- 30,573
- Edinburgh
- GTP_Mars
This gargantuan book (17" x 14") is a comprehensive and stunningly beautiful photographic document of the Cosmos (well, duh). When I heard this described as a 'Coffee Table' book, I didn't realise that they actually meant you could use it as a coffee table if you could be bothered to attach some legs to it (and didn't mind ruining the gorgeously shiny print of the front cover when setting your coffee mugs down on it)...
This book does justice to some of the most amazing and stunning astronomical images ever captured. Short of buying a 28" LCD monitor for your computer, there is simply no better way to present these stunning images but in a book which measures a staggering 28 inches across when opened gate-fold. Each section is copiously decorated with photographs from a huge range of sources, and accompanied by clear and fascinating text - although many of the most spectacular images enjoy pages (or double pages) all to themselves, and really do not need much in the way of introduction.
The journey starts with a detailed look at our solar system, including bang up-to-date images of some of the most important, recent discoveries in our solar system, such as the icy surface of Europa, and the detailed structure of the immense rings of Saturn.
Beyond the solar system, we venture out into interstellar space, and take a look at a vast array of objects that can be found within our galaxy. Arguably the most breathtaking image in the book is that of the vast star clouds that make up the Milky Way itself - each of the millions of tiny points of light a complete star system, probably as beautiful and as complex as our own Solar System, covered in epic detail in the previous section. (Another beautiful image of the center of our own galaxy adorns the front cover)...
From Interstellar Space, we venture on out into Intergalactic Space and look at the vast array of different types of galaxies and other exotica (such as quasars). A single image shows some 196 different galaxies with different structures in a grid format to illustrate (beautifully) the diversity of galaxy structure and evolution. The informative yet easy-to-follow text explains how the distance, movement and spectroscopic analysis of this vast array of cosmological objects instructs us about what these objects are, and how they came to be the way we see them today. The final section explores deep space and the ultimate level of cosmological structure, from galaxies to galaxy clusters, to the largest known superclusters and the immense voids that exist between them.
Although alot of comparably beautiful images can be found on the web with a simple Google search, having them all in one place and in such awesome detail is great - but just make sure you keep the black pages away from greasy-fingered relatives and friends who don't know how to turn a page by holding the sides!! I wouldn't say it was a must-buy, but it's definitely to be recommended for anyone interested in the night sky and understanding our place in the grander scheme of things.
