CanopusBooks.com

Description:

Astronomy is advancing at an unprecedented rate, and there have never before been so many backyard astronomers, from beginners to those at the professional frontier. There is also huge interest in the startlingly imaginative concepts that professional astronomers use to explain our place, and existence, in the universe at large.

This new A-Z encyclopedia is a beautiful and authoritative illustrated reference to the whole of classical and modern astronomy. It includes 515 remarkable diagrams and photographs from leading artists and astrophotographers. Students, journalists, librarians, and inquisitive families will find it answers any questions that might arise in a professional or personal context.

Within its complement of 1750 articles, it includes 40 articles on practical astronomy from the world's top practitioners, including editors from Sky and Telescope magazine and members of the British Astronomical Association. These are articles to inspire beginners, and to refine the techniques of those with more experience.

There are 100 essays derived from the current work of 700 research astronomers. With the help of specially commissioned artworks, these articles interpret the latest research findings for non-specialists. Topics such as Active Galaxies, Dark Matter,and General Relativity are made truly comprehensible for the first time.

Under the direction of Professor Paul Murdin, an international team has created this unique reference work, which has been through careful stages of review and checking to ensure it is the ultimate single-volume reference in the field of astronomy.

The Editors:

Professor Paul Murdin (Cambridge Institute of Astronomy) is renowed as a broadcaster and author of best-selling illustrated astronomy books. During his illustrious career he has been responsible for establishing a new national observatory in the Canary Islands, for directing astronomy research for the British Government, and for advising the UK’s science minister on space and astronomy issues. He masterminded the foremost academic astronomy reference work: Encyclopedia of Astronomy and Astrophysics (Nature Publishing Group, Institute of Physics Publishing, 2001) with contributions from 800 of the world’s leading astronomers. Published in 4 volumes (3,500 pages), that encyclopedia took 5 years to prepare, and has provided the intellectual framework for this new popular work.

Margaret Penston, MBE is a former S ecretary and Vice Presidentof the Royal Astronomical Society and chair of its Education Committee. As a research astronomer on the staff of the Royal Greenwich Observatory she travelled the astronomical world, spending time at observatories in California, South Africa, Australia and Spain with her astronomer husband, Michael and their family. She was a member of the European Space Agency’s Hipparcos project team for more than 15 years. In 1998 she became schools officer in astronomy and space science for the UK Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council. She is a Governing Body Fellow of Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge and is the current President of the UK's Society for Popular Astronomy.

Reviews:

"An exceptionally comprehensive and up-to-date A-Z of the subject... stylistically fresh and pitched right at the limits of contemporary research... excellent and dense cross-referencing... The Canopus Encyclopedia of Astronomy is handsomely produced, with colour illustrations on nearly every page, and reasonably priced." Times Literary Supplement. Click here to read the full review.

"This authoritative and comprehensive volume will be of interest to armchair and backyard astronomers alike. It is an up-to-date work that will be accessible to all students of astronomy." Royal Astronomical Society, London

"Backyard stargazing is a lot more fun when you understand what you're looking at. Now, with The Canopus Encyclopedia of Astronomy , enthusiasts have a comprehensive guide to the science that's relevant to the hobby, written by a cross-section of the world's leading professional researchers and augmented by contributions from distinguished amateur astronomers.Wherever your astronomical interests take you, this encyclopedia will be a welcome and valuable companion." Rick Fienberg, Editor-in-Chief, Sky & Telescope Magazine

"This encyclopedia is by far the best of its kind I have ever come across", Sir Patrick Moore

"quite an achievement: people, places, telescopes and all sorts of astronomical phenomena are concisely described and defined in simple but scientifically literate terms... neither patronizes nor overwhelms ... an exceptionally useful and attractive volume." Astronomy & Geophysics

"Takes readers to the cutting edge of the latest research... details some of the most intriguing aspects of space." Science News

"Well researched and attractively laid out... an excellent source of information and data for amateur and professional, beginner and experienced." Federation of Astronomical Societies

"An engaging trove of information." Publishers Weekly