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The 50 Most Extreme Places in Our Solar System [Print Replica] Kindle Edition

by David Baker (Author), Todd Ratcliff (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 35 ratings
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The extreme events that we hear about daily—hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions—are extreme in purely human terms, in the devastation they do. But this book moves our understanding of the extreme into extraterrestrial dimensions and gives us an awe-inspiring sense of what our solar system at its utmost can do. Martian dust devils taller than Mount Everest. A hurricane that lasts over 340 years. Volcanoes with “lava” colder than Antarctica. Hail made of diamonds. Here, as the authors say, the “WOW” factor is restored to our understanding of scientific discovery, as we witness the grandeur
and the weirdness that inspire researchers to dig deeper and go ever farther into the mysteries of the universe.

The 50 Most Extreme Places in Our Solar System combines a fascination with natural disasters and the mesmerizing allure of outer space to take readers on a journey that will forever change the way they view our solar system. Full of dazzling photographs from NASA’s most recent observations, this book explores extreme regions on Earth and beyond—giant turbulent storms, explosive volcanoes, and the possibility of life surviving in harsh conditions.

More than a collection of facts, the book conveys the dynamism of science as a process of exploration and discovery. As they amuse and entertain, David Baker and Todd Ratcliff, two experts in planetary science, highlight recent developments and unresolved mysteries and strive, at every turn, to answer that important scientific question: “Why?”
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    July 26, 2017
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Editorial Reviews

Review

This is a cool book. Spectacularly illustrated, it conveys some of
astronomy's heaviest facts in a light and airy way. Readers should have fun reading it. (Paul W. Hodge, Professor Emeritus of Astronomy, University of Washington)

As may be deduced from the title, this book would be of immediate interest to younger readers and their attention would easily be maintained by the tone and clarity of the writing. That said, more seasoned readers will also find it an enjoyable and fascinating look at the Solar System around us and will no doubt broaden their knowledge. I fully recommend this book to anyone of any age with an interest in the Solar System and how much of a hostile, humbling and amazing place it is to exist. (David Powell Astronomy Now 2011-01-01)

Laid out in 50 brief but beautifully illustrated chapters, The 50 Most Extreme Places in Our Solar System is hugely enjoyable. (Jim Wild Times Higher Education 2010-11-04)

Just from a casual look, I can tell that this is the sort of book I would have pored over for hours at a certain phase in my life; if you have a young or young-at-heart stargazer in your home, I would encourage you to check it out. (Michael Merschel Dallas Morning News 2010-10-28)

About the Author

Todd Ratcliff is a planetary geophysicist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

David Baker is the Chairman of the Physics Department at Austin College.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0749FXSNK
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 26, 2017
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 19369 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Not enabled
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 35 ratings

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
35 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Denise L.
5.0 out of 5 stars Real Science That's Easy To Read
Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2010
Verified Purchase
I was skeptical that I would enjoy this book, but it was recommended to me by a friend and I decided to give it a try. Needless to say, I'm glad I did.

The text is informal, but informative -- it feels like your rocket-scientist Uncle is explaining complex facts and ideas to you in layman's terms. I've always loved looking up at the night sky, but I've never really taken an interest in planetary science. This book went a long way in helping me understand just how complex and interesting the Solar System really is. While the book does cover the "50 most extreme places" in the Solar System, it's structured more like a collection of short 2-6 page essays covering specific topics than a 'Top 10' list.

All the sections are packed with interesting trivia [e.g. winds on Neptune can reach 1,000 miles per hour, Mercury has an average temperature of 336 degrees but has ice deposits, etc]. I think anyone age 10+ would find the book interesting, and the 10-and-under crowd will definitely enjoy the pictures. Some sections are more complex than others, so there's enough to keep both the highly-knowledgeable and casual reader entertained. All the sections of the book are self-contained, so you can read the book cover-to-cover or pick out an individual topic and spend 5-10 minutes reading only that section.

As other reviewers have noted, the images are absolutely terrific. The most interesting thing I discovered reading through this book is not how much we know about the Solar System, but how much we don't know about it. The book includes a glossary of terms in the back as well as a bibliography, if you're serious about learning some real planetary science. My only real criticism of the book is that I wish it were physically bigger, so they could have made the pictures larger. That being said, the book fits nicely on a coffee table and makes for fun conversation when someone reads a chapter like "Stinkiest Place -- The Rotten Egg of Io". If you're the kind of person who tends to look at the stars and wonder what's going on up there, this book is for you.
5 people found this helpful
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Frank Lewandowski
5.0 out of 5 stars No Two Planets, No Two Moons Are Alike
Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2013
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Our solar system is vast, complex and surprising. This book is a great way to learn about it.

