The author, a planetary geologist, tells the story of the solar system as it was known up to the date of publication (1995).

The book begins with a history - how the ancients thought about the planets, and how the discovery of the telescope revolutionized planetary science. The sun, moon, and planets - including Earth - each get a chapter examining what we know about them. The author concludes with a tour of the farthest reaches of our solar system, along with its comets, the Kuiper belt, the Oort Cloud, etc. and how we are exploring it to learn more about it. Finally there is a section on the search for other planets.

Many beautiful color illustrations and photos are included, as well as a valuable 40-page reference section with maps of the planets, comparisons of their features, an illustrated glossary, and an 8-page foldout with a timeline of interplanetary missions.

While some of the information can be updated via the internet, the core of the book remains a useful and informative reference. ( )

This is the single best concise reference I've found on our solar system. Very nice color illustrations and photography and informative facts on all the planets. Plus, it's old ehough to include Pluto! ( )

Published 15 years before acquisition, there are no major (or minor) discoveries made since, so this book isup to date. If you are an astonomical idiot, you still will be able to follow the solar system and its components, as the wording and pictures have been used to complement each other so well. ( )