David Levy's Guide to Observing and Discovering Comets

Practical handbook describing the techniques that have been developed over the years for observing comets.

David H. Levy (Author)

9780521826563, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 15 May 2003

188 pages, 34 b/w illus. 8 colour illus.
25.6 x 17.9 x 1.6 cm, 0.556 kg

"One of the most successful comet descoverers in history, Levy has produced a very readable account of his fascination with comets.... highly recommended to amateur astronomers and other wishing an introduction to the scientific process of discovery." Choice

David Levy has held a lifelong passion for comets, and is one of the most successful comet discoverers in history. In this book he describes the observing techniques that have been developed over the years - from visual observations and searching, to photography, through to electronic charge-coupled devices (CCDs). He combines the history of comet hunting with the latest techniques, showing how our understanding of comets has evolved over time. This practical handbook is suitable for amateur astronomers, from those who are casually interested in comets and how to observe them, to those who want to begin and expand an observing program of their own. Drawing widely from his own extensive experience, Levy describes how enthusiastic amateurs can observe comets and try to make new discoveries themselves.

Preface
Part I. Why Observe Comets?: 1. Of history, superstition, magic, and science
2. Comet science progresses
Part II. Discovering Comets: 3. Comet searching begins
4. Tails and trails
5. Comet searching in the twentieth century
6. How I search for comets
7. Searching for comets photographically
8. Searching for comets with CCDs
9. Comet hunting by reading
10. Hunting for sungrazers over the Internet
11. What to do when you think you've found a comet
Part III. A New Way of Looking at Comets: 12. When comets hit planets
13. The future of visual comet hunting
Part IV. How to Observe Comets: 14. An introduction to comet hunting
15. Visual observing of comets
16. Estimating the magnitude of a comet
17. Taking a picture of a comet
18. Measuring where a comet is in the sky
Part V. Closing Notes: 19. My passion for comets.

Subject Areas: Solar system: the Sun & planets [PGS], Astronomical observation: observatories, equipment & methods [PGG]