Dawn of Small Worlds Dwarf Planets, Asteroids, Comets
This book gives a detailed introduction to the thousands and thousands of smaller bodies in the solar system. Written for interested laymen, amateur astronomers and students it describes the nature and origin of asteroids, dwarf planets and comets, and gi
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Dawn of Small Worlds Dwarf Planets, Asteroids, Comets
Astronomers’ Universe
More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/6960
Michael Moltenbrey
Dawn of Small Worlds Dwarf Planets, Asteroids, Comets
Michael Moltenbrey Munich Germany
ISSN 1614-659X ISSN 2197-6651 (electronic) Astronomers’ Universe ISBN 978-3-319-23002-3 ISBN 978-3-319-23003-0 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-23003-0 Library of Congress Control Number: 2015954813 Springer Cham Heidelberg New York Dordrecht London © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. Cover illustration: Artist’s concept of an asteroid belt around Vega. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Printed on acid-free paper Springer International Publishing AG Switzerland is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com)
Contents
1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1
2
Asteroids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
17
3
Comets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
73
4
Trans-Neptunian Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
5
Dwarf Planets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
6
Exploration of Small Solar System Bodies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Further Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
v
Chapter 1
Introduction
Almost since the beginning of time, human beings have been fascinated by the starry sky above their heads. What were these little points of light up there? Not having names for them yet, people wondered about the moon and the Sun. Evidence for this fascination traces well back into
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