The Discovery of Uranus; The Fervor for New Planets; Trouble with Uranus; Neptune: The Planet Found on a Sheet of Paper; Percival Lowell and Planet X. The Discovery of Pluto; Toward Uranus; The Grand Tour of Voyager 2; Triumph at Uranus; Appointment with Neptune; Voyagers to the Stars; The Smallest Planet; Is There a Tenth Planet?; Voyager 2 at Neptune: Beyond Imagination; Cosmic Archives: What the Outer Solar System Can Tell Us; Endnotes; Appendices; Selected Bibliography; Glossary; Index.
Anticipating the conclusion of Voyager 2 's twelve-year solar system ``Grand Tour'' in August 1989 when it flies by Neptune, Littmann traces the discovery and exploration of the outer planetsparticularly Uranus, Neptune, and Plutoup to the present day. He profiles key amateur and professional astronomers, unveiling scientific and political rivalries as well as the scientific theory behind their work. Short essays by significant scientists and ``sidebars'' by the author are interesting but they interrupt the text. Littmann points out how little we still know about our planetary neighborhood and how much we have to learn from pictures and readings to be taken by the spacecraft. Most suitable for public and college libraries. Laurie Tynan, Montgomery Cty.-Norristown P.L., Pa.
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