A concise, illustrated guide to the solar system. Just as explorers of the sixteenth century unveiled the night skies, the Hubble space telescope and space probes such as Voyager, Pioneer and Cassini are expanding our knowledge of the planetary world. New fields of research are opening up such as the exploration of the populous world of the asteroids and comets. Scientists have recently discovered a new family of transneputnal bodies as far away as Neptune's orbit. This discovery may even lead to the demotion of Pluto from a planet to a one of these smaller bodies. This comprehensive reference explains the origin of stars and the sun and extensively covers each planet. Illustrated with spectacular photographs and meticulous color diagrams. Key sections cover: The solar system and the sun Inner Planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars Outer Planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto Minor Bodies: comets, asteroids and meteorites A detailed directory of web sites direct readers to relevant sources of information. The Solar System is an appealing, authoritative reference for any stargazer.