The Outer Solar System: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and the Dwarf Planets | Date: 28 April 2011, 04:13
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The Outer Solar System: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and the Dwarf Planets (An Explorer's Guide to the Universe)
By Erik Gregersen
* Publisher: Rosen Education Service
* Number Of Pages: 224
* Publication Date: 2009-12-20
* ISBN-10 / ASIN: 1615300147
* ISBN-13 / EAN: 9781615300143
Introduction:
After hundreds of years of observation,
theorizing, exploration, and
data collection, the universe is still a
mysterious place. Numerous cosmic
questions remain unanswered despite
the scientifi c and technological advances
made since the telescope was invented
in the 1600s. But we are learning more
about the cosmos all the time through
intense examination of the solar system
in which we live.
Still, learning about the outer solar
system has proved to be diffi cult, to say
the least. What is known about the farthest
reaches of our solar system is
discussed, at great length and in fi ne
detail, in this book.
Scientists have launched many
spacecraft into orbit. Manned spacecraft
have traveled as far as the moon.
Unmanned probes have approached
most of the planets and even landed on
Mars. These probes tell scientists more
about the solar system than we could
ever learn with telescopes alone. In 1977,
the Voyager 1 probe was sent into space
for the purpose of exploring Jupiter and
Saturn. Other probes were sent in the
years that followed. It took decades for
these probes to reach the most distant
planets and send back data about them.
Presently, Voyager 1 is the farthest manmade
object from Earth; it is approaching
the edge of the known solar system, and
scientists hope it will gain new information
about the mystifying region known
as the Kuiper Belt.
The Voyager and other missions
represent the limit of our physical reach
within the cosmos. For now, we depend
on the data they have collected to
gain a better understanding of the outer
solar system.
Beyond the orbit of Mars—which represents
the planetary boundary between
the inner and outer solar system—is a
ring of asteroids orbiting the Sun. The
asteroid belt contains rocky objects left
over from the formation of the solar system.
The asteroids range in size from
hundreds of kilometers in diameter to
dust-sized particles. The largest asteroid
in the asteroid belt, Ceres, is considered a
dwarf planet. It was the fi rst asteroid ever
discovered. By 2009, more than 450,000
asteroids had been discovered.
While most asteroids orbit the sun in
the main belt between Mars and Jupiter,
some stray closer to Earth. These are
called near-Earth asteroids (NEAs). Most
NEAs are still far from Earth, but some
actually cross Earth’s orbit, making them
potentially deadly to life on Earth.
Smaller-sized asteroids are often
called meteoroids. This term is also often
reserved for asteroids that collide with.......................................
Introduction 10
Chapter 1: Asteroids 19
Major Milestones in Asteroid Research 20
Bode’s Law 21
Later Advances in Asteroid Studies 22
Geography of the Asteroid Belt 22
Names and Orbits of Asteroids 23
Distribution and Kirkwood Gaps 23
Near-Earth Asteroids 25
Main-Belt Asteroid Families 27
Hungarias and Outer-Belt Asteroids 28
Trojan Asteroids 29
Asteroids in Unusual Orbits 30
The Difference Between Asteroids
and Comets 30
Measuring Asteroids 31
Size and Albedo 31
Classification of Asteroids 33
Rotation and Shape 33
Mass and Density 35
Composition 36
Asteroid Taxonomic Classes 37
Spacecraft Exploration 38
Origin and Evolution of the Asteroids 41
Notable Asteroids 42
Ceres 42
Eros 44
Geographos 45
Hermes 45
Icarus 46
Pallas 46
Vesta 46
Chapter 2: Meteors and Meteorites 48
Basic Features of Meteors 49
Meteor Showers 51
