The Guide to the Galaxy

by Nigel Henbest, Heather Couper

This guide to our galaxy is written in non-technical language and includes colour photographs of stars, star clusters and gas clouds in the Milky Way. The guide introduces the nature and structure of our galaxy and describes all types of objects that it contains. Maps are included.

275 pages, Hardcover

First published June 9, 1994

About the author

Educated in Northern Ireland and at Leicester University where he studied physics, chemistry and astronomy. He did postgraduate work at the University of Cambridge but left to become a science writer. He has written 36 books and over 1,000 articles on astronomy and space many of them in collaboration with Heather Couper. Previously he has been Astronomy Consultant to New Scientist magazine, editor of the Journal of the British Astronomical Association and media consultant to the Royal Greenwich Observatory. Along with Couper and Stuart Carter, director of the Channel 4 series The Stars he set up Pioneer Productions and now develops ideas and proposals for that company.

Reviews

[Jeff Greason · Rating 4 out of 5]

While other works are for the specialist, this is the only book I have seen which is essentially the "geography of the Milky Way galaxy". I picked it up because illustrations I found referenced in other sources trace back to this book. Published in 1994 it includes some of the discoveries from the Hubble. It does a good job emphasizing how recent our understanding of the large-scale structure of the Universe is, lays out the structure of the Galaxy as a hole, major structures, identifiable objects, down to the structure of the gas clouds in the local neighborhood around the Sun. Enough pictures to provide visual interest -- but perhaps organized more as a popular book than a reference one. Very worthwhile if the subject interests one.

[Albert Lombard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant book for the amateur astronomer who is interested in gaining a better understanding of the geography and nature of our Milky Way Galaxy. Although a basic background in astronomy and astrophysics will enhance the appreciation of the book, it is written in mostly non-technical terms. However this does not mean that it is a basic text. It contains lots of details, maps and photos and one can appreciate that a huge amount of work and research has gone into this book.
In addition to the detailed description of the structure and nature of our galaxy, the book also emphasizes the enormous contributions to our understanding made over the ages by different dedicated astronomers and astrophysicists.
I have already read this book several times and cannot recommend it enough. It is an excellent reference and worth revisiting time and again.

[Luca Signorelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

While this is now a bit dated in the details, as the Hipparcos and (in particular) Gaia missions have helped us to fill a lot of gaps that we had in 1994 (when this book was released), "The Guide To The Galaxy" is still a terrific introduction to the geography of our own Milky Way. It's one of those books that can be read by serious science enthusiasts and nerdy SF fans and both will learn something. Fascinating maps (even if - again - in need of an update)

[David Leemon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book for getting to know our own galaxy a little bit better. It takes the focus off of the Sun and its immediate neighborhood, and centers it where it should be, the black hole at the center of the Galaxy.