Customer Reviews

Magnificent Universe

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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This visually is one of the most beautiful books I have encountered and I'm 62. The layout is perfect; the astronomical information is scholarly yet understandable to a lay person -- easily an intensive course in undergraduate astronomy; the scientific information is liberally sprinkled with poetic insights and a subtle sense of humor that enhance the scholarship of the work. These spectacular photographs of our primordial home hopefully will invoke a nostalgia in the deepest core of our collective unconsicous and remind us that we human beings are "astounding, lucid confusions" (Rumi) who live together on one beautiful, small blue ball in a glorious universe which abounds with mystery and awe.

I first saw this book in the souvenir shop at the Hayden Planetarium in New York and I absolutely had to have it. This is an astounding compilation of stunning photographs of our universe. It is a coffee table book, about 11" x 14" so the photographs are very large with incredible detail. The book is broken down into four sections with each one more inclusive. The first section is on the planets. It includes amazingly detailed photos of all the planets as well as comets and meteors with detailed descriptions of each planet.

The second section is about the stars. There are splendid pictures of nebulae that are more fantastic than the most spectacular fireworks display you could ever imagine. There is an interesting discussion of the birth of stars, how they differ and how long they last. There are also photographs of the remnants of supernovas as well as double stars and star clusters. The third section is on galaxies. Again, we have breathtaking photography of various galaxies, including fascinating and informative descriptions about the birth and evolution of galaxies. The last section is on the universe. This is more descriptive than illustrative and discusses the Big Bang and the evolution of the universe as it expanded, cooled and formed galaxies.

In addition to the sections mentioned above, there is also an interesting appendix filled with tables of information on planets, stars and galaxies including their distance, discovery dates and vital statistics.

This awesome book is educational, inspirational and beautiful beyond words. It is perfect for students, lovers of astronomy or anyone else who appreciates the lovely wonders of nature.

I was looking for a photographical display including the most up to date astronomical images available. I wasn't interested in a textbook book style format which was loaded with technical data. I was rather hoping to locate a work which would capture the breathtaking photographic capabilities that are currently available with the latest technological advances. "Magnificent Universe" was no disappointment. I was happily surprised to find nearly all images to be full page in size with a number of incredible 2-page centerfold images! The most common responce we hear from our friends is, "Wow!" Regards, Stan

The more than 100 full-color, full-page photographs literally brought tears to my eyes. The wonder of yes, to use that word from the title, the magnificence of our universe is captured in a way that is admirably described in the text. What a coffee table book to own for the new millennium. I have seldom felt as inspired or so filled with awe when holding a book as I have with Dr. Croswell's latest.

The pictures are absolutely incredible. I was pleased to find that there was little text in the work; Sometimes pictures are better than words. Every single picture is completely awe inspiring. The texture of the paper along with the high gloss finish is also quite pleasing. I found myself completely mesmorized by the work. All in all, a beautiful book for anyone to have.

Perhaps this is the most astounding compilation of astrophotography ever to be published. The quality of the color plates is fascinating and incredibly detailed. All the objects of the sky finally receive the attention they longed for: included within are photographs of virtually anything one can imagine to be out in space - our local planets, stars close and far away, asteroids and protuberances, novae, nebulae, swaths of constellations, galaxies, and deep sky objects, all in glorious color. However, I deeply regret that nowhere to be conveniently found are the coordinates of these objects as seen in the Earth sky. Also, I could not find the wealth of astronomical data concerning the objects portayed which would have made this work all the more fascinating. Nevertheless, this is a superb work, doubtless to remain a classic in celestial photography for many years to come.

This is THE astronomy book for the coffee table. The photos are truly awe-inspiring and will have house guests thinking about getting into astronomy! For amateur astronomers, this book makes for great cloudy-night browsing. All photographs have brief but well-written captions explaining what you're looking at. The gorgeous colors and large format pages allow for great dramatic impact.

It is an expensive book. However, it is (to my knowledge) the best of its kind. Admittedly, I went through it a couple times and now it just sits on my bookshelf! But it's always fun to show it to other people. I think every amateur astronomer would want a book like this to let the imagination run free once in a while. The various galaxies pictured in the book seem so close and detailed that it's easy to start dreaming of journeying there in a spaceship. We forget how incredibly far off these behemoth "island universes" are.

This is a great collection of full color, high quality photographs from the Hubble Telescope. There are few things more beautiful than the churning Universe and this book features a stunning portion of it. I just wish it were longer...I could look at this stuff all day long!

With this book, Ken Croswell opens to the reader the beauty of our universe with his unique prose coupled with the best pictures from leading observatories around the world. From the cover itself you will experience an unforgettable journey through the heavens, with splendid vistas and splendid lectures that will give you a taste of the cosmos on a "majestic scale". First, you will encounter "The Planets", "one by one as they race around the sun". Then, "The Stars","colorful gems that make the heavens sparkle". Farther away, "The Galaxies", "specking space the way flowers dot a spring garden". and then, "The Universe" opening up with "cosmology's first observation: the dark night sky". Poetic and visually amazing, the book also contains colorful tables for data lovers and a small glossary for quick reference as well as an index for further reading. In short, a magnificent book!

This is an extraordinary book. I'm giving a copy to my 10 year old grand daughter. The photos are exceptional but they are backed by succinct, clear, explanation that any intelligent reader can grasp. It looks like a coffee table book, but I can't imagine a better introduction to astronomy. Because of its beauty combined with brevity it leaves even those who know the topic with a feeling of grasping the whole at a new level.