What do you think?
Rate this book
The Planets
See the Solar System like never before
The Planets is an awe-inspiring and informative journey through the Solar System, with all-new 3D globes and models built using the latest data gathered by NASA and the European Space Agency that can be viewed from any angle and layer by layer. You can even move in for a closer look with 3D terrain models that take you on a trip to the surfaces of the rocky planets.
As well as covering the Sun, the planets, hundreds of moons and thousands of asteroids and comets, The Planets includes all the major Solar System missions, right up to the latest Mars rovers. Timelines explore our relationship with each planet and infographics present fascinating Solar System facts and planet facts.
The Planets is ideal for anyone interested in space exploration and all armchair astronauts or astronomers.
The Planets is an awe-inspiring and informative journey through the Solar System, with all-new 3D globes and models built using the latest data gathered by NASA and the European Space Agency that can be viewed from any angle and layer by layer. You can even move in for a closer look with 3D terrain models that take you on a trip to the surfaces of the rocky planets.
As well as covering the Sun, the planets, hundreds of moons and thousands of asteroids and comets, The Planets includes all the major Solar System missions, right up to the latest Mars rovers. Timelines explore our relationship with each planet and infographics present fascinating Solar System facts and planet facts.
The Planets is ideal for anyone interested in space exploration and all armchair astronauts or astronomers.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published August 18, 2014
38 people are currently reading
599 people want to read
About the author
D.K. Publishing
9,126 books2,069 followersDorling Kindersley (DK) is a British multinational publishing company specializing in illustrated reference books for adults and children in 62 languages. It is part of Penguin Random House, a consumer publishing company jointly owned by Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA and Pearson PLC. Bertelsmann owns 53% of the company and Pearson owns 47%.
Established in 1974, DK publishes a range of titles in genres including travel (including Eyewitness Travel Guides), arts and crafts, business, history, cooking, gaming, gardening, health and fitness, natural history, parenting, science and reference. They also publish books for children, toddlers and babies, covering such topics as history, the human body, animals and activities, as well as licensed properties such as LEGO, Disney and DeLiSo, licensor of the toy Sophie la Girafe. DK has offices in New York, London, Munich, New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne.
Source: Wikipedia.
Established in 1974, DK publishes a range of titles in genres including travel (including Eyewitness Travel Guides), arts and crafts, business, history, cooking, gaming, gardening, health and fitness, natural history, parenting, science and reference. They also publish books for children, toddlers and babies, covering such topics as history, the human body, animals and activities, as well as licensed properties such as LEGO, Disney and DeLiSo, licensor of the toy Sophie la Girafe. DK has offices in New York, London, Munich, New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne.
Source: Wikipedia.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
April 17, 2025
2025
I stand by what I said a decade ago about this book. It was with interest by our 8 and 10 year old girls that I decided to revisit it. It still works its magic but those who follow the continuing flow of information about our planets will note that some items are out of date.
Here are a couple of examples ----
What we know about Mars has been greatly enhanced by the robotic investigations during recent years.
Mercury - This book notes that Mercury's iron core takes up 61% of its volume while Earth's takes up only 17%. This hasn't changed but the explanation (that this was caused by the impact of a planetesimal) has been challeged. A new model has been discussed for the past five years that planet density, mass and iron content are influenced by the distance from our sun's magnetic field.
These are minor things and don't diminish the fun in diving deep into our Solar System.
2015
How can the result be anything but eye-popping awesome when the Smithsonian and DK get together?
Full disclosure here is that the book is now over a year old. Wow! That means you are NOT going to see the latest photos and info from the flyby of dwarf planet pluto.
Big pluses for the modes of presentation. EVERY planet is taken apart both geophysically and historically. EVERY solar system mission is noted. EVERY known moon of each of the planets is covered in some detail. All the latest information is presented in a way that, if you want to take your inquiry further, you can easily formulate relevant questions.
This is the perfect book for an adult to sit with an inquisitive child and share the wonder.
