posted May 03, 2012 03:18 PM               

Covering the first five decades of the exploration of Mars, this atlas is the most detailed visual reference available. It brings together, for the first time, a wealth of information from diverse sources, featuring annotated maps, photographs, tables, and detailed descriptions of every Mars mission in chronological order, from the dawn of the space age to Mars Express. Special attention is given to landing site selection, including reference to some missions that were planned but never flew.

Phobos and Deimos, the tiny moons of Mars, are covered in a separate section.

Contemporary maps reveal our improving knowledge of the planet's surface through the latter half of the twentieth century. Written in non-technical language, this atlas is a unique resource for anyone interested in planetary sciences, the history of space exploration, and cartography, while the detailed bibliography and chart data are especially useful for academic researchers and students.

Philip Stooke is a cartographer and imaging expert at the University of Western Ontario, whose interest in mapping the Moon andplanets began during the Apollo missions. He has developed novel methods for mapping asteroids and many of his asteroid maps are now accessible from NASA's Planetary Data System. He has studied spacecraft locations on the Moon and Mars, notably locating Viking 2 on Mars. He is the author of many papers and articles on planetary mapping, planetary geology, and the history of cartography and planetary science. His book The International Atlas of Lunar Exploration was published by Cambridge University Press in 2008.

• Hardcover: 350 pages
  
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (August 31, 2012)
  
• ISBN-10: 0521765536
  
• ISBN-13: 978-0521765534