From the Southern Cross to the mysterious dark companions of the Dog Stars, the constellations in this guide will help readers see the night sky in a whole new way, allowing them to enjoy the vast beauty of the solar system.

This richly illustrated book contains over 200 photographs, nearly half of which are in full colour. It constitutes the best collection of available photographs of the planets that have been obtained from space over the past two decades. Also included, wherever available, are global maps of the planets and their satellites. Each of the following chapters is devoted to one of the planets, summarizing what has been learned about that planet and explaining in non-technical terms the features that can be seen in the many breathtaking photographs that are presented. The chapters are set out with the text first, followed by the figures, each accompanied by a long caption describing its essential points.

'A brilliant account of the latest research in astrophysics, not only the book of the year, but probably also the book of the decade'.--Patrick Moore.