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EDITORIAL INFORMATION

Life on Mars! In recent weeks, the question again has captured the world's imagination, with the announcement of possible life forms found in a Mars meteorite. Coincidentally, ten missions to the planet have been planned within the next few years--the first scheduled for December'96, and it is likely that human explorers will follow soon after, perhaps by the middle of the twenty-first century. When they do, they will owe much to the Mars of romance, to the early pioneers whose discoveries and disappointments are brought to life in The Planet Mars: A History of Observation and Discovery.

In this timely account, William Sheehan traces human fascination with Mars back to the naked-eye observers of the planets. He recalls the early telescopic observers who first made out enigmatic markings and polar caps on its surface. He describes in detail the debate over the so-called canals of Mars, which encouraged speculation that the planet might be inhabited. Finally, Sheehan describes more recent theories about the planet, leading up to the present, when unmanned spacecraft have enabled us to make giant strides in exploration.

(Extracted from the press release).

GENERAL TABLE OF CONTENTS

-Contents.

-List of Figures.

-Preface.

-1. Motions of Mars.

-2. Pioneers.

-3. "A Situation Similar to Ours".

-4. Aerographers.

-5. 1877.

-6. Confirmations and Controversies.

-7. Lowell.

-8. How the Eye Interprets.

-9. Opposition 1909.

-10. The Lingering Romance.

-11. Spacecraft to Mars.

-12. Mariner 9.

-13. Vikings-and Beyond.

-14. The Hurtling Moons of Mars.

-15. Observing Mars.

-Epilogue.

-Appendix 1. Oppositions of Mars, 1901-2035.

-Appendix 2. Perihelic Oppositions of Mars, 1608-2035.

-Appendix 3. Table of Data for the Planet Mars.

-Appendix 4. The Satellites of Mars.

-Notes.

-Selected Bibliography.

-Index.

OUR REVIEW

Few books are fortunate enough to be as handy at the moment of their being published for the general readership. A few months after the possible existence of life on Mars in the past was announced, the interest in the Red Planet has grown like foam and there is a considerable interest in getting to know its characteristics, its history and its exploration on the part of our scientists much better. Sheehan's work, then, is marked for success. Well documented, this book reviews in brief yet very complete and very pleasant to read chapters the history of its observation. Although the author has had no time to reflect the latest news on the discoveries done in at the very least a couple of Martian meteors which reached the Earth, it is indeed a very adequate guide for those who now feel interested in Mars and everything that has surrounded this planet from the beginning of Time.

Sheehan, besides being a writer, is a psychiatrist and an amateur astronomer, and he knows how to communicate things to his readers. Part of the material he has gathered for this book had not been previously published at all. At a time when a great deal of books aimed at calming down the Martian fever is expected, the one we have here will end up having a leading role on our shelves.