Field Edition of Interstellarum Deep Sky Atlas - Aghh! Pages flaking!

[mister_wavey]

well, after telling everyone how much I loved the IDS Field edition, I have just discovered that it is not fit for purpose.

I had noticed pages being stuck together following a dewey night but had no problem parting them until this morning, when opening the pages caused some of the facing page's surface to come away. If you can see in the image around Algieba, there are parts of text and symbols from the opposite page stuck to it, and these are now missing from the opposite page, see other image.

I'll sadly be returning my copy to CUP. 

[Tinker1947]

I would do the same, if its supposed to be a outside Sky Atlas then that shouldn't happen......

[PeterW]

Do tell the publisher, it is advertised as dew proof... If there is a problem then best they fix it or tell people how to get the best performance.

PeterW

[ghostdance]

Golly, what a nasty surprise!

Not fit for purpose indeed. I can't see CUP querying your right to an instant refund. Dew proof *not*!

Hope it's resolved quickly and to your utter satisfaction

( And selfishly, I'm feeling a bit relieved I went for the Desk Edition!)

[Stu]

Crikey, that is a surprise. Please do report what they say, I do feel like returning mine if it can't be used outside!

[jkwhinfrey]

Agreed, that certainly shouldn't happen to a dew proof atlas of that price. After all the premium over the Desk Edition isn't small and the weatherproofing is the only justification for it as far as I'm aware.

James

[Hungran]

Oh no! What a nasty surprise..... I bought the Field edition because it was advertised as dew proof. Perhaps I should have bought the anti dew heating pouch too! :-) . This was really bad news. I paid a lot for this star atlas.......

[mister_wavey]

yes, no one is more disappointed than me. I will miss the atlas greatly. Spoke to CUP customer service and they're picking up the book and arranging a full refund.

A replacement was offered, but unless something in manufacturing changes, I suspect the same thing will happen.

[Tinker1947]

Maybe the desk version could be scanned a bit at a time then laminated (this is simple and cheap) so sections could be taken outside......

[paulastro]

Perhaps it may be a problem with just one print run?  I hope it's not the same for all of us that have bought one.  Perhaps we should check our own copies by dunking them in a fish tank!

[PeterW]

It seems to be the drying out when pages are in contact. Ypunget the same problem if you spill tea over a magazine you are reading. The correct solution is to separate the pages and try to get them to dry out like that. If you leave it you will end up with a block of paper and Jo hope of separating. OK paper is absorbent and these pages are not, but I would bet that putting it away after a damp night without drying it out first might not be good. Maybe you could unstick the pages by dunking it in the bath so that they can be separated without pulling the ink off.... Anyone willing to test this out with a sacrificial few pages of their copy?!

Cheers

Peter

[Tinker1947]

A wipe with kitchen towel over and damp/wet pages would stop the sticking together, something most of us would do with camera, ep ect, so why not a all weather map.....

[jam1e1]

Hmmm that's a bit worrying! I picked up a copy of this at astrofest, field edition too. Agree it's a great atlas, mine got really frosty the other night, the plastic seemed to lock in a lot of moisture, was still drying out the next day on pages that were not open. I'll check my copy to see if the same happens. I spoke to Ronald when bought, he did say waterproof and tear proof hence why got the field edition at premium. Hope doesn't suffer the same, sorry to hear about yours

[Tinker1947]

For people that don't want to have the outlay that the field edition costs there i s "Deep Sky Hunter " its has the same depth as Interstellar and taking just a section of sky at a time the 112 pages over a year can be printed and laminated for a cost of, Laminater (Amazon) £14 and 25 pouches @ £4 a  go, so a grand total of £30 plus the printed pages....

http://www.deepskywatch.com/deep-sky-hunter-atlas.html

[FenlandPaul]

Really sorry to hear that but thanks for posting and warning others. I too have bought this atlas but only used it in anger once. I have to say I love it to bits, and will be taking even greater care of it now. I used to use the Deep Sky Hunter charts too, which are great value for money if you print and bind but not a patch on Interstellarum (and so they shouldn't be - Interstellarum is comfortably the most expensive book I've ever bought!!).

I hope you find a suitable replacement.

Paul

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[alan potts]

What ever the problem is it simply is not good enough, this is meant to be dew proof, I even read they had one in a tank of water. The trouble is it is such a good book I would still want one.

Alan

[Davesellars]

Mine has been used once outside so far and everything was literally soaked in dew...  and then frozen.  Once back inside, I gave the pages used a very quick dab with kitchen roll as it was very late and put away in an unheated place.  Next day I read this thread and realising the far from thorough job i'd done went back to the atlas and gave it a decent dry with kitchen roll again.  Everything was still very damp but left to dry naturally.  The pages that had been using that night I noticed had kind of bound a bit (i suppose the water that's there acts as a kind of sealant) so i carefully separated them but there were no issues as everything was indeed still damp and took another day to dry out completely.   I know this (Polyart) is used in various maps but I guess not in book form such as the entire thing will get damp.  It's much easier for a single sheet to dry out without any issues.

It would be interesting to know from the OP how the atlas was dried out overnight to have this issue as mine took a long time to dry out completely.  i.,e was left near a radiator?    Also, would be good to get some feedback from the publishers if Polyart needs a bit of attention to avoid the pages binding like this.  Until then, like another poster mentioned - i'll treat this with a bit more care after a dewy night!

It is really great atlas though!!!

[mister_wavey]

It would be interesting to know from the OP how the atlas was dried out overnight to have this issue as mine took a long time to dry out completely.  i.,e was left near a radiator?    Also, would be good to get some feedback from the publishers if Polyart needs a bit of attention to avoid the pages binding like this.  Until then, like another poster mentioned - i'll treat this with a bit more care after a dewy night!

I've had it since new year. I used the now broken pages about 3-4 weeks ago, with no wiping (because it's dew proof) and just let it dry closed at room temperature. Leaving it closed on those pages for that period seems to be the problem.

[alan potts]

Stuart,

That is as maybe about the damp pages, it is still not good enough at the price, I hope you get a refund or a replacement.

Alan

[jam1e1]

Had a check of mine, no issues so far or stuck pages. I did leave book open all night to dry out so hopefully that seems to help. It is a great guide hope you get sorted soon