Observing the moon : the modern astronomer's guide / Gerald North.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

North, Gerald, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Moon--Observers' manuals.

Moon.

Moon--Observations.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xi, 408 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Edition:

Second edition.

Place of Publication:

Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2007.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Written by an experienced and well-known lunar observer, this is a hands-on primer for the aspiring observer of the Moon. Whether you are a novice or are already experienced in practical astronomy, you will find plenty in this book to help you raise your game to the next level and beyond. In this thoroughly updated second edition, the author provides extensive practical advice and sophisticated background knowledge of the Moon and of lunar observation. It incorporates the latest developments in lunar imaging techniques, including digital photography, CCD imaging and webcam observing, and essential advice on collimating all common types of telescope. Learn what scientists have discovered about our Moon, and what mysteries remain still to be solved. Find out how you can take part in the efforts to solve these mysteries, as well as enjoying the Moon's spectacular magnificence for yourself!

Contents:

Preface

Acknowledgments

1. "Magnificent desolation"

1.1. An orbiting rock-ball

1.2. Phases and eclipses

1.3. Solar eclipses

1.4. Gravity and tides

1.5. More about the motions of the Moon

libration

1.6. Co-ordinates on the surface of the Moon

1.7. Occultations

2. The Moon through the looking glass

2.1. The Moon in focus

2.2. The pioneering selenographers

3. Telescopes and drawing boards

3.1. What type of telescope do you need?

3.2. How big a telescope do you need?

3.3. So, what telescope should I spend my money on?

3.4. Eyepiece characteristics

3.5. Specific eyepiece types and magnification

3.6. Making the best of what you have

3.7. Drawing the Moon.

4. The Moon in camera

4.1. Some basic principles of CCD astrocameras and digital cameras

4.2. Practical CCD astrocameras and digital cameras

4.3. The imaging area of a CCD camera when used on your telescope, or with an attached camera lens

4.4. Image scale using the supplied lenses on a '35mm format' DSLR

4.5. practical lunar photography through the telescope

at the principal focus

4.6. The potential resolution of detail in the image

4.7. Enlarging the telescope's primary image

4.8. Image processing

5. Stacking up the Moon

5.1. The Moon and your domestic video camera

5.2. The benefits of stacking selected images

5.3. manually stacking individual frames

5.4. The webcam revolution

5.5. Your webcam and computer

5.6. The webcam's first night on your telescope

5.7. Stacking the images using RegiStax

5.8. Processing the stacked image in RegiStax

5.9. Striving for the best results.

6. The physical Moon

6.1. The first lunar scouts

6.2. Men on the Moon

6.3. The post-Apollo Moon

6.4. Not green cheese but ...

6.5. Genesis of the Moon

6.6. The Moon's structure

6.7. The evolution of the Moon

a brief overview

6.8. Lunar chronology

6.9. Filling in the details

7. Lunarware

7.1. Out-of-print books

7.2. Books currently in print

7.3. Printed maps, charts and atlases

7.4. Some useful website addresses concerning equipment and techniques

7.5. Consolidated Lunar Atlas, LUnar Orbiter Photographic Atlas, Apollo Image Atlas and Ranger photographs online

7.6. Clementine, Lunar Prospector and SMART-1 images and data online

7.7. Virtual Moon atlas

7.8. Lunar ephemerides

7.9. Key map for chapter 8.

8. 'A to Z' of selected lunar landscapes

8.1. Agarum, promontorium

8.2. Albategnius

8.3. Alpes, Vallis

8.4. Alphonsus

8.5. Apenninus, Montes

8.6. Ariadaeus, Rima

8.7. Aristarchus

8.8. Aristoteles

8.9. Bailly

8.10. Bullialdus

8.11. Cassini

8.12. Clavius

8.13. Copernicus

8.14. Crisium, Mare

8.15. Endymion

8.16. Fra Mauro

8.17. Furnerius

8.18. 'Gruithuisen's lunar city'

8.19. Harbinger, Montes

8.20. Hevelius

8.21. Hortensius

8.22. Humorum, Mare

8.23. Hyginus, Rima

8.24. Imbrium, Mare

8.25. Janssen

8.26. Langrenus

8.27. Maestlin R

8.28. Messier

8.29. Moretus

8.30. Nectaris, Mare

8.31. Neper

8.32. Pitatus

8.33. Plato

8.34. Plinius

8.35. Posidonius

8.36. Pythagoras

8.37. Ramsden

8.38. Regiomontanus

8.39. Russell

8.40. Schickard

8.41. Schiller

8.42. Sirsalis, Rimae

8.43. 'Straight Wall' (Rupes Recta)

8.44. Theophilus

8.45. Torricelli

8.46. Tycho

8.47. Wargentin.

8.48. Wichmann

8.49. Webcam gallery

9. TLP or not TLP?

9.1. The mystery unfolds

9.2. Categories of TLP

9.3. The mystery continues

9.4. What might be the cause(s) of TLP?

9.5. Possible causes of bogus TLP

9.6. TLP observing programme

Appendix 1 : Telescope collimation

Appendix 2 : Field-testing a telescope's optics

Appendix 3 : Polar alignment

Index.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015).

ISBN:

1-107-18147-X

1-280-91735-0

9786610917358

0-511-29054-3

0-511-32248-8

0-511-28994-4

0-511-28866-2

0-511-53646-1

0-511-28934-0

OCLC:

173240517