The Grand Tour: A Traveler's Guide to the Solar System

Science News, June 18, 2005

THE GRAND TOUR: A Travele's Guide to the Solar System RON MILLER AND WILLIAM K. HARTMANN

In this revised edition replete with gorgeous illustrations, Miller and Hartmann offer a guided tour of the solar system and of some of space beyond. Recent space missions, such as Voyager, Galileo, and NEAR, have provided an unprecedented view of the planets, their moons, and countless other bodies that circle the sun. Each illustration, created by a combination of computer graphics and traditional painting, gives the reader a remarkable surface-level perspective of space objects, including rich details of the landscapes, such as mountains, valleys, volcanoes, and craters. Interspersed are actual photos from the missions. The authors divide their text into three parts focusing on the major worlds, selected smaller worlds, and extrasolar planets. Throughout, they offer surprises, such as the possibility that Mercury, the planet closest to the sun, may have polar ice caps and the finding that Jupiter's moon Io is slowly turning inside out. With its visual features and rich details, this book will appeal to a wide range of readers of many ages. Workman, 2005, 304 p., color plates, paperback, $29.95.