The Cambridge Star Atlas
Squarely aimed at casual observers, this lovely atlas will also be a useful resource for teachers. Tirion, the author of the highly regardedSky Atlas 2000.0andUranometria 2000.0, has revised the 1991 edition of the atlas, adding a basic lunar map and guidelines for lunar observation. Information for viewing the sun, planets, or asteroids is not provided. The rest of the material is divided into three sections: monthly sky maps for the northern and southern hemispheres, star charts, and all-sky maps. Each section includes a concise explanation of the astronomy necessary for understanding the maps. Simple instructions are provided for using the monthly maps. These maps, printed in white and yellow on blue, are designed for field use. Charts plot all stars visible to the naked eye in a dark sky. Other objects are selected based on interest and available space. These provide a reasonable survey of galaxies, nebulae, and clusters and include objects only visible with binoculars or small telescopes. There are no detailed descriptions of objects and no distances given, even for selected objects. The all-sky maps use galactic coordinates to show the correlations of various types of clusters, nebulae, and galaxies with the Milky Way's galactic plane. They are particularly delightful because they plainly show which of these objects are galactic in origin and which are extragalactic. All the maps, especially the star charts, are beautifully prepared. Physical quality is also high, and the book is a bargain at $19.95. Strongly recommended for public, high-school, and undergraduate academic libraries.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.