Next week, Astronomy magazine’s latest special issue hits newsstands, and it’s one I’ve been looking forward to seeing published since I started working here almost 4 months ago. The Solar System was one of the first projects I got to work on, which by that time meant reading all the stories and checking the layouts for any minor errors. So, it was really as if I were getting a sneak peek at the final product. And by doing so, I got a glimpse of how much the editors here care about giving their readers more than just the basics. They want you to not only read The Solar System from cover to cover, but they also want you to use it as a reference guide time and again. And the issue is set up just for that.
Of course, anyone could probably guess what some of the articles are about: the Sun, the Moon, the eight major planets, and the Kuiper Belt. But these pieces are filled with more than what you might expect: the latest research and discoveries, in-depth illustrations, tons of photos, and a look toward our future knowledge of these bodies. Plus the authors aren’t just any science writers; they’re leading experts like William K. Hartmann, James Head, and Alan Stern. I mean, who better to write about Mars than the principal investigator for the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter’s High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment, Alfred McEwen?
Beyond topics you might expect, The Solar System includes articles about the formation of our solar system, the comet vs. asteroid debate, meteorites and what they teach us, and planetary atmospheres. And then there are two special sections put together by our senior editors. At the end of the issue, Michael E. Bakich explains the best ways to observe the planets. And in the middle, with the help of Astronomy illustrator Roen Kelly, Richard Talcott provides a pullout two-sided poster atlas of the planets and other small bodies. Editorial Intern Megan McChain and I were joking about how we were supposed to hang both sides of the poster. Her dad suggested we get two issues or rotate sides each month. Whatever works.
Today, The Solar System sits on my desk next to my other astronomy reference guides. Because I probably know more about subject-verb agreement and the rules of the comma than I do about each planet’s orbital period, it has come in handy multiple times already. I hope you’ll get as much enjoyment and use out of it as I will.
Check out a few more of these spreads from inside the issue:
