Astronomy Hacks
If you've ever wanted to learn astronomy as a hobby or as a serious amateur you'll find everything you need to get started and well along the path in this book. In addition to the things you would expect to find in a book like this (star names, constellations, Messier objects, etc.) the authors also cover things like etiquette when observing with groups, how to choose binoculars and the right telescope for you. The tips on how to choose the right telescope and how to avoid being cheated is well worth the price of the book by itself.
Of course it is filled with information on identifying stars and constellations, using the celestial coordinate system, observing in different environments, observing shallow-space and deep-space objects, and photographing the stars. But the tips on things like eliminating astigmatism, eliminating diffraction, and tuning your telescope are some of the most interesting as well as the most likely to make your hobby really enjoyable. Astronomy Hacks is highly recommended to anyone interested in astronomy and can move you from novice to advanced amateur.
Author: Robert Bruce Thompson and Barbara Fritchman Thompson
Publisher: O'Reilly Media, Inc.
1005 Gravenstein Highway North
Sebastopol, CA 95472
Copyright: 2005
ISBN: 0596100604
Pages: 378 plus index
Price: $24.95