Today, Saturday 8th February 2025, Sir Brian May made a grand announcement at world leading astronomy festival, AstroFest, held in London’s Kensington Conference and Events Centre.
Brian, holder of a PhD in astrophysics from Imperial College, announced to an audience of several hundred that under his publishing house, The London Stereoscopic Company, he will release a groundbreaking new book—the first ever to explore the wonders of galaxies in 3-D.
Sir Brian May says - "I’m excited about this latest addition to the London Stereoscopic Company’s Astro collection. For the very first time, readers will be able to enjoy stereoscopic renderings of galaxies previously only seen as flat ‘mono’ images. And this, coupled with a text from one of the world’s experts on Galactic Evolution, will give a uniquely new insight into the Universe as it is now perceived. Moreover, it’s an account understandable and enjoyable by anyone interested in the biggest subject in the Universe - not just astro experts. It will be a gripping read !! "
Galaxies 3-D: Islands in Infinity, is still in work, is being written by leading astronomer Professor Derek Ward-Thompson and edited by Brian.
The 3-D pictures are the creation of J-P Metsävainio, who is acclaimed in both arts and science communities worldwide for his cutting edge astrophotography image processing.
At AstroFest, Brian and the forthcoming title's author, Professor Ward-Thompson, revealed some first glimpses of the book ’s contents, enthralling Astrofest’s audience of astronomy enthusiasts. They saw rare, breathtaking images of galaxies near the farthest edges of the known Universe - viewed as they were over 13 billion years ago, because the light from them has been travelling towards us ever since an epoch just after the cmoment of the ‘Big Bang’. Thanks to the magic of Metsavainio’s processes, they will be viewable in the book in full stereoscopic splendour.
About The Book
Galaxies 3-D: Islands in Infinity to be published by The London Stereoscopic Company, Autumn 2025
With more than 200 colour photographs from the world’s great telescopes, both terrestrial and spaceborne, the stunning coffee table book, will provide a mesmerising introduction to the formation, nature, evolution and classification of some of the 200 billion galaxies that inhabit the observable Universe.
We’re taken on a journey, travelling through weird and wonderful shapes as great galaxies collide and merge in chaotic and extraordinarily forms. And, moving out towards the edge of the visible Universe, we examine how galaxies gather in clusters and superclusters as we look outwards and back in time towards the beginning of the Universe at the Big Bang.
Each copy comes complete with an Owl Stereoscopic Viewer, signed by Brian May which will bring the images to life in fantastic 3-D >> www.londonstereo.com
About AstroFest
European AstroFest is the UK's premier astronomy conference and exhibition, featuring talks from leading astronomers and space scientists plus three floors of exhibition space. It takes place annually at Kensington Conference and Events Centre, London. This year the festival runs from 6-7th February.>> www.europeanastrofest.com