Under The Microscope

THE NASA ATLAS OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM, by Ronald Greeley and Raymond Batson; Cambridge University Press, 1997; A$199.00

Reviewed by Vicki Hyde

Explorers once pored over maps with empty spaces, wondering what filled those holes. Explorers of the other planets in our solar system will at least have decent maps of where they are going and, even if you are just an armchair explorer, few could help but be intrigued by the images in this book.

As with all atlases, it is the maps which dominate, drawing the eye with their regions of the explored and unexplored. Accompanying them are clear charts showing geological structure, surface and interior; close-up photos of interesting features; and oodles of explanatory diagrams which are, with one or two exceptions, readily intelligible. The sheer size of the book (A3 and then some) may put people off reading the text, which would be their loss, as planetary scientists Greeley and Batson have done an excellent job explaining the similarities and differences to be found in the planets and satellites that share our Sun.

This is the book I needed when working my way through Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars series -- I could have tracked all the intensive geological and geographical descriptions right around Mars. Unfortunately a geologist friend had snaffled it, fighting off an astronomy buff, and it took some time before the hefty tome came back.

Space exploration being in the current doldrums it is, it will be some time before the material can be updated -- perhaps that will help amortise the book's high cost which, sadly, will probably confine it to library reference desks. Even to have come thus far, however, is impressive, and one can hope that it will inspire future explorers to push just that little bit further.

Vicki Hyde is the editor of New Zealand Science Monthly.