Customer Reviews

National Geographic Picture Atlas of Our Universe

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
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National Geographic Picture Atlas of Our Universe is THE best solar system book. I never really thought anything of the Universe, and the planets, until I found this book! It is amazing! It answers questions my science teacher couldn't answer. It gives detailed, understandable information, with beautiful pictures! After reading this, I can name some of the planet's moons, and how many a planet has! I feel like I know tons more than I ever did about the solar system, and Our Universe!!

When I was a child, I would borrow this book from the library as often as I could. It really sparked my interest in the solar system and space in general. Even though the information in the book is considered out-of-date, I believe it is still relevant today. It can stir anyone's interest in astronomy!

Besides my own copy, I have never seen another one of these books. It's a shame really, because this book combines information and illustration in the way only National Geographic can. The nine planets of our solar system make up the majority of text material here, which goes a long way in preserving the shelf life of this book.

Our Universe begins with a brief history of astronomy entitled from 'Sun Gods to Gamma Rays' and is written in a manner accessible for all ages. Gallant then proceeds to examine our solar system piece by piece, beginning with the sun and then the orbiting planets. Each planet is given its own chapter, complete with graphs of orbital patterns, atmospheric qualities and actual photographs if available. Stunning artwork is peppered throughout, and in my opinion makes this book a treasure.

Finally, Our Universe includes chapters on comets, asteroids and meteors, and the various galaxies outside our own Milky Way. It's a book that everyone can enjoy. Adults might learn something new, and the artwork will garner interest in kids to learn more about our universe.

This book has fascinated me since I was in the third grade. All of the colorful illustrations and easy to read facts taught me a great deal about the Universe that I am a part of. I must have checked this book out at least twenty times between the third and fifth grade. This book is a must for children or adults who want to learn more about astronomy.

My father used to read sections of this book to my brother and I every night before bed when we were small. Through the wonderful text and outstanding pictures, a love affair w/ astronomy and the search for truth in this reality was set into motion. No other book is as emotive or manages to capture the imagination as well.

I got this book when I was 4, and I still adore it. I read it so many times it literally fell apart. It's out of date, but still wonderful! One of my favorite things about this book is the speculation on what alien species might look like, and how they would live on the planets and moons in our solar system.

My parents had this book on our shelf since before I was born, and when I was old enough to pick it up and read it, I fell in love. Even if some of the text was beyond my comprehension, the illustrations were more than enough to capture my imagination and drive my interest in astronomy. As I got older and could understand more of my reading, the book became that much more important and influential for me. I used it as a resource for several reports through out elementary and middle school.

Sure, by this time, some of the information contained in the book is outdated and many new discoveries have been made, but the information that is there is a great resource for people of any age. I only remembered the book just now as I study for my Black Holes and Cosmic Evolution final, and how much I'd like to take a glance at it for some outside information!

During library hours, every week as a child, I rushed to this read Our Universe. With it's easy to understand content, and fascinating ideas is the foundation to my most prized possession. Imagination. Give this gift to every child of 8, and watch her or his mind grow even beyond the scope of television.

I had this book when I was a kid and used to spend hours reading it over and over with wonder and imagination. It is what peaked my interest in our Solar System and teaching me how small we really are. My 7 year old son has recently started to take an interest in astronomy and I thought of this book immediately.

I looked for it all over and was not able to locate, however thanks to Google and Amazon, I was able to find it here! I quickly added to the cart and ordered it for him as a suprise. I know he too will get as much joy out of this book as I did when I was a child and look forward to reading through it with him. I cannot recommend this book enough. I would love to see and updated version of this due to all we have learned since original publication.

Like the other reviewers have mentioned, this book was also an intricate part of my childhood. After glancing through a friend's copy of this book back in 1980, I saved my money to buy a copy for myself. This book inspired me to the point where I wrote to NASA and sent them designs of space stations and asteroid mining ships. They, in turn, sent me autographed photos of astronauts and a poster of the space shuttle. It is a fantastic book for children. I have passed my copy down to my sons in the hopes that they become as inspired as I have.