New book is modern hands-on guide to solar system
By Lynette Olson, Special to the Gazette
Friday, April 3, 2009
“Where Did Pluto Go?: A Beginner’s Guide to Understanding the ‘New’ Solar System” by Paul Sutherland, Readers Digest, 2009, $24.95
By Lynette Olson
Special to The Gazette
“Astronomy compels the soul to look upward, and leads us from this world to another.” — Plato
In 2006, Pluto lost its classification as a planet, became a dwarf planet and is now a plutoid, so named by the International Astronomical Union.
This action was taken not because of a “physical event but rather due to changes that have come about as a result of increasing knowledge, thanks to the development of telescopes and space probes. And as with Pluto, some changes are due to a shift in ideas.”
So Paul Sutherland tells us in the introduction to “Where Did Pluto Go?: A Beginner’s Guide to Understanding the ‘New’ Solar System.”
Sutherland is a journalist and author with a simple mission: To report the excitement of space science and astronomy in plain English. He succeeds admirably in this new book, which proves to be a modern hands-on introduction to the solar system.
The book adds a modern perspective to the stars, our sun, its planets, and their moons by comparing the very latest research and the most up-to-date technology with traditional beliefs — how ancient astronomers made sense of the heavens — presented in clear, easy-to-understand, exciting dialogue.
Sidebars provide historical and modern tidbits of information that enhance the general text. Particularly interesting are the sections entitled ”what we knew then” and “what we think we know now.”
In these pages you’ll find the evolving understanding of the solar system. A detailed overview examines how we read the night sky; constellations and the zodiac; motion of the planets; comparative sizes and locations; where the asteroid belt is; comets; satellites; theories of planet formation; and much more.
With a turn of the wheel, the book’s easy-to-use planisphere (a handheld device that accompanies the book) shows the positions of the stars at any time, on any day, and any latitude — complete with a description and examples on how to use it. The planisphere is a great way to chart the stars as you read through the book.
In its 15 chapters with more than 200 full-color photographs and a four-page page gatefold of the galaxies, this beautifully illustrated guide will introduce you to the mysteries of space. Also included are a glossary of terms, a resources page and an index to further your reading and research.
The reader is invited to visit http://www.skymania.com/; the author’s Web site that is a guide to astronomy and space news, tips on buying a telescope plus other advice for amateur astronomers.
• On the Shelf is written by volunteers and staff of the Emporia Public Library.