Books like The Planets by Dava Sobel

Stephen Hawking explains the fundamental physics of the universe—space, time, cosmology, black holes, and the Big Bang—in clear, accessible language.

Carl Sagan’s classic work urges critical thinking, exposing the myths of pseudoscience—from witchcraft to UFOs—and arguing that scientific literacy is essential for informed, democratic decision‑making in the modern world.

John Harrison’s relentless quest for a sea‑ready chronometer, the solution to the 18th‑century longitude problem, interweaves biography, science, and navigation history.

Carl Sagan explores humanity’s place in the cosmos, tracing our journey from Earth to interplanetary horizons and beyond.

Carl Sagan’s Cosmos traces the history of science and the universe’s evolution, from ancient philosophers to modern discoveries, and explores the quest to understand life beyond Earth.

Stephen Hawking explores the cutting edge of theoretical physics in layman’s terms, guiding readers through the mysteries that shape our universe.

A biography of Galileo Galilei as seen through the eyes of his daughter, a cloistered nun, and the surviving letters she penned – weaving science, faith, and family in 17th‑century Italy.

Neil deGrasse Tyson and Donald Goldsmith guide readers through the science that shapes our understanding of life, evolution, and the cosmos, blending geology, biology, astrophysics, and cosmology into clear, engaging narrative.

"This is the first complete English translation of Geminos's Introduction to the Phenomena - one of the most important and interesting astronomical works of its type to have survived from Greek antiquity. Gracefully and charmingly written, Geminos's first-century-BC textbook for beginning students of astronomy can now be read straight through with understanding and enjoyment by a wider audience than ever before. James Evans and Lennart Berggren's accurate and readable translation is accompanied by a thorough introduction and commentary that set Geminos's work in its historical, scientific, and philosophical context. This book is generously illustrated with diagrams from medieval manuscripts of Geminos's text, as well as drawings and photographs of ancient astronomical instruments. It will be of great interest to students of the history of science, to classicists, and to professional and amateur astronomers who seek to learn more about the origins of their science." "Geminos provides a clear view of Greek astronomy in the period between Hipparchos and Ptolemy, treating such subjects as the zodiac, the constellations, the theory of the celestial sphere, lunar cycles, and eclipses. Most significantly, Geminos gives us the earliest detailed discussion of Babylonian astronomy by a Greek writer, thus offering valuable insight into the cross-cultural transmission of astronomical knowledge in antiquity."--BOOK JACKET

This volume covers most areas in the physics of the solar system, with special emphasis on gravitational dynamics; its gist is the rational, in particular mathematical, understanding of the main processes at work. Special stress is given to the variety of objects in the planetary system and their long-term evolution. The unique character of this book is its breadth and depth, which aims at bringing the reader to the threshold of original research; however, special chapters and introductory sections are included for the benefit of the beginner. Physics of the Solar System is based on the earlier work by B. Bertotti and P. Farinella: Physics of the Earth and the Solar System (Kluwer, 1990), which has been completely revised and updated, and more focused on the solar system. It generally attains a higher level than the previous version. This volume is generally suitable for post-graduate students and researchers in physics, especially in the field related to the solar system. A large amount of figures and diagrams is included, often compiled with real data.