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.

'This book is a delight … The narrative is, throughout, engaging. We, her readers, can be grateful.'

G. T. Dempsey Source: GeoLounge (www.geolounge.com)

'This engaging account of modern space exploration is written for non-specialist readers, from students in high school to enthusiasts of all ages.'

Source: Lunar and Planetary Information Bulletin

'As befits a scientist who grew up under the tutelage of Carl Sagan, the author’s devotion to educational outreach is made clear throughout, as she endeavours to communicate to the next generation of students the wonder and joy of science and the enterprise of discovery. … The text is clearly written and accessible to anyone with a modicum of scientific education. There are numerous black-and-white illustrations, some of which are also reproduced in a separate colour section. This enjoyable account achieves its objective of informing the lay reader about ‘the final frontier’, and it may well encourage some up-and-coming scientists to delve deeper into the secrets of distant worlds.'

Peter Bond Source: The Observatory