The Planets (1985)

With the first step on the Moon, humanity began a great adventure - the voyage to explore worlds beyond our own. The Planets is an extraordinary new part of that adventure. It is the first joint effort of America's finest space scientists, and the most influential space artists, who take us on a tour of the solar system as it exists now and as it may exist once the planets are fully explored.

Following introductory essays by Isaas Asimov (The Robots of Dawn). Arthur C Clarke (2010) and Andrew Fraknoi (Executive officer of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific), we begin the fascinating exploration of the nine planets and their moons by scientists who know them best. Current discoveries about our solar system are presented in vibrant and engaging styles as the reader is taken down to the surface of each planet to expeirenc firsthand its owners and diversity through the words of scientists whose credits include important roles in NASA"s Mariner, Galileo and Voyager missions.

Each planetary essay is followed by a new story from some of the most imaginative talents in science fiction: Harry Harrison(West of Eden) looks at Earth's future in the tradition of his famous Make Room! Make Room!; Gregory Benford (Timescape) speculates on the exploration of one of Jupiter's moons; Ray Bradbury presents a new  Martian Chronicle story set on his beloved red planet; Robert Silverberg (The Majipoor Chronicles ) explores alien life on Pluto; Jack Williamson (Liveburst) delves into Neptune; Roger Zelazny (the Amber series) contemplates the secrets of Saturn; and many more.

Among the scientific experts who have contributed to THE PLANETS are leading lights of modern astronomy, responsible for breakthroughs that tell us much of what we know today about the solar system. those who have worked closely with NASA and others in lifting the veil of mystery that surrounds our planetary neighbors include Dr. Michael H Carr of the US Geological Survey, foremost expert on the Martian landscape; dr. Dale P Cruikshank of the Institute of Astronomy at the University of Hawai'i, the world;'s leading authority on Uranus and Neptune; Dr Joseph Veverka of Cornell University's Center for Radiophysics and Space Research; Dr Ursula B Marvin of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory; Dr Lawrence Colin, Chief of the Space Science  Division at NASA's Ames Research Center; /Dr David Morrison of the Institute of Astronomy at the universality of Hawai'i; and Dr. G Jeffrey Taylor of the Insistent of Meteoritics of the University of New Mexico, whose vivid and poetic essay on our Moon typifies the extraordinary quality of the pieces throughout this edition.

Three years in the making, with over 30 contributors, THE PLANETS is a book to be cherished, an experience of a lifetime.