Planetology

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Here’s another new book from National Geographic.  The authors: Tom Jones and Ellen Stofan, took an interesting angle on the subject of understanding the planets and their features:  to gain an understanding what is going on “out there”  look here first.  Sure seems simple enough, but it’s probably not done that much, it’s easy to forget when one gets all wrapped up in the amazement of looking at other planets.  Funny thing is, it makes the whole exercise much easier.

The book is well written, is rich with fantastic images and easy to understand and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  If you, or somebody you know is interested in our solar system this book would make for great reading or perhaps a very nice gift.  Look for it at your favorite book shop on November 18^th.

Here’s what the pro’s say about it:

PLANETOLOGY contains remarkable visual evidence of the natural processes that have shaped the varied planetary landscapes in our solar system: searing lava plains, windswept deserts, active volcanoes, jagged mountains, majestic glaciers and stark impact craters.  Readers discover the details behind the solar system’s largest volcano, Mars’ “dry ice” polar caps, and the on-going threat of comet and asteroid collisions with Earth.

A comprehensive new portrait of the solar system unfolds in PLANETOLOGY. The authors bring a fresh approach to the study of space science and illustrate clearly how discovery of dramatic features of other planets give us crucial information about our own. Engaging text, highlighted with personal experiences from space flights and robotic exploratory missions, make this book just as absorbing as it is informative.
Tom Jones is a planetary scientist, author, pilot and veteran NASA astronaut. He flew on four space shuttle missions and led three space walks to help his crew install the centerpiece of the International Space Station. He has written “Hell Hawks!,” “Sky Walking: An Astronaut’s Memoir” and “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to NASA.” Ellen Stofan is a planetary geologist who has studied volcanic and tectonic features on Venus, Mars, Titan, and Earth. While at NASA, she was Chief Scientist on the New Millennium Program and is currently Senior Research Scientist at Proxemy Research, and Honorary Professor of Earth Sciences at University College London.