{"product_id":"when-the-earth-had-two-erik-asphaug-9780062657923","title":"When the Earth Had Two Moons: Cannibal Planets, Icy Giants, Dirty Comets, Dreadful Orbits, and the Origins of the Night Sky","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAn astonishing exploration of planet formation and the origins of life by one of the world's most innovative planetary geologists.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn 1959, the Soviet probe Luna 3 took the first photos of the far side of the moon. Even in their poor resolution, the images stunned scientists: the far side is an enormous mountainous expanse, not the vast lava-plains seen from Earth. Subsequent missions have confirmed this in much greater detail.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHow could this be, and what might it tell us about our own place in the universe? As it turns out, quite a lot.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFourteen billion years ago, the universe exploded into being, creating galaxies and stars. Planets formed out of the leftover dust and gas that coalesced into larger and larger bodies orbiting around each star. In a sort of heavenly survival of the fittest, planetary bodies smashed into each other until solar systems emerged. Curiously, instead of being relatively similar in terms of composition, the planets in our solar system, and the comets, asteroids, satellites and rings, are bewitchingly distinct. So, too, the halves of our moon.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eWhen the Earth Had Two Moons\u003c\/em\u003e, esteemed planetary geologist Erik Asphaug takes us on an exhilarating tour through the farthest reaches of time and our galaxy to find out why. Beautifully written and provocatively argued, \u003cem\u003eWhen the Earth Had Two Moons\u003c\/em\u003e is not only a mind-blowing astronomical tour but a profound inquiry into the nature of life here--and billions of miles from home.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Erik Asphaug\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 0062657925\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780062657923\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Mariner Books\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 10\/29\/2019\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 368\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.20lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.30h x 6.30w x 1.20d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e 09\/01\/2019\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e 08\/26\/2019\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e 10\/01\/2019 pg. 120\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e 10\/15\/2019 pg. 8","brand":"Erik Asphaug","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":43946174054655,"sku":"9780062657923","price":28.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/products\/img_c485cd52-4182-4116-b1dd-f2527dda2fec.jpg?v=1681511881","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/when-the-earth-had-two-erik-asphaug-9780062657923","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}