A grand and bold thing : an extraordinary new map of the universe ushering in a new era of discovery /

This very readable, moving story traces the development of the important Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Conceived in the late 1980s, SDSS is a tribute to the vision of Princeton astronomer James Gunn, who saw early on the utility of a large sky survey of galaxies. He became the godfather of a group of enthusiastic astronomers and programmers, distributed across many leading US universities/institutions, who pushed the project to completion. Gunn's idea caught the fancy of universities that contributed financial and human resources; the National Science Foundation has continued support. Science writer Finkbeiner (Johns Hopkins) describes the successes and discouragements the group experienced and shows remarkably well how scientists overcome obstacles to allow their good ideas to come to fruition. This early endeavor in astronomy required the cooperation of vast numbers of talented people across technical fields, and took advantage of new digital approaches and data storage. SDSS, a database that contains valuable information on the brightness, color, spectra, and locations of over a million galaxies, is open to everyone and is now widely used. Though afflicted with cost overruns so typical of major research and development projects, SDSS shows what a well-instrumented small telescope equipped with new high-tech equipment can accomplish. Summing Up; Highly recommended. All levels/libraries. W. E. Howard III formerly, Universities Space Research Association

With this accessible and insightful book, science journalist Finkbeiner reveals the story behind today's most exciting astronomical research program: the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, a massive technological undertaking whose results have allowed everyone, from astronomers to high school students, to create and work with "the most complete map of the universe ever." The SDSS began with astronomer Jim Gunn. Disillusioned by his work in the early days of the troubleplagued Hubble Space Telescope, Gunn dreamed of a "million-galaxy survey" that would be done "simply and cheaply, without bureaucratic delays." Along the route from ideal to reality, Gunn and the rest of the "Sloanies" encountered many obstacles, from obtaining funding and technical troubles to personality conflicts and the hassle of organizing groups at multiple universities and labs. By the time the survey began in 1998, the data-trillions of bytes-poured in, all available now via public Web sites like Google Sky and WikiSky. Finkbeiner (The Jasons) adroitly captures the major personalities as well as the science that drew them together. This delightful book reveals just how much SDSS has changed how astronomers work, and how they-and we-see the universe. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

With the launch of the orbiting Hubble Telescope, many predicted the demise of Earth-based instrumental astronomy. Finkbeiner (After the Death of a Child; The Jasons) skillfully puts that notion to rest in this remarkable book, which chronicles the development and implementation of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). A sky survey is a map of the entire sky viewed from Earth. The earlier Palomar Sky Survey was done on 14" square photographic plates using the 200" Mt. Palomar telescope. A few sets of plates and prints requiring specialized storage were distributed around the world. The SDSS took astronomy a giant leap forward. Using a telescope about half the size of Mt. Palomar's largest, outfitted with a 120-megapixel camera, astronomers managed to map the sky in about eight years. In addition to this phenomenal achievement, the images were made available to the public on the Internet from their website (www.sdss.org). VERDICT The story of this incredible project will delight history of science enthusiasts and astronomers of all varieties.-Margaret Dominy, Drexel Univ. Lib., Philadelphia (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.