返回Google圖書搜尋

Introduction to Asteroids

其他書名	The Next Frontier
出版	Willmann-Bell, 1987
主題	Nature / Sky Observation
ISBN	09433961669780943396163
URL	http://books.google.com.hk/books?id=z3PvAAAAMAAJ&hl=&source=gbs_api

註釋"Most amateur astronomers have never seen one; most professional astronomers hope they never have to see one. But these small objects, variously known as planetoids, minor planets or asteroids, are increasingly being viewed as key to our understanding of the origin of the solar system. Even more surprising, they have had an impact (quite literally) on the study of evolution, paleontology, geology, the future planning of space colonies and space manufacturing, the length of the astronomical unit, the mass of the planets and questions in general relativity - even the nature of time itself. This book was written to present the latest scientific findings on these varied topics, and at the time fill a void in the literature. The landmark opus Asteroids, edited by Tom Gehrels, was published in 1979. While it will remain a useful volume for many years, its technical nature puts it beyond the level of all but graduate students and professional asteroid researchers. It is clearly impossible for any one person to improve upon what nearly 70 scientists collaborated on to produce in Asteroids. In writing this book, Cunningham updates our fast-moving understanding of the asteroids, especially covering topics that were not considered in Asteroids. And at the same time presents this wealth of technical data at a level accessible to the advanced amateur and undergraduate, although this synthesis should also be useful to those who study asteroids at the professional level" --