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Jupiter is the grandest of all planets. It is by far the largest planet in the solar system and among the brightest objects in the night sky, and its calming presence has inspired humans for centuries. Jupiter was the 'beloved star' of the ancient Sumerians and Babylonians, the first serious observers of the planets, and the Pioneer and Voyager spacecraft visited it in the 1970s. Now it is being scrutinized as never before by NASA's Juno spacecraft, as experts begin to have a comprehensive view of the origin, composition and structure of this gas giant world.
This beautifully illustrated volume ranges across the entire history of Jupiter studies, from the naked-eye observations of the Babylonians and the Greeks, through the telescopic discoveries of Galileo and T.E.R. Phillips, to the explosion of information received from space probes. It brings our understanding of Jupiter right up to date and includes preliminary findings from the Juno space probe, while also providing valuable practical information for those who wish to make their own observations of the planet. Introducing planetary science in an accessible and engaging way, Jupiter will appeal to those who wish to have a better understanding of this magnificent planet and its unique place in the solar system.
Prologue
1 The Jovian Planets
2 Jupiter: A Primer for a Giant Planet
3 Superficial Matters
4 Atmospherics
5 The Great Red Spot Becomes Great
6 A Bewildering Phantasmagoria: Jovian Meteorology
7 Above Jupiter
8 Jupiter in Collision
9 Juno to Jupiter
10 Observing Jupiter
appendix 1: Jupiter by the Numbers
appendix 2: Conjunctions of Jupiter
appendix 3: The Galilean Satellites by the Numbers
appendix 4: Space Probes to Jupiter
Glossary
References
Acknowledgements
Photo Acknowledgements
Index
William Sheehan is a psychiatrist, noted historian of astronomy, and amateur astronomer who has been an observer of Mercury and the other planets for many years. He has published numerous books on astronomy, including Planets and Perception (1988), The Immortal Fire Within: The Life and Work of Edward Emerson Barnard (1995), The Planet Mars (1996), Galactic Encounters and Celestial Shadows (both 2015) and Discovering Pluto (2018). Asteroid 16037 is named Sheehan in his honour.
Thomas Hockey is a Professor of Astronomy at the University of Northern Iowa. He has written six previous books, including Galileo's Planet (1999).
"The scope of this book is very wide-ranging, including chapters on ancient observations of Jupiter, the origin and structure of the planet, features in its atmosphere, its satellites and the Shoemaker-Levy 9 impacts. It also features results from spacecraft – including some initial results from the current Juno mission [...] well written and easy to follow. It is also well illustrated, with numerous colour and black-and-white illustrations. There are a number of spacecraft images, plus amateur images and drawings [...] I enjoyed reading the book and it provides a good overview of the Jovian system for a general reader."
– Journal of the British Astronomical Association
"The gas giant planet Jupiter, with its red spot and ever-changing meteorology, has fascinated human curiosity since as far back as records exist thousands of years ago. William Sheehan and Thomas Hockey add to the Kosmos series of books exploring our Solar System and beyond by looking not only at the historical and cultural context of Jupiter's continued significance but also by exploring its parts, from its atmosphere and weather patterns, to its rings and moons. They present the knowledge accumulated from the earliest observations by Galileo to the Juno mission's latest discoveries"
– Nature Astronomy
"A glossy coffee-table title, packed with more than 100 images and illustrations. The opening chapters do a good job in tackling the birth of the solar system and all the Jovian planets; describing how they formed; before delving into Jupiter itself, layer by layer, from atmosphere to core [...] Sheehan and Hockey's language is clear [...] the book is well-paced [...] a useful and practical planetary-science primer."
– Physics World
"For more about the largest planet in our solar system, check out the beautiful hardcover book Jupiter by William Sheehan and Thomas Hockey, from the Kosmos series. We handpick reading recommendations we think you may like"
– Curiosity.com
"This book is especially strong on a survey of amateur observations of Jupiter, and for that reason alone it is a useful addition to the literature."
– Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage
"In this superbly researched and illustrated guide to the giant planet, the authors have trawled through centuries of humanity's archives for documentation of Jupiter, looking for engaging ways to explain what astronomers know about the planet, and how they found out [...] the illustrations are exceptional, reproducing one archive gem after another [...] reading this comprehensive primer on Jupiter – and on planetary astronomy itself – is as enlightening as it is thoroughly enjoyable."
– BBC Sky at Night Magazine
"Thomas Hockey [...] joins forces with fellow writer and historian Bill Sheehan in this popular introduction to the Solar System's largest planet, in a new series of books by Reaktion Books. Jupiter is very well written and illustrated. The approach is basically historical, with much fascinating detail and many rich insights into the subject [...] The references are comprehensive [...] In summary, Jupiter is both eloquent and detailed. I can thoroughly recommend it as the best available introduction to this fascinating world."
– The Observatory