Meteorites: Surviving Atmospheric Entry 53
Measurement of Meteoroid Orbits 57
Reservoirs of Meteoroids in Space 58
Directing Meteoroids to Earth 59
Meteorites 61
Recovery of Meteorites 62
Types of Meteorites 63
Chondrites 64
Achondrites 68
Iron Meteorites 70
Stony Iron Meteorites 71
Association of Meteorites with Asteroids 72
The Ages of Meteorites and Their
Components 73
Cosmic-Ray Exposure Ages of Meteorites 76
Meteorites and the Formation of the
Early Solar System 77
Meteorite Craters 80
The Impact-Cratering Process 82
Variations in Craters Across the
Solar System 84
Meteorite Craters as Measures of
Geologic Activity 85
Meteoritics 86
Notable Meteorites 87
Allende Meteorite 87
Ensisheim Meteorite 87
Murchison Meteorite 87
Orgueil Meteorite 88
Chapter 3: Jupiter 89
Basic Astronomical Data 90
Planetary Data for Jupiter 91
The Atmosphere 92
Nature of the Great Red Spot 93
Cloud Composition 94
Atmospheric Characteristics 95
Atmospheric Abundances for
Jupiter 96
Temperature and Pressure 98
Other Likely Atmospheric
Constituents 99
Collision with a Comet and an
Asteroid 99
Radio Emission 101
The Magnetic Field and Magnetosphere 103
The Auroras 104
The Interior 104
Jupiter’s Moons and Ring 107
The Galilean Satellites 107
Callisto 108
Ganymede 109
Europa 109
Io 110
Other Satellites 111
The Ring 112
Origin of the Jovian System 114
Early History of Jupiter 114
Early History of the Satellites 114
Chapter 4: Saturn 116
Basic Astronomical Data 117
Planetary Data for Saturn 118
The Atmosphere 119
The Magnetic Field and Magnetosphere 122
The Interior 123
Saturn’s Rings and Moons 125
The Ring System 126
Moons 130
Their Orbits and Rotation 130
Titan 133
Mimas 137
Enceladus 138
Tethys 140
Dione 142
Rhea 143
Hyperion 144
Iapetus 144
Phoebe 146
Observations of Saturn from Earth 147
Spacecraft Exploration 147
Chapter 5: Uranus 149
Basic Astronomical Data 150
Planetary Data for Uranus 152
The Atmosphere 153
The Magnetic Field and Magnetosphere 155
The Interior 156
Uranus’s Moons and Rings 157
Moons 157
Miranda 160
Ariel 161
Umbriel 162
Titania 162
Oberon 163
The Ring System 163
The Discovery of Uranus 164
Spacecraft Exploration 165
Chapter 6: Neptune 166
Planetary Data for Neptune 167
Basic Astronomical Data 168
The Atmosphere 168
The Magnetic Field and Magnetosphere 171
Interior Structure and Composition 172
Neptune’s Moons and Rings 173
Moons 173
Triton 174
Proteus and Nereid 177
The Ring System 178
Neptune’s Discovery 180
Later Observations from Earth 182
Spacecraft Exploration 183
Chapter 7: Pluto, the Kuiper Belt,
and Beyond 184
Basic Data for Pluto 185
Basic Astronomical Data 186
The Atmosphere 186
The Surface and Interior 187
Pluto’s Moons 189
Discovery of Pluto and Its Moons 190
The Kuiper Belt 192
Origin of Pluto and Its Moons 194
Pluto: Planet or Dwarf Planet? 195
The Oort Cloud 196
The Heliopause 197
Chapter 8: Comets 198
Basic Features 198
Designations 199
Early Observations 200
Halley and His Comet 200
Modern Cometary Research 203
Types of Orbits 204
Identifying Comets and Determining
Their Orbits 205
Periodic Comets 206
Groups of Comets and Other Unusual
Cometary Objects 208
The Cometary Nucleus 209
The Gaseous Coma 212
Cometary Tails 215
Cometary Models 218
Origin and Evolution of Comets 219
Cometary Formation and the Oort Cloud 220
Possible Pre-Solar-System Origin of Comets 221
Notable Comets 222
Comet Arend-Roland 222
Biela’s Comet 222
Chiron 222
Encke’s Comet 223
Comet Hale-Bopp 223
Halley’s Comet 223
Comet Hyakutake 225
Comet Ikeya-Seki 225
Comet Morehouse 226
Centaur Objects 226
Comet Schwassmann-Wachmann 227
Appendix A: Moons of Jupiter 228
Appendix B: Moons of Saturn 233
Appendix C: Moons of Uranus 238
Appendix D: Moons of Neptune 240
Appendix E: Notable Kuiper Belt Objects 242
Glossary 244
For Further Reading 246
Index 247
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