Worlds Fantastic, Worlds Familiar

Join Bonnie J. Buratti, a leading planetary astronomer, on this personal tour of NASA's latest discoveries. Moving through the Solar System from Mercury, Venus, Mars, past comets and asteroids and the moons of the giant planets, to Pluto, and on to exoplanets, she gives vivid descriptions of landforms that are similar to those found on Earth but that are more fantastic. Sulfur-rich volcanoes and lakes on Io, active gullies on Mars, huge ice plumes and tar-like deposits on the moons of Saturn, hydrocarbon rivers and lakes on Titan, and nitrogen glaciers on Pluto are just some of the marvels that await readers. Discover what it is like to be involved in a major scientific enterprise, with all its pitfalls and excitement, from the perspective of a female scientist. This engaging account of modern space exploration is written for non-specialist readers, from students in high school to enthusiasts of all ages.

• Gives many comparisons between the planets and Earth, describing the Solar System using phenomena that the reader would be familiar with
• Provides a realistic description of scientific discovery, showing both the good and bad elements, from the viewpoint of a female scientist
• Gives simple non-mathematical descriptions and analogies to many physical ideas, and is therefore suitable for a broad general audience