Making Beautiful Deep-Sky Images

It contains, for each constellation, a star chart showing the Bayer labels, a table for many of the stars in the constellation, along with their positions and magnitudes, and a table of the deep-sky objects in the constellation, with relevant observational data.Facing pages provide unique year-long graphs that show when the constellation is visible in the sky, allowing the user to quickly determine whether a given constellation can be seen, and when the best time to see it will be. Guide to Observing Deep-Sky Objects is a reference book for amateur astronomers.

Sketching is an excellent way to record personal encounters with the celestial wonders, because as you are drawing, you are training your eye to perceive ever greater detail, taking the fullest advantage of your telescope's light grasp and resolution. Each chapter contains useful information regarding equipment, types of telescope and eyepiece combinations, techniques for preserving and archiving sketches, and suggestions for accurate record keeping.

This book will present the amateur with fine examples of astronomical sketches and step-by-step tutorials in each medium, including pencil, pen and ink, chalks and pastels, painting and computer graphics programs. Moreover, astronomical sketches can be artwork in themselves, for display and decoration in the home or observatory.

Such things range from the commonplace like rainbows and meteors, to the distinctly unusual like the green flash and ball lightning. The second part gives a full description, physical explanation, and where relevant notes on observing and photographing the various phenomena. It does however finish with a short section on "extraterrestrial UFOs", emphasising the burden of proof aspect and touching on the scientific theories of life on other worlds and the improbability of visitors..

And there is still a residuum of objects that remain unidentified by the watcher – classed generally as ‘UFOs’, a description which today has connotations of the mysterious, even of extraterrestrial visitors. Many lights and other objects in the sky go unrecognised, or at least are little understood by those observing them. It allows quick (and structured) identification of known aerial phenomena, whether at night or during the day.

This is also much more than ‘planetarium’ software.

The second is to show you how you can take these images for yourself, using readily available commercial equipment. Some people will actually admit to being frightened by the vastness of space that these images depict.

In the past, the only technique that was available was projection onto a piece of white paper or card.

I have recently discovered the most satisfying hobby so far, and to be frank, I have pursued quite a few hobbies in my time! This book has two aims. This one encompasses computers, optics, precision mechanics, digital image processing and artistic appreciation, and it therefore satisfies just about every major interest I have in one go. Some people will actually admit to being frightened by the vastness of space that these images depict.

Observing the Sun with Coronado™ Telescopes However, the last decade or so has seen some advances that have changed the face of amateur solar astronomy.. The use of digital photography and computers has changed all astronomy, not just amateur solar astronomy, and it has certainly made a lot more techniques available for photographing the Sun.