Download or read book Practical Projects for Astronomers written by Neil Wyatt and published by The Crowood Press. This book was released on 2021-04-26 with total page 402 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Astronomy and astrophotography are fascinating hobbies. It is possible to create and enhance astronomical equipment and accessories using techniques and materials accessible to the hobbyist metalworker or model engineer. Written by an amateur astronomer and experienced hobby engineer, this wide-ranging book presents tried and tested ideas from the simplest of gadgets to advanced projects. Includes how to design and make refracting telescopes and how to make a Newtonian reflector around a mirror set. Instructions are given on making different types of eyepiece using stock lenses and making gadgets for collimation, polar alignment, focusing, sky quality metering and much more. Information is given on improving the performance of mounts and tripods and how to cool cameras and improve their performance for long-exposure photography. Details are given on making an equatorial platform for Dobsonian telescopes and using Arduinos and other electronic modules as part of your projects.

Download or read book Getting Started in Radio Astronomy written by Steven Arnold and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-09-24 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Radio astronomy is a mystery to the majority of amateur astronomers, yet it is the best subject to turn to when desirous of an expanded knowledge of the sky. This guide intends to instruct complete newcomers to radio astronomy, and provides help for the first steps on the road towards the study of this fascinating subject. In addition to a history of the science behind the pursuit, directions are included for four easy-to-build projects, based around long-term NASA and Stanford Solar Center projects. The first three projects constitute self-contained units available as kits, so there is no need to hunt around for parts. The fourth – more advanced – project encourages readers to do their own research and track down items. Getting Started in Radio Astronomy provides an overall introduction to listening in on the radio spectrum. With details of equipment that really works, a list of suppliers, lists of online help forums, and written by someone who has actually built and operated the tools described, this book contains everything the newcomer to radio astronomy needs to get going.

Download or read book Radio and Radar Astronomy Projects for Beginners written by Steven Arnold and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2020-10-22 with total page 309 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Radio and radar astronomy are powerful tools when studying the wonders of the universe, yet they tend to mystify amateur astronomers. This book provides a comprehensive introduction to newcomers, containing everything you need to start observing at radio wavelengths. Written by a mechanical engineer who has actually built and operated the tools described, the book contains a plethora of tested advice and practical resources. This revised edition of the original 2014 book Getting Started in Radio Astronomy provides a complete overview of the latest technology and research, including the newest models and equipment on the market as well as an entirely new section on radio astronomy with software-defined radios (SDRs). Four brand-new beginner projects are included, including bouncing a radar signal off the Moon, detecting the aurora, and tuning into the downlink radio used by astronauts aboard the ISS. Requiring no previous knowledge, no scary mathematics, and no expensive equipment, the book will serve as a fun and digestible reference for any level of astronomers hoping to expand their skills into the radio spectrum.

Download or read book Amateur Telescope Making written by Stephen Tonkin and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides an introduction to the design of a variety of telescopes, mounts, and drives suitable for the home-constructor. Projects include instruments that range from a shoestring budget to specialist devices that are not commercially available. The skill level of each project is indicated and advice is provided as to what is sensible to construct, given what is commercially available. Hints and tips are included, as well as listings of reputable mail order sources of materials and components.

Download or read book Out of this world Astronomy written by Joe Rhatigan and published by Lark Books. This book was released on 2005 with total page 136 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With 300 fabulous images, 50 fantastic projects, and lots of fascinating scientific information, this is simply the most out-of-this world introduction to astronomy a child can have. "An excellent introduction to astronomy...outstanding background information ...Spectacular color photos and other graphics, useful charts, and graphs augment the text."--School Library Journal, starred review What are stars? Why does the moon change shape? Budding astronomers will find answers to all their questions about the night sky--and far more--in these 50 eye-opening activities. Three-hundred color photos and illustrations, some from NASA's magnificent collection, help kids soar out into the solar system and get their bearings among the stars. Youngsters will learn to use binoculars and telescopes, and how to chart their viewing highlights in a stargazing notebook. A photographic trip to the moon will inspire kids to map its many phases, calculate a person's lunar weight, and find out what happens during an eclipse. Voyaging farther out also reveals why the other planets wouldn't make a good home for humans, and will help children understand why Earth is avery special place. A Selection of the Children's Book-of-the-Month Club and the Scholastic Book Club.

Download or read book A Complete Manual of Amateur Astronomy written by P. Clay Sherrod and published by Courier Corporation. This book was released on 2012-11-13 with total page 340 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Concise, highly readable book discusses the selection, set-up, and maintenance of a telescope; amateur studies of the sun; lunar topography and occultations; and more. 124 figures. 26 halftones. 37 tables.

