Mapping the Planets : Discovering The Worlds Beyond Our Own

"Rooney uncannily delights us at each turn of the page, stripping away the Solar System's mysteries like an onion skin and firing our innate sense of wonder" - BBC Sky at Night. Mapping the Planets is a lavishly illustrated full-colour hardback, giving a fascinating account of the planets in our solar system and the technologies that have allowed us to map these cosmic objects. Anne Rooney takes readers on a journey through the expansive history of planetary exploration, from Ancient Babylonian's charting the movement of Venus, to Galileo's discovery of Saturn's moons through telescope, to the modern use of rovers, flybys and spectroscopy. These histories are accompanied by a glorious selection of maps, drawings, paintings and high-resolution photographs, demonstrating how the mapping of objects in our solar system has been central to scientific discovery. Topics include: • Exploring earth and other planets in our solar system through historic and modern mapping • How radar, lidar and spectroscopy are used in modern planetary cartography • Mapping non-planetary objects such as moons, comets and asteroids. • How exoplanets are discovered Perfect for map-lovers and space enthusiasts, this book provides a unique way of exploring the wonders of our solar system. ABOUT THE SERIES: Arcturus Visual Reference Library brings together wonderfully illustrated reference guides on scientific and historical topics, made bold and fascinating through full-colour maps, timelines, photographs, feature boxes and other visual elements.