Solar System

Titled Solar Between Fire and Ice, this book surveys the Solar System by combining the latest astronomical findings with the history of how they were reached. It goes beyond the usual focus on major and minor bodies. The authors look past our own system to planets orbiting other stars, and they consider where space exploration and space tourism may be heading. Throughout, they cover what scientists know about planets, asteroids and comets, along with the methods and discoveries that produced that knowledge.

The book places its subject in a historical context. The Viking and Voyager missions of the 1980s and 1990s drew strong public attention and led to rewritten textbooks, followed by a quieter period of data analysis. A newer phase, marked by international cooperation and the free sharing of mission data, has revived that interest. The authors aim to present an integrated view of the Solar System and to address the questions that discoveries of extrasolar planets raise about our own.

The three authors bring different backgrounds to the subject. Thomas Hockey is a professor of astronomy who specializes in planetary science and the history of science. Jennifer Bartlett is an astronomer who studies the dynamical motion of asteroids and has taught in liberal arts settings. Daniel Boice is an active research astronomer focused on comets and has substantial teaching experience.

The prose is accessible and explains the essential physical concepts clearly. The book is richly illustrated and built on careful research. Detailed appendices supply technical data and online resources for further study. It is intended for general readers, students, teachers, amateur astronomers and anyone curious about space, and it aims to leave readers with up-to-date knowledge.