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ablation 38
absorption lines 60, 67, 69–70, 242, 243
accretion disc 129, 199, 203, 209
Adams, John Couch 197
Adrastea 144, 151
Airglow (Jupiter) 161
Aldebaran 164–5
Aldrin, Edwin ‘Buzz’ 2, 22, 51
ALH84001 meteorite 113
Alien (film) 134
Alkyonides 173
Amalthea 144, 145, 153
annular eclipse 45
anticyclones (Jupiter) 157–9
Apollo missions 47, 49, 54, 80, 168
(8) 172
(11) 2, 22–3, 40
Archytas 6
Ariel 202, 203
Armstrong, Neil 2, 22, 51, 52
asteroid belt 20, 109, 126–39, 185
categories of asteroids 131–2
discovery of cometary nuclei in outer reaches of (2006) 130–1
formation 128–9
influence of Jupiter on 129–30
influence of Sun on 130–1
travelling through the 138–9
asteroids
carbonaceous (C-type) 131, 133–4
categories of within asteroid belt 131–2
and differentiation 131–2
discovery of first 128
M-type 131, 134
mass 135–6
mining for minerals possibility 132–5
S-type 131, 134
see also Ceres; Pallas; Vesta
astronauts
death of during space flight 8
atoms 23–4, 37
auroral displays 72
Earth 37–8
Jupiter 161
Saturn 189
back scattering 152
barred spiral galaxies 77, 78
barycentre 44, 225, 242
black holes, supermassive 77
Bode, Johann 127
Bode’s Law 127, 128
bond albedo 200–1
bone and muscle density
reduction in caused by weightlessness 26–8
Brahe, Tycho 13, 49
brown dwarf stars 193–4
Callisto 144, 145, 148, 149–50
Caloris Basin (Mercury) 91, 92, 97
Calypso 173
Canopus 86
carbon 100–1
carbon heat shield 79
Cassini Division (Saturn) 184, 186
Cassini, Giovanni 175
Cassini mission/probe 17, 177, 178, 179, 185, 186
Ceres (asteroid) 25, 128, 135–6
Challenger space shuttle 8
Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft 49
Chang-Diaz, Franklin 23
Charon 222, 225, 226
Chinese 6–7
chromosphere 67–9
Classical Kuiper Belt 230–1
co-orbitals 172
Collins, Mike 2, 22
Columbia shuttle 8
comets 236–8
67P/Churyumov/Gerasimenko 133
bringing life to Earth hypothesis 237–8
coma 237
Hale-Bopp 238
ISON 81
nuclei 130–1, 132, 237
origins 236, 238
Shoemaker-Levy 9 143–4
short-period and long-period 236–7
sun-grazing 81
tail of 237
Copernicus, Nicolaus 5, 13
Cordelia 202
Coriolis effect 29–30, 121
coronal loops 70–1
coronal mass ejections 72
craters
Earth 49
Hyperion 174
Mars 116, 118, 124
Mercury 90, 97–8
Moon 42, 48, 49–51, 54
Venus 105
cryovolcanoes 181, 216
cyclones (Jupiter) 157–9
Cyclone Olivia (1996) 159
Dawn mission 25
Deimos 113–14, 115–16
Delambre, Jean Baptiste 142
Despina 218
differential rotation 63, 65
differentiation 125
and asteroids 131–2
Dione 173
Doppler effect 242–3
double diffuse convection 204
E-Coronal emission 69
Earth
atmosphere 36, 53
average distance from the Sun 127, 208
axial tilt 36–7, 89, 120, 198, 208
core 94
cosmic ray strike risk 233
craters 49
crust 106
density 94
departure from 33–5
end to life on 76
equatorial bulge 35