Download or read book Scientific Astrophotography written by Gerald R. Hubbell and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-11-09 with total page 356 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Scientific Astrophotography is intended for those amateur astronomers who are looking for new challenges, once they have mastered visual observing and the basic imaging of various astronomical objects. It will also be a useful reference for scientifically inclined observers who want to learn the fundamentals of astrophotography with a firm emphasis on the discipline of scientific imaging. This books is not about making beautiful astronomical images; it is about recording astronomical images that are scientifically rigorous and from which accurate data can be extracted. This book is unique in that it gives readers the skills necessary for obtaining excellent images for scientific purposes in a concise and procedurally oriented manner. This not only gets the reader used to a disciplined approach to imaging to maximize quality, but also to maximize the success (and minimize the frustration!) inherent in the pursuit of astrophotography. The knowledge and skills imparted to the reader of this handbook also provide an excellent basis for “beautiful picture” astrophotography! There is a wealth of information in this book – a distillation of ideas and data presented by a diverse set of sources and based on the most recent techniques, equipment, and data available to the amateur astronomer. There are also numerous practical exercises. Scientific Astrophotography is perfect for any amateur astronomer who wants to go beyond just astrophotography and actually contribute to the science of astronomy.

Download or read book Astronomy with a Home Computer written by Neale Monks and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2006-03-30 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Here is a one-volume guide to just about everything computer-related for amateur astronomers! Today’s amateur astronomy is inextricably linked to personal computers. Computer-controlled "go-to" telescopes are inexpensive. CCD and webcam imaging make intensive use of the technology for capturing and processing images. Planetarium software provides information and an easy interface for telescopes. The Internet offers links to other astronomers, information, and software. The list goes on and on. Find out here how to choose the best planetarium program: are commercial versions really better than freeware? Learn how to optimise a go-to telescope, or connect it to a lap-top. Discover how to choose the best webcam and use it with your telescope. Create a mosaic of the Moon, or high-resolution images of the planets... Astronomy with a Home Computer is designed for every amateur astronomer who owns a home computer, whether it is running Microsoft Windows, Mac O/S or Linux. It doesn’t matter what kind of telescope you own either - a small refractor is just as useful as a big "go-to" SCT for most of the projects in this book.

Download or read book Astronomical Discoveries You Can Make Too written by Robert K. Buchheim and published by Springer. This book was released on 2015-05-12 with total page 557 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: You too can follow in the steps of the great astronomers such as Hipparchus, Galileo, Kepler and Hubble, who all contributed so much to our modern understanding of the cosmos. This book gives the student or amateur astronomer the following tools to replicate some of these seminal observations from their own homes: With your own eyes: Use your own observations and measurements to discover and confirm the phenomena of the seasons, the analemma and the equation of time, the logic behind celestial coordinates, and even the precession of the equinoxes. With a consumer-grade digital camera: Record the changing brightness of an eclipsing binary star and show that a pulsating star changes color as it brightens and dims. Add an inexpensive diffraction grating to your camera and see the variety of spectral features in the stars, and demonstrate that the Sun’s spectrum is similar to one particular type of stellar spectrum. With a backyard telescope: Add a CCD imager and you can measure the scale of the Solar System and the distance to a nearby star. You could even measure the distance to another galaxy and observe the cosmological redshift of the expanding universe. Astronomical Discoveries You Can Make, Too! doesn’t just tell you about the development of astronomy; it shows you how to discover for yourself the essential features of the universe.

Download or read book Make Time for the Stars written by Antony Cooke and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2009-04-09 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Many amateur astronomers are short of time. A full-time career usually takes up most waking hours, and often there simply isn’t time for leisurely observing. Fortunately, modern technologies such as computer-controlled telescopes, GPS, north-seeking and level detection, have made telescope set-up much quicker. Today’s imaging systems enable astronomers to take excellent astrophotographs without the hours-long exposures. Make Time for the Stars explains what to try on a tight schedule, and how to use today’s equipment to get the most astronomy out of the least time. This book showcases a wide array of quickly performed astronomical projects, including various novel or new approaches to observing. There are also practical tips for maximizing time at the telescope, extracting optimal performance, quick and efficient set-up, and easily carried out optical maintenance. Significantly, the book features detailed information on alternative imaging techniques with simple and less time-consuming efforts.

