superhero
Bought this for 2 of my grandsons who were anxiously awaiting it. They both read it in a day and loved it. ... Read more

Product Description
Up to the present, no one book has appeared covering the hole of this vast ground, describing both the field of evolution and the streams of life which evolve in it as the ages roll by. The present volume is an attempt to fill this need. Partial Contents: Globes; Schemes of evolution; Solar system; Solar Logos; Life streams; Degrees of attainment; Races and sub-races; Involution and evolution; Manus; Moon chain; The Earth and all its chains; Root races; Lemuria; Civilization of Atlantis; City of the bridge; Aryan sub-race; Life on Mars and Mercury. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Review of the Solar System
This is the last of Lt. Col. Powell's books of theosophy.And it is the most technical in terms of the material with which it treats.
Powell summarizes the plan of the solar system (primarily the planet population) from the standpoint of Ancient Wisdom.He pulls from a vast array of works and culminates a precis (350 pp. worth) of such topics as: the formation of the human race; the various divisions of the human race (e.g. Lemurian and Atlantean); the evolution of the human race; the assistance to the human race from more evolved beings (e.g. the Lords of Venus); as well as the way that we as human beings in the current planetary scheme evolution can help speed the process of development for our race.
As with all of Powell's books, this one is eminently readable and is punctuated with diagrams that help the reader to simplify fairly technical concepts.

Excellent addition to The Secret Doctrine
A great book for all of you who are into New Age and history/future of mankind.
When I started to read this book, I didn't even know about the Secret Doctrine. Of course, after finishing it, I read the H.P.B classic... The Solar System is an excellent complementary reading, when it comes to the mavantara/pralaya cycles, rounds, races, etc... There's some pictures showing the cycles that make easy to understand how our solar system works.
After all, is a must read. ... Read more

Product Description
What is the surface of Mars like? Why does Venus glow in the dark? How do scientists explore faraway planets? Beginner readers can find answers to these questions and more in this colourful information book. Illustrated with stunning photographs and illustrations accompanied by short, informative text developed with reading experts. Includes carefully selected internet-links to exciting websites about the Solar System. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Not at all bad if you can stand the politics...
The book is generally well written and has helpful illustrations.

Unfortunately, the author insisted on going political (e.g., "big oil is evil, "Reagan sucks," etc.) in his History chapter.Too bad...I really just wanted information about solar water heating. ... Read more