BOOKS
Mars-Photographs from the NASA Archives

Book cover – “Mars – Photographs from the NASA Archives”

Interior view – “Mars – Photographs from the NASA Archives”

Interior view – “Mars – Photographs from the NASA Archives”

Interior view – “Mars – Photographs from the NASA Archives”

Interior view – “Mars – Photographs from the NASA Archives”

Interior view – “Mars – Photographs from the NASA Archives”

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A view of the Red Planet

The book “Mars Photographs from the NASA Archives” offers a comprehensive visual exploration of the Red Planet with images from six decades of NASA research. Since Galileo Galilei’s first observations in 1610, Mars has inspired science and imagination. This volume takes the reader through the planet’s polar ice caps, rugged landscapes and breathtaking dunes, captured through the eyes of numerous space probes and rovers. From the historic images of the Mariner 4 mission in 1964 to the current images from the Perseverance mission in 2020, the book traces the development of scientific understanding of Mars.

Perspectives from science and art

The work combines scientific precision with artistic representation. Historical illustrations show how people’s imagination was often ahead of scientific progress. In NASA’s aerial photographs of modern orbiter missions, the reader discovers ancient river beds, volcanic regions and spectacular ice caps. Rovers, which have been exploring the surface of Mars for decades, act as an extension of humans and provide detailed insights. The captions by planetary researcher Emily Lakdawalla clearly explain the technical and contextual significance of each image.

Cultural classification and essays

In addition to the photographs, essays by James L. Green, former NASA chief scientist, and Rob Manning, an engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, offer rare insights into the challenges and successes of the Mars missions. The poetic foreword by writer Nikki Giovanni focuses on Mars as a source of hope and inspiration, while Margaret A. Weitekamp, curator at the Smithsonian, examines the cultural significance and role of the planet in pop culture. These diverse perspectives combine science and art and create a multifaceted understanding of the significance of the Red Planet.

Mars in the spotlight

“Mars – Photographs from the NASA Archives” documents the evolution of Mars from a distant mystery to a tangible research target. The NASA missions have fundamentally expanded our knowledge of the planet, from the first observations to the latest discoveries. The book presents this progress in impressive images and exciting texts and invites you to explore the unique landscapes of Mars. At the same time, it pays tribute to the work of the scientists exploring the planet and shows how Mars, as a cosmic neighbour, has always been a reflection of human desires and dreams.

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Further information

Further information on the book “Mars-Photographs from the NASA Archives” (advertising) can be found on the Taschen Verlag website.

Compliance

The book was kindly made available to us by the publisher. The presentation and rating of HYPERMADE remains independent of this and is based solely on the content of the book.