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Science Astronomy

Daydreaming in the Solar System

Surfing Saturn's Rings, Golfing on the Moon, and Other Adventures in Space Exploration

by (author) John E. Moores & Jesse Rogerson

foreword by Robert J. Sawyer

illustrated by Michelle D. Parsons

Publisher
MIT Press
Initial publish date
Oct 2024
Category
Astronomy, Space Science, Space Exploration
  • Hardback

    ISBN
    9780262049290
    Publish Date
    Oct 2024
    List Price
    $43.95

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Description

A thrilling journey through the solar system that merges imagination with hard science.

Imagine traveling to the far reaches of the solar system, pausing for close-up encounters with distant planets, moons, asteroids, and comets, accompanied by a congenial guide to the science behind what you see. What, for instance, would it be like to fly in Titan’s hazy atmosphere? To walk across the surface of Mercury? To feel the rumble of a volcano brewing on one of Jupiter's largest moons? In Daydreaming in the Solar System, John Moores and Jesse Rogerson bring that dream to virtual life. Through a combination of story and science they let readers know what such an otherworldly experience would actually look, feel, and even taste like.

With data gathered over the decades by our robotic spacecraft, and with Michelle Parsons’s evocative illustrations, Moores and Rogerson boldly take you where no living being has gone before, along the way giving an engaging and accurate explanation of the science. Where Carl Sagan’s storied “spaceship of the imagination” provided a window to outer space, Daydreaming in the Solar System opens a door, inviting readers to step through and truly explore the strange new worlds of the solar system. Undertaking this interplanetary journey powered by hard science, there is no limit to where your daydreams can take you.

About the authors

John E. Moores' profile page

Jesse Rogerson's profile page

Robert J. Sawyer,
a Member of the Order of Canada and a Globe and Mail and Maclean's bestseller, is the author of 23 previous novels, including FlashForward, the basis for the ABC TV series. His most recent novel, Quantum Night, was long-listed for CBC's Canada Reads

Praise for Robert J. Sawyer

"A new Robert J. Sawyer book is always cause for celebration."
Analog Science Fiction and Fact

"Robert J. Sawyer is a writer of boundless confidence and bold scientific extrapolation."
The New York Times

"Sawyer not only has an irresistibly engaging narrative voice but also a gift for confronting thorny philosophical conundrums. At every opportunity, he forces his readers to think while holding their attention with ingenious premises and superlative craftsmanship."
Booklist

"Robert J. Sawyer is by any measure one of the world's leading (and most interesting) science-fiction writers. His fiction is a fascinating blend of intellectually compelling big ideas and humane, enduring characters."
The Globe and Mail

"Sawyer, an articulate fountain of ideas, is the genre's northern star—in fact, one of the hottest SF writers anywhere. By any reckoning Sawyer is among the most successful Canadian authors ever."
Maclean's: Canada's Weekly News Magazine

"A polished, exciting writer. Sawyer writes with the scientific panache and grandeur of Arthur C. Clarke and the human touch of Isaac Asimov."
Quill & Quire

Robert J. Sawyer's profile page

Michelle D. Parsons' profile page

Editorial Reviews

“Loaded with intriguing information that’s presented in a playful, conversational style, Daydreaming in the Solar System is an engrossing introduction to the astronomy and physics of the solar system.”
Foreword Reviews
“I enjoyed the book, and anyone with an enthusiasm for space or 'hard' science fiction should do so too.”
Popular Science (UK)

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