The PlanetsWith her blockbuster New York Times bestsellers Longitude and Galileo's Daughter, Dava Sobel used her rare and luminous gift for weaving difficult scientific concepts into a compelling story to garner rave reviews and attract readers from across the literary spectrum. Now, in The Planets, Sobel brings her full talents to bear on what is perhaps her most ambitious subject to date--the planets of our solar system. The sun's family of planets become a familiar place in this personal account of the lives of other worlds. Sobel explores the planets' origins and oddities through the lens of popular culture, from astrology, mythology, and science fiction to art, music, poetry, biography, and history. A perfect gift and a captivating journey, The Planets is a gorgeously illustrated study of our place in the universe that will mesmerize everyone who has ever gazed with awe at our night sky. Watch a Windows Media trailer for this book. Watch a Quicktime trailer for this book. |
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ancient appears arrived astronomers atmosphere Belt body bright called century changes close clouds comet complete continue dark Details discovered discovery distance dust early Earth face five followed force four Galileo giant ground half heat heavens hundred hydrogen images inside Italy Jupiter known Kuiper land later least light lunar magnetic Mars Martian mass measures Mercury miles million Miss months Moon Moon's nature Neptune night objects observations Observatory ocean once orbit particles pass planet planetary Pluto predicted Press reached rings rise rock rotation Royal satellites Saturn scientists seen side sight Solar System space spacecraft sphere stars Sun's surface takes telescope thousand tion transit traveling turn University Uranus Uranus and Neptune Venus Voyager William Lassell wind York