Since the dawn of time, the moon has exerted a tremendous influence over the earth and its inhabitants, both scientifically and artistically. The earliest astromers expended much energy in their attempts to map the moon, and the moon has a central role in virtually all mythologies, from the Amazonian Indians to the ancient Egyptians to the Celts. Yet the biography of our nearest planet has never been written. The text presents a myriad stories - people with extraordinary characters like Galileo and Van Eyck - and science. Features 8 illustrations and 4 colour photos.

Author Biography

Dr David Whitehouse is a BBC Science Correspondent and the Science Editor of BBC News Online. He obtained his doctorate from the world-famous Jodrell Bank Observatory and has worked on several space missions. He regularly writes for magazines and newspapers and is a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, past president of the Society for Popular Astronomy and co-presenter of the BBC TV science series Final Frontier.