internal structure 106
and Lagrangian points 174–5
magnetic field 164
orbiting around the 35–9
seeds of life brought by comets 237–8
view of from Space 35
Earth-out-of-view problem 31
Earthshine 99
eclipse
annular 45
lunar 44
partial 45
solar 44–5, 194, 200
ecliptic 89, 231
electrons 24, 37–8
ellipse 13–14
elliptical galaxies 78
elliptical orbits 13, 214, 224, 231, 239
emission lines 67
Enceladus 172, 185
Encke Gap (Saturn) 172, 184, 187
energy, conservation of 18
epicycles 12
Epimetheus 172–3
Epsilon Ring (Uranus) 200, 201, 203
Europa 144, 146, 147–8
European Space Agency 134–5
exoplanets 244
exosphere 88, 217
F-Corona 69
flight planning 11–32
maximizing slingshot manoeuvres 17–20
physiological issues 25–30
psychological issues 30–1
rocket propulsion 21–5
spacecraft and equipment 26–30
spending time in a human centrifuge 31
working out a flight path 20–1
fly-bys, planetary 17, 18, 20, 76
food
eating of during space journey 167–9
production 169
forward scattering 152
Fraunhofer, Joseph von 69
Gagarin, Yuri 8
Galatea 213, 218
Galileo 13, 142, 144, 184
Sidereus Nuncius 13
gamma ray bursters 76
Gamma Ring (Uranus) 201
Ganymede 144, 146, 148–9
gas giants 9–10, 17, 85, 129, 141, 154
see also Jupiter; Saturn
Geocentric Model 4–5, 12
Gliese 581 21, 219–20, 239–44
Gliese 581c 220, 240–1
Gliese 581e 241–2
Goddard, Robert 22
Grand Canyon (Arizona) 122
gravitational slingshot 17–19
gravity 15, 16–17, 26
simulating effects of 28–30
Gravity Recovery spacecraft 45–6
Great Dark Spot (Neptune) 209–10
Great Red Spot (GRS) (Jupiter) 157–60, 209
Great White Spots (Saturn) 190–1
Greeks, ancient 6
Hale-Bopp comet (‘Great Comet of 1197’) 238
Halimede 217
Helene 173
heliocentric model 5, 13
heliopause 21, 73
heliosheath 234
heliosphere 67, 72–3, 232–3, 234
helium flash 74
Hellas Basin (Mars) 117, 118
Hero 6
Herschel, Sir William 196, 200, 202, 222
Hertz, Heinrich 99
Hill Sphere 177
Hohmann Transfer orbit 133
Hohmann, Walter 133
Holst, Gustav 2
HOPE (Human Outer Planets Exploration) project 150
horoscopes 197
Hubble Space Telescope 200, 202, 209, 218, 225
Hülsmeyer, Christian 99
human centrifuge 31
Huygens, Christiaan 184
hydroponics 169
hydrostatic equilibrium 87, 136, 137
hydrothermal vents 148
Hygiea 128
Hyperion 174–5
Iapetus 175–7
ice giants 195 see also Neptune; Uranus
inertia, law of 15
Inner Oort Cloud 224–5
inner planets 84–5, 141
interferometry 244
Interior Laboratory spacecraft 45–6
International Astronomical Union (IAU) 86, 91
International Space Station (ISS) 8, 26–7, 34, 39, 41, 79
food on board 168
lighting levels 30
meteor impact event (2012) 39
protection from flying debris 138–9
and radiation 79–80
interstellar medium 232–5, 240
interstellar space 232, 235–6
Io 144, 145, 146–7
ionization 24
isolation 30–1
Janus 172–3
Jupiter 129, 141–65, 199, 230
atmosphere and composition 155–7, 160–2, 195
