National Geographic Picture Atlas of Our Universe Revised edition by Gallant, Roy A.; Sedeen, Margaret published by Random House Inc (T) Hardcover

by Roy A. Gallant

Excellent Book

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Reference, Astronomy, Space, Art, Science Nature

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1980

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

If the amount of time spent reading and rereading a book counted toward "greatest book of all-time", then "Our Universe" would be THE GREATEST BOOK OF ALL-TIME!!!!!!!!!!! I spent untold hours as a child growing up poring over this book. My old copy has disappeared into the unknown, and I really need to get myself another copy. I miss it.

[Christian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the book that first sparked my interest in space, science and science fiction. The photographs and illustrations are beautiful, though the science is now a bit out of date. The special section with descriptions and artists’ renditions of possible alien life was mind-blowing to me as a kid, and is something I’ve yet to see anywhere else - showing that life on the other planets of the Solar System, if it exists at all, would absolutely not look like us.

My own copy of this book is at least as old as me, if not older (roughly ~30 years) and has completely fallen apart from constant rereads, but I still hold on to the pieces, and it will be the one book I would rebind if I ever learned how!

[J.M. Brister · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best coffee table book ever made. I really don't care if it's way out of day now. The pictures are awesome, and the information is fascinating (though very out of date). I used to borrow this book every week from the public library when I was younger. Then, someone in my family was wonderful enough to find it for me many years later. Love this book!

[Shaun · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book helped me to know, understand and dream about our planet, galaxy, and universe. Some of the information may be outdated, but it had an immense effect on forming my opinions about the planet and beyond.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's so awesome, if I had a coffee table it'd be my coffee table book.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I spent countless hours reading and staring at this book as a kid. It also still calls Pluto a PLANET.

[Sam Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a kid I probably spent more time with this book than I did watching TV, and I watched a lot of TV.

[Ethan Hulbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Lavishly illustrated" doesn't even cover it. This book is a masterpiece and will encourage anyone of the wonders of space. Truly phenomenal.

[Tad · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was a kid, this was my astronomy go-to. Besides a treasure trove of pictures and statistics, it has a lot of the history of astrophysics written in an approachable, but still informative, way. What did Newton, Huygens, and Einstein contribute? It's all in here. All these years later, it still holds a high standing on my bookshelf, and my children (especially my inquisitive youngest) will pull it down and look at it from time to time.

Further editions have updated the information since when I was a kid, to account for our expanded knowledge of our solar system since the Voyager days. It appears the last one was in 1995 though, so it could definitely use another redo. If that happens, I'll definitely pick it up again!

If you buy one book on astronomy, make it this one. It doesn't have star charts, but it has everything else, most importantly, the reason a person should care enough about the subject to WANT a star chart in the first place.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just look at that cover! That’s all you need to see to be inspired as I was to pick this up. Ok, actually my wife who has a incredible eye for thrift store finds, found this.
This 1986 guide to our universe is a fascinating snapshot of that time before the completion of the Voyagers’ grand tours (and certainly before the images of Hubble). The artwork is superb and fun.
I have a soft spot for historic space futurism and this is a nice addition to my collection.

[Alain del Risco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fondest memories going to the public library during my elementary years. I would always see this book on display or filed within the shelf. How can I forget the beautiful cover and its content. However, I never read it. The book came out in 1980, basically I was about three years old when I first saw it. Forty years later, I finally read it. Amazing! Its everything I expected regarding space science in an encyclopedia format. I wish I would have read it when I was a child. An opportunity greatly missed. Considering the book was published in 1980 and science has rapidly advanced, still, I highly recommend this read for anyone interested in space.

