This is a novel book. Ron Val, busy at the telescope, was too excited to look up from the eye-piece. 'There are at least two planets circling Vega!' he said quickly. 'There may be other planets farther out, but I can see two plainly. And Jed, the nearest planet, the one we are approaching, has an atmosphere. The telescope reveals a blur that could only be caused by an atmosphere. And—Jed, this may seem so impossible you won't believe it—but I can see several large spots on the surface that are almost certainly lakes. They are not big enough to be called oceans or seas. But I am almost positive they are lakes.
