17. THE GREAT POPCORN BALLS

Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. CONTENTS vii
3. INTRODUCTION 1
4. I. THE SUN AND THE MOON
5. 1. OUR THREE MOONS 7
6. 2. WITHIN A TRIPLE STAR 18
7. 3. OUR BACKWARD STELLAR MAGNITUDE SYSTEM 35
8. 4. AN IMPROPER PROPER MOTION 39
9. 5. ALL OUR YESTERDAYS 45
10. 6. WE ARE ALONE 52
11. II. THE PLANETS
12. 7. THE RINGS OF EARTH 67
13. 8. NEXT DOOR TO A GIANT 73
14. 9. DOUBLE PLANET 82
15. 10. DEBRIS IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM 88
16. 11. SEASONS OF PARADOX 97
17. 12. MORE THAN ONE PLUTO 103
18. III. THE STARS
19. 13. WHAT IF THE SUN WERE RED? OR BLUE? 111
20. 14. THE VERNAL EQUINOX LIES IN VIRGO 117
21. 15. VEGA AND DENEB CHANGE PLACES 125
22. 16. THE PLEIADES STAR CLUSTER IS AS CLOSE AS THE HYADES 129
23. 17. THE GREAT POPCORN BALLS 134
24. 18. THE MILKY WAY LIES ALONG OUR EQUATOR 141
25. 19 WE ARE ALONE II 147
26. IV HOMEMADE SKIES
27. 20 RING OF RUBBISH 155
28. 21 THE TANGLED SKEIN OF CELESTIAL MECHANICS 159
29. 22 A SECOND CHANCE 162
30. 23 CHICXULUB, THE WORST SKY OF ALL 175
31. PERSONAL NOTE 187
32. BIBLIOGRAPHY 189
33. INDEX 191
34. ABOUT THE AUTHOR 199