aurora activity and airglow 161
average distance from the Sun 127, 143
belts and zones 155–6
clouds 161–2
core 162
cyclones/anticyclones 157–9
gravity 143, 154
Great Red Spot (GRS) 157–60, 209
influence of on asteroid belt 129–30
as inner Solar System’s bodyguard 143
life on 162–3
magnetic field 163–4
moons/satellites orbiting 144–50 see also Callisto; Europa; Ganymede; Io
and Pioneer 10 mission 163–4
reasons for not being able to fly through 154–5
Red Spot Jr (Oval BA) 159
ring system 150–3
rotation 171
temperature 161
vortices 157
K-Corona 69–70
Kai-Keng, Battle of (1232) 6–7
Kaldi spacecraft 33–4, 39, 40
entertainment on board 170
hydroponics nursery 169
intimate relations on board 110–11
personal hygiene 83
protection of from heat and radiation of the Sun 58–9, 78–9
and Reality Suspension Unit (RSU) 32, 51, 96, 104, 220
rooms 40, 41
water recycling system on board 170
Keck telescope 201
Kelvin-Helmholtz mechanism 193–4
Kepler, Johannes 13–14
laws of planetary motion 13–14, 84
Kuiper Belt 20, 214, 218, 223, 229–31
Classical 230–1
cold population and hot population objects 231
impact of Neptune on 230–1
Kuiper Belt objects (KBOs) 229–31
Kuiper Cliff 223–4, 229, 230, 231–2
Kuiper, Gerard 202
Lagrangian points 173, 174–5, 219
Langrange, Joseph Louis 173
Laomedeia 217
Larissa 218
Lassell, William 202, 214
launch 33–5
Le Verrier, Urbain 197
Lippershey, Hans 5
liquid rocket systems 22–3, 25
Lowell, Percival 222
lunar eclipse 44
Lunar Prospector spacecraft 49
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) 47
Mab 202
Magellan 100, 104
magnetic fields, planetary 164
magnetic reconnection 71–2
magnitude 175
Mare Crisium (Moon) 51
Mariner 9 spacecraft 121
Mariner 10 mission 17, 85–6
Mars 20, 85, 109, 111–26
Mars
atmosphere 114–15, 116–17
axial tilt 120
core 125
craters 116, 118, 124
crust 125
diameter 114
distance from the Sun 111–12, 127
dust storms 117–18
establishing a human colony on 118–19, 125–6
geological activity 125
Hellas Basin 117, 118
incorrect identification of canals on 112–13
internal structure 125
iron oxide coating 116
life on 113
mantle 125
moons of 113–14, 115
Olympus Mons 122, 123–4
opposition of 112
pink sky 117
polar ice caps 121
popularity with astronomers 112
regolith 52
seasons 120, 126
surface 116–17
temperatures 117
Tharsis region 122–3
Valles Marineris 121–2, 125
volcanoes 122–4
water on 113, 120–1
wind speeds 117
Mars 500 mission 126
Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft 117
Mars Science Laboratory missions (2012) 124
Mauna Loa (Hawaii) 122
Maunder Minimum 66, 73
Mercury 83, 85–98
atmosphere 88–9, 90, 96
axial tilt 89
Caloris Basin 91, 92, 97
core 94–5
craters 90, 97–8
density 93–4
difficulties in landing on 95–6
distance from the Sun 127
estimating mass 93–4
heavy bombardment 90–1
ice 90
internal structure and zones 94–5
Mercury (cont.)
