The Planets

The Planets is a fantastic voyage through the history of our solar system. Drawing on the latest discoveries from space telescopes and interplanetary probes, Andrew Cohen and Professor Brian Cox show how the story of our own world is intimately bound up with the fate of our celestial neighbours. The journey begins with the three inner planets: Sun-parched Mercury; Venus, once thought to be lush and fertile, now smothered in toxic gases; and Mars, too small to hold on to its own atmosphere. Cohen reveals the fearsome power of Jupiter – both a destroyer and a protector of worlds – and how Saturn may become the final place in our solar system where life can exist. Finally, the voyage reaches the mysterious ice giants of Uranus and Neptune, and the distant dwarf planet Pluto. All are featured in spectacularly detailed colour images from NASA, with a supporting cast of moons, comets and asteroids.