Winner of the 2009 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Children’s Literature Award.

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How do we know that Mars is covered in rusty dust, that a day on Venus lasts longer than its year, and that Neptune has 13 moons? Human exploration! Exploring the Solar System relates the rich history of space exploration using telescopes, satellites, probes, landers, and human missions. This book has been updated to include the recent discovery of Eris, which, along with Pluto, has been newly classified as a "dwarf planet" by the International Astronomical Union. In addition to history, this book contains 22 hands-on projects to explore the planets and other celestial bodies from right here on earth. Exploring the Solar System also includes biographies of 20 space pioneers, details of specific missions, a time line, and a 20-page Field Guide to the Solar System with detailed scientific data on each of our celestial neighbors and the historic missions to visit them.