Planetary Mapping is a wonderful find for both the researchers who use the planetary and satellite maps and for historians of planetary exploration.Planetary cartography—the art and science of making maps of the moon, planets, and their satellites—represents a crucial step in the exploration of the solar system. Without detailed and accurate maps, the scientific objectives for orbiter missions such as Magellan (now in orbit around Venus) and Galileo (en route to Jupiter) could not be planned in detail, nor could surface landers such as Apollo (Moon) and Viking (Mars) be directed accurately to their chosen targets. For the last 500 years, the exploration of our own planet has depended vitally on the availability of detailed maps of the oceans and New World. Today much pioneering planetary exploration depends on similar types of maps generated not from ground surveys or air photography, but from data obtained by robot and manned missions using both digital and film camera systems.