I stand by what I said a decade ago about this book. It was with interest by our 8 and 10 year old girls that I decided to revisit it. It still works its magic but those who follow the continuing flow of information about our planets will note that some items are out of date.
Here are a couple of examples ----
What we know about Mars has been greatly enhanced by the robotic investigations during recent years.
Mercury - This book notes that Mercury's iron core takes up 61% of its volume while Earth's takes up only 17%. This hasn't changed but the explanation (that this was caused by the impact of a planetesimal) has been challeged. A new model has been discussed for the past five years that planet density, mass and iron content are influenced by the distance from our sun's magnetic field.
These are minor things and don't diminish the fun in diving deep into our Solar System.
2015
How can the result be anything but eye-popping awesome when the Smithsonian and DK get together?
Full disclosure here is that the book is now over a year old. Wow! That means you are NOT going to see the latest photos and info from the flyby of dwarf planet pluto.
Big pluses for the modes of presentation. EVERY planet is taken apart both geophysically and historically. EVERY solar system mission is noted. EVERY known moon of each of the planets is covered in some detail. All the latest information is presented in a way that, if you want to take your inquiry further, you can easily formulate relevant questions.
This is the perfect book for an adult to sit with an inquisitive child and share the wonder.
October 2, 2014
“The Planets” is an enchanting introduction to our Solar System in words and pictures. It covers the system from beginning to its most outer reaches. It starts with its formation, a study of the sun, moves on to the rocky planets and the gas giants and concludes with the outer limits, the asteroids, the Kuiper belt and comets. Each planet begins with an overall look, followed by an explanation of its structure, up close discoveries and maps, a timeline of human awareness of it and manned missions to the body.
The written material puts it all in perspective and facilitates an understanding that is difficult to grasp otherwise. The pictures are magnificent. The diagrams of the structure show each layer from the molten core to the gaseous atmosphere. The photos from telescopes and probes bring you right to the surface.
“The Planets” is an excellent resource from which to gain a sense of our solar system and one to keep handy to check any questions that might arise from time to time. It is up to date and incorporates recent discoveries. This is one I will look at again and again.
The written material puts it all in perspective and facilitates an understanding that is difficult to grasp otherwise. The pictures are magnificent. The diagrams of the structure show each layer from the molten core to the gaseous atmosphere. The photos from telescopes and probes bring you right to the surface.
“The Planets” is an excellent resource from which to gain a sense of our solar system and one to keep handy to check any questions that might arise from time to time. It is up to date and incorporates recent discoveries. This is one I will look at again and again.
August 28, 2020
A lovely and organized introduction to our solar system. It made me want to know more about our Universe.
February 28, 2017
Amazing book with stunning photographs and factual information. I know a lot of people assume DK books are aimed at children but I find that isn't the case - it's technical yet accessible, very informative, with loads of facts about each individual planet and a clear layout. One of my favourite books about space, astronomy and the solar system
February 24, 2015
Wow! Great pictures and terrific arrangement within chapters ranging from the Family of the Sun to Outer Limits. Great book for browsing and sharing with children interested in fascinating pictures of space/science related subjects.
May 12, 2015
Good visuals, interesting information, would prefer a larger book with bigger pages maybe on better paper. Fascinating content, but I felt a bit cheated on the dwarf planets.
May 22, 2016
This is the usual pleasant, colorful glossy book for children from DK.
October 7, 2020
This is a great book for anyone that wants to learn more about our solar system. There’s beautiful pictures and graphics. The best way to build a foundation.
