Overview

Jupiter is the grandest of all planets. It is by far the largest planet in the solar system and among the brightest objects in the night sky, and its calming presence has inspired humans for centuries. Jupiter was the `beloved star' of the ancient Sumerians and Babylonians, the first serious observers of the planets, and the Pioneer and Voyager spacecraft visited it in the 1970s. Now it is being scrutinised as never before by NASA's Juno spacecraft, as experts begin to have a comprehensive view of the origin, composition, and structure of this giant gas world. This beautifully illustrated volume ranges across the entire history of Jupiter studies, from the naked-eye observations of the Babylonians and the Greeks, through the telescopic discoveries of Galileo and T.E.R. Phillips, to the explosion of information received from space probes. It brings our understanding of Jupiter right up to date and includes preliminary findings from the Juno space probe, while also providing valuable practical information for those who wish to make their own observations of the planet.  Introducing planetary science in an accessible and engaging way, Jupiter will appeal to those who wish to have a better understanding of this magnificent planet and its unique place in the solar system.

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9781780239088

Table of Contents

Reviews

In this superbly researched and illustrated guide to the giant planet, the authors have trawled through centuries of humanity's archives for documentation of Jupiter, looking for engaging ways to explain what astronomers know about the planet, and how they found out. . . . The illustrations are exceptional, reproducing one archive gem after another. . . . Reading this comprehensive primer on Jupiter - and on planetary astronomy itself - is as enlightening as it is thoroughly enjoyable. --BBC Sky at Night Magazine The gas giant planet Jupiter, with its red spot and ever-changing meteorology, has fascinated human curiosity since as far back as records exist thousands of years ago. Sheehan and Hockey add to the Kosmos series of books exploring our Solar System and beyond by looking not only at the historical and cultural context of Jupiter's continued signi?cance but also by exploring its parts, from its atmosphere and weather patterns, to its rings and moons. They present the knowledge accumulated from the earliest observations by Galileo to the Juno mission's latest discoveries. --Nature Astronomy A glossy coffee-table title, packed with more than one hundred images and illustrations. The opening chapters do a good job in tackling the birth of the solar system and all the Jovian planets; describing how they formed; before delving into Jupiter itself, layer by layer, from atmosphere to core. . . . Sheehan and Hockey's language is clear. . . . The book is well-paced. . . . A useful and practical planetary-science primer. --Tushna Commissariat Physics World For more about the largest planet in our solar system, check out the beautiful hardcover book Jupiter by Sheehan and Hockey, from the Kosmos series. We handpick reading recommendations we think you may like. --Curiosity.com

The scope of this book is very wide-ranging, including chapters on ancient observations of Jupiter, the origin and structure of the planet, features in its atmosphere, its satellites, and the Shoemaker-Levy 9 impacts. It also features results from spacecraft--including some initial results from the current Juno mission. . . . Well written and easy to follow. It is also well illustrated, with numerous color and black-and-white illustrations. There are a number of spacecraft images, plus amateur images and drawings. . . . I enjoyed reading the book and it provides a good overview of the Jovian system for a general reader. --Journal of the British Astronomical Association This compact book covers a great deal of ground about the giant planet. Recommended. --Choice A glossy coffee-table title, packed with more than one hundred images and illustrations. The opening chapters do a good job in tackling the birth of the solar system and all the Jovian planets; describing how they formed; before delving into Jupiter itself, layer by layer, from atmosphere to core. . . . Sheehan and Hockey's language is clear. . . . The book is well-paced. . . . A useful and practical planetary-science primer. --Tushna Commissariat Physics World In this superbly researched and illustrated guide to the giant planet, the authors have trawled through centuries of humanity's archives for documentation of Jupiter, looking for engaging ways to explain what astronomers know about the planet, and how they found out. . . . The illustrations are exceptional, reproducing one archive gem after another. . . . Reading this comprehensive primer on Jupiter - and on planetary astronomy itself - is as enlightening as it is thoroughly enjoyable. --BBC Sky at Night Magazine The gas giant planet Jupiter, with its red spot and ever-changing meteorology, has fascinated human curiosity since as far back as records exist thousands of years ago. Sheehan and Hockey add to the Kosmos series of books exploring our Solar System and beyond by looking not only at the historical and cultural context of Jupiter's continued signi?cance but also by exploring its parts, from its atmosphere and weather patterns, to its rings and moons. They present the knowledge accumulated from the earliest observations by Galileo to the Juno mission's latest discoveries. --Nature Astronomy For more about the largest planet in our solar system, check out the beautiful hardcover book Jupiter by Sheehan and Hockey, from the Kosmos series. We handpick reading recommendations we think you may like. --Curiosity.com

In this superbly researched and illustrated guide to the giant planet, the authors have trawled through centuries of humanity's archives for documentation of Jupiter, looking for engaging ways to explain what astronomers know about the planet, and how they found out. . . . The illustrations are exceptional, reproducing one archive gem after another. . . . Reading this comprehensive primer on Jupiter - and on planetary astronomy itself - is as enlightening as it is thoroughly enjoyable. --BBC Sky at Night Magazine The gas giant planet Jupiter, with its red spot and ever-changing meteorology, has fascinated human curiosity since as far back as records exist thousands of years ago. Sheehan and Hockey add to the Kosmos series of books exploring our Solar System and beyond by looking not only at the historical and cultural context of Jupiter's continued signi?cance but also by exploring its parts, from its atmosphere and weather patterns, to its rings and moons. They present the knowledge accumulated from the earliest observations by Galileo to the Juno mission's latest discoveries. --Nature Astronomy For more about the largest planet in our solar system, check out the beautiful hardcover book Jupiter by Sheehan and Hockey, from the Kosmos series. We handpick reading recommendations we think you may like. --Curiosity.com

Author Information

William Sheehan is a psychiatrist, noted historian of astronomy, writer and amateur astronomer. He has published twenty books on astronomy, including Planets and Perception (1988), The Immortal Fire Within: The Life and Work of Edward Emerson Barnard (1995), The Planet Mars (1996), Galactic Encounters and Celestial Shadows (both 2015). He lives in Arizona, and Asteroid 16037 is named Sheehan in his honour. Thomas Hockey is a Professor of Astronomy at the University of Northern Iowa. He has written six previous books, including Galileo's Planet (1999).

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