The scale of things means how one thing compares in size to another. In this book, appealing illustrations help kids understand scale by comparing objects in the solar system by looking at their diameters and distance from the Sun.

The solar system unfolds before your eyes in this cheeky, myth-busting book (grounded in real math)! Quick: Picture the solar system. Do you see nine planets on tidy rings around the Sun? Then you have been lied to! It’s not without reason: We have to draw the solar system that way to fit it on a place mat, or a lunch box, or into an ordinary book. But that familiar diagram is wrong about almost everything—and so this is no ordinary book. Seven double-gatefold pages open out not once but twice, capturing our planetary neighbors at scale. At a 100,000,000,000-to-1 scale, the Sun is about the size of a dime. And five feet away from the Sun, we find . . . Earth, the size of a pinhead. A hundred-billion-to-one scale is not nearly small enough to fit our solar system into a book (or onto a soccer field)! How small do we need to go? Unfold the next three spreads to find out . . .

What is the sun made of? What causes night and day? Why does the moon change shape? Colorful collage illustrations and an easy-to-understand text bring planets, stars, comets, and the wondrous things out there in space right down to earth in a simple introduction to the solar system for young armchair astronauts.

Ongoing advances in Solar System exploration continue to reveal its splendour and diversity in remarkable detail. This undergraduate-level textbook presents fascinating descriptions and colour images of the bodies in the Solar System, the processes that occur upon and within them, and their origins and evolution. It highlights important concepts and techniques in boxed summaries, while questions and exercises are embedded at appropriate points throughout the text, with full solutions provided. Written and edited by a team of practising planetary scientists, this third edition has been updated to reflect our current knowledge. It is ideal for introductory courses on the subject, and is suitable for self-study. The text is supported by online resources, hosted at www.cambridge.org/solarsystem3, which include selected figures from the book, self-assessment questions and sample tutor assignments, with outlines of suggested answers.

Contains 250 questions and answers about astronomy, particular for the amateur astronomer.

The Definitive Guide to Large-Scale, Grid-Connected Solar Power System Design and Construction This GreenSource book provides comprehensive engineering design and construction guidelines for large-scale solar power system projects. Proven design methodologies are detailed installation diagrams are included in this practical resource. Large-Scale Solar Power System Design offers complete coverage of solar power system technologies and components, planning, cost estimates, financing, project management, safety, and testing. This authoritative guide fully addresses the complex technical and management issues associated with large-scale, grid-connected solar power system implementations. COVERAGE INCLUDES: Solar power system technologies, including photovoltaic and thin-film solar cells Solar power system physics Photovoltaic power system feasibility study Solar power system costing Solar power system design Large-scale solar power system construction Concentrator photovoltaic systems Solar power system project management Smart-grid systems Solar thermal power Solar power financing and feed-in tariff programs

Blast off on an exploration of outer space with this colorful solar system book for kids 3-5 Get little astronomers excited about the cosmos—from the bright and burning sun, to our own blue Earth, stormy Neptune, and every planet in between. With this incredible exploration of planets for preschool and kindergarten kids, curious learners will discover the ultimate solar system book, featuring amazing pictures and fascinating facts about what makes each planet so special, including its size, distance from the sun, what the surface is like, how many moons it has, and more! Go beyond other planet books for kids with: BIG, BEAUTIFUL IMAGES: Vibrant photos and illustrations will take kids deep into space—no telescope required. ASTRONOMY FOR KIDS: Learn all about the eight planets in our solar system, plus dwarf planets Ceres, Pluto, Eris, Haumea, and Makemake. FUN SPACE FACTS: Did you know the bubbles in soda are the same gas that's on Venus? Out of this world facts will make this toddler space book a hit! Show kids the amazing universe that surrounds them with My First Book of Planets.

The exploration of our solar system by spacecraft has been one of the greatest scientific achievements of the twentieth century. The mapping of other worlds has resulted from numerous space missions by NASA, extending over many years. The data from these planetary missions have been synthesised by the US Geological Survey to produce detailed maps. Every planet, moon, or small body investigated in NASA missions is discussed and where appropriate mapped. Geological maps, reference maps, shaded relief maps, synthetic aperture radar mosaics and colour photomosaics marvellously present the features of planets and their satellites. This is truly a 'road map' of our solar system. All maps are fully indexed. The gazetteer lists the names of all features officially approved by the International Astronomical Union. The Compact NASA Atlas of the Solar System is the definitive reference atlas for planetary science.

Activities covered include: The scale of the solar system: How big are the planets? How far apart are the planets? The shape of planetary orbits Retrograde motion: The planets move backwards? Phases of the moon ...plus 13 more intriguing activities See other Hands-On Science Series titles (13-Book set)