116 replies to this topic

[Alex_V]

I have some pretty expensive books on my wish list. Three of them are by Paul W. Hodge

 

An Atlas of Local Group Galaxies

 

Atlas of the Andromeda Galaxy

 

The Large Magellanic Cloud

 

Here link to Cal Tech reproduction of Atlas of Andromeda Galaxy

Link

 

I would appreciate feedback about other two books, especially about Atlas of Local group.

Thanks

 

Sorry in advance, if it will cost someone...   

[herschelobjects]

I can speak to “The Large Magellanic Cloud” because I own a copy. The first thing to note is that there are two parts to the publication and they are not necessarily together when you come across the item on line. So when you purchase, are you buying the catalogue book, the atlas, or both? I picked up the 108 page catalogue back around 2010-2012 and the separate atlas a couple of years ago. The most important thing to note is that this is not a pretty pictures atlas. Hodge and Wright created the atlas because at the time there were no published identifications for the hundreds upon hundreds of variable stars, clusters and nebulae in the LMC. All that existed were the notations and IDs on the original photographic plates stored at Harvard. Hodge feared that the identifications (especially of the variables) would be lost over time, hence the need for a published atlas. There are about 160 plates in the atlas, measuring about 29 cm square. The plates (for the most part) were purpose-taken by the ADH Schmidt telescope in South Africa in the late 1950s. One set is in blue light (Master B), the other set in yellow (Master V). Because the plates cover about 125 square degrees of sky many of them show nothing but stars and perhaps the occasional notation of a variable star or a Shapley-Lindsay cluster. The other thing is that all of the identifications are plotted by hand directly on the charts. Cluster and nebula boundaries are frequently (but not always) drawn in by hand as well. I’ll include some more images on the next post.

 

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[herschelobjects]

Considering that you can expect to pay about $150 USD for this publication, I think that if your interest in astronomy is casual, you will be disappointed in the atlas. I think the atlas has great historical interest and value, so hard-core deep sky aficianados might appreciate it more. Below you’ll find images of the blue master chart, an image of a “typical” yellow plate (not absent of objects, not plastered with them either), and a close up of the plate, featuring the clusters NGC1869, NGC1871 and NGC1873. I observed this group on March 25 2009 from the 8000 foot level in the Atacama desert, Chile.

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Edited by herschelobjects, 16 March 2022 - 07:10 PM.

[sgottlieb]

Since Mark went into detail about the "LMC Cloud" atlas and catalogue (which I also own), I'll just add there is a companion version for the SMC (blue covers).  Also worth emphasizing the atlas charts are loose in a box.

 

I pored over the charts years ago looking for good targets while planning observations in Australia, but have rarely referred to them since.

[Alex_V]

Thank you "herschelobjects", for detailed description. Looks like Large Magellanic Cloud very similar to Atlas of Andromeda Galaxy (see link). Both atlases are from 60-70s, negatives of glass plates.

I wonder about Atlas of Local Group. Somewhere, someone mentioned about poor quality of the book (POD?). Springer is known for some POD books of not adequate quality. If anybody own this Atlas?

[obrazell]

The Andromeda Atlas is a much smaller book than you might imagine. It is a slim blue volume with images again taken from the POSS. There are about 72 pages, each image is a full page with objecst labeleld on it. The Atlas of the Local Group galaxies is a much ;larger book from one of Springers better imprints. Whether it is POD now I don't know as I have had a my copy for a long time and that was not POD then. It is again images taken from I think the POSS or later generation of that labelled up. There are 325 pages at least in the book. As noted the SMC atlas is a loose leaf collection of prints in a box with a small paper booklet as an introduction. The plates are reproduced on a lightweight card and there are a lot of them.

[sgottlieb]

The copy I had (many years ago) of An Atlas of Local Group Galaxies was also good quality (not POD).  But the title is a misleading since M31 and the Magellanic Clouds are excluded.  A large chunk of the atlas is devoted to M33 instead, particularly the HII regions.

[obrazell]

I guess the feeling was they had already been covered seperately :-)

[BrentKnight]

The Atlas of the Andromeda Galaxy is definitely worthwhile - especially for EAA.  Lots of clusters and nebulae targets.  But I would imagine the online version is good enough - if a little difficult to browse through.

