Review by Choice Review
The planet Venus has gone from a mysterious world hidden by a thick cloudy atmosphere to a frequently visited object whose topography is well known. Marov and colleagues detail that transformation: what was found and how it was found. It is written for the astronomer or the atmospheric scientist, and not for the professionally uninitiated. The physics of the Venusian atmosphere and interior is fascinating, but only to readers with a substantial background. To be sure, Venus is one of the most (if not the most) important planets to understand, for its runaway greenhouse effect has given it a surface temperature of well over 5000 Kelvin, far hotter than even its closeness to the Sun would provide, and its surface atmospheric density is some 90 times that of Earth. Our world might rival this inhospitable environment should global warming proceed unchecked. All this and much more is given here, translated from Russian, but only for the advanced reader. Graduates through professionals. A. R. Upgren Wesleyan University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
Both authors are experts in the study of planetary science: Marov was the chief scientist for the Soviet Union's Venera missions, and Grinspoon was funded by NASA to study Venus. Their book is a comprehensive study of that planet, beginning with the ancient astronomers and continuing through the Galileo, Magellan, Pioneer-Venus, Venera, and other space missions. Included are 226 excellent illustrations, some of which are from the Soviet Venera missions and have not previously been available to English readers. With an extensive bibliography and documentation, the book's intended readership is specialists; however, educated lay readers can learn much from the readable text. For larger science and academic libraries and space research collections.Dale Ebersole Jr., Univ. of Toledo Lib., OH (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Choice Review
Review by Library Journal Review
