Product Description

Amateur astronomers have to start somewhere. Most begin by buying a modest astronomical telescope and getting to know the night sky. After a while, many want to move on to the next stage, but this can be problematic. The magazines advertise a mass of commercially-made equipment – some of it very expensive – which can represent a major financial outlay. The trick is to choose the right equipment, and then use it to its fullest extent.

Observing Skills: The Science and Art of using Astronomical Telescopes provides the required information. First, it explains how to get the best from entry-level equipment (that upgrade may not even be needed for a year or two!). Second, it explains how to select equipment that is at the ‘next level’, and describes how use more advanced telescopes and accessories.

The book is organized according to observational targets, and although it concentrates mainly on visual observing, it concludes with a section on imaging and the equipment currently available – from regular digital cameras, through webcams, to specialized chilled-chip CCD cameras.

Observing Skills: The Science and Art of using Astronomical Telescopes is the perfect follow-up to Moore and Watson: Astronomy with a Budget Telescope and Tonkin: AstroFAQs . It neatly fills the gap between these introductory books and the more advanced books in Springer’s Practical Astronomy list.

Customer Reviews (1)

A good solid book on about how to do things with your telescope
Really enjoyed this book.It is very readable, with enough humorous twists to keep me reading almost straight through.This is a quality book throughout with lots of "how-to's" in it.I am glad that I made the purchase.

This is an intermediate book that assumes you know at least a little about telescopes and astronomy.Many good pictures.Made with quality materials. ... Read more

Product Description

Deep-Sky Video Astronomy is a concise guide to using modern integrating video cameras for deep-sky viewing and imaging with the kinds of modest telescopes available commercially to amateur astronomers. It includes an introduction and a brief history of the technology, camera types, etc. The authors then examine the pros and cons of this unrefrigerated yet highly efficient technology, which is already beginning to compete with expensive astronomical cooled-chip CCD cameras in quality and ease of use.

There is a thorough examination of accessories used to achieve particular results. Examples are focal reducers, Barlow lenses, and optical filters. However, the focus is mostly on the practical side of creating beautiful and detailed astronomical portraits using image-stacking software, enhancement tools like PhotoShop, and creating color images with a black-and-white camera.

Practical step-by-step examples supported by tried and trusted tips show how to achieve the best possible deep-sky video portrait!

Customer Reviews (2)

More of a software guide
The other reviewer hits the nail on the head. With only about 13 pages devoted to describing the various video cameras available this book leaves you with more questions than answers about camera selection. I tracked down websites for the various cameras mentioned and I was unable to make a sensible comparison of their features. The cameras mentioned range from $275 to $800 and they clearly feel this is the best bang-for-the-buck. There is a passing mention of webcams, but little more. There is no mention at all of Celestron's Celestron NexImage Solar System Imager.

That said, the bulk of the book is an in-depth step-by-step guide to manipulating the raw video you have captured and explains how to get the best possible images. The book is also filled with great photos, each listed with the telescope specs listed, but not always the camera model. There's also a nice little section on using a video camera for guiding.

If I ever buy a video camera this book will be invaluable; but I'll have to find another source of information to guide my camera selection.

Prescriptive astrophotgraphy
Massey and Quirk's (M&Q) latest book is largely a prescriptive guide to operating a monochrome frame-accumulation video camera with a telescope.It tells the user what to do and when to do it.It describes the GSTAR-EX camera sold by Massey, and the well-known Registax program, and spends a lot of time in describing the steps the operator must go through to get results from the astrophoto session.

M&Q spend most time on the GSTAR-EX camera sold by Massey, with only occasional mention of other competing products (StellaCam, Mintron, Watec, Imaging Source) and no mention at all of the Mallincam Hyper.This is not a criticism; if you use one of these other devices you will still find the book useful.

Careful reading is needed to tease out equipment configuration which will work with a given telescope.This is one area where M&Q could have spent more time, as it represents the greatest cost to the isolated amateur trying to get things right.The writers are also exclusively PC-centric, but if you use Macs you may still find the broad steps applicable to the software you do use.

The gallery at the end of the book is spellbinding, and shows M&Q's consummate abilities at the telescope.Enviable indeed.The section on "photographs from light polluted skies" gives some idea of what can be achieved with the GSTAR from suburbia using moderate telescopes (8 - 10" Newtonians and SCTs, 4" ED refractors, etc).

My verdict - the book is a worthwhile addition to the amateur's library.It will not provide as much background theory as the amateur might wish for, but in its stated aim of introducing the amateur astronomer to video astronomy, it does a very good job.