magnetic field 95
magnetosphere 95
Mariner 10 flight to 17, 85–6
naming of surface features 91–2
orbit around the Sun 84, 87–8
orbit of 95
plains 92
regolith 97
rupes 92–3
scarps and wrinkle ridges 93
shrinkage 93, 94
as smallest planet in the Solar System 87
surface 90
temperatures 89–90, 101
Messenger spacecraft 17, 89, 92–3
meteorites 39, 137
ALH84001 113
meteors 38–9
Metis 144, 151
Mid-Atlantic Ridge 148
millisievert 80
Mimas 173, 186
Mir 8
Miranda 202, 203
Mongols 6–7
Moon 41–55
atmosphere 52–3
as bases for exploration of outer planets 54
and captured (synchronous) rotation 43
craters 42, 48, 49–51, 54
Earthshine 99
escape velocity 54
far side of the 43, 47
formation 47, 94
highlands 48
internal structure 46–7
lack of atmosphere and ideal location for telescopes 52–3
lunar eclipses 44
Mare Crisium 51
Peaks of Eternal Light 54
plains (maria) 42, 47–8, 51, 92
regolith 51–2
rotational and orbital periods 43–4
Sea of Tranquillity 42
surface topography 47–8
and tides 43–4
Tycho Crater 49–50
walking on the 51–2
water evidence 48–9
Moon Landing mission (Apollo 11) 2, 40
Saturn V rocket 22–3
moonlets 172, 187–8
Moore, Sir Patrick 47
motion
Newton’s three laws of 15–16, 23, 86
Mu Ring (Uranus) 201, 202
Mylar 59
Naiad 218
NASA 25, 47, 134, 150, 235
Neptune 128, 207–19, 230
atmosphere and composition 195–6, 211–12
axial tilt 208
clouds 210, 211–12
core 212
discovery 196–7, 222
distance from Earth 207
Great Dark Spot 209–10
heat output 204, 210–11
impact of on Kuiper Belt 230–1
internal structure 212
mantle 212
moons orbiting 213–18 see also Triton
orbiting of Sun 208
origins 209
ring system 212–13, 218
seasonal changes 208, 211
similarities to Earth 208
similarities to Uranus 209, 211
temperatures 210
trojans 219
wind speeds 207, 209, 210
Nereid 217–18
Neso 217
net force 16
neutrons 24, 37
New Horizons mission 225
Newton, Isaac 14–15
and gravity 15
Principia 15
three laws of motion 15–16, 23, 86
Nice Model 209
north celestial pole 37
North Pole 36–7
Nu Ring (Uranus) 201
nuclear fusion 61, 129
Oberon 202, 203
occultations 200
oceans 148
Olympus Mons (Mars) 122, 123–4
Oort Cloud 21, 235, 238–9
dimensions 238
formation theories 238–9
Hills Cloud 236, 238, 239
influence of gravitational forces of the Galaxy on 239
Inner 224–5
regions 236
Ophelia 203
Opportunity rover 120
opposition 112
orbital resonances 129–30
Orion Arm 78
orographic uplift 123
outer planets see gas giants
Pallas 128, 136–7
Pan 187
Pandora 187–8
parabolic escape orbit 218
partial eclipse 45
Peaks of Eternal Light 54
personal hygiene
maintaining on board spacecraft 40, 83–4
Philae lander 134–5
Phobos 113–14, 115–16
Phoebe 176
photodissociation 48
photosphere 63–4
Piazzi, Giuseppe 127
Pioneer 10 163–4, 232
Pioneer 11 187, 232
Pioneer spacecraft 244
Planet X 222–3
planetary motion
Kepler’s laws of 13–14, 84
planetesimals 94
planets
criteria for classing 87
definition 86–7
distances between 207–8
inner and outer 84–5
movement of 12–14
origin of word 4
techniques used to discover around distant stars 242–3
tilt of 89
plasma 23, 24, 59, 65
Pluto 20, 86, 87, 223, 225–9, 230
atmosphere and composition 226, 227
demoted to minor status 87, 227
density 226
discovery 222
mass 222, 225
moon of see Charon
origins 229
seasonal changes 227
surface features and temperature 226, 228–9
Polaris 37
Polydeuces 173
Poynting-Robertson drag 152, 153
pregnancy
impact of weightlessness on 111
Prometheus 187
propulsion 21–5
Proteus 218