[Joy Gerbode · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although it is dated, and some of the information is no longer correct, the basics are ... and the pictures are amazing. Lots of diagrams to help the reader "see" what it's like in space. It begins with a history ... before telescopes, when the stars were the gods. Then a chapter on each part of our own solar system, from sun, to planets, to asteroids, comets, etc. And finishes with the work of our own space programs, although they are many years in the past. It's a wonderful book, and one I will refer to again and again, I am sure.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just like a lot of other reviewers, I remember reading this as a kid being thoroughly engrossed. I never tired of reading through it and looking at the illustrations. The artwork, like the book itself, is dated but fascinating. Still a great book to get a young mind interested in space and science. Which is why I ordered a copy for my kids. I find it just as interesting now as I did 40 years ago.

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I repeatedly checked this book out in elementary school and read it cover to cover every time. I enjoyed the connections between mythology and celestial objects as well as the gorgeous pictures (hypothetical aliens, anyone?).

The information is outdated, but I recently purchased a copy because it is a large part of what got me into science, astronomy specifically.

Love it to death.

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book incredibly interesting. With engaging text, and pictures this book is fantastic for all ages. Each time I read every page over again, I learned something new. I wish I had this book as a child; it is the most simply educational book I've ever read. I've always enjoyed National Geographic.

[Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

pretty good

[Lancen Davis Harms · Rating 5 out of 5]

aliens and ygdrasil. what?

[Wayne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this because it was a gift from my nephew. It is outdated but still some good information in there if space is your thing.

[Will Voskamp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative, though a bit outdated, there is great info in this book

[Vivian Wiltshire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another pretty good read but a little too technical for my liking. But the photos were amazing and beautiful.I gave this book 3.5 out of 5 stars!

[Oskar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very insightful and informative, but more so the pictures!!! So detailed, so colourful, so awesome. I genuinely did not know that books could be printed in this quality until now.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

I discovered this book in a dilapidated library in Montgomery, AL working on a report or a science project in the third grade. I don't think it had much to do with what I was working on, but it became my favorite book in the library until I found the Magic School Bus books. This book has a ton of cool pictures of the planets, and for whatever reason, I was drawn to the section at the beginning of the planet bios that included information about the gods they were named after. I had a strange fascination with Clash of the Titons and other bits of mythology at the time. It covered everything that I was interested in. I found it again at a used book store in Provo and gave it to Erin as a house warming gift.

[Stefan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this from cover to cover after I received this as a Christmas present from my parents back in 1981.

It was one of the only things I asked for that year. I was very much into space and the planets even at a fairly young age.

I own a first edition copyright 1980 hardcover copy of this book.

I was able to fish it out of a box at my parents' place back a few years ago. I still leaf through it now and then.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've spoken with at least three of my friends about this book after I picked up a copy for my coffee table. They were captivated as children, just as I was. They remember ALL the wild alien artwork, the gods and goddesses, the vivid details. How many other kids were shaped by this book? Who else drew a massive sense of wonder from it?

You?

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book makes me nostalgia so hard. I poured over these pages for hours on end in my grade school years. I'm finally picking up a cheap used copy so I can share it with my kids. I expect I'll clear up some out-of-date inaccuracies here and there, but the illustrations are so fantastic it'll be worth it.

[Valeri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This had to be my favorite book when I was a kid. I borrowed it from the library almost every week. Some of the science is a bit dated, but it fueled the flame of my passion for space and the universe.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first book of science that obviously turned me on to the subject. After preparing 10 years of science and technology courses, I find it to be a hallmark in creating the perfect visual to "explore" our undiscovered domain.

[Facedeer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was one of my formative childhood books, but sadly I must give it a fairly low rating now because science has passed it by - much has been discovered in the decades since it was first published. If you want to give a kid a book about space pick something more up to date.

[Joseph Fernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me into the sci-fi fan I am today. Not Star Trek, not Star Wars, this book. It's nearly 40 years old but it hasn't been surpassed in terms of its brilliance. It combines real astronomy with the speculative in a way I've never seen before or since.

[Bookreeper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exquisite beautiful book. I would take trips to the library when I was a little bookreeper just to browse through this book for what seemed like hours.
See book here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XNGN...