Disclaimer:- the author does not have a GSTAR-EX nor is affiliated with M&Q. ... Read more

Product Description

Many amateur astronomers are short of time. A full-time career usually takes up most waking hours, and there very often simply isn’t time for leisurely observing sessions, at least a few hours’ sleep being something of an imperative during the week. Fortunately, modern technological advances such as computer-controlled telescopes equipped with GPS, north-seeking and level detection, have made setting up a telescope much quicker. Today’s imaging systems enable time-pressed astronomers to take excellent astrophotographs of many objects without the hours-long exposures that used to be a feature of this aspect of astronomy. This book explains what to attempt in a short timescale (and what not to), and how to use today’s top-value commercially-made equipment to get the most astronomy out of the least time.

Make Time for the Stars showcases a wide array of quickly performed astronomical projects, including various novel or new approaches to observing. There are also useful tips for maximizing and enhancing the user’s time at the telescope, extracting optimal performance, efficient set-up, and easily carried out optical maintenance. Significantly, the book features detailed information on alternative imaging techniques, which can provide exceptional levels of realism for far simpler and less time-consuming effort.

There is also guidance on equipment, such as, what to look for and also what to avoid, so that the reader may acquire only what is appropriate, and not more, for the kind of results he/she may have in mind. A wide range of available budgets is taken into account.

The book concludes with a guide for the efficient organization of deep-space observing (an area which is often frustrating and unproductive when time is limited), easy daytime observing projects, and an extensive Internet resource section.

Customer Reviews (1)

Another Great Book by Antony Cooke!
I now own all 3 astronomy books by Mr. Cooke: "Visual Astronomy in the Suburbs", Visual Astronomy Under Dark Skies", and most recently "Make Time for the Stars".All three of these books I would consider to be invaluable to anyone even slightly interested in astronomy.Mr. Cooke is always concise and always interesting.The latest volume, "Make Time for the Stars" is (presently) my favorite, although the other two (all three are part of Patrick Moore's "Practical Astronomy" series) are every bit as good!What a wonderful addition to any astronomer's book collection!It makes a great gift! ... Read more

Product Description

The Compendium of Practical Astronomy is unique. The practical astronomer, whether student, novice or accomplished amateur, will find this handbook the most comprehensive, up-to-date and detailed single guide to the subject available. It is based on Roth’s celebrated German language handbook for amateur astronomers, which first appeared over 40 years ago.

With amateurs and students and teachers of astronomy in high schools and colleges particularly in mind over 10 leading astronomers have worked under the careful editorship of Günter Roth to cover all aspects of practical astronomy.

Product Description

Although astronomical CCD cameras can be very costly, digital cameras – the kind you use on holiday – on the other hand, are relatively inexpensive. Moreover, their technology – especially thermal noise, sensitivity (ISO number) and resolution – has progressed to a point where such cameras are more than capable of photographing the brighter astronomical objects.

Now Tony Buick has teamed up with fellow author and astro imager Phil Pugh, to produce a completely revised, updated, and extended second edition to How to Photograph the Moon and Planets with your Digital Camera, first published in 2006. The revisions take into account changing (and improving) camera technology, and some items which are now available commercially but which previously had to be home-made. The section of solar observing has been expanded to include observing by H-alpha light, and among the many additional sections are photographing the constellations, aurorae, and basic post-imaging processing.

Customer Reviews (3)

Ticket to the Moon
I was so pleased to know that such a book as this was available to help amateur astronomers new to astrophotography. I am now enjoying the easy to read introductions to each sky target and using the simple but necessary instructions to make the photography possible. Also very pleasing is that the superb images illustrated can be very closely matched by my efforts after reading this book. How refreshing not to have to wade through off-putting text and theory in order to capture beautiful pictures immediately with readily available and inexpensive equipment. I thoroughly recommend this work to anyone eager to begin taking sky pictures, especially of the Moon.

Disappointing!!!!
The title of this book is very misleading for the reader and interested buyer.The first two-thirds of this book consists of some basic astronomy information and the history of the moon and many pages of the moon's geography.The author only focuses on photography within the last third of the book and even then he never really gets into any substance about the techniques of astrophotography.The images are really poor and I suppose works since the author only concentrates on doing astrophotography on a shoestring budget.I don't see how this publication is beneficial to any amateur astronomer or astrophotographer.It is not worth the money.There are numerous books (many I own) on astrophotography and digital astrophotography that really are jammed-packed with quality photos and techniques.Also, the few methods that the author's does touch upon in this book seem very anchient.The author donates 150 pages of this book (out of 254) alone to the moon and it is all about its history, formation and pages upon pages of moon atlas pics.I highly recommend that the buyer first read and review this book before purchasing.Very disappointing!

