The Planets

‘So staggering you go “whoa!” every few seconds’ Guardian

‘Really impressive’ Eamonn Holmes, ITV This Morning

A companion book to the critically acclaimed BBC series.

The bestselling authors of Wonders of the Universe are back with another blockbuster, a groundbreaking exploration of our Solar System as it has never been seen before.

Mercury is a lifeless victim of the Sun’s expanding power. Venus once thought to be lush and fertile, now known to be trapped within a toxic and boiling atmosphere. Mars, the red planet, is doomed by the loss of its atmosphere. Jupiter is twice the size of all the other planets combined, but insubstantial. Saturn, a stunning celestial beauty, is the jewel of our Solar System. Uranus, the sideways planet and the first ice giant. Neptune, dark, cold, and whipped by supersonic winds. Pluto, the dwarf planet, a frozen rock.

Andrew Cohen and Professor Brian Cox take readers on a voyage of discovery, from the fiery heart of our Solar System to its mysterious outer reaches. They touch on the latest discoveries that have expanded our knowledge of the planets, their moons, and how they come to be.