Video Astronomy on the Go

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xiii

   PDF

2. Astronomy from a Video Perspective

   • Joseph Ashley

   Pages 1-7

3. The Anatomy of a Video Camera

   • Joseph Ashley

   Pages 9-39

4. Assembling Your Video Astronomy Kit

   • Joseph Ashley

   Pages 41-54

5. Light Pollution and Filters

   • Joseph Ashley

   Pages 55-71

6. The Solar System and Video Astronomy

   • Joseph Ashley

   Pages 73-87

7. Deep Space and Video Astronomy

   • Joseph Ashley

   Pages 89-108

8. Imaging the Night Sky

   • Joseph Ashley

   Pages 109-124

9. Outreach with Video Telescopes

   • Joseph Ashley

   Pages 125-131

10. Live Video Broadcasting

    • Joseph Ashley

    Pages 133-140

11. Video Astronomy Trends

    • Joseph Ashley

    Pages 141-153

12. Back Matter

    Pages 155-205

    PDF

Author Joseph Ashley explains video astronomy's many benefits in this comprehensive reference guide for amateurs. Video astronomy offers a wonderful way to see objects in far greater detail than is possible through an eyepiece, and the ability to use the modern, entry-level video camera to image deep space objects is a wonderful development for urban astronomers in particular, as it helps sidestep the issue of light pollution. The author addresses both the positive attributes of these cameras for deep space imaging as well as the limitations, such as amp glow. The equipment needed for imaging as well as how it is configured is identified with hook-up diagrams and photographs. Imaging techniques are discussed together with image processing (stacking and image enhancement). Video astronomy has evolved to offer great results and great ease of use, and both novices and more experienced amateurs can use this book to find the set-up that works best for them. Flexible and portable, they open up a whole new way of seeing space.

• 3D Astronomical Imaging
• Amp Glow and Video Astronomy
• Configuring Video Astronomy Camera
• Go-to Technology with Video Camera
• Image Processing with Video Astronomy
• Light Pollution and Video Astronomy
• Remote Viewing with Video Astronomy
• Video Astronomy Celestial Coordinates
• Video Cameras for Telescope use

“Amateur astronomer Ashley presents a thorough guide to the art of capturing astronomical images using amateur video technology. The text serves as a reference for owners of small telescopes who want to view live astronomical images on a screen. … This text would be valuable to general readers who own small (under 12-inch aperture) telescopes, and for institutions that hold public viewing nights. Summing Up: Recommended. General readers, faculty, and professionals.” (M. K. Hemenway, Choice, Vol. 55 (9), May, 2018)



“Video Astronomy on the Go demonstrates how a relatively inexpensive low-light video camera can be combined with a small telescope, such as the ubiquitous 80-mm f/5 refractor, to create a portable video telescope. ... In Video Astronomy on the Go Joseph Ashley achieves his aim of providing an introduction to anyone new to video astronomy with a small telescope who wishes to get started with relatively inexpensive entry-level equipment.” (Alex Pratt, The Observatory, Vol. 137 (1261), December, 2017)

• Marathon, Greece

  Joseph Ashley

An American by birth, Joe Ashley currently lives in Marathon, Greece. His career in the US Navy included the recovery of astronauts Conrad and Cooper and their Gemini V spaceship from the sea; from there he entered into an engineering and research career involving submarine noise, chemical warfare defense, and energy conservation. Along the way, he obtained a doctorate in Public Administration. Now retired, he completed his career as the Program Manager for the US Department of the Navy and Marine Corps Energy Conservation Program. Recently, Joe has participated in online astronomy forums, primarily the StarGazers Lounge and The Astronomy Forum. In late 2009 he became a moderator on The Astronomy Forum, the world’s largest (based upon membership) such forum. He is author of the book "Astrophotography on the Go" (Springer, 2014).

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