protons 24, 37
Proxima Centauri 236
Psamathe 217
Ptolemy 5, 12
Puck 202
Quaoar 87
radar technology 99–100
radial velocity method 242
radiation 79–80
radius vector 14
ray systems 50
Reality Suspension Unit (RSU) 32, 51, 96, 104, 220
Red Spot Jr (Oval BA) (Jupiter) 159
Rhea 177–8
rift valleys 122
Ring Nebula 75
ring systems
illumination of 152
Jupiter 150–3
Neptune 212–13, 218
Saturn see Saturn
Uranus 200–2, 203
Roche limit 81, 185
rocket propulsion 21–5
history 6–8
liquid rocket systems 22–3, 25
solid rocket systems 21–2, 25
and specific impulse 22
Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR) 23–5, 40
Rømer, Ole 142
Rosetta mission (2014) 133, 135
rupes 92
S/2004 N1 218
Salyut-1 8
Sao 217
SAO 158687 star 200
Saturn 1, 171–94, 199, 230
atmosphere and composition 189–90, 192–3, 195
auroral displays 189
Cassini mission to 17, 177, 178, 179, 185, 186
clouds 189–90, 191, 192–3
core 189, 193
density 171, 205
diameter 171
distance from the Sun 127, 171
energy output 193–4
Great White Spots 190–1
magnetic field 189
moons of 172–9, 187 see also Hyperion; Iapetus; Rhea; Titan
polar regions 189
ring system 130, 150, 172, 183–9, 194
B ring 188
Cassini Division 184, 186
composition 183, 185
dimensions 183–4
discovery of 184
Encke Gap 172, 184, 187
F ring 187
flying through 185–6
origins 185
spokes 188–9
structural features in 187–8
rotation 171
south pole hurricane 191–2
temperatures 192
wind speeds 191
Saturn V 7, 22
Schiaparelli, Giovanni 112
Schmidlap, Johann 7
Schwabe, Samuel 157
scintillation 53
Sea of Tranquillity (Moon) 42
Sedna 87, 224
sex in space 110–11
shepherd moons 151–2, 172, 186, 187, 203, 218
Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet 143–4
shooting star 38
shuttle boosters 21–2
silicates 47, 131
67P/Churyumov/Gerasimenko comet 133
SMART-1 mission 40
solar cycle 66, 70
solar eclipse 44–5, 194, 200
solar flare 71–2
solar radiation 57
Solar System
definition 4
edge of 232, 234
origins and formation 85, 94, 154
speed of around the Galaxy 77
solar wind 37, 72, 73, 233–4
solid rocket systems 21–2, 25
Soyuz I/II 8
space exploration 2–3
space suits 26, 34, 81
space tourism 9
spacecraft
food 169
intimate relations on board 110
multi-layering of the shell 139
personal hygiene and toilet facilities 40–1, 83–4
provision of artificial environment 26
psychological issues when on board 30–1
simulation of gravity hypothesis 28–30
weightlessness and impact of 26–8, 110
see also Kaldi spacecraft
spectroscopy 59–60, 61, 242
speed of light, discovery of 141–3
spiral galaxies 77, 78
sputtering 89
star tracker 86
stars 36
brightness of 243
first generation 60
second generation 60–1
third generation 61
step rocket 7
stratosphere 217
Strobel, Darrell 182
sublimation 136, 176, 217, 237
Sun 20, 57–82, 85, 233
absorption lines 60
atmosphere and composition 59, 60, 66–9
average distance between planets and 127
chromosphere 67–8
convective zone 63
core of and heat generated 62
corona 67, 69–72, 78
coronal mass ejections 72
danger of looking at 58–9
expansion 73, 74
fate 73–6, 182–3
formation 85, 129
granulation 64
heliosphere 67, 72–3
influence of on asteroid belt development 130–1
interior of 59–60
limb darkening 64
magnetic field 73, 233
nuclear fusion 61–2
orbiting of planets around 36
photosphere 63–4
position of within our Galaxy 78
problems when getting near to 57–8, 79–80
prominences and filaments 68
protecting spacecraft from heat and radiation 58, 78–81
Sun (cont.)
