Best of
Planetary-Science

1998

Encyclopedia of Hurricanes, Typhoons, and Cyclones


David Longshore - 1998
    This title covers Hurricanes Andrew, Gilbert, and Wilma as well as the destructive tropical cyclone - Hurricane Katrina.

Mars: Uncovering the Secrets of the Red Planet


Paul Raeburn - 1998
    An illustrated account of the history of exploration of the planet Mars incorporating photographs taken from the Pathfinder and Global Surveyor space missions.

Earth Story: The Shaping Of Our World


Simon Lamb - 1998
    When and how was Earth formed? What is the link between earthquakes, volcanoes, and the creation of continents? How do mountains affect our climate? What triggers ice ages? Earth Story answers these and many other questions as it tells the amazing story of our planet and its constantly changing nature. Two centuries ago, scientists began to investigate the history of Earth by examining the rocks beneath its surface and began to formulate the astonishing concept of geological time. Using this discovery as their starting point, Simon Lamb and David Sington unravel the fascinating history of Earth from its earliest beginnings to the dawn of human civilization, using full-color illustrations, stunning photography, and the latest scientific thinking.

Mission Jupiter: The Spectacular Journey of the Galileo Spacecraft


Daniel Fischer - 1998
    Mission Jupiter brings us the exciting story of the Galileo mission to investigate Jupiter. The noted astronomer Daniel Fischer, co-author of Hubble: A New Window to the Universe and Hubble Revisited: New Images from the Discovery Machine, weaves together the many disparate facts learned about Jupiter and its satellites into a coherent description of this most fascinating planet, after stepping back to review the history of planetary exploration. Mission Jupiter tells the entire story of Galileo: a behind-the-scenes look at its difficult course from idea to reality; its launch; the problems it encountered early on and how these were resolved; and finally, what will become of the probe. Along the way, the author describes what wee learned about Jupiter, including what the Jovian atmosphere is really like, and the peculiar reality of the planet's magnetic field. The story of the journey to Jupiter is combined with interesting details about Galileo's capacities and a graphic description of the solar system, with an entertaining episode on how Galileo would judge the chances of finding life on Earth. The book concludes with a look to the future, closing on the Cassini probe to Saturn, launched just last year. Beautifully illustrated and well written, Mission Jupiter shows us space exploration at its best and conveys the essential science clearly and vividly. '