Synopses & Reviews
Michael Benson tells the thrilling story of the discovery and description of the universe in a new way. Selecting artful and profound illustrations and maps, many hidden away in the world's great science libraries and virtually unknown today, he chronicles more than 1,000 years of humanity's ever-expanding understanding of the size and shape of space itself. He shows how the invention of the telescope inspired visions of unimaginably distant places and explains why today we turn to supercomputer simulations to reveal deeper truths about space-time.
Cosmigraphics explores the visual side of our greatest imaginative achievement as a species: the unveiling of a vast universe that is largely invisible to our senses. It will be a revelation to space-struck Earthlings, art lovers, and readers interested in the history of science, the visualization of information, graphic design, and mapping.
Review
"A mesmerizing grand tour of solar-system high spots. Gathered with the premise that they are significant achievements in the history of not just science, but photography as well, these big, sharply detailed images were all taken by (specifically) space probes and were chosen for their visual impact. The photos range from a primitive 1967 composite shot of the Moon to haunting close-up views of mysterious Neptune and its moon Triton taken by Voyager 2 in 1989...our nearest neighbors in space have never looked better." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"Dramatic, unframed color photos on thick glossy paper,the science details are just as exciting as the pictures. Starting with a long chapter on the early history of astronomy, Benson examines the Solar System from the perspectives of robot explorers launched in the last 60 years. He also gives in-depth descriptions of how the photos were taken by unmanned spacecraft. The informal text raises the big questions that will captivate young readers: Are we alone in the universe? Has Mars ever supported life? Does life exist there now? Or elsewhere? More than 20 space probes are in action right now, and engaged readers will want to reference the listed Web sites. The comprehensive glossary is also a handy resource." Booklist
Synopsis
Discover what the solar system looks like up close in this definitive collection of space exploration images. Since the 1960s, NASA has been sending unmanned satellites to explore the planets, moons, and sun. These probes have amassed a stunning visual record of other worlds, revealing not one but scores of new frontiers, from rust-red Mars to Saturn with its ethereal rings. Michael Benson has pulled together the most spectacular of these images into a volume that focuses on the awesome appearance of these celestial bodies. He discusses what the photos actually reveal about the places in simple language children will understand. The book includes a glossary, a bibliography, and an index.
About the Author
Michael Benson's books for Abrams include Beyond, Far Out, and Planetfall. A photographer, writer, and filmmaker, in the last decade he has staged a series of increasingly large-scale exhibitions of planetary landscape photography. He lives in Boston and Ljubljana, Slovenia.