- Library Binding: 191 pages
- Publisher: National Geographic Society (9 Oct 2007)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1426301715
- ISBN-13: 978-1426301711
- Product Dimensions: 22.2 x 1.7 x 28.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 3,477,018 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
| |||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details |
More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
Finally, it's here! The farthest reaches of our universe captured in atlas form for young readers. Planets, Stars, and Galaxies is the space book that pushes the boundaries of man's ultimate frontier. The engaging, educational text, written in collaboration with National Geographic experts, includes the latest discoveries about our universe; while specially commissioned artwork by the author illuminates page after page.
Exciting as well as enlightening, Planets, Stars, and Galaxies belongs on every family bookshelf, providing easy reference for school reports and compelling reading on the myriad mysteries beyond our world. With vivid illustrations and superb photography, this beautiful book puts the wonders of space into every child's hands. This engaging, provocative reference work includes: the new solar system including dwarf planets Pluto, Ceres, and Eris;the latest developments in space exploration, science, and research—how a star is born and dies, "weird worlds," the "galactic zoo," and more;fun facts about space and amazing new images—Saturn's rings, Jupiter's moons, and Hubble's deep-space view;first-hand accounts from scientists and astronauts—what it's like to study the universe and to live in space;a fascinating look into our future in space: What space travel might hold in a reader's own lifetime—moon colonies, hotels on Mars? How will the universe end?questions to ponder, such as "Is there other life in the universe?"an illustrated timeline of space research and exploration, star charts, moon maps, fact boxes, and helpful scientific diagrams.
Exciting as well as enlightening, Planets, Stars, and Galaxies belongs on every family bookshelf, providing easy reference for school reports and compelling reading on the myriad mysteries beyond our world. With vivid illustrations and superb photography, this beautiful book puts the wonders of space into every child's hands. This engaging, provocative reference work includes: the new solar system including dwarf planets Pluto, Ceres, and Eris;the latest developments in space exploration, science, and research—how a star is born and dies, "weird worlds," the "galactic zoo," and more;fun facts about space and amazing new images—Saturn's rings, Jupiter's moons, and Hubble's deep-space view;first-hand accounts from scientists and astronauts—what it's like to study the universe and to live in space;a fascinating look into our future in space: What space travel might hold in a reader's own lifetime—moon colonies, hotels on Mars? How will the universe end?questions to ponder, such as "Is there other life in the universe?"an illustrated timeline of space research and exploration, star charts, moon maps, fact boxes, and helpful scientific diagrams.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
i brought this for my ten yr old son. Its full of great pictures and is still very informative without over loading him with information. Definitely recommend this book.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
i loved this book.i found it very informative and visualy stunning. it has definately made me more interested in astronomy and the universe.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
7 reviews
45 of 47 people found the following review helpful
Attractive, but error-laden . . .
29 July 2010
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book published by the National Geographic Society, known usually for their factual accuracy, is beautiful in its pictorial content as other reviewers have said, but contains serious errors in the text. If you are thinking of buying for your 3-year-old, or your 5-year-old, they'll love the pictures and won't care about the mistakes. If you're contemplating buying it for your 6th grader's report on anything within the bounds of the solar system, don't.
The text on Mars states in its opening paragraph that Mars is the same size as Earth and is the planet nearest us. Wrong! Twice! In fact Mars is barely over 1/2 the diameter of Earth, and Venus orbits closer to Earth than Mars. (Diameters: Earth,7926 miles; Mars, 4221 miles. Because orbits are elliptical, distances vary, so averages are given. Orbit of Venus is about 35 million miles from Earth's, Mars orbit is an average of about 49 million miles from us.)
On the Mars page, the text does not agree with the chart or illustrations, which are correct.
The asteroid / dwarf planet Ceres is described as being "roughly equal to the size of our moon". Not even close! Sparing you the math, let's just say the Ceres is approximately 1/4 the size of our Moon. The text is again in disareement with its own charts. As before, the charts are correct, the text is in error.
Those mistakes were found just in browsing. Extensive examination may find more - but the errors above are enough to cast doubt on the rest of the book.
(Reviewer is a librarian, amateur astronomer, parent of 4, grandfather of 3.)
The text on Mars states in its opening paragraph that Mars is the same size as Earth and is the planet nearest us. Wrong! Twice! In fact Mars is barely over 1/2 the diameter of Earth, and Venus orbits closer to Earth than Mars. (Diameters: Earth,7926 miles; Mars, 4221 miles. Because orbits are elliptical, distances vary, so averages are given. Orbit of Venus is about 35 million miles from Earth's, Mars orbit is an average of about 49 million miles from us.)
On the Mars page, the text does not agree with the chart or illustrations, which are correct.
The asteroid / dwarf planet Ceres is described as being "roughly equal to the size of our moon". Not even close! Sparing you the math, let's just say the Ceres is approximately 1/4 the size of our Moon. The text is again in disareement with its own charts. As before, the charts are correct, the text is in error.
Those mistakes were found just in browsing. Extensive examination may find more - but the errors above are enough to cast doubt on the rest of the book.
