"The solar system, space rocks, and beyond introduces kids to prehistoric Earth, its relation to other planets, and to the solar system as a whole through ten hands-on labs. The interactive activities educate children on fossil hunting, Earth's lifespan, and the mysteries of geysers and concretions"--Back cover

The solar system is made up of planets, moons, asteroids, comets, meteoroids, and more. Young readers will learn about the bodies that make up the solar system and how they interact with each other.

"More than forty chapters detail our current astronomical, compositional, geological, and geophysical knowledge of asteroids, as well as their unique physical processes and interrelationships with comets and meteorites"--Provided by publisher.

Tracing the evolution of humankind's pursuit of astronomical knowledge, this resource looks deep into the furthest reaches of space. Children will follow along as the realization that the Earth is not at the center of the universe leads all the way up to recent telescopic proof of planets orbiting stars outside the solar system. In addition to its engaging history, this book contains 21 hands-on projects to further explore the subjects discussed. Readers will build a three-dimensional representation of the constellation Orion, see how the universe expands using an inflating balloon, and construct a reflecting telescope out of a makeup mirror and a magnifying glass. It also includes small biographies of famous astronomers, a time line of major scientific discoveries, a glossary of technical terms, and dozens of full-color images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope and the Chandra X-Ray Observatory.

Earth is one of eight planets in our Solar System, that circle around the Sun. Our Solar System is just one tiny part of The Milky Way. The Milky Way is the galaxy we live in. There are hundreds of billions of galaxies in the universe.

The United States spends approximately $4 million each year searching for near-Earth objects (NEOs). The objective is to detect those that may collide with Earth. The majority of this funding supports the operation of several observatories that scan the sky searching for NEOs. This, however, is insufficient in detecting the majority of NEOs that may present a tangible threat to humanity. A significantly smaller amount of funding supports ways to protect the Earth from such a potential collision or "mitigation." In 2005, a Congressional mandate called for NASA to detect 90 percent of NEOs with diameters of 140 meters of greater by 2020. Defending Planet Earth: Near-Earth Object Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies identifies the need for detection of objects as small as 30 to 50 meters as these can be highly destructive. The book explores four main types of mitigation including civil defense, "slow push" or "pull" methods, kinetic impactors and nuclear explosions. It also asserts that responding effectively to hazards posed by NEOs requires national and international cooperation. Defending Planet Earth: Near-Earth Object Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies is a useful guide for scientists, astronomers, policy makers and engineers.

Journey far beyond our solar system and explore the marvels of interstellar space. A wonder-filled poem and spectacular illustrations bring readers across the observable universe to encounter dwarf planets, black holes, brand-new stars, and other incredible phenomena. Award-winning author Miranda Paul and illustrator Sija Hong present a fresh and fascinating journey to the outer reaches of outer space.

From September 2007 to June 2008 the Space Studies Board conducted an international public seminar series, with each monthly talk highlighting a different topic in space and Earth science. The principal lectures from the series are compiled in Forging the Future of Space Science. The topics of these events covered the full spectrum of space and Earth science research, from global climate change, to the cosmic origins of life, to the exploration of the Moon and Mars, to the scientific research required to support human spaceflight. The prevailing messages throughout the seminar series as demonstrated by the lectures in this book are how much we have accomplished over the past 50 years, how profound are our discoveries, how much contributions from the space program affect our daily lives, and yet how much remains to be done. The age of discovery in space and Earth science is just beginning. Opportunities abound that will forever alter our destiny.

Describes the weather conditions space travelers might expect throughout the solar system, including on the Sun, on each of the planets, on Saturn's moon Titan, and on the dwarf planet Pluto.

"A well-illustrated overview of the science and (literal) impact of these space rocks." -- Science News, on the first edition Leading experts in the field provide a compelling introduction to the space rocks that enter Earth's atmosphere at speeds ranging from 25,000 mph to 160,000 mph. Scientists estimate that about 48.5 tons of meteoritic material falls on the Earth each day. These messengers from space give us a unique insight into the nature of the material that was present when our solar system formed. Many of the specimen meteorites in this second edition were re-photographed to improve quality, and the optical microscopy shots were updated. There is also much new information on discoveries and developments in the study of meteorites, including: Meteorite falls and craters, and new information on ones previously covered Use of weather radar to detect and analyze meteorites, such as the 28,000 mph January 18, 2018, Michigan "fireball" How astrophysicists determine if a meteorite comes from Mars, and information about the Martian meteorites found to date Updated information on the results of the European Space Agency's Rosetta Mission in which a controlled impact was successfully completed into Comet 67P after investigating it with a probe for more than two years. Co-author Sara Russell, who is part of NASA's Mars program, provides the latest news about NASA's Mars programs, including the Mars Rover, which landed in 2016.