The Complete CD Atlas of the Universe (Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series) [Hardcover]

Richard Harshaw (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 13, 2007 | ISBN-10: 0387468935 | ISBN-13: 978-0387468938 | Edition: 1

This is the largest and most comprehensive atlas of the universe ever created for amateur astronomers. With finder charts of unprecedented detail, in both normal and mirror-image views, and an extensive list of 14,000 objects, it provides a detailed observing guide for almost any practical amateur astronomer, up to the most advanced. Spanning some 3,000 pages, this is a project that is possible only on CD-ROM. The CD-R pages are extensively indexed and referenced for quick location of objects. The accompanying book gives an introduction to the Atlas, showcases the maps, describes the CD-R content and organization, and includes various appendices.

Editorial Reviews

Review

From the reviews: "Amateur astronomer Harshaw (Stardeck Observatory, MO) compiled this recent entry in the ‘Practical Astronomy’ series. …The CD-ROM is well organized; it includes bank observing forms and images of more than 10,000 double stars, more than 1,400 galaxies, and other objects reachable by an amateur-size telescope. … Charts are of excellent quality. … Summing Up: Recommended. General readers." (M. –K. Hemenway, CHOICE, Vol. v4 (3), November, 2007) "The printed part of the book contains clear and simple explanations of some of the basics of amateur astronomical observing … .  The heart of the work is the CD-ROM with finding charts and the listing of the 13,238 objects. …Overall, for those amateurs in the northern hemisphere of a taxonomic bent this CD atlas would be of great assistance." (Nick Lomb, Australian Physics, Vol. 44 (4), 2007) "Patrick Moore in his book, ‘Atlas of the Universe’ brings many of the wonders of this space … . The universe is big but this book makes it all very manageable. … the book is a veritable treasure of information and pictures suitable for the young and uninitiated who want to learn more of the universe in which Earth travels. … With copious pictures and well rounded phrases, anyone can use this book to help them travel off-planet to wherever their eyes lead them." (Mark Mortimer, Universe Today, September, 2006)

From the Back Cover

This guide contains descriptions and charts for a total of almost 14,000 objects, and is probably the largest and most comprehensive Atlas of the Universe ever created for amateur astronomers. Spanning some 13,000 pages, this is a project that is possible only on CD-ROM. The atlas covers the whole range of objects viewable by amateur astronomers with 8 - to 11-inch telescopes, north of about latitude +40 degrees. Everything described here can be observed from suburban sites. Large-scale finder charts - in both normal and mirror-image "SCT" views - along with the extensive list of 14,000 objects provide a detailed observing guide for almost any practical amateur astronomer. Around 10,750 of the objects are double or multiple stars; the remaining 3000 or so represent the other classes of deep-sky objects. Double stars dominate this work for two reasons. First, for telescopes of modest aperture they are by far the most numerous type of object and second, double stars are usually bright enough to be easily observed from urban sites. The other deep-sky objects include many galaxies (1573 of them), and although dark-sky sites are of course best, many of these can be seen in skies that most amateurs would write off as hopeless for the task. There are 580 open clusters, 109 globular clusters, 148 planetary nebulae, plus a few others. The Complete CD Atlas of the Universe is a resource that could easily provide the basis of a whole lifetime of observing!

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 134 pages
• Publisher: Springer; 1 edition (April 13, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0387468935
• ISBN-13: 978-0387468938
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,295,496 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Caution in buying this book, September 27, 2007

By 

john@ "wc1x35jp" (London,UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete CD Atlas of the Universe (Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series) (Hardcover)

There were no reviews of this book when I decided to buy. When the book arrived I read it through. There are lots of helpful tips about viewing objects - open clusters, globular clusters planetary nebulae etc. It is all about the quest of the author to provide an Atlas that can be used as a means of finding and recording your own personal experience in locating these objects in a documented way. The analogy used by the author is that the method is not unlike the collecting of postage stamps and fixing them into the preset rectangles on those pages designed for sequential stamp sets! I don't know that I have explained that properly. In other words as a reference you know when you have seen something and those objects yet to be seen.
This is an expensive package and to my dismay the CD-ROM is not Mac compatible. The disc is Windows only but there is no statement to this effect on the disc or within the book. I am using the disc in a labourous way which is not really what I wanted when I bought this Atlas. This book deserves a Windows book reviewer. I am aggrieved that the publisher Springer devots a whole page at the end of the book stating that there is a non-return policy covering this book when the CD-ROM has be removed from the clear plastic envelope that holds the CD-ROM. So I hope Springer will contact me an provide me with a Mac compatible disc... Funny that the author wrote this Atlas on a Mac!