The Scientific Exploration of Venus

Fredric W. Taylor

Sep 2014 · Cambridge University Press

About this ebook

Venus is the brightest 'star' in the night sky and it has been observed since ancient times. Often dubbed Earth's 'twin', it is the planet most similar to the Earth in size, mass and composition. There the similarity ends: Venus is shrouded by a dense carbon dioxide atmosphere, its surface is dominated by thousands of volcanoes and it lacks a protective magnetic field to shield it from energetic solar particles. So why isn't Venus more like Earth? In this book, a leading researcher of Venus addresses this question by explaining what we know through our investigations of the planet. Venus presents an intriguing case study for planetary astronomers and atmospheric scientists, especially in light of the current challenges of global warming, which supports, and potentially threatens, life on Earth. Scientifically rigorous, yet written in a friendly non-technical style, this is a broad introduction for students and astronomy and space enthusiasts.

About the author

Fred Taylor is Halley Professor of Physics at the University of Oxford. He is a senior figure in the planetary science community, and has been involved in NASA and ESA missions to study Mars, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn. He is also a prolific author – in addition to his Mars book, he has written The Cambridge Photographic Guide to the Planets (2001) and the textbooks Elementary Climate Physics (2005) and Planetary Atmospheres (2010), and he has co-authored five other books. His lead roles in the Pioneer Venus and Venus Express missions give him a unique and authoritative perspective of this area. He is the recipient of numerous awards including thirteen NASA Achievement Awards; The Bates Medal of the European Geophysical Society, for Excellence in the Planetary Sciences; and The Arthur C. Clarke Lifetime Achievement Award.