Download or read book The Sky is Your Laboratory written by Robert Buchheim and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2007-10-04 with total page 318 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For the experienced amateur astronomer who is wondering if there is something useful, valuable, and permanent that can be done with his or her observational skills, the answer is, “Yes, there is!” This is THE book for the amateur astronomer who is ready to take the next step in his or her astronomical journey. Till now there has been no text that points curious amateur astronomers to the research possibilities open to them. At the 2006 meeting of the Society for Astronomical Sciences, participants agreed that the lack of such a text was a serious gap in the astronomical book market. This book plugs that hole.

Download or read book The History and Practice of Ancient Astronomy written by James Evans and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 1998-10-01 with total page 495 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The History and Practice of Ancient Astronomy combines new scholarship with hands-on science to bring readers into direct contact with the work of ancient astronomers. While tracing ideas from ancient Babylon to sixteenth-century Europe, the book places its greatest emphasis on the Greek period, when astronomers developed the geometric and philosophical ideas that have determined the subsequent character of Western astronomy. The author approaches this history through the concrete details of ancient astronomical practice. Carefully organized and generously illustrated, the book can teach readers how to do real astronomy using the methods of ancient astronomers. For example, readers will learn to predict the next retrograde motion of Jupiter using either the arithmetical methods of the Babylonians or the geometric methods of Ptolemy. They will learn how to use an astrolabe and how to design sundials using Greek and Roman techniques. The book also contains supplementary exercises and patterns for making some working astronomical instruments, including an astrolabe and an equatorium. More than a presentation of astronomical methods, the book provides a critical look at the evidence used to reconstruct ancient astronomy. It includes extensive excerpts from ancient texts, meticulous documentation, and lively discussions of the role of astronomy in the various cultures. Accessible to a wide audience, this book will appeal to anyone interested in how our understanding of our place in the universe has changed and developed, from ancient times through the Renaissance.

Download or read book More Small Astronomical Observatories written by Patrick Moore and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 247 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This entertaining text details the methods and techniques employed by non-professional astronomers from all over the world, providing a wonderful resource for anyone wishing to build a small observatory of almost any kind. Its a fun read, too. Almost every amateur astronomer dreams of having a fixed observatory - this provides ideas and constructional details. Ideas from around the world. Written for a broad audience, including non-astronomers.

Download or read book Measure Solar System Objects and Their Movements for Yourself written by John D. Clark and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2009-04-20 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Instead of taking somebody's word for it about the basic size and distance statistics for the solar system, this book shows amateur astronomers how to measure these things for themselves. This is an enriching experience for any amateur astronomer - to understand and personally measure some fundamental astronomical quantities and distances. A basic knowledge of geometry is required, but it is amazing how simple the geometry can be. Readers are led through the geometry as gently as possible - and in a light-hearted way - presuming that most non-academics will have half-forgotten most of their mathematics. The practical astronomical equipment recommended is no more than a typical commercially-made amateur telescope and a camera of some sort - these days a webcam works very well. Apart from that all the reader will need is access to a computer, the know-how to download free software, and an enthusiasm to expand his knowledge of the basis of scientific astronomy.

Download or read book Astro Imaging Projects for Amateur Astronomers written by Jim Chung and published by Springer. This book was released on 2015-07-09 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the must-have guide for all amateur astronomers who double as makers, doers, tinkerers, problem-solvers, and inventors. In a world where an amateur astronomy habit can easily run into the many thousands of dollars, it is still possible for practitioners to get high-quality results and equipment on a budget by utilizing DIY techniques. Surprisingly, it's not that hard to modify existing equipment to get new and improved usability from older or outdated technology, creating an end result that can outshine the pricey higher-end tools. All it takes is some elbow grease, a creative and open mind and the help of Chung's hard-won knowledge on building and modifying telescopes and cameras. With this book, it is possible for readers to improve their craft, making their equipment more user friendly. The tools are at hand, and the advice on how to do it is here. Readers will discover a comprehensive presentation of astronomical projects that any amateur on any budget can replicate – projects that utilize leading edge technology and techniques sure to invigorate the experts and elevate the less experienced. As the "maker" community continues to expand, it has wonderful things to offer amateur astronomers with a willingness to get their hands dirty. Tweaking observing and imaging equipment so that it serves a custom purpose can take your observing options to the next level, while being fun to boot.

