Visiting the Solar System
In "Vacation Guide to the Solar System" (Penguin Books, 2017), authors Olivia Koski and Jana Grcevich bring readers through the finer points of visiting the top solar system destinations, from skiing on Mercury to taking a wheeled submarine down to the surface of Venus. Here are some of Space.com's favorite images from the book, illustrated by Steve Thomas.
Read a Q&A with the book's authors here.
Disposable Clothes
In space, you wear clothing as long as possible but then dispose of it rather than doing laundry. To tour the solar system, you'll be spending a lot of travel time in your space capsule.
Scenic Spots
Visit the moon's vast Tycho Crater.
Challenging Passtime
Baseball on the moon is a fun (and challenging) pastime in the universe of "Vacation Guide to the Solar System."
Day and Night
On Mercury, the terminator line separating night and day is a fascinating location — just don't get caught on the sunny side.
Dangerous Atmosphere
Venus' upper atmosphere is the spot in the solar system with temperature and pressure most like Earth's. It's the perfect place for floating cities, as long as you've prepared for the corrosive clouds.
Limited Access
Venus' surface, on the other hand, is far too hot and high-pressure to visit for long. Probes rarely last long, and exploration would take a very heavy-duty vehicle.
Loose Connection
Mars' moon Phobos is the closer and larger of the Red Planet's two moons, featuring very low gravity and a stunning view of Mars. You have to travel at 25 mph (41 km/h) to reach escape velocity from this moon, though, so don't worry about jumping all the way off.
Easier to Explore
Gravity on Mars is a little more than one-third of Earth's, giving a helpful boost to anyone exploring the Red Planet's striking canyons.
Beauty in the Sky
Look toward Jupiter's north pole for its stunning aurora display.
Cosmic Sea Exploration
Go diving in the intriguing sea below the ice of Jupiter's moon Europa.
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