February 20, 2020
I knew the moment I laid eyes on this book that we had to have it in the library. I was given the happy task of acquiring some science books for both our circulation and reference collections, and this one proved an instant winner. Its premise is straightforward: it’s a visually-laden guide to our solar system, with chapters devoted to each major body, or systems of bodies (in the case of the asteroid belt, the Kuiper belt, and comets). But “visual guide” doesn’t just mean pretty pictures. It means a jaw-dropping collection of photographs and computer generated images that deliver information while simultaneously pleasing the eye. Each planet and several moons, for instance, are given a two-page cross section that demonstrates the varying layers of the body and its atmosphere – showing Mercury’s strangely small core, for instance, and Mar’s wispy atmosphere. Information that could be a little dry if delivered in a narrative, like a chronicle of the various satellite flybys of a given planet or moon, is given a graphical twist. Images from various satellites and landers provide an all-around treat, but this isn’t just a picture book. Textual information is generous, and made for some fun reading. The Smithsonian has produced another volume like this but focused on the Universe as a whole, and I look forward to encountering it. Absolutely recommended for reading pleasure or reference use.
July 21, 2021
Considering how old this book is (it talks about New Horizons being launched soon, when it passed Pluto almost 6 years ago) and how much more current info I have read in books before this one, I was surprised to find I learned a lot. It's a big, bulky book; the coffee table type. Lots of photos and details, and it focuses strictly on our own solar system (vs. most of the other books I've read which are about space in general). There's information on the sun and all of the planets, dwarf planets, asteroids, the Kuiper belt, and more. A surprisingly quick read with a good balance of text/photo on each page so it doesn't feel like you need a long time for each spread.
August 18, 2022
I enjoyed this well illustrated basic overview of our solar system. The text is primarily made up of captions to the drawing, photos and diagrams that are the major component of the book, but it's a good, relatively current (well, 2014), summary of what's been learned by space probes to the other planets, moons, comets and asteroids. It's full of interesting facts, has charts that present the same data for each planetary system, and includes a reference section in the back that makes comparing each body with others of its type very easy. Reading it reminded me of first reading about astronomy as a child, stirring the wonder and excitement of learning, for the first time, about space.
June 28, 2021
Although this is 10 yrs old, making it out of date in the current space exploration age, it's an excellent jaunt around the solar system - straddling the line between being a reference book and non-fiction. Each chapter is on a planet or planetary body, explaining its composition, position and history of explanation.
What's up there is head-spinning stuff, and frames our incredible good fortune in being alive alongside our ultimate irrelevance.
What's up there is head-spinning stuff, and frames our incredible good fortune in being alive alongside our ultimate irrelevance.
August 9, 2024
This book is amazing. There is no other word for it. It has information on all 8 planets, the asteroid belt, comets, Kuiper belt objects, and the Oort Cloud such as basic astronomical data, structure, features, and missions made towards those destinations. It also contains information about astronomical wonders such as eclipses and solar flares as well as a thick reference section at the end with endless statistics of everything possible. With breathtaking pictures, this book is the ultimate guide to the solar system and is a must for anyone with some level of interest in space or astronomy.
January 26, 2025
I absolutely loved and enjoyed this book for so many reasons and would love to own as a coffee table book. I loved re-reading about all the planets and all the various moons for each planet more in depth. The photography/illustrations for this book deserve at least 100 stars (no pun intended) because it is that amazing.
256 pages of beauty and insightful information, definitely recommended if you are into astronomy.
256 pages of beauty and insightful information, definitely recommended if you are into astronomy.
November 9, 2022
Una joya de libro, aunque, como ya han comentado por aquí, ya está condicionado por el tiempo. 2014 fue su publicación y las últimas misiones/descubrimientos y fotos pues claro que no están incluidas, como el ya icónico "corazón" de Plutón.
Librazo para todas las edades, y sobre todo para uno que no envejece su pasión astronómica.
Librazo para todas las edades, y sobre todo para uno que no envejece su pasión astronómica.
July 30, 2017
I was surprised by photos and pictures this book contains, covering the Sun, planets, moons, asteroids, dwarf planets and comets. A lot of them were photos taken by various space telescopes such as Hubble or else. One of the highlights of this book is 3D model pictures of planets. In such pictures, planets are peeled off layer by layer like an onion, until it reaches cores. All layers are given a short description, even including atmosphere layers if exists. Some information in this book may also be found in other DK's astronomy books, but these 3D model pictures are not. It is unique here.
