Dark Nebulae, Dark Lanes, and Dust Lanes

The Nature of Unlit Gases and Dust, and Their Place in the Universe.- Defining Our Viewing Parameters and Methods.- Dark Nebulae.- Dark and Dusty Regions in Bright Diffuse Nebulae.- Dark Lanes in Star Clusters.- Dust Belts and Dark Features in Galaxies.- Dark Regions in Planetary Nebulae.- A Few Last Words.

It has been said that music and astronomy go hand in hand. Antony Cooke's passion for both fields was clear very early in his life, but music ultimately would claim his career. A cellist of international renown, Cooke has been one of the leading players in the Hollywood recording industry for many years, having been Associate Professor of Cello at Northwestern University in Chicago until 1984. He is a U. S. citizen but was born in Australia and educated in London, receiving numerous prizes and awards, including the Gold Medal at the London Music Festival. The dual nature of Cooke's interests continued, astronomy remaining the counterbalance in his life. Always looking for ways to improve his experience at the eyepiece, he has constructed many telescopes over the years, with increasing sizes being the hallmark of his (often-quirky) designs. With limited time becoming an increasing factor, and with simplicity in mind, Cooke made the conscious choice not to be a slave to the new directions of mainstream amateur astronomy. Blending some of the best that modern technology has to offer with the careful choice of portable equipment, Cooke's somewhat unorthodox approach and visual emphasis, developed over the course of his lifetime, has proved to be his best solution. He has published three books for Springer, Visual Astronomy in the Suburbs (2003), Visual Astronomy Under Dark Skies (2005), and Make Time for the Stars (2009).n but was born in Australia and educated in London, receiving numerous prizes and awards, including the Gold Medal at the London Music Festival. The dual nature of Cooke's interests continued, astronomy remaining the counterbalance in his life. Always looking for ways to improve his experience at the eyepiece, he has constructed many telescopes over the years, with increasing sizes being the hallmark of his (often-quirky) designs. With limited time becoming an increasing factor, and with simplicity in mind, Cooke made the conscious choice not to be a

From the reviews:

"It is clear that Cooke ... has a passion for visually observing many dark areas of the universe. He clearly articulates this passion in his book and provides a wealth of observing challenges for observers with large amateur instruments. ... this reviewer, considers the scope of the book unique, so it would not have any competition in the campus library. Most of the black-and-white figures support the text. ... Overall, a useful resource. Summing Up: Recommended. General audiences and lower-and upper-division undergraduates." (J. R. Kraus, Choice, Vol. 50 (1), September, 2012)

From the reviews:

"In Dark Nebulae, Dark Lanes, and Dust Belts, Cooke describes a neglected area in the deep-sky observers' canon, the dark nebulae, and in addition he includes almost anything that may be perceived as dark in relation to deep-sky objects. ... The most likely beneficiaries of this book may well be the keen and more-advanced visual deep-sky observer who loves to chase features such as dark 'lanes' in globular star clusters and the dusty areas of spiral galaxies ... ." (Nick Hewitt, The Observatory, Vol. 132 (1231), December, 2012)

"It is clear that Cooke ... has a passion for visually observing many dark areas of the universe. He clearly articulates this passion in his book and provides a wealth of observing challenges for observers with large amateur instruments. ... this reviewer, considers the scope of the book unique, so it would not have any competition in the campus library. Most of the black-and-white figures support the text. ... Overall, a useful resource. Summing Up: Recommended. General audiences and lower-and upper-division undergraduates." (J. R. Kraus, Choice, Vol. 50 (1), September, 2012)