Mars

For centuries, Mars has fascinated us with its dusty, dry world and its potential for other life. Astronomer Patricia Skelton explores our relationship with Mars, from early observations to future space missions, and how it has helped us understand planetary motion and sparked debates about life in the Solar System.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 128 pages
Publication date: 06 October 2022
Publisher: National Maritime Museum

For millennia, Mars, one of the five planets visible in the night sky without the use of a telescope, has captivated our imagination. What is it about this dusty, arid world that has so thoroughly captivated us? Astronomer Patricia Skelton delves into our relationship with Mars, beginning with the earliest observations and the intriguing conundrums they sparked. She explores how the Red Planet helped solve the mysteries of planetary motion, ignited passionate debates about the possibility of other life in the Solar System, became an early target of space exploration, and has since served as a testing ground for remarkable new technologies.

Over the past 60 years, Mars has welcomed a succession of spacecraft, landers, and rovers that have expanded our knowledge and inspired us to venture further. As we look to the future, how long will it be before astronauts join them on the distant planet's surface?

Dimension: 178 x 109 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781906367947