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Cover art © 1980 by Gerry Daly

This is the November 1980 Pocket Books edition of Mission to the Stars. The artist is Gerry Daly, one of the finest SF illustrators of the early '80s — which is sadly ironic, because he is virtually unheard of. More of his work can be seen on the covers of The House That Stood Still, The Weapon Shops of Isher, and The Voyage of the Space Beagle. And be sure to read this fascinating interview with Daly.
One of the reasons why this cover is so appealing is the idea it portrays of an interactive star chart. I've never cared for studying the constellations since our view of the stars from Earth is so subjective. But the galaxy itself, as theoretically seen from outside of it, is a very exciting idea. If/when mankind ever ventures into space in all seriousness, he must rid himself of the idea of constellations — the galaxy is so vast and its innards can be seen from so many angles and from so many distances that the idea becomes ludicrous as a means of navigation over vast distances. The only solution is to have a three-dimensional computer-stored model of the galaxy (or at least regions of it) that can be consulted and manipulated to suit the needs of the navigator.
Daly's painting vividly depicts such a device in action — the hand of the navigator selecting a star to call up information on it, or perhaps choosing it as his destination. Daly's artwork sparks the imagination, as all good covers should strive to do.

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