(Reviewer is a librarian, amateur astronomer, parent of 4, grandfather of 3.)
18 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Galactic guide book
28 Feb 2008
Format:Hardcover
David Aguilar describes the planets of our solar system as well as dark matter, neutron stars, nebula, and many other phenomena of space in this book.
What makes this book different from others on the subject, are the glowing illustrations that Aguilar created from NASA and telescope photographs . The photos are enhanced and Photoshopped to offer a "you are there" presence to the reader. What would it feel like to be in the middle of the Kuiper Belt? Well, pages 62 and 63 give us an idea. Imaginative space ships tour planets and space suited explorers stand on the surface of one of Jupiter's moons.
Aguilar fills the text with factual information. He explains how a star burns in a graphic that depicts the collision of two protons and the release of energy that is starlight. The location of supernova, nebula and other objects are marked in constellation maps when they are visible through binoculars.
The author has projected reader into the galaxy, traveling exploring and experiencing the wonders of the universe. We live in a time when the Space Shuttle program seems routine and low Earth orbit is the best we can do. The book could fire the imagination of kids who have seen the spectacular images of the space telescopes and now think, "been there-done that." Chapters, "Are we Alone?" and "Dreams of Tomorrow" ponder what is "alien life" and ideas for the future of space engineering.
This book fires the imagination and could also inspire a young person today to look skyward.
What makes this book different from others on the subject, are the glowing illustrations that Aguilar created from NASA and telescope photographs . The photos are enhanced and Photoshopped to offer a "you are there" presence to the reader. What would it feel like to be in the middle of the Kuiper Belt? Well, pages 62 and 63 give us an idea. Imaginative space ships tour planets and space suited explorers stand on the surface of one of Jupiter's moons.
Aguilar fills the text with factual information. He explains how a star burns in a graphic that depicts the collision of two protons and the release of energy that is starlight. The location of supernova, nebula and other objects are marked in constellation maps when they are visible through binoculars.
The author has projected reader into the galaxy, traveling exploring and experiencing the wonders of the universe. We live in a time when the Space Shuttle program seems routine and low Earth orbit is the best we can do. The book could fire the imagination of kids who have seen the spectacular images of the space telescopes and now think, "been there-done that." Chapters, "Are we Alone?" and "Dreams of Tomorrow" ponder what is "alien life" and ideas for the future of space engineering.
This book fires the imagination and could also inspire a young person today to look skyward.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Beautiful Primer on Astronomy
8 Sep 2008
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
David Aguilar's "Planets, Stars, and Galaxies: A Visual Encyclopedia of Our Universe" is a beautiful and well-done book that does a very good job giving a general overview of the latest astronomical knowledge. This book even includes the latest on the new designation of dwarf planets and Pluto's demotion.
The book is full of beautiful photos and computer illustrations of the planets, nebulae, neutron stars, and galaxies. These illustrations really bring the book to life. They are enhanced by well-written, informative text.
Although this is a great book, I do have a couple of criticisms. The first is that the tour of the solar system is done through a narrative device: a spaceship that flies from Earth to the sun and then back out. Venus is thus covered first, followed by Mercury, the sun, then Mars, then (after the rest of the planets are covered) finishing with Earth. While that is consistent with the narrative device, it's confusing to anyone just scanning the book.
Also, there are a handful of errors in the book: The book states that Mars is the closest planet to the Earth; on one chart, Jupiter's moons are incorrectly labeled (my 3 year-old correctly identified the pictures, but I mistakenly corrected him based on the incorrect labels); Callisto is referred to in one place as "Saturn's moon;" and the book states that Voyager 1 and 2 visited Jupiter in 1973. I was surprised to see such obvious errors get past the editors and appear in a National Geographic book.
I bought for my three year-old, who has fallen in love with the planets and stars. Although the book is a bit advanced for him, the beautiful illustrations and straightforward text make this a wonderful book to own.
The book is full of beautiful photos and computer illustrations of the planets, nebulae, neutron stars, and galaxies. These illustrations really bring the book to life. They are enhanced by well-written, informative text.
Although this is a great book, I do have a couple of criticisms. The first is that the tour of the solar system is done through a narrative device: a spaceship that flies from Earth to the sun and then back out. Venus is thus covered first, followed by Mercury, the sun, then Mars, then (after the rest of the planets are covered) finishing with Earth. While that is consistent with the narrative device, it's confusing to anyone just scanning the book.
Also, there are a handful of errors in the book: The book states that Mars is the closest planet to the Earth; on one chart, Jupiter's moons are incorrectly labeled (my 3 year-old correctly identified the pictures, but I mistakenly corrected him based on the incorrect labels); Callisto is referred to in one place as "Saturn's moon;" and the book states that Voyager 1 and 2 visited Jupiter in 1973. I was surprised to see such obvious errors get past the editors and appear in a National Geographic book.
I bought for my three year-old, who has fallen in love with the planets and stars. Although the book is a bit advanced for him, the beautiful illustrations and straightforward text make this a wonderful book to own.
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
