This book offers a tour of -the known galaxy-, here defined as the region of interstellar space closest to Earth. The phrase -the known galaxy- has a particular resonance in science fiction, as it refers to the part of the Milky Way that from the perspective of a point in time centuries from now may have been explored and settled by human beings. In the known galaxy, there are gloomy ocean worlds illuminated by the light of exploding stars. There are worlds where precious gems could be as common as pebbles. There are planets eternally wandering between the stars like the Flying Dutchman. There are lava worlds, steam worlds, hot Jupiters, cold Jupiters and maybe even worlds like our Earth. The purpose of the book is to begin to give this region a sense of place, in the same way that Mars is now starting to be appreciated as a location rather than just a planet. In doing so, the book merges our current scientific knowledge of the known galaxy with speculative fiction and with older legen
