Finding Our Place In The Solar System

Details the science behind the Copernican Revolution, the transition from the Earth-centered cosmos to a modern understanding of planetary orbits.

How a team of researchers, led by the author, discovered our home galaxy's location in the universe. You are here: on Earth, which is part of the solar system, which is in the Milky Way galaxy, which itself is within the extragalactic supercluster Laniakea. And how can we pinpoint our location so precisely? For twenty years, astrophysicist Hélène Courtois surfed the cosmos with international teams of researchers, working to map our local universe. In this book, Courtois describes this quest and the discovery of our home supercluster. Courtois explains that Laniakea (which means “immense heaven” in Hawaiian) is the largest galaxy structure known to which we belong; it is huge, almost too large to comprehend—about five hundred million light-years in diameter. It contains about 100,000 large galaxies like our own, and a million smaller ones. Writing accessibly for nonspecialists, Courtois describes the visualization and analysis that allowed her team to map such large structures of the universe. She highlights the work of individual researchers, including portraits of several exceptional women astrophysicists—presenting another side of astronomy. Key ideas are highlighted in text insets; illustrations accompany the main text. The French edition of this book was named the Best Astronomy Book of 2017 by the astronomy magazine Ciel et espace. For this MIT Press English-language edition, Courtois has added descriptions of discoveries made after Laniakea: the cosmic velocity web and the Dipole and Cold Spot repellers. An engaging account of one of the most important discoveries in astrophysics in recent years, her story is a tribute to teamwork and international collaboration.

With Science Comics, you can explore the depths of the ocean, the farthest reaches of space, and everything in between! These gorgeously illustrated graphic novels offer wildly entertaining views of their subjects. In this volume, get up close and personal with Earth's nearest neighbors—Venus with its acid rainstorms, Saturn and its rings of ice, and the heart of it all, the Sun. Humans have always been fascinated by outer space and we’re learning more about our solar system every day. Did you know that our Solar System was born from a cloud of cosmic dust? That Jupiter’s red spot is really a raging storm? Join Sara, Jill, and their space-faring pets on a quest to learn more about the wonders of our Solar System—and beyond!

Readers will want to grab a telescope and explore the night skies after finishing this overview of our solar system. Our solar system consists of eight planets, as well as numerous moons, comets, asteroids, and meteoroids. For thousands of years, humans believed that Earth was at the center of the Universe, but all of that changed in the 17th century. Astronomers like Nicolaus Copernicus, Galileo Galilei, Johannes Kepler, and Isaac Newton proposed the unthinkable theory that Earth and the other planets actually revolved around the Sun. This engaging book chronicles the beginning of the modern age of astronomy, then follows later discoveries, including NASA's current missions in space.

The Scientific Revolution began with the publication of Copernicus’ heliocentric theory describing the Sun as the center of our solar system and all the known Universe. That revolutionary idea began a rethinking of our place in the Universe and no longer were the affairs of humanity considered as the centerpiece of all that was known. In the past century, with the advent of the theories of Special and General Relativity, the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum theory, and a more sophisticated conception of living system dynamics, there has been a new understanding of the central role of the observer or experiencer in the determination of natural phenomena and the actualization of reality. Modern advancements in information theory, semiotics, and consciousness studies have also led to a better comprehension of the relationship between 1st person and 3rd person perspectives and the limits of the Scientific Method. Science and religion have always had the common goal of trying to further our understanding of the world and its meaning for us. This book explores a possible return of science to a role as natural philosophy and a pathway to better understanding our place in the Universe.

Where am I in the solar system? A beloved bestseller, now refreshed with new art from Christine Gore, that will help children discover their place in the Milky Way. Where is the earth? Where is the sun? Where are the stars? Now with new art by Christine Gore, here is an out-of-this world introduction to the universe for children. With Earth as a starting point, a young astronaut leads readers on a tour past each planet and on to the stars, answering simple questions about our solar system. In clear language, drawings, and diagrams, space unfolds before a child's eyes. Colorful illustrations, filled with fun detail, give children a lot to look for on every page, and a glossary helps reinforce new words and concepts. A terrific teaching tool, Me and My Place in Space is an easy and enjoyable way to introduce the concept of space to budding astronomers.

In Our Place in Space, students will learn about Earth's role and place in the universe including topics like origin theories of the planets, measuring light years, composition of the atmosphere, and much more. Readers will love discovering new information in this chapter book while also reinforcing learned skills with comprehension and extension activities. The Let’s Explore Science series allows readers to dive into the world of fascinating science-related topics while strengthening reading comprehension skills. Each 48-page title features full-color photographs, real-world applications, content vocabulary, and more to effectively engage young learners.

Do you wonder if humans are the only beings who wonder if they are alone in the universe? Our sun is a star. In the night sky are all kinds of stars, and orbiting those stars are planets like the ones in our own solar system. Could those planets have life like we do on Earth? Planet Earth is not too big, not too small, not too hot, and not too cold. It’s just right. Our very own Goldilocks planet . . . . Follow a young girl as she explores these questions in this gorgeous book about the wondrous search for another Goldilocks planet.