Download or read book Remote Observatories for Amateur Astronomers written by Gerald R. Hubbell and published by Springer. This book was released on 2015-10-23 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Amateur astronomers who want to enhance their capabilities to contribute to science need look no farther than this guide to using remote observatories. The contributors cover how to build your own remote observatory as well as the existing infrastructure of commercial networks of remote observatories that are available to the amateur. They provide specific advice on which programs to use based on your project objectives and offer practical project suggestions. Remotely controlled observatories have many advantages—the most obvious that the observer does not have to be physically present to carry out observations. Such an observatory can also be used more fully because its time can be scheduled and usefully shared among several astronomers working on different observing projects. More and more professional-level observatories are open to use by amateurs in this way via the Internet, and more advanced amateur astronomers can even build their own remote observatories for sharing among members of a society or interest group. Endorsements: “Remote Observatories for Amateur Astronomers Using High-Powered Telescopes from Home, by Jerry Hubbell, Rich Williams, and Linda Billard, is a unique contribution centering on computer-controlled private observatories owned by amateur astronomers and commercialized professional–amateur observatories where observing time to collect data can be purchased. Before this book, trying to piece together all of the necessary elements and processes that make up a remotely operated observatory was daunting. The authors and contributors have provided, in this single publication, a wealth of information gained from years of experience that will save you considerable money and countless hours in trying to develop such an observatory. If you follow the methods and processes laid out in this book and choose to build your own remotely operated observatory or decide to become a regular user of one of the commercial networks, you will not only join an elite group of advanced astronomers who make regular submissions to science, but you will become a member of an ancient fraternity. Your high-technology observatory will contain a “high-powered telescope” no matter how large it is, and from the comfort of home, you can actively contribute to the work that started in pre-history to help uncover the secrets of the cosmos.” Scott Roberts Founder and President, Explore Scientific, LLC. “In the past three and a half decades, since I first became involved with remote observatories, the use of remote, unmanned telescopes at fully automated observatories has advanced from a very rare approach for making astronomical observations to an increasingly dominant mode for observation among both professional and amateur astronomers. I am very pleased to see this timely book being published on the topic. I highly recommend this book to readers because it not only covers the knowledge needed to become an informed user of existing remote observatories, but also describes what you need to know to develop your own remote observatory. It draws on more than two decades of remote observatory operation and networking by coauthor Rich Williams as he developed the Sierra Stars Observatory Network (SSON) into the world-class network it is today. This book is the ideal follow-on to coauthor Jerry Hubbell’s book Scientific Astrophotography (Springer 2012). Remote observatories have a bright future, opening up astronomy to a new and much larger generation of professional, amateur, and student observers. Machines and humans can and do work well together. I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I have and will take advantage of the developments over the past several decades by the many pioneers of remote observatories.” Russ Genet, PhD. California Polytechnic State University Observing Saturn for the first time is a memory that stays with us for the rest of our lives, and for many it is the start of an odyssey--an odyssey into observational astronomy. Remote Observatories for Amateur Astronomers is a book written for observers, beginners, and old hands alike, providing detailed advice to those wishing to improve their observing skills. Many will want to build and operate a remotely controlled observatory, and for those, Part I of this book is an invaluable source of information. If, like me, you choose to avoid the capital outlay of owning your own facility, Part II describes how you can use one of the many professionally run large scopes where, for a few dollars, you can capture spectacular color images of nebulae, galaxies, and comets. My own scientific interest in short period eclipsing binaries has been made possible through the availability of remote telescopes such as those operated by the Sierra Stars Observatory Network (SSON). Whichever route you take, this book is essential reading for all who aspire to serious observing. David Pulley The Local Group (UK)

Download or read book COMPLETE COURSE IN PRACTICAL ASTRONOMY written by Marcel Souza and published by Gavea. This book was released on with total page 113 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Embark on a fascinating journey through the universe with the "Complete Course in Practical Astronomy." This comprehensive guide is designed for both beginners and experienced stargazers, providing you with all the tools and knowledge you need to explore the night sky. Delve into the fundamentals of astronomy, including celestial coordinates, the movement of planets, stars, and galaxies, and the principles of light and optics. This course offers practical insights into using telescopes, binoculars, and other observational equipment, ensuring you can fully appreciate the wonders of the cosmos. With detailed explanations, illustrations, and step-by-step instructions, this book will guide you through various astronomical phenomena, from eclipses and meteor showers to deep-sky observations. Learn how to navigate the night sky, identify constellations, and track celestial events with precision. Whether you're setting up your first telescope or refining your observational skills, the "Complete Course in Practical Astronomy" equips you with the expertise to become a proficient amateur astronomer. Discover the beauty of the universe and unlock the secrets of the stars, all from the comfort of your backyard. Prepare to be captivated by the awe-inspiring wonders of space as you embark on this exciting astronomical adventure.