Most Popular Books by Jacqueline Mitton

Identifies the groups of stars known as constellations and discusses their origin, uses, and observation.

National Geographic’s stunning rendition of the constellations’ glittering lightshow is now available in paperback. Take an illuminating ride through the starry night sky, and learn how the heavens pay tribute to the gods of Greek and Roman mythology. Once Upon a Starry Night explains the ten ancient figures whose legends are written large across the universe. Every page shines with Christina Balit’s vibrant art, studded with shiny stars, and provides the perfect backdrop to Jacqueline Mitton’s poetic text.

This lavishly illustrated new dictionary written by an experienced writer and consultant on astronomy provides an essential guide to the universe for amateur astronomers of all ages. Around 1300 carefully selected and cross-referenced entries are complemented by hundreds of beautiful colour illustrations, taken from space missions, the Hubble Space Telescope, and other major observatories on Earth and in space. Distinguished stellar illustrator Wil Tirion has drawn 20 new star maps especially for inclusion here. A myriad of named astronomical objects, constellations, observatories and space missions are described in detail, as well as biographical sketches for 70 of the most luminous individuals in the history of astronomy and space science. Acronyms and specialist terms are clearly explained, making for the most thorough and carefully assembled reference resource that teachers and enthusiasts of astronomy will ever need.

Held up by the heliopause? Floored by the flatness problem? Intimidated by MACHOs? With the Cambridge Astronomy Dictionary you''ll no longer be defeated by such astronomical jargon! These and 3,200 additional words, names, and abbreviations used in amateur and professional astronomy, are clearly and concisely defined. Entries include information from modern and classical astronomy, including: A comprehensive selection of specialist terms All the constellations, planets, and moons of the solar system Comets, stars, asteroids, nebulae, and galaxies Telescopes, observatories, spacecraft, and space missions Published internationally as The Penguin Dictionary of Astronomy, it is considered the classic reference work in its field. This edition has been completely revised and includes many new entries. Anyone involved with astronomy, either professionally or as a hobby, will find the Cambridge Astronomy Dictionary a handy and invaluable reference. Jacqueline Mitton''s interest in astronomy began when she was a child and she had her first telescope as a teenager. She graduated from the University of Oxford with a degree in physics, then obtained her PhD in astronomy at the University of Cambridge. In 1989 she became the Press Officer of the Royal Astronomical Society. She is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, a member of the International Astronomical Union, and a Member of the Division of Planetary Sciences of the American Astronomical Society. She is the author or co-author of 16 astronomy books and writes for both children and adults.

A scientific and mythological tour of the solar system.

A revealing account of the second largest moon in our solar system.

Rave reviews for Pluto and Charon: Ice Worlds on the Ragged Edge of the Solar System The story of the quest to understand Pluto and the resulting transformation of our concept of the diminutive planet from that of solar-system misfit to king of the Kuiper Belt is told in this book by Alan Stern and Jacqueline Mitton. Stern, a Plutophile to the core, is one of the most energetic, talented, and savvy planetary astronomers in the business today. Mitton, trained as an astronomer, is an experienced writer and editor of scientific books for nonscientists. Together they have created an immensely informative book . . . Written in an engaging and informal style, Pluto and Charon takes the reader step by step from the discovery of the ninth planet in 1930 to the current understanding of Pluto and its moon, Charon.-Sky & Telescope More than a book summarizing what we know about [the] planet, [Pluto and Charon is] about how far and how fast astronomical technology has come since 1965 . . . Stern and Mitton use the narrative of Pluto research to explain in comfortable, everyday language how such work is done . . . One of the nice touches in the book is that Stern and Mitton tell us something about each astronomer.-Astronomy Pluto and Charon presents the exploration of the ninth planet-written as a vivid historical account-for anyone with an interest in science and astronomy . . . the authors describe in simple language the methods researchers use to explore the universe and the way ever-improving instrumentation helps their knowledge advance.-Physics Today

Popular astronomy & space.

The second edition of this classic reference work has been revised and updated to contain all the recent advances in this fast-developing field of study. Cutting through a maze of technical language, it provides: over 2,800 clear and concise entries with full cross-referencing; coverage of modern and classical astronomy; names of constellations, stars, galaxies, asteroids, comets, and nebulae; terms relating to astrophysics and cosmology; entries on telescopes and observatories; and explanation of abbreviations and acronyms; and information on space missions. Comprehensive and accessible, The Penguin Dictionary of Astronomy is the work of its kind for students and professionals.

Featuring "Fact Files" on each planet, plus highlights of important discoveries, the authors set out the aims and methods of astronomy, such as how astronomers map the universe. 145 illustrations, 138 in color.

The remarkable story of how our solar system came to be The birth and evolution of our solar system is a tantalizing mystery that may one day provide answers to the question of human origins. From Dust to Life tells the remarkable story of how the celestial objects that make up the solar system arose from common beginnings billions of years ago, and how scientists and philosophers have sought to unravel this mystery down through the centuries, piecing together the clues that enabled them to deduce the solar system''s layout, its age, and the most likely way it formed. Drawing on the history of astronomy and the latest findings in astrophysics and the planetary sciences, John Chambers and Jacqueline Mitton offer the most up-to-date and authoritative treatment of the subject available. They examine how the evolving universe set the stage for the appearance of our Sun, and how the nebulous cloud of gas and dust that accompanied the young Sun eventually became the planets, comets, moons, and asteroids that exist today. They explore how each of the planets acquired its unique characteristics, why some are rocky and others gaseous, and why one planet in particular—our Earth—provided an almost perfect haven for the emergence of life. From Dust to Life is a must-read for anyone who desires to know more about how the solar system came to be. This enticing book takes readers to the very frontiers of modern research, engaging with the latest controversies and debates. It reveals how ongoing discoveries of far-distant extrasolar planets and planetary systems are transforming our understanding of our own solar system''s astonishing history and its possible fate.

Tours the solar system, weaving together mythology and astronomy.

Explores the possibility of life on other planets, covering such topics as our exploration of space, reports of UFO sightings and alien abductions, and famous extraterrestrials from movies and television.