Do you ever wonder what you are really seeing when you look at pictures transmitted from space? Do you marvel at today's discoveries? Can you imagine how we ever got this far? Blastoff sets out to satisfy the curiosity of the budding astronomer in us all, planet by planet. Each volume begins with a fascinating history of the planet's discovery by ground-breaking scientists who worked without the advantages of today's technology. Readers then reap the benefits of that same technology by blasting off to explore in accessible detail each planet's surface, atmosphere and satellites. A discussion of future possibilities concludes each volume, suggesting that, while much has been discovered, there are plenty of mysteries yet to be unraveled.