 

I haven't tried to grab a copy for myself, but I'd be interested in hearing from anyone who has...

[turtle86]

I have the the Atlas of the Andromeda Galaxy.  I was able to get a copy at a reasonable price a while back.  I've seen used copies for crazy high prices.  
 

It is indeed a slim blue volume.  The pictures in the printed book look a bit better than the online version, but the online version is plenty good enough.  

 

As for Atlas of Local Group Galaxies, my copy was POD and not of high quality.  I no longer have it. 

[BrentKnight]

Atlas of the Andromeda Galaxy on eBay.  $300 please...

[desertstars]

Atlas of the Andromeda Galaxy on eBay.  $300 please...

 

 

[turtle86]

Atlas of the Andromeda Galaxy on eBay.  $300 please...

 

Some of these sellers live in a fantasy world. 

[sabant]

I don't have neither of these books, but would like to point to another excellent atlas for LMC/SMC created by the well known amateur Mati Morell. I bought my copy directly from Mati almost 20 years ago and it was a joy of having it during my second visit to Namibia. During the 2 weeks I almost didn't observe anything else other than LMC/SMC and didn't quite finish them! There is so much to see.

[Alex_V]

I'd like to add another atlas to the list.

The de Vaucouleurs Atlas of Galaxies

Anyone has it?

[BrentKnight]

I'd like to add another atlas to the list.

The de Vaucouleurs Atlas of Galaxies

Anyone has it?

I found maybe one at BiggerBooks, but it says New and I thought this one was out of print.

 

Never seen one myself...

[turtle86]

I'd like to add another atlas to the list.

The de Vaucouleurs Atlas of Galaxies

Anyone has it?

 

I do.  I got it when it first came out for a fair price.  It's worth owning if you can find someone who doesn't want a king's ransom for it.

[herschelobjects]

Like “The Large Magellanic Cloud”, the deVaucouleur atlas is not a pretty picture book. The images presented in the atlas are used to illustrate deVaucouleur’s galaxy classification scheme and they have been processed to bring out a galaxy’s true classification category, which is sometimes obscured by the manner in which images are taken, filtered and processed. More than 500 galaxies are featured in the atlas and there is a ton of information in the book, making it fascinating to read. Here is an image of a typical two page spread.

 

 

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[herschelobjects]

BTW, is no one interested in this fine book, one of the last hardcover astronomy books published by Cambridge and still available for about $30-$40 from online sellers? Or are we all just waiting for a ten times price increase...

 

 

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[turtle86]

BTW, is no one interested in this fine book, one of the last hardcover astronomy books published by Cambridge and still available for about $30-$40 from online sellers? Or are we all just waiting for a ten times price increase...

 

I got it when it came out.  Definitely worth owning. I'm surprised that it's still affordable.

[turtle86]

Here's another excellent Cambridge book about galaxies that is still affordable.  It focuses on a few well-known galaxies (including M 51, M82, M87, and M101) and shows how they appear in different wavelengths--x-ray, UV, optical, IR, and radio.

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[obrazell]

Yes the CUP Photographic Atlas of galaxies is an excelent book and should be in the hands of all galaxy observers. It is still in print which is probably why its price is so reasonable.

 

I would backup Mark's comments about the De Vaoucoulers Atlas of galaxies. Unless you are really into galaxy classification this is probably not a book you would need. There are no glossy pictures and the images are quite flat. If you really like Spiral galaxies then I can recommend Ron Buta's book on spirals

 

https://www.amazon.c...books,63&sr=1-1

 

It fits in with the idea of expensive books. I am sure it can be found on amazon.com as well

[Alex_V]

Looks like de Vaucouleurs Atlas of Galaxies out of print (or print on demand). It's about $210 on Amazon, but will be shipped only when available.

I have Cambridge Atlas of Galaxies. Highly recommend.

Cosmic Pinwheels is on my wish list. The price is manageable, especially used and softcover, can be found in very good condition under $40.

Edited by Alex_V, 24 March 2022 - 09:16 AM.

[BrentKnight]

BTW, is no one interested in this fine book, one of the last hardcover astronomy books published by Cambridge and still available for about $30-$40 from online sellers? Or are we all just waiting for a ten times price increase...

Thanks...ordered...burn through cash...next!

[turtle86]

Thanks...ordered...burn through cash...next!