Astronomical Equipment for Amateurs

Telescopes - refractors and reflectors - are the main items of equipment used by almost every amateur astronomer. The purpose of astronomical telescopes is to collect and focus more light than the human eye can, forming an image that can be viewed, photographed, or analysed. Astronomical Equipment for Amateurs makes buying and using both telescopes and their ancillary instruments easy for astronomers of all abilities. It begins by looking at the advantages and disadvantages of the basic types of refractors, reflectors, mountings and accessories. Observation techniques are also included, along with the use of filters, (colour, anti-pollution and nebula), types of photography (piggy-back, prime focus and eyepiece projection), and also CCD imaging (including types of CCD camera and their advantages and disadvantages compared to photography). Martin Mobberley provides a fascinating insight into astronomical software. TOC:Introduction.- Fundamentals for Beginners.- Refractors and Reflector.- Catadioptrics, Cassegrains and Schmidt-Cassegrains.- Eyepieces.- Telescope Mountings.- Accessories.- Electronic imaging and the Electronics Revolution.- Image Processing, Planetarium and Scope Control Software.- Video Astronomy.- Binoculars.- Observatories.- Equipment for the Solar Observer.- Star Atlases.