radiative zone 62–3
solar flare 71–2
solar wind 37, 72, 73, 233–4
spicules 68
temperature minimum region 67
temperatures 62, 63, 64, 67, 68, 70, 74, 78
as a third generation star 60, 61
transition region 67, 68–9, 70
white light of when viewed from space 35
zones 62–4
Sun-centred system (heliocentric) 5, 13
sun-grazing comets 81
sunspots 59, 64–6, 71
superconducting magnets 58, 80, 233
supercritical fluid 196
supermassive black holes 77
Swift, Jonathan
Gulliver’s Travels 113–14
syzygy 44
tardigrades 163
Taurus constellation 196
telescopes 112
invention of (1608) 5, 114
Telesto 173
termination shock 21, 233–4
terminator 42
Tethys 173
Thalassa 218
Thebe 144, 153
thermal Doppler broadening 70
thermonuclear pressure 73, 74, 75
thermosphere 160, 161, 211, 217
tides
and Moon 43–4
Titan 172, 178–83
atmosphere 178, 179
atmospheric and liquid methane 179, 180, 181, 182
Cassini mission 178, 179
life on 182
Ligeia Mare 179–80
similarity to primitive Earth 181–2
Sotra Patera 181
surface 180–1
surface temperature 179, 182
volcanic activity 181
Titan Centaur rocket 20
Titania 202, 203
Titius, Johann 126–7
Tombaugh, Clyde 222
Triton 213–17, 218, 229
atmosphere 216–17
discovery 213–14
geyser-like eruptions 216
origins 214
retrograde orbit 214
seasons 215
surface features and composition 215
temperatures 216–17
Trojan moons (Saturn) 173
tropopause 217
2005 TN53 (Neptune trojan) 219
2012 VP113 224–5
2Suit 110–11
Tycho crater (Moon) 49–50
UDFj-39546284 240
ultraviolet radiation 80
Umbriel 202, 203
Uranus 102, 195–207
atmosphere and composition 195–6, 205–6
average distance from the Sun 127, 198
axial tilt 198, 199
clouds 206–7
collar and cap regions 206
core 205
density 205
diameter 197, 204
discovery of 196–7, 222
Epsilon Ring 200, 201, 203
Gamma Ring 201
heat output 204
interior structure 204–5
mantle 205
moons orbiting around 199, 202–3
Mu Ring 201, 202
Nu Ring 201
orbit around the Sun 198
ring system 200–2, 203
rotation 199–200
seasons 198–9, 211
temperatures 204
wind speeds 207
Valles Marineris (Mars) 121–2, 125
Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR) 23–5, 40
Venera 4 lander 107
Venera probes 100, 103
Venus 83, 85–6, 88, 98–107, 196
ashen light 98–9
atmosphere 100–3, 104, 196
brightness 98
carbon dioxide 100, 102, 103
cloud coverage 98, 99, 103
core 107
craters 105
crust 105, 106
distance from Sun 127
and greenhouse effect 101
internal structure 106
landing of Venera probes on 103
magnetic field 107
mantle 106
mapping surface of by radar 99–100
Mariner 10 flight to 85–6
orbit around the Sun 84
rotation 102, 199
storms 105
sulphur dioxide clouds 102, 103
sulphuric acid rain 103, 104, 105
surface conditions 103–5
temperatures 89, 100, 101–2, 104
volcanic activity 104–5
wind speeds 102
Venus Express orbiter 102
Vesta (asteroid) 25, 128, 136
Viking landers 116, 117
volcanoes/volcanic activity
cryovolcanoes 181, 216
and Io 146
Mars 122–4
Moon 122–4
Titan 181
Venus 104–5
von Zach, Franz Xaver 127
Voyager missions 19–20
(1) 73, 232, 234
(2) 200, 202, 206, 209, 213, 234
Wan Hu 7
water
ways to detect on planets 241
weather, impact of Earth’s tilt on 36–7
weightlessness 26–7, 34, 40
impact of on bone and muscle density 26–8
impact of on fertilization and pregnancy 111