The volume includes a number of photos and illustrations. Readers learn of the sometimes planet-wide dust storms on Mars, a world containing a mountain that dwarfs Everest. They explore the icy rings of Saturn, the numerous moons of the outer planets, the enormous thermonuclear furnace that is our sun, the mystery of comets and asteroids, the environment at the distance edges of our solar system.

Some of the chapters deal with earth and help us understand the uniqueness of our planet, where countless forms of life not only exist but thrive.

The chapters are short and sometimes it feels like the authors have just gotten started when that section suddenly ends and it's off to a different topic. It would have been good to explore some of these subjects in more detail. On occasion the writing has too much of a gee-whiz tone but otherwise the authors do a great job of communicating the wonders of planetary science at a layman's level.

The book left me with the feeling that each planet, each moon is unique and each continually offers something new to discover.
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computer guy
5.0 out of 5 stars A must have for those interested in space !
Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2010
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The photographs in this book are outstanding ! The topics presented are fascinating. This book provides an excellent overview of how vastly different the planets and other objects in our solar system are. I especially like the fact that each topic is only about 5 pages including illustrations. So there is enough explanation on each topic to provide an understanding, but not so much scientific jargon so the "layman" would get lost. (My six year old enjoys the book as well) The book is slightly smaller in size (not pages) than I would have liked since the photographs are so interesting. It would be great to have this available in an oversized book.

I strongly recommend this book. It is an excellent value for the money !
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carrie33
5.0 out of 5 stars Great for classrooms too
Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2010
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I am a middle school science teacher, and my students love this book as much as I do. They love hearing about these extreme places and are always in awe. It gets them (and me) excited to learn about our solar system. The authors include amazing pictures and the book is very engaging. The companion website is also fun to explore and you can vote for which place you think is the most extreme. I think this is a fun book for anyone, but it would be a great asset to teachers who teach about space at any level.
One person found this helpful
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Woody
3.0 out of 5 stars Woody
Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2011
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I'm sorry, but I was disappointed in this book. If you keep up with science, especially planetary science, at all, there's really not much in here that you don't already know. I'm really surprised that so far, I'm the only disenter here.

I gave it three stars because it's well written, despite, or considering, the brevity. It's a great throne volume; nice little 4-5 page episodes to get you through the needed time. Most of the pictures are a little small for my taste. It's no coffee table book.
One person found this helpful
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L.
5.0 out of 5 stars Deep Yet Accessible
Reviewed in the United States on November 28, 2010
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Great book for both those just getting into astronomy and planetary science as well as those who are long time enthusiasts like myself. There are a lot of great pictures and diagrams that add depth and help the reader really get an understanding of the phenomena being described. The text is well-written, informative and often witty or just plain funny. While this can be easily digested by youngsters, there is enough scientific depth in each section to teach you something that you certainly didn't know. Personal favorite "extremes" were extreme impact craters, Jupiter's magnetosphere and Frankenmoon.
3 people found this helpful
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bob
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2011
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Beautifully written and superbly illustrated. Dull, scientific subjects could easily turn off non science enthusiasts. On the contrary, anyone who ever wondered about the wonders of the universe but were too sleepy to hear the explanation will discover an entirely new world of interest and enthusiasm for learning about the extremes in our universe. Great for all ages and interests. Written with class, knowledge and humor.

Bob Johnson
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Top reviews from other countries

AstroChick
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful book... Well worth it
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 8, 2011
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No one's reviewed this so i thought i'd be the first incase someone wants to know what it's like and if it's worth the money.

It's quite a small book in size, but quite thick. It is hardcover (i prefer books that are hardcover, because they look better and are easier to hold)Also the book is well made, and the pages feel decent (i have found with some books, they are cheaply put together)

The first thing i noticed when i opened it was the pictures, they are awesome pictures. They really do look stunning. There are nine parts to this book: They range from extreme weather on the different planets/moons to life and how it came about.

The information in this book is good, and is accompanied by some tables (easy to understand) and pictures. In one bit they show a scar that's on the Mars surface, and impose the scar onto Earth to show how big it is (stretches right across America) stuff like that just makes you think wow.

I really do recommend this book, it's well worth the price and more. :)
2 people found this helpful
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