The Cambridge Atlas of Astronomy

by Guy Israël and Jean Audouze

Book Overview

The Cambridge Atlas of Astronomy is a comprehensive account of the results of our physical and intellectual exploration of the Universe. The 1980s is an exciting period for space exploration: the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0521363608
• ISBN13: 9780521363600
• Release Date: November 1988
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Length: 432 Pages
• Weight: 6.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.8" x 12.2" x 17.8"

Customer Reviews

Excellent detailed information book on astonomy

Well, it's a little out of date now , but this is still an excellent book for information on astrononmy up to the time period and the historical beginns of thscience. There's lots of great pictures and iullstrations. It's very comprehensive. However, it's a little hard to sit down with and read at times because of it's very large size.

Comprehensive but no atlas.

Let me point out first up, this book is very large. Both in its size and the wealth of information therein. You need to be sitting at a desk or table to be able to comfortably read this book. That aside, the amount of information it contains is vast. Although a novice can pick up this book and benefit from a read, many will probably find the text too technical. This is a book I return to often and always learn something new. It contains hundreds of photographs and graphs to compliment the text. Don't be mislead into thinking this is an atlas, as it is not. It really is a comprehensive illustrated encyclopedia of astronomy. If your after an atlas head to "The Cambridge Atlas of the Stars by Wil Tirion" or "Sky Atlas 2000.0: Deluxe by Wil Tirion, Roger W. Sinnott" for the two best available. Recommended.

Terrific astronomy reference!

I bought this book after borrowing a copy from my Astrophysics prof for 6 months or so. The text is very useful, but this book really stands out because of the diagrams. Many physics texts describe astrophysical phenomena, but this book has beautiful pictures of those selfsame events. I used colour copies for my presentations, and they really got the point across. I have never found a better, more comprehensive book about astronomy. The physics are at about the mid-undergraduate level.

A must for anyone interested in Astronomy

This is astronomy in a very big nutshell. This tome starts off with a very brief history of astronomy then it explores the universe from the inside out.Early chapters deal with the sun, planets and the interstellar medium. Terrestrial planet descriptions include gorgeous topographies, volcanic and techtonic activity and internal structures. Chapters on gas giants include rings, clouds and magnetospheres. All satellites receive the same attention to detail as the planets. This book is thorough!A salient point is this atlas is its treatment of the HR diagram--the Rosetta stone of astronomy. If you know the HR diagram you know a big chunk of astronomy. This book teaches you all about it in page after page of beautiful prints and pictures.Later chapters deal with stellar evolution, galactic structure, quasars and finally cosmology. From nebulae to black holes to the debate on extra-terrestrial life this book covers it all!The best thing about this atlas is that anyone can pick it up and read it. True, it's more than just a bunch of pretty pictures. It's technical but not TOO technical. It's meant for serious astronomers as well as someone just plain interested in space stuff.Visually stunning as well as topically complete this is quite simply the best book on astronomy I have ever seen. You won't be disappointed.

A beautiful and absorbing look at the Universe.

This book covers the entire range of the subject, from the Earth to the Universe and all in between. It is well illustrated with many supporting topic boxes containing more detailed explainations of the underlying physics and chemistry. The topics are well ordered and explained. My only complaint is it is a very large book making it difficult to curl up with, but if it were not big, the photographs would not be as stunning. I pick this book up often and spent many hours exploring the Universe with it