A practical guide to astrophotography on a shoestring
This book shows that you don't need to spend thousands of dollars to be able to take pictures of astronomical objects.

The book is an encouragement to amateur astronomers or someone with only a passing interest in the night sky, to go out and take photographs of the the Moon and planets. It shows how anyone can take an astronomical photo with a family digital camera and a little ingenuity and imagination.

The book also doubles as a photographic atlas to the Moon with detailed notes on what can be seen in the photographs.

I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the night sky or photography. ... Read more

Product Description

There are many more astronomical and meteorological phenomena involving color than most people are aware of, let alone have observed. Visual double stars with contrasting color are obvious targets for amateur astronomers, but there are many more - everything from colors on the Moon, through colors on the planets and in deep-sky objects, to man-made colors in the night sky. A great deal of these colored phenomena can be seen with the unaided eye, and can be visible in - and imaged with - a modest telescope, but all require preparation, anticipation and planning. The result will be some breathtaking sights, along with some amazing images.

Just browsing through this book will captivate the reader. Some events are familiar but present severe challenges to photograph. Some can be captured only by using previously unfamiliar techniques. And it is almost certain that some will never have been seen before by readers.

All the colored objects and phenomena are accessible by using the right techniques, for which Tony Buick provides easy-to-follow instructions.

Product Description

Deep-Sky Video Astronomy is a concise guide to using modern integrating video cameras for deep-sky viewing and imaging with the kinds of modest telescopes available commercially to amateur astronomers. It includes an introduction and a brief history of the technology, camera types, etc. The authors then examine the pros and cons of this unrefrigerated yet highly efficient technology, which is already beginning to compete with expensive astronomical cooled-chip CCD cameras in quality and ease of use.

There is a thorough examination of accessories used to achieve particular results. Examples are focal reducers, Barlow lenses, and optical filters. However, the focus is mostly on the practical side of creating beautiful and detailed astronomical portraits using image-stacking software, enhancement tools like PhotoShop, and creating color images with a black-and-white camera.

Practical step-by-step examples supported by tried and trusted tips show how to achieve the best possible deep-sky video portrait!

Customer Reviews (2)

More of a software guide
The other reviewer hits the nail on the head. With only about 13 pages devoted to describing the various video cameras available this book leaves you with more questions than answers about camera selection. I tracked down websites for the various cameras mentioned and I was unable to make a sensible comparison of their features. The cameras mentioned range from $275 to $800 and they clearly feel this is the best bang-for-the-buck. There is a passing mention of webcams, but little more. There is no mention at all of Celestron's Celestron NexImage Solar System Imager.

That said, the bulk of the book is an in-depth step-by-step guide to manipulating the raw video you have captured and explains how to get the best possible images. The book is also filled with great photos, each listed with the telescope specs listed, but not always the camera model. There's also a nice little section on using a video camera for guiding.

If I ever buy a video camera this book will be invaluable; but I'll have to find another source of information to guide my camera selection.

Prescriptive astrophotgraphy
Massey and Quirk's (M&Q) latest book is largely a prescriptive guide to operating a monochrome frame-accumulation video camera with a telescope.It tells the user what to do and when to do it.It describes the GSTAR-EX camera sold by Massey, and the well-known Registax program, and spends a lot of time in describing the steps the operator must go through to get results from the astrophoto session.

M&Q spend most time on the GSTAR-EX camera sold by Massey, with only occasional mention of other competing products (StellaCam, Mintron, Watec, Imaging Source) and no mention at all of the Mallincam Hyper.This is not a criticism; if you use one of these other devices you will still find the book useful.

Careful reading is needed to tease out equipment configuration which will work with a given telescope.This is one area where M&Q could have spent more time, as it represents the greatest cost to the isolated amateur trying to get things right.The writers are also exclusively PC-centric, but if you use Macs you may still find the broad steps applicable to the software you do use.

The gallery at the end of the book is spellbinding, and shows M&Q's consummate abilities at the telescope.Enviable indeed.The section on "photographs from light polluted skies" gives some idea of what can be achieved with the GSTAR from suburbia using moderate telescopes (8 - 10" Newtonians and SCTs, 4" ED refractors, etc).

My verdict - the book is a worthwhile addition to the amateur's library.It will not provide as much background theory as the amateur might wish for, but in its stated aim of introducing the amateur astronomer to video astronomy, it does a very good job.

