Telescopes And Techniques

Telescopes and Techniques

The modern aspiring astronomer is faced with a bewil dering choice of commercially produced telescopes, including all the designs considered in the preceding chapter. Yet only four decades ago the choice for a small telescope would have been between just a refrac tor and a Newtonian reflector. That change has come about because of the enormous interest that has grown in astronomy since the start of the space age and with the mind-boggling discoveries of the past 30 or 40 years. Except for some of the very small instruments which are unfortunately often heavily promoted in general mail order catalogues, camera shops and the like, the optical quality of these commercially pro duced telescopes is almost uniformly excellent. Although one product may be slightly better for some types of observation, or more suited to the personal cir cumstances of the observer, than another, most of them will provide excellent observing opportunities. The same general praise cannot be applied, however, to the mountings with which many of these telescopes are provided, and those problems are covered in Chapter 6.

Telescopes and Techniques

Chris Kitchin has written an easy-to-read book explaining how to use a small telescope and find your way around the sky. Covering all the basic topics - telescopes, optics, positions and motion, observing, and instruments - Telescopes and Techniques has been designed as an introduction for anyone wanting a firm grounding in the essentials of astronomy. Whether you are an amateur astronomer, an undergraduate student, or just someone who wants to learn more about this fascinating subject, Telescopes and Techniques is an ideal place to start.

Advanced Telescope Making Techniques: Optics