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4.5
While Patricia Daniels' summary of recent solar system data is neither perfect nor incredibly detailed, which may irk some physicists and astronomers, for the educated layman, it is still one of the best overviews among the current crop of similar publications. There is a considerable amount of information to consider and she does so in a well-organized, easy-to-understand fashion that includes good artwork and some excellent photographs. The author runs through the creation of the solar system, has a pretty good section on the sun, then deals with the inner terrestrial planets, including the Moon, discusses the asteroid belt, then moves to the gas giants (Jupiter and Saturn), their largest moons, the "ice giants" (Uranus and Neptune) and their major moons, and finally covers the so-called "plutoids" before rounding out the discussion with interesting sections on the Kuiper Belt and the Oort Cloud before concluding with exoplanets and similar considerations. A table at the end of the book summarizes the salient info, which may prove handy for quick reference. While detailed information is somewhat lacking, making one yearn for a more in-depth analysis of several of the subjects that are raised, one can certainly use this book to easily reference the fundamental information currently available. That said, there are some "mistakes" in the book (for instance, the author often refers to "Kelvins" rather than degrees Kelvin) and there is a reference to the hypothesis of anthropogenic climate change which I find inappropriate in the context of such a large-scale, physical discussion of the solar system. I also don't appreciate references to producers of relatively recent sci-fi movies or her touting the memory of Carl Sagan while neglecting such classic works as Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles or some of the books by Isaac Asimov. Such minor matters aside, however, this offering from National Geographic holds up well, especially when compared to even more recent summaries of solar system and space info that are fat, glitzy, expensive, and really not significantly better. Of course, it shouldn't be the only book you have on the subject, but there is little doubt you will find this one useful to reference again and again. After his retirement from the Aerospace industry, my father (a nuclear and space physicist) worked doggedly for twenty years on a detailed compendium of similar subject matter. Unfortunately, he was never completely satisfied with the job he was doing and he died before he could finish the task. Keeping that in mind, while Daniels' book won't compare to an in-depth analysis written by an accomplished scientist in the field, it is nevertheless a pretty good effort and the author should be commended for it.many science books these days that seem to have been proofread by people who are unfamiliar with the subject, or lack proofreading.... this book contains some glaring errors such as the temperature at the center of Jupiter may be 35,540 degrees Fahrenheit .... OK, this is a theoretical temperature , but then it goes on to state "hotter than the center of the sun".... however the center of the sun is about 27,000,000°F..... in "the new solar system " there are no images showing the orbits of the planets around the sun in their proper scale ! there are no images showing the relative size of planets ! or their moons .... nothing to convey that these are members of a solar SYSTEM.... this is produced by National Geographic, I thought it would be reliable ..... there are many big beautiful images, but all the planets and even the sun appear to be pretty much the same size ..ll if a child picked up this book and looked at it they would have no impression at all of what the solar system is really like ... the text itself is printed in a rather small thin light grey font on glossy paper making it difficult to read.... a MUCH better book is "the grand tour , a travelers guide to the solar system by Ron Miller and William K Hartman " .Space exploration what it's like beyond the inner planets great readIf you were expecting National Geographic-style glossy pics, forget it. The graphics are supposed to be innovative but they are just annoying. Daniels writes well but there were nonsensical statements, scientific inanities, on every page - pity the editorial process missed them; if you know any physics, you'll find it infuriating.This is an excellent book for anybody that is interested in the solar system. The book is easy to understand and it has great photos and illustrations.greatThis book is thorough and up to date. It discusses the current controversies, such as the one with Pluto. I have only one problem with this book. I was looking for a book that was informative and written at a high school level. The level of information on philosophy and history is beyond many high school students comprehension. The graphics are wonderful. This is why I placed it at a 4. As a college text I think this book would fly.Having been raised on Time-Life Books' _The Planets_, it was a pleasant surprise to find a worthy successor to the astronomy text I loved as a child.And there is much to like in National Geographic's _The New Solar System_:* For the masses of nonscientists, yet retaining facts and educational merit* Great attention to photos, illustrations, and graphic layout, counterbalanced by text that is easy to read and process* Up to date, featuring the latest info on space exploration and new discoveries within our solar system and just beyond* A methodical outline of the journey from sun to Oort Cloud that never lags for interest* A long chapter devoted to plutoids and Kuiper Belt objects* An excellent overview of changing theories within astronomy and why the field is still in flux* A fine cultivation of the sense of mystery and awe that confront modern astronomers and cosmologists* Countless interesting facts about how astronomers make new discoveries* Short biographic sidebars on astronomers whose names may not be household but who made significant contributions to the fieldThe only flaw, and it's a small one, is that the author occasionally "breaks the plane" through clichéd or overly familiar wordings._The New Solar System_ is the kind of popular science book that any family would be blessed to own. At this price, it's a tremendous value and will bring joy for years to come.This is simply a stunning book. The pictures are of amazing quality and the text I found to be informative and easy to understand. Highly recommended.
