About the Author:
Patrick Moore has hosted BBC's The Sky at Night, the longest-running television program in history, for over forty years. He is the author of numerous books, including The Atlas of the Universe, Stargazing: Astronomy without a Telescope, and Exploring the Night Sky with Binoculars.
From Library Journal:
With the assistance of more than 40 contributors, astronomy popularizer Moore has revised and expanded The International Encyclopedia of Astronomy, his 1987 contribution to the field. This attractive book covers all aspects of astronomy and astrophysics: celestial objects and phenomena, astronomers (famous and less well known, from antiquity to the present), places (chiefly observatories), projects, instruments, historical developments, organizations, and even journals. The alphabetically arranged articles (over 3000, some 500 more than in the previous work) vary in length from one-sentence definitions to nearly one-and-a-half pages of text. The entries are extensively illustrated (although, strangely, the entries for constellations lack diagrams), and ample cross-referencing mitigates the need for an index. Color-coded insets list information about the constellations (the brightest stars and associated deep-sky objects), planets (vital statistics such as diameter, density, mass, surface gravity, and surface temperature), and other topics, including the nearest stars, the brightest stars, annual meteor showers, and the Caldwell and Messier catalogs of deep-sky objects. Also included are eight star maps, created by renowned celestial cartographer Wil Tirion (The Cambridge Star Atlas), that cover all 88 constellations and include major deep-sky objects. One notable weakness is the absence of either a comprehensive bibliography or references within individual entries. Given the breadth of this work and its price, the only comparable alternative currently in print is The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Universe, edited by Ian Ridpath. Both titles are mid-level surveys of the discipline-too simple to be the only encyclopeda in an astronomy library, too technical for a high school library, but a great choice for patrons with some scientific knowledge. Libraries should consider purchasing both. For those limited to buying just one title, Moore's alphabetical arrangement makes for easier use than Ridpath's thematic organization. Recommended for academic and larger public libraries.
Nancy R. Curtis, Univ. of Maine Lib., Orono
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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