Explore the beauty and awe of the heavens through the rich celestial prints and star atlases offered in this third edition book. The author traces the development of celestial cartography from ancient to modern times, describes the relationships between different star maps and atlases, and relates these notions to our changing ideas about humanity's place in the universe. Also covered in this book are more contemporary cosmological ideas, constellation representations, and cartographic advances.
The text is enriched with 226 images (141 in color) from actual, antiquarian celestial books and atlases, each one with an explanation of unique astronomical and cartographic features. This never-before-available hardcover edition includes two new chapters on pictorial style maps and celestial images in art, as well over 50 new images. Additionally, the color plates are now incorporated directly into the text, providing readers with a vibrant, immersive look into the history of star maps.
The text is enriched with 226 images (141 in color) from actual, antiquarian celestial books and atlases, each one with an explanation of unique astronomical and cartographic features. This never-before-available hardcover edition includes two new chapters on pictorial style maps and celestial images in art, as well over 50 new images. Additionally, the color plates are now incorporated directly into the text, providing readers with a vibrant, immersive look into the history of star maps.
"I found this to be a very fascinating aspect of this comprehensive work. I have read a number of books on the history of celestial cartography, but none with the depth and wealth of information on this important part of the history of astronomy. ... I highly recommend this book to students of the history of astronomy or anyone interested in observing the night sky." (Robert Garfinkle, Journal of the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers, Vol. 63 (4), 2021)
"This third edition has certainly profited from the changes and additions, all of which ensure that Kanas's work remains the primary reference compendium for celestial cartography, just as it continues to offer an enjoyable initiation into the history of astronomy." (Thomas Horst and Luís Tirapicos, Imago Mundi, Vol. 73 (1),2021)
"As an often-awe-struck observer of the heavens and a map enthusiast who has always admired the beauty of celestial maps, I think Nick Kanas's book is a useful resource for any collector of celestial maps, anyone with more than a passing or casual interest in astronomy, anyone with a keen interest in the history of astronomy and astronomical instruments, or any combination thereof." (Gretchen Hause, The Portolan, Issue 110, Spring, 2021)
"This is a work that contains many items of relevance to astronomers, who will find the illustrations of atlases and charts of particular interest, albeit with many failings in the text and descriptions. It is probably of more interest to collectors of antiquarian maps (and even they will have some problems using it)." (Storm Dunlop, The Observatory, Vol. 140 (1278), October, 2020)
"You get a real bang for your buck with Kanas's tome. Now in its third edition, the book is well written, thoroughly researched, and beautifully illustrated with 226 images (141 in color) from actual antiquarian books and atlases. ... Star Maps should greatly appeal to amateur astronomers, map collectors, and historians of astronomy and art." (Peter Tyson, Sky & Telescope, August, 2020)
"Star Maps's comprehensiveness, for all its jackdaw tendencies, is on balance a virtue. Like a curiosity shop packed to the rafters, it almost certainly has what you're looking for tucked away somewhere." (Jonathan Crowe, Calafia Journal, Issue 01, 2020)
"Star Maps excels in the clarity of its writing, is highly accurate throughout, and will serve as the authoritative work on its subject for a very long time to come. This reviewer has a growing collection of astronomy books of well over a thousand in number now, and would include Star Maps as one among a small selection of books from his library he would say deserves to be read by every person interested in the history ofastronomy." (Alan Agrawal, Diablo Moonwatch, January, 2020)
"This third edition has certainly profited from the changes and additions, all of which ensure that Kanas's work remains the primary reference compendium for celestial cartography, just as it continues to offer an enjoyable initiation into the history of astronomy." (Thomas Horst and Luís Tirapicos, Imago Mundi, Vol. 73 (1),2021)
"As an often-awe-struck observer of the heavens and a map enthusiast who has always admired the beauty of celestial maps, I think Nick Kanas's book is a useful resource for any collector of celestial maps, anyone with more than a passing or casual interest in astronomy, anyone with a keen interest in the history of astronomy and astronomical instruments, or any combination thereof." (Gretchen Hause, The Portolan, Issue 110, Spring, 2021)
"This is a work that contains many items of relevance to astronomers, who will find the illustrations of atlases and charts of particular interest, albeit with many failings in the text and descriptions. It is probably of more interest to collectors of antiquarian maps (and even they will have some problems using it)." (Storm Dunlop, The Observatory, Vol. 140 (1278), October, 2020)
"You get a real bang for your buck with Kanas's tome. Now in its third edition, the book is well written, thoroughly researched, and beautifully illustrated with 226 images (141 in color) from actual antiquarian books and atlases. ... Star Maps should greatly appeal to amateur astronomers, map collectors, and historians of astronomy and art." (Peter Tyson, Sky & Telescope, August, 2020)
"Star Maps's comprehensiveness, for all its jackdaw tendencies, is on balance a virtue. Like a curiosity shop packed to the rafters, it almost certainly has what you're looking for tucked away somewhere." (Jonathan Crowe, Calafia Journal, Issue 01, 2020)
"Star Maps excels in the clarity of its writing, is highly accurate throughout, and will serve as the authoritative work on its subject for a very long time to come. This reviewer has a growing collection of astronomy books of well over a thousand in number now, and would include Star Maps as one among a small selection of books from his library he would say deserves to be read by every person interested in the history ofastronomy." (Alan Agrawal, Diablo Moonwatch, January, 2020)