Saturn’s moon Titan, presently being explored by the spacecraft Cassini, has astonishing similarities to Earth—a thick atmosphere, weather, seasons, rivers, and lakes. And defying the demystification that comes with discovery, Titan’s allure seems only to increase the more scientists learn about it. From a historical baseline of pre-Cassini knowledge, the authors outline questions this spacecraft was designed to answer, prime among them, the appearance and nature of Titan’s surface. Obscured by haze, the landscape has been exposed by radar, special optical cameras, and the Huygens lander. The authors cover in detail the information gathered by these and other instruments, which impart a practical sense of how scientists work from raw data toward finished interpretations. A concrete example is data collected by coauthor Lorenz’s impact probe, which hints that Titan’s surface is like wet sand—but instead of water as on Earth, the liquid is methane. Including amazing photographs of Titan’s evident geological dynamism, Lorenz and Mitton’s work has a high “wow” factor that will thrill buffs and may spur students toward a planetary science career. --Gilbert Taylor
Titan Unveiled describes how most of what we once hypothesized about Titan has been proved wrong. The story of how we gained our current knowledge is fascinating; even more intriguing is what remains to be learned. -- Henry Roe, Nature
Ralph Lorenz . . . has teamed with veteran science journalist Jaqueline Mitton to convey both the human and scientific drama of remote robotic space exploration. -- Laurence A. Marschall, Natural History
Lorenz, a planetary scientist, and Mitton, a science writer, vividly describe this encounter with an alien landscape; excerpts from Lorenz's log convey what it was like to be involved with the mission. -- Scientific American
[A]n engrossing firsthand account of one of humankind's greatest adventures of recent years. It will take decades to prepare a new mission and then an additional seven years for another spacecraft to reach titan. In the meantime,
Titan Unveiled provides the general reader with a lively narrative that combines a reliable, nontechnical account of the Cassini-Huygens mission with personal and often intimate insights into these efforts to explore a fascinating planetary analogue to the Earth. -- Fred Taylor, American Scientist
[A]n enjoyable mix: a very accessible summary of current knowledge about Titan is combined with a firsthand account that gives a flavour of what it has been like to be part of this grand, bold, international collaboration that is the Cassini-Huygens project. -- Times Higher Education
Titan's allure seems only to increase the more scientists learn about it...Obscured by haze, the landscape has been exposed by radar, special optical cameras, and the Huygens lander. The authors cover in detail the information gathered by these and other instruments, which impart a practical sense of how scientists work from raw data toward finished interpretations...Including amazing photographs of Titan's evident geological dynamism, Lorenz and Mitton's work has a high 'wow' factor that will thrill buffs and may spur students toward a planetary science career. -- Gilbert Taylor, Booklist
An insider's look behind the headlines, focusing on the thought processes and instrumentation tricks involved. Lorenz's bloglike entries liven up the prose, but the star is Titan. -- Richard Lovett, New Scientist
This fantastic book shines a light on the truth of the matter: that science is about a sense of wonder, awe, the joy of finding stuff. -- Nature Geoscience
Lorenz, the author of this popular account of Titan, is intimately involved in the Cassini-Huygens mission as a planetary scientist, and he contributes personal anecdotes as well as a thorough treatment of the science and technology of missions to Saturn and its moons. -- M. Dickinson, Choice
A fascinating read. -- David Tytell, Sky & Telescope
Titan Unveiled is highly recommended to the intellectually curious general public, as well as to the most seasoned planetary scientists and engineers. In fact, anyone with an interest in science, astronomy, planetary science and exploration, engineering or the evolution of our own planet will find this book captivating and uplifting. Landing on Titan has been one of the greatest adventures of the current decade . . . -- Agustin Chicarro, Physics World
[W]hile expert readers in the science and engineering community will find much of interest here, it is the book's less technical target audience that will benefit the most. Apart from unveiling the mysteries of an alien world, it opens a window on the mostly hidden world of the planetary scientist, which is equally fascinating. -- Mark Williamson, Space Times
Illustrated with many stunning images,
Titan Unveiled is essential reading for anyone interested in space exploration, planetary science, or astronomy. -- Lunar and Planetary Information Bulletin
Titan Unveiled is a great read. It also may well prepare the reader for more adventures to Titan in the future. -- Coalition for Space Exploration
Titan Unveiled unveils not only this remarkable moon but also the way that science is done, at least with large scale planetary science. High-school and college students would benefit from following the twists and turns, and the evolving thought, of the scientists involved. And the general reader will enjoy seeing scientific progress revealed as well as the coverage of excellent and interesting results. -- Jay Pasachoff, Key Reporter