Disclaimer:- the author does not have a GSTAR-EX nor is affiliated with M&Q. ... Read more

Product Description

Many amateur astronomers are short of time. A full-time career usually takes up most waking hours, and there very often simply isn’t time for leisurely observing sessions, at least a few hours’ sleep being something of an imperative during the week. Fortunately, modern technological advances such as computer-controlled telescopes equipped with GPS, north-seeking and level detection, have made setting up a telescope much quicker. Today’s imaging systems enable time-pressed astronomers to take excellent astrophotographs of many objects without the hours-long exposures that used to be a feature of this aspect of astronomy. This book explains what to attempt in a short timescale (and what not to), and how to use today’s top-value commercially-made equipment to get the most astronomy out of the least time.

Make Time for the Stars showcases a wide array of quickly performed astronomical projects, including various novel or new approaches to observing. There are also useful tips for maximizing and enhancing the user’s time at the telescope, extracting optimal performance, efficient set-up, and easily carried out optical maintenance. Significantly, the book features detailed information on alternative imaging techniques, which can provide exceptional levels of realism for far simpler and less time-consuming effort.

There is also guidance on equipment, such as, what to look for and also what to avoid, so that the reader may acquire only what is appropriate, and not more, for the kind of results he/she may have in mind. A wide range of available budgets is taken into account.

The book concludes with a guide for the efficient organization of deep-space observing (an area which is often frustrating and unproductive when time is limited), easy daytime observing projects, and an extensive Internet resource section.

Customer Reviews (1)

Another Great Book by Antony Cooke!
I now own all 3 astronomy books by Mr. Cooke: "Visual Astronomy in the Suburbs", Visual Astronomy Under Dark Skies", and most recently "Make Time for the Stars".All three of these books I would consider to be invaluable to anyone even slightly interested in astronomy.Mr. Cooke is always concise and always interesting.The latest volume, "Make Time for the Stars" is (presently) my favorite, although the other two (all three are part of Patrick Moore's "Practical Astronomy" series) are every bit as good!What a wonderful addition to any astronomer's book collection!It makes a great gift! ... Read more

Product Description
A Book of 30 oversized (6.5x4.75") color postcards, each with paragraph of description on back. ... Read more

Product Description

Choosing and Using a Refracting Telescope has been written for the many amateur astronomers who already own, or are intending to purchase, a refracting telescope – perhaps to complement their existing arsenal of larger reflecting telescopes – or for the specialist who requires a particular refractor for serious astronomical applications or nature studies.

Four hundred year ago, during the winter of 1609, a relatively unknown Italian scientist, Galileo Galilei designed a spyglass with two crude lenses and turned it skyward. Since then, refractors have retained their dominance over all types of reflector in studies of the Moon, planets and double stars because of the precision of their optics and lack of a central obstruction in the optical path, which causes diffraction effects in all commercially-made reflectors.

Most mature amateur astronomers got started with a 60mm refractor, or something similar. Thirty years ago, there was little choice available to the hobbyist, but in the last decade long focus crown-flint achromats have moved aside for some exquisitely crafted apochromatic designs offered by leading commercial manufacturers. There has been a huge increase in the popularity of these telescopes in the last few years, led by a significant increase in the number of companies (particularly, William Optics, Orion USA, StellarVue, SkyWatcher and AstroTech) who are now heavily marketing refractors in the amateur astronomical magazines.

In Choosing and Using a Refracting Telescope, well-known observer and astronomy writer Neil English celebrates the remarkable history and evolution of the refracting telescope and looks in detail at the instruments, their development and their use.

A major feature of this book is the way it compares not only different classes of refractor, but also telescopes of each class that are sold by various commercial manufacturers. The author is perhaps uniquely placed to do this, having used and tested literally hundreds of different refracting telescopes over three decades.

Because it includes many diverse subjects such as imaging with consumer-level digital cameras, imaging with webcams, and imaging with astronomical CCD cameras – that are not covered together in equal depth in any other single volume – Choosing and Using a Refracting Telescope could become the ‘refractor bible’ for amateur astronomers at all levels, especially those who are interested in imaging astronomical objects of every class.

Product Description
Atlas of Galactic Nebulae. Original publication 1985. Not a copy. 500 pages of black-on-white images of galactic (emission, dust, planetary) nebulae. Enclosed in three gray binders. Each binder also includes a 50-page table book with astronomical data for each image. This is a rare and authoritative publication. ... Read more