Beyond : visions of the interplanetary probes /

Many readers can recall when the only objects in the solar system whose surfaces were mapped were Earth, the near side of the Moon, and Mars at poor resolution. Today, every planet but Pluto (including even cloud-enshrouded Venus), most of the larger satellites, and a few asteroids have been surveyed in detail. Journalist Benson illustrates these wonders in full; the close-ups of planets and moons are of the kind that inspires young readers into a career in astronomy and the space sciences. The text is minimal but sufficient to explain the many illustrations. Pictures such as the likeness of the oval-shaped disk of the tiny Martian moon Phobos, seen against the flank of Mars studded with craters, make for a solar system of worlds, not just dots seen in the sky or through a telescope. It is one of several delightful collections of portraits of our planetary neighbors and recommended for anyone interested in their appearances. ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. General readers; lower- and upper-division undergraduates; graduate students; professionals. A. R. Upgren emeritus, Wesleyan University

Space-age prophet Arthur C. Clarke, one of three eloquent, forward-looking contributors to this pioneering and magnificent collection of pictures generated by the robotic space probes Galileo, Voyager, Pathfinder, Magellan, Viking, and other less commonly known mechanical explorers, describes these breathtaking images as some of the greatest landscape pictures ever taken. The recognition that these miraculous images (supremely reproduced) are nothing less than works of art is the impetus for this resplendent volume, and discerning writer and documentary filmmaker Benson did, in fact, serve as the book's curator, searching through tens of thousands of digital images to find the most striking and beautiful scenes of the solar system, many never published before. Each sequence of finely detailed portraits of Earth, the Sun, the Moon, and our sister planets is sublimely exhilarating, particularly those of the volatile Jovian system, blue and serene Neptune, and elegant Saturn, which Benson describes as cosmic perfection. Not only do Clarke, Benson, and Lawrence Weschler celebrate the ingenious technology of robotic space probes and their, as Weschler writes, unparalleled ability to convey the sheer beauty and mystery of the solar system, they also ponder, with great acumen, the metaphysical questions raised by these awesome new visions of the glorious cosmos. --Donna Seaman Copyright 2003 Booklist

Compiled by writer/photographer/filmmaker Benson-whose work has appeared in the Atlantic Monthly and the New York Times-this collects 295 stunning photographs (color and b&w) of our solar system, taken by an assortment of interplanetary satellites since the 1960s. The amazing views (e.g., the canyons of Mars, the mountains of the moon) take up a full page, and as if that weren't enough, readers are also treated to frequent double fold-outs, giving a four-page panoramic view. For each image, there is a brief description of a prominent feature, the probe, and the date. A brief essay begins the chapter on each solar system object. These, along with a foreword by Arthur C. Clarke and an afterword by Lawrence Weschler, make up practically the entire text. But, then, this book is for viewing, not reading. For public library science and photography collections.-Margaret F. Dominy, Drexel Univ. Lib., Philadelphia (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.