The Solar System

by Stephen Bucaro

The Solar System is our next exploration frontier. Unmanned probes are exploring every solar system body, from the Sun to Neptune and beyond. NASA is planning a manned mission to Mars. After that, Jupiter's moon Europa, which has a liquid water ocean beneath its icy crust, is a target for human habitation. There are a large number of exciting solar system objects you can view with a small telescope. You can see the moon-like crescent of Venus as it and Earth's orbits take them close. You can track Jupiter's four bright moons as they orbit the planet. You can see Saturn's brilliant ring. Sun spots are easily visible with a small telescope, but please take the proper precautions before looking at the Sun through a telescope. There are special filters and projection screens you can use for that purpose. You can feel very excited to catch a telescopic view of mercury close to the horizon in the morning or evening glow of twilight. You can feel excited and proud when you track down an asteroid or comet that has just achieved enough brightness to be seen by a small telescope. You can actually contribute to science using only a small telescope. Many new asteroids and comets have been discovered, and named after, the amateur astronomers who discovered them. This book gives you a quick education as to all the interesting bodies that will be our next exploration frontier.

60 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 15, 2020