Astronomy Hacks
By
Robert Bruce Thompson
,
Barbara Fritchman Thompson
...............................................
Publisher:
O'Reilly
Pub Date:
June 2005
ISBN:
0-596-10060-4
Pages:
416
Table of Contents
|
Index
Credits
About the Authors
Contributors
Acknowledgments
Preface
Why Astronomy Hacks?
How This Book Is Organized
How to Contact Us
Got a Hack?
Chapter 1. Getting Started
Section 1.1. Hacks 110
Hack 1. Don't Give Up
Hack 2. Join an Astronomy Club
Hack 3. Safety First
Hack 4. Stay Warm
Hack 5. Don't Violate Observing Site Etiquette
Hack 6. Be Prepared
Hack 7. Measure Your Entrance Pupil Size
Hack 8. Choose the Best Binocular
Hack 9. Choose the Best General-Purpose Telescope
Hack 10. Equip Yourself for Urban Observing
Chapter 2. Observing Hacks
Section 2.1. Hacks 1132
Hack 11. See in the Dark
Hack 12. Protect Your Night Vision from Local Lights
Hack 13. Describe the Brightness of an Object
Hack 14. Identify Stars by Name
Hack 15. Identify Stars by Catalog Designations
Hack 16. Know Your Constellations
Hack 17. Understand Celestial Coordinate Systems
Hack 18. Print Custom Charts
Hack 19. Keep Your Charts at the Eyepiece
Hack 20. Locate Objects Geometrically
Hack 21. Learn to Star Hop
Hack 22. Learn to See DSOs
Hack 23. Observe Shallow-Space Objects
Hack 24. Slow Down, You Move Too Fast, You've Got to Make the Evening Last
Hack 25. Learn Urban Observing Skills
Hack 26. Sweep Constellations
Hack 27. Maintain an Observing Notebook
Hack 28. Develop an Organized Logging System
Hack 29. Plan and Prepare for a Messier Marathon
Hack 30. Run a Messier Marathon
Hack 31. Photograph the Stars with Basic Equipment
Hack 32. Discover and Name a New Planet
Chapter 3. Scope Hacks
Section 3.1. Hacks 3343
Hack 33. Center-Spot Your Mirror
Hack 34. Clean Your Primary Mirror
Hack 35. Eliminate Astigmatism
Hack 36. Eliminate Diffraction Spikes and Increase Contrast
Hack 37. Build a Film Can Collimating Tool
Hack 38. Tune Your Newtonian Reflector for Maximum Performance
Hack 39. Collimate Your Primary Mirror Quickly and Accurately
Hack 40. Star-Collimate Your Scope
Hack 41. Counterweight a Dobsonian Scope
Hack 42. Improve Dobsonian Motions with Milk Jug Washers
Hack 43. Upgrade Your Dobsonian Bearings
Chapter 4. Accessory Hacks
Section 4.1. Hacks 4465
Hack 44. Dark Adapt Your Notebook Computer
Hack 45. Dark Adapt Your Vehicle
Hack 46. Use a Barlow
Hack 47. Determine Actual Barlow Magnification
Hack 48. See More of the Sky
Hack 49. Optimize Your Eyepiece Collection
Hack 50. Chart Your Eyepiece Characteristics
Hack 51. View Dim Objects in the Same Field as a Very Bright Object
Hack 52. Clean Your Eyepieces and Lenses Safely
Hack 53. Install a Unit-Power Finder
Hack 54. Upgrade Your Optical Finder
Hack 55. Align Your Finder
Hack 56. Determine Your Optical Finder's Field of View
Hack 57. Determine Your True Field of View
Hack 58. Enhance Lunar and Planetary Contrast and Detail
Hack 59. Enhance Nebular Contrast and Detail
Hack 60. Please Be Seated
Hack 61. Stash Your Gear in a Photographer's Vest or Fanny Pack
Hack 62. Use a Voice Recorder for Logging
Hack 63. Build or Buy an Equatorial Platform
Hack 64. Make Your Computer Work for You
Hack 65. Astronomy Software in the Palm of Your Hand
Colophon
Index
