Grade 5 Up. Clear a tray in your atlas case for this magnificent tribute to four decades of space exploration. The authors have gathered hundreds of full-color photos, photomontages, and maps (for the most part, precisely drawn) of every solid celestial body ever visited by NASA spacecraft, presenting them all in "uniform scale and consistent format" with specific but jargon-free descriptive essays. Arranged by planetary systems, each of the 30 "objects" is seen from a variety of angles and distances, digitally enhanced, expertly airbrushed or in false color, from the size of your palm to the size of a pillowcase; 26 are also mapped, in full or double-page overlapping segments, with major regions and physical features neatly labeled. The substantial text enhances all of this with lucid descriptions; historical background; and discussions of nomenclature, the special challenges of planetary cartography, and other topics. Back matter includes a complete table of NASA space-probe missions, 1958-1994, plus a gazetteer in which the names of craters and other features are explained as well as listed. This is not a complete catalog of the solar system. To date there have been no flybys of Pluto, and Saturn's moon Titan turned out to be swathed in opaque clouds. They, as well as the Sun and the gas giant planets, receive relatively brief mentions. This authoritative, eye-popping resource will be invaluable to libraries serving serious young planetologists.?John Peters, New York Public Library
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
This atlas is an excellent collection of systematic maps, photographs, and overviews of planets and major satellites, based on data collected over the course of roughly a quarter century of NASA space missions. It is unique in scope and in its use of uniform formats and consistent scales (practicality permitting). After outlining the challenges involved in mapping celestial bodies and the different kinds of maps used in planetary cartography, the text offers an overview of the solar system and a portrayal of each planet or planetary system. Maps, charts, and spacecraft images convey both the similarities among and the unique aspects of the variety of objects in the solar system. The appendixes include a summary of planetary spacecraft missions, data for the planets/satellites, and conversion tables. Also included are a glossary of terms, a list of additional readings, and a useful gazetteer of named features on all the planets and satellites (including many not featured in the atlas). Presented in a very readable manner by two authors who have worked in and written extensively about the field (e.g., Planetary Mapping, Cambridge Univ., 1990), this is highly recommended for public and academic libraries.?Jayashri Nagaraja, Engineering Lib., Princeton Univ., N.J.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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