: Govert Schilling
: The Hunt for Planet X New Worlds and the Fate of Pluto
: Copernicus
: 9780387778051
: 1
: CHF 29.20
:
: Astronomie
: English
: 281
: Wasserzeichen/DRM
: PC/MAC/eReader/Tablet
: PDF

Ever since the serendipitous discovery of planet Uranus in 1871, astronomers have been hunting for new worlds in the outer regions of our solar system. This exciting and ongoing quest culminated recently in the discovery of hundreds of ice dwarfs in the Kuiper belt, robbed Pluto from its 'planet' status, and led to a better understanding of the origin of the solar system.

This timely book reads like a scientific 'who done it', going from the heights of discovery to the depths of disappointment in the hunt for 'Planet X'. Based on many personal interviews with astronomers, the well-known science writer Govert Schilling introduces the heroes in the race to be the first in finding another world, bigger than Pluto.

Foreword6
Contents8
A Larger Solar System13
Pea15
Conjunction16
Fuzzy Star19
Eleven Planets22
Quest24
Point of Light25
Fragments27
The Writing Desk Planet29
Orbital Deviations31
Mathematical Genius31
Not on the Map33
Loss of Face35
Search37
‘I’ve Found Your Planet X’38
Another Planet?39
Lowell’s Hunt41
New Searches for Planet X42
Tombaugh’s Dedication45
The Kid Planet48
The Pluto Breakfast50
Cartoon Character52
Scrapbooks54
A Strange and Wonderful Week56
Missed Opportunity57
Omen59
Charon62
Fortunate Circumstances64
Atmosphere65
Mr Pluto67
Pure Luck68
Odd Man Out70
Nix and Hydra73
Hubble Photos74
Double Discovery76
Confirmation77
Names79
Quibbling80
The Unauthorized Planet82
Painstaking Work83
Rhadamanthus86
Centaurs87
Forbidden Zone88
Uranus: Problem Solved?91
Speculation92
Humphrey93
Exit Planet X94
A Pinch of Salt96
Mysterious Forces98
Explorers99
Precision Measurements101
The Pioneer Anomaly102
Planets Aplenty103
The Hunt for the Death Star105
Dinosaurs106
Nemesis108
Questions110
A Remote Planet X111
The Secret Planet114
A Ready Pen115
Conspiracy116
Zetas117
Mayas119
Vulcanoids and Earth-Grazers121
Vulcan122
Astronomy by Fighter Jet123
Earth-Grazers125
Apophis126
Danger of Impact127
The Kuiper Connection129
Beyond Neptune131
The Kuiper Belt132
Enormous Legacy134
Comet Puzzles137
The Oort Cloud139
Roving Comets140
Wriggling Dots142
Simulations143
Smiley146
Uncertainties147
White Mountain150
Lucky Strike152
Family Portraits156
Plutinos157
Speed Blinking159
Mini-Feud162
The Migrating Planet165
Odyssey166
Migration169
Resonances171
Icy Treasure Troves174
Pitfalls176
Pholus178
Variety180
The Big Five182
Large Field of View184
Quaoar186
QUEST188
Sedna191
The Tenth Planet194
Xena196
Tenth Planet198
Lila200
The Spanish Invasion203
Andalusian Catch204
Google206
Typing Error208
IP Addresses210
Secrecy211
Pas de deux214
Big Whack216
Icy Duos218
Confirmation219
Model from Nice222
Strange Pair223
Migration and Resonance225
Bombardment228
Planet Under Siege231
Demotion232
Pluto Soap Opera234
Wanted: A Definition237
Planetary Elections240
Dwarf Planets242
Rebellion244
Foul Play245
The Continuing Story249
Eris and Dysnomia250
Buffy252
A Hundred Thousand Ice Dwarfs254
A Thousand Planets258
Indirect Clues259
Origins262
Mysteries264
New Horizons267
Pluto Fast Flyby268
A Fresh Start270
Souvenirs from Earth271
Chronology276
Glossary of terms282
Bibliography286
Index287