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Real Astronomy with Small Telescopes

Step-by-Step Activities for Discovery

  • Book
  • © 2007

Overview

Editors:
  1. Michael K. Gainer

    1. Latrobe, USA

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  • Effectively demonstrates the use of an 80mm refractor for more than a "quick look" – it can be used as a real scientific instrument
  • Demonstrates the significant observations that can be made with a small telescope
  • Provides clear step-by-step instructions for numerous scientific activities
  • Includes chapters on digital photography of the Sun and Moon
  • The author is an experienced small telescope user, as well as an astronomy educator
  • Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Part of the book series: The Patrick Moore Practical Astronomy Series (PATRICKMOORE)

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Table of contents (17 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages I-XVI
    Download chapter PDF

  2. The Celestial Sphere

    • Michael K. Gainer
    Pages 1-3

  3. The Measurement of Time

    • Michael K. Gainer
    Pages 5-8

  4. The Equatorial Telescope Mount

    • Michael K. Gainer
    Pages 9-20

  5. Telescope Considerations

    • Michael K. Gainer
    Pages 21-27

  6. Astronomical Photography

    • Michael K. Gainer
    Pages 29-35

  7. The Sun

    • Michael K. Gainer
    Pages 37-49

  8. The Moon

    • Michael K. Gainer
    Pages 51-59

  9. The Planets

    • Michael K. Gainer
    Pages 61-78

  10. Comets and Asteroids

    • Michael K. Gainer
    Pages 79-89

  11. Visual Binary Stars

    • Michael K. Gainer
    Pages 91-101

  12. A Binary Star True Orbit Projector

    • Michael K. Gainer
    Pages 103-113

  13. Visual Observations of Variable Stars

    • Michael K. Gainer
    Pages 117-122

  14. Photography of Variable Stars

    • Michael K. Gainer
    Pages 123-127

  15. Star Clusters and Nebulae

    • Michael K. Gainer
    Pages 129-132

  16. A Color–Magnitude Diagram for The Pleiades

    • Michael K. Gainer
    Pages 133-135

  17. The Design of an Objective Prism Spectrograph

    • Michael K. Gainer
    Pages 139-139

  18. The Proper Motion of Barnard’s Star

    • Michael K. Gainer
    Pages 143-150

  19. Back Matter

    Pages 143-150
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Keywords

About this book

Thesmallrefractingtelescopewithitssimpledirectdesignandconstructionand permanently aligned optics is the time tested standard for personal use. Easily portable, it can be taken out of the house and set up at a moment’s notice. Or, it can be packed conveniently into a small car for traveling to a dark observing site. With moderate care and minimal maintenance, the telescope and mount canlastforgenerations. These instruments provide sharp, crisp high-contrast images of the Moon and planets. They are less susceptible to the effects of unstable air than larger ones, and because of their low maintenance and durability they are ideal for the parent educator or lifelong learner. Until recently, however, the high cost ofsmalltelescopesofsufficientqualityforseriousastronomicalusehaslimited theiraccessibility. During the past decade, innovations in optical design and manufacture have loweredcostandimprovedquality.Currentdevelopmentsinlensdesignmakeit possibletoproduceaffordablerefractingtelescopeswithshortertubelengthsand greater versatility. The once very costly 90-mm Maksutov–Cassegrain, with its optimumcombinationofeffectiveopticsandportability,nowsellsforamodest price. I have often seen small instruments referred to as “grab and go” or “quick look,”notworthyofconsiderationforseriousobserving.Imaintaintheycanbe much more. Despite their limits in types of observation, 80-mm refractors and 90-mm Maksutovs have sufficient aperture and magnifying power to provide a lifetimeofobservingpleasure.Theyareidealforlunaroccultationmeasurements, tracking the solar activity cycle, observing variable stars and measuring binary ix x Preface stars. Although all the activities described here are equally applicable to larger instruments,noneofthemrequireanaperturelargerthan80mm.Through the use of common digital cameras, the limiting stellar magnitude andimagescaleofsmalltelescopescanbeincreaseddramatically,thusproviding resultsonenormallyexpectsfromlargerinstruments.Muchofthisbookapplies thatprincipletomakinginterestingandusefulastronomicalobservations.Ihave takennovelapproachestoextendingtheuseofsmallinstrumentsforquantitative observations by applying unique methods for the analysis of digital camera photographs.

Reviews

From the reviews:

"The dozens of projects collected here are a combination of observations suitable for current research (such as classifying sun-spots or monitoring binary stars) and recreating classic experiments (such as determining the speed of light by timing Jupiter’s moons). … Besides ample nuggets for science projects, a motivated amateur will gain understanding by doing the work, and … add purpose to his or her observations." (Stuart J. Goldman, Sky & Telescope, May, 2007)

"Amateurs and students using relatively small telescopes can and do contribute useful data to many areas of astronomy. The subtitle Step-by-Step Activities for Discovery is an accurate depiction of what is provided to help novices do just that. Charts, diagrams, photographs of setups, and background information for a variety of observations are included. … Summing Up: Recommended. General reader; lower-division undergraduates; faculty." (D. H. Gifford, CHOICE, Vol. 44 (11), August, 2007)

Editors and Affiliations

  • Latrobe, USA

    Michael K. Gainer

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