Planetary Science: Explore New Frontiers
By Matthew Brenden
Nomad Press | September 2017 | ISBN-10: 1619305712 | True PDF | 130 Pages | 62.3 mb
https://www.amazon.com/Planetary-Science-Explore-Frontiers-Investigate/dp/1619305712
Ever since Galileo Galilee first used a telescope to explore the moons of Jupiter, we've known that the planets are much more than mysterious points of light in the night sky. With the creation of incredible technologies such as space probes, giant ground-based telescopes, and Earth-orbiting observatories, we've learned that Mars once had water on its surface, that Jupiter's Great Red Spot has been churning for centuries, and that thousands of exoplanets circle distant suns. Planetary science is also exciting because of what we don't know.
Planets, those pinpricks of light you might spot on a clear night, come closer through informative illustrations, links to online primary sources, illuminating sidebars and fun facts, and hands-on, in-depth activities, such as building scale models of planets, hunting for alien worlds through citizen science, and crafting a comet in the kitchen. Planetary Science also promotes critical thinking skills through inquiry, discovery, and research by encouraging readers to explore questions that remain unanswered, such as whether Mars once had life or the possibility of a ninth planet hiding in the furthest reaches of the solar system. With discoveries being made almost every day, it's an exciting time to be a planetary scientist!
About the author
Matthew Brenden Wood is a math and science teacher with a passion for STEAM education. An avid amateur astronomer and astrophotographer, Wood holds a bachelor’s degree in astronomy from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and lives in Phoenix, AZ with one ungrateful cat.
CONTENTS
Map of the Solar System.. . . vi
Introduction - Studying Other Planets.. . . 1
Chapter 1 - The Hot Planets: Mercury and Venus.. . . 9
Chapter 2 - The Cool Planets: Earth and Mars.. . . 21
Chapter 3 - The Gas Giants: Jupiter and Saturn.. . . 39
Chapter 4 - The Ice Giants: Uranus and Neptune.. . . 61
Chapter 5 - Dwarf Planets, Asteroids, and Comets.. . . . 77
Chapter 6 - Exoplanets and Planet 9.. . . 97
Glossary
Metric Conversions
Resources
Index
