Forget about rockets to Mars - the future of space science lies with the search for exoplanetsTwenty years ago,the search for planets outside the Solar System was the preserve of science-fiction writers. Now it's one of the fastest-growing fields in astronomy,with thousands of exoplanets discovered to date,and the number rising fast.These new-found worlds are more alien than anything in fiction. Planets larger than Jupiter with years lasting a week; others with two suns lighting their skies,or with no sun at all. Planets with diamond mantles supporting oceans of tar; possible Earth-sized worlds with split hemispheres of perpetual day and night; waterworlds drowning under global oceans and volcanic lava planets awash with seas of magma. The discovery of this diversity is just the beginning. There is a whole galaxy of possibilities.The Planet Factory tells the story of these exoplanets. What can we learn about these faraway surface environments and planetary atmospheres And do the results hint at the tantalising possibility of alien life
MEDIA REVIEWS
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLCISBN: 9781472917744Number of pages: 352Weight: 244 gDimensions: 198 x 129 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
A precious compendium on what we can say about the formation of planets,and how much our knowledge has progressed in recent years.Packed with interesting insights and scientific content that capably captures the current state of exoplanet research.If you've always been intrigued by extrasolar planets - or even if you haven't! - you'll want to move this book to the top of your reading list.Engaging and informative...a great introduction to a relatively new and fast-changing aspect of scientific endeavour.Brilliantly written...Tasker highlights how difficult the hunt for planets is. I highly recommend this book.This splendidly readable and authoritative book succeeds at the near-impossible task of explaining all you need to know about the revolutionary and fast-moving scientific field that's seeking out these new worlds and what may be lurking on them.Elizabeth Tasker is the perfect guide in this astronomical adventure story; she brings the world's leading planet hunters vividly to life and demystifies the crucial technical details of the research with impressive clarity and a light,engaging touch.In a lively science narrative spiced with a sly humour,Elizabeth Tasker makes learning about the planets of our Solar System and beyond into a rich and rewarding pleasure.Elizabeth Tasker's book is a surprisingly complete description of the current state of astronomy of extrasolar planets,presented in a way that is extremely entertaining and accessible. I highly recommend it to everyone who would like to get acquainted with this still-new,fascinating field of science.
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