The Cambridge Planetary Handbook

If you need a quick look up reference for statistical information on the major bodies of the solar system then this is a really fine book.

I found this book while researching in the library one day for astronimical events. I opened it and became intrigued immediately. The information contained within it kept me fascinated for hours and still does. I refer to it anytime I wish to know anything about the planets, eclipses, statistics concerning the planets etc. Each planet is addressed separately giving a history of the founder, how it was located. The beginning of each section pertaining to a planet includes items such as: Physical Data: Size, Mass, Escape Velocity, Temperature Range, Oblateness, Surface Gravity, Volume, Magnetic Field Strength and orientation, Albedo, Density, Solar Irradiance, Atmosphere Pressure, Composition of Atmosphere, Maximum Wind Speeds, Cloud Features, Surface Features, Orbital Data, Observational Data, Early Ideas (a good history of how people interpreted information in earlier periods of time when technology was not as advanced as now), Important Concepts, Transits, Interesting Facts, Observing Data which includes Conjunction dates, elongation dates, Close conjunctions, Eclipses if applicable, Historical timelines. The above information is provided for each planet, which makes this invaluable source book. In the beginning of the book there are comparison charts showing how each planet compares in Albedo, Angular Size, Atmospheric Composition, Atmospheric Pressure, Brightness & size of the Sun from each planet, Brillancy at Opposition, Cloud Features, Constellations Visited by the Moon and Planets, Density, Distances from Earth, Distances from Sun, Eccentricity, Escape Velocity, Future Dates of Conjunction (up to 2010), Future dates of Opposition (up to 2010), Future Significant Alignments, Future Transits (up to 2255), Inclination of Orbit, Magnetic Field strength and orientation, Mass, Named features on the planets and the Moon, Names of the planets, Sun and Moon around the world (includes: Arabic, Danish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Russian, Spanish, Swedish), Oblateness, Orbital period, Orbital Velocity, Rotational Period, Rotational Velocity (equatorial), Size, Solar Irradiance, Speed of Light Travel Times, Surface Gravity, Synodic Period, Temperature Range, Tilt of Axis, Volume, Winds Speeds, Satellites (which includes all the subject headings here for each satellite) This is a wonderful book, packed with information that will fascinate and amaze at the same time teaching you about the universe. Science was not one of my favorite subjects but now as an adult I truly have begun to love it thanks to this one book. I also consult this book whenever I wish to validate any astrological information that I might be working with or on. Truly and indispensible book.