There is a similar structure of introducing each planets. A brief introduction will be given at first, along with real photos taken from different angles, and a charts containing basic parameters. (e.g. average diameter, mass..) Then we'll find the unique 3D model pictures, photos of surface taken from nearby if possible, the history of observing and researching this planets and finally the modern missions to it. Others such as moons and asteroids are introduced similarly.
In fact, I did expect more information outside the Kuiper belts, like Oort Cloud, because those inside are too familiar to us. Unfortunately, what we can read in this book is highly dependent on our modern technology and missions to space. Since our researches to outer space are rare (except for Voyagers), we couldn't know what's it look like at present. When I bought this book, that famous photo of Pluto didn't exist yet. It must have been added in later versions. Thus I am sure in the future there will be more and more details about the solar system.
There is a similar structure of introducing each planets. A brief introduction will be given at first, along with real photos taken from different angles, and a charts containing basic parameters. (e.g. average diameter, mass..) Then we'll find the unique 3D model pictures, photos of surface taken from nearby if possible, the history of observing and researching this planets and finally the modern missions to it. Others such as moons and asteroids are introduced similarly.
In fact, I did expect more information outside the Kuiper belts, like Oort Cloud, because those inside are too familiar to us. Unfortunately, what we can read in this book is highly dependent on our modern technology and missions to space. Since our researches to outer space are rare (except for Voyagers), we couldn't know what's it look like at present. When I bought this book, that famous photo of Pluto didn't exist yet. It must have been added in later versions. Thus I am sure in the future there will be more and more details about the solar system.
December 16, 2019
So amazing with beautiful about planets and solar.
November 16, 2020
Excellent.
April 20, 2023
Espectacular. Una maravilla para leer y observar una y otra vez, con datos, mapas, fotos e ilustraciones muy actualizados y no tan fáciles de encontrar. Cinco rotundas estrellas.
November 28, 2023
Wonderful ! Amazing photos . Great reference if your looking for a quick overview of the planets in our solar system. Well organized . Gives me the happy .
Read
August 18, 2020Beautiful pictures, a good book to refresh knowledge and put the planets in order ;-)
September 26, 2015
This is a beautiful book, what else could you expect from DK and Smithsonian teaming up? The illustrations are so detailed that it can be hard to tell what is a photograph. Each planet has multiple pages dedicated to it, with accompanying text that can be appropriate for various levels. My 4 year old loved this so much that we renewed it the maximum amount of time allowed by the library (3 months, if anyone is counting). It also features many timelines of astronomy and our understanding of the universe, and the visual of the timelines made it something my 4 year old could grasp. Highly recommended for any space lovers out there.
January 2, 2015
This book is gorgeous. Beautiful renderings of the objects in our solar system, along with the most current (to be expected, anyway) information. It would be hard, I imagine, to confidently publish a book on space, as our knowledge of it changes daily. Nevertheless, this is a wonderful book to give you an idea of the glory we live in and on. Highly recommended.
August 31, 2016
This book generally explains almost everyithing about our solar system, from our own planets to different theories on our solar system. This book contains alot of data about them, which I think may come useful when you want to know more on our solar system. I think this book is really "complete" in describing and explaining things, and is a great time-killer as there are alot of data.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2015
This is a great book for kids and adults with loads of information on the solar system. Beautifully designed and put together.
September 8, 2015
This book is a veritable wealth of knowledge. There's so much information, hundreds of interesting facts.. If you have the slightest interest in space or the planets I recommend this book.
March 13, 2016
Compact narrations with exquisite illustrations and high-res photos. Now I knew my solar system much better.
September 1, 2016
such an interesting book. I wonder what is the temperature on makemake.
January 20, 2017
Why mercury have oxygen?...... why mars have so much CO2?
October 21, 2020
Awesome book with a lot of picture described object in every chapter
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews