The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Amateur Astronomy

This complete reference provides a wealth of practical information on amateur astronomy.

Michael E. Bakich (Author)

9780521812986, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 10 July 2003

356 pages, 105 b/w illus. 250 colour illus. 102 tables
28.1 x 22.5 x 2.7 cm, 1.58 kg

' … the book's easy going style and excellent illustrations certainly gripped my attention for five cloudy nights in October and there are very few books, outside Stephen King novels, that can manage that. Journal of the British Astronomical Association

Being an amateur astronomer is great fun, with many different and interesting areas to get involved in. This complete reference provides a wealth of practical information covering all aspects of amateur astronomy. Organised thematically for ease of use, it covers observing techniques, telescopes and observatories, Internet resources, and the objects that can be studied. Those new to the field will find tips, techniques and plans on how to begin their quest, and more advanced observers will find lots of useful advice on how to get more out of their hobby. Containing the most recent data, the book is highly accurate, and is illustrated throughout with stunning colour images and graphics. It is an essential guide for both beginning stargazers and more advanced observers.

Introduction by Jeff Medkeff
Part I. Background: 1. The cosmic backdrop
2. Positional astronomy
3. Time and the calendar
4. The magnitude system
Part II. Equipment: 5. Telescopes
6. Mounts and drives
7. Eyepieces
8. Filters
9. Telescope accessories
10. Binoculars
Part III. How to Observe: 11. Sketching what you observe
12. Astrophotography
13. Digital and video cameras
14. The CCD
15. Photometry
16. Spectroscopy
Part IV. References and Other: 17. Books and atlases
18. Catalogues of the deep sky
19. Software
20. Observatories
21. The social astronomer
22. Light pollution
Part V. What to Observe: 23. Nightfall
24. The Sun
25. The Aurora
26. The Moon
27. Eclipses and transits
28. Mercury and Venus
29. Mars
30. Jupiter
31. Saturn
32. The outer planets
33. Asteroids
34. Comets
35. Meteors and meteor showers
Part VI. Deep Sky Objects: 36. Double stars
37. Variable stars
38. Supernovae
39. Occultations
40. Nebulae
41. Star clusters
42. Galaxies
Part VII. Observing Tips.

Subject Areas: Popular astronomy & space [WNX], Astronomical observation: observatories, equipment & methods [PGG]