The Solar System

An inviting expedition across our galactic neighborhood, from Mercury to the Sun’s furthest satellites, complete with the latest discoveries.

The Space Age probes to the Moon, Venus, and Mars ushered in a golden age of planetary science, transforming our understanding of the solar system from a distant mystery into many, vividly realized worlds. This book provides an accessible survey of the solar system, covering each of the planets as well as the major asteroids and bodies just outside the solar system. Drawing on interviews with leading scientists, the book offers an engaging overview of the latest discoveries for amateur astronomers, making it an essential guide for anyone interested in our celestial neighborhood.

William Sheehan is a historian of astronomy whose books include Saturn and Venus, also in Reaktion’s Kosmos series. Clifford J. Cunningham is a research fellow at the University of Southern Queensland. His books include Asteroids, also in Reaktion’s Kosmos series.