Jupiter

Kosmos

by William Sheehan, Thomas Hockey

Jupiter is the grandest of all planets. It is by far the largest planet in the solar system and among the brightest objects in the night sky, and its calming presence has inspired humans for centuries. Jupiter was the ‘beloved star’ of the ancient Sumerians and Babylonians, the first serious observers of the planets, and the Pioneer and Voyager spacecraft visited it in the 1970s. Now it is being scrutinized as never before by nasa’s Juno spacecraft, as experts begin to have a comprehensive view of the origin, composition and structure of this gas giant world.

This beautifully illustrated volume ranges across the entire history of Jupiter studies, from the naked-eye observations of the Babylonians and the Greeks, through the telescopic discoveries of Galileo and T.E.R. Phillips, to the explosion of information received from space probes. It brings our understanding of Jupiter right up to date and includes preliminary findings from the Juno space probe, while also providing valuable practical information for those who wish to make their own observations of the planet. Introducing planetary science in an accessible and engaging way, Jupiter will appeal to those who wish to have a better understanding of this magnificent planet and its unique place in the solar system.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Astronomy

246 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 15, 2018

About the author

Dr. William Sheehan is a neuroscientist and amateur astronomer who is also a research fellow of the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizon.

Reviews

[Tom Bantle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tells the history of man studying Jupiter from the Sumerians to 2018, the publication date of the book. A lot of the book is the survey of Jovian study; we learn about Jupiter as scientists and amateurs did over time. Written in an informal and literary style, right at the edge of what laypeople can easily understand.

Lots of illustrations. Many of them, because of the limitations on the telescopes available, historical sketches. The most recent are photos from modern observations and the various missions to Jupiter. Should be interesting to both readers of the history of science and those more focused just on the current knowledge about Jupiter.

[D.C. Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a gem of a book.