Some Corrections for
Lissauer and de Pater, Fundamental Planetary Science
Updated 2019 Edition
Older version? Errata for the 2013 Edition available.
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
p. 41, Fig. 2.12. The vertical axes values overlap and
erroneously make it appear as if eccertricities are sometimes
negative.
p. 49, Fig. 2.19 (c). Bold, solid, and dashed arrows are
undefined. Fig. 2.19(b), Some arrows here are not labeled or defined.
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
p. 93, Eqs. 4.22a and 4.22b. The same symbol "V" is volume in the
Eq. 4.22a, but specific volume, volume per mass in
Eq. 4.22b. It would be better to use a different symbol like V' for
specific volume to avoid confusion. V remains specific volume for
the rest of section 4.4.1.
Chapter 5
The curves for Figure 5.1 are not defined (Credit:
Oliver O'Brien). In the graduate version of the textbook this is
Fig. 4.1 and the two curves are defined in the figure caption. The
solid curve shows the measurements of Cassini's Huygen's probe which
descended through Titan's atmosphere. The dashed curve is the
engineering model used by Huygen's planners to prepare for the mission.
This engineering curve should probably be removed from the figure for clarity.
p. 132, section 5.8.2: "Fig 5.11 shows that a decrease in a
planet's albedo will lower its temperature ..." should read "Fig 5.11
shows that an increase in a planet's albedo will lower its
temperature ... ". (Credit: Evelynn McNeil).
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
p. 310. Problem 11-11 is mislabeled 11-1. Problem 11-12 is mislabeled 11-2.
Chapter 12
p. 313, Section 12.2.1. First and third sentences are near duplicates; one should be removed.
p. 323, Fig. 12.11. P4 = Kerberos and P5 = Styx.
Chapter 13
p. 354, Fig. 13.6. Synchronous orbit for Uranus should be 2/3 of the way
from Perdita's orbit to Puck's (~10% further out than
plotted). Amalthea should be about midway between the synchronous and
Roche limits at Jupiter.
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Appendix E
p. 525 Table E.5. Many small inner satellites from Table E.4
are not included in Table E.5: Saturn (Anthe), Uranus
(Cupid, Perdita, Mab), and Neptune (Naiad, Thalassa) are all missing. The
small saturnian moon Aegaeon is missing from both tables.
p. 525 Tables E.4 and E.5.
Roman numerals in Tables E.4 and E.5
as formatted inconsistently. For example, Oberon is Uranus IV in table E.4 but
it is Uranus UIV in table E.5. These should be formatted identically in
both tables.
p. 525 Tables E.4 and E.5.
Lagrangian moons at Saturn are identified with T- and T+ in Table E.4 but not in Table E.5.
Last Updated: Feb. 20, 2026
Doug Hamilton
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