Rogers My Heavens!

The Adventures of a Lonely Stargazer Building an Over-the-Top Observatory
1. Auflage 2007
ISBN: 978-0-387-73783-6
Verlag: Springer
Format: PDF
Kopierschutz: 1 - PDF Watermark

E-Book, Englisch, 180 Seiten

Reihe: The Patrick Moore Practical Astronomy Series

My Heavens! charts the progress of the author's own substantial observatory from conception, through design, planning and construction, to using an observatory of the kind that all amateur astronomers aspire to own. For those with more modest ambitions, the book offers many hints, tips and design features for smaller observatories. Comparisons are made with similar large projects in the USA. The story doesn't end with the construction of the observatory, but goes on to describe the author's choice of equipment, setting it up, and his own techniques for obtaining superb astronomical images like those displayed in his book.

Gordon Rogers lives in England. He is a qualified building surveyor, a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors as well as a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. His beautiful deep-sky images regularly appear in the astronomical magazines. He contributed a chapter to More Small Observatories, by Sir Patrick Moore (Springer, 2002). He lives in what is probably the only traditional English part-thatched cottage to feature an observatory dome!

Autoren/Hrsg.

Rogers, Gordon

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1;Preface;7
2;About the Author;10
3;Contents;12
4;Why Astronomy?;15
5;Aperture Fever;21
5.1;8” Celestron;21
5.2;Acquiring a Computer and CCD Camera;23
5.3;16” Meade Altazimuth;24
6;What Type of Observatory?;29
6.1;Light Pollution;29
6.2;Topography;30
6.3;Type of Enclosure;30
6.4;Available Ground;31
6.5;Will Margaret Agree?;31
6.6;Decision;31
7;Town and County Planning;33
7.1;Background;33
7.2;Local Support;34
7.3;Obtaining Consent;35
8;Construction;36
8.1;Finding a Builder;36
8.2;Groundworks;37
8.3;Superstructure;37
8.4;The Ash Dome;45
8.5;Electrical Work;57
8.6;Telescope Mount;58
8.7;Painting;59
8.8;Telescope Installation;61
8.9;The Computer Room;61
8.10;Neighbor Relations;62
9;Telescopic Equipment Update;64
9.1;Progression;64
9.2;RCOS and Paramount ME;66
9.3;Telescope Assembly;67
9.4;Setting Up the Scope and Mount;69
9.5;Problems!;71
9.6;Setting Up and T-Point;74
9.7;Piggyback Telescope;74
9.8;Adaptive Optics;76
9.9;Mounting a Lens Directly to the Camera;77
9.10;Takahashi Binoculars;77
10;The Opening Ceremony and “ Sky at Night”;78
11;Cameras, Computers, and Software;82
11.1;Cameras;82
11.2;Computers;84
11.3;The Sky Planetarium Software Program;85
11.4;Target Finders;87
11.5;Periodic Error;87
11.6;Maxim;88
11.7;Target Acquisition;90
11.8;Calibration;91
11.9;Commencing Imaging;91
11.10;Sequence;91
11.11;Maxim Tools;92
11.12;CCD Sharp;92
11.13;CCDSoft;92
11.14;Adobe Photoshop;92
11.15;Narrow Band Filters;96
11.16;Imaging Solar System Objects;96
12;Wrinkles Galore;97
12.1;Whatever Can Go Wrong;97
12.2;User Groups;101
13;Photographic Results;104
14;Stargate 4173 at Grimaldi Tower;131
14.1;In the Beginning;132
14.2;Use a Roll-Off Roof?;133
14.3;The Dome;134
14.4;Visiting an Ash Dome;134
14.5;Concept;135
14.6;Design;135
14.7;Additional Research;136
14.8;The Town Code—Know It Ahead of Time!;136
14.9;Plans (Architectural);137
14.10;Town Approvals;139
14.11;Selecting the Builder;139
14.12;Getting Neighborhood Approvals;140
14.13;Construction;141
14.14;Electricity;152
14.15;The Pier Octagonal Base;154
14.16;Vibration Test;155
14.17;Finishing Touches;156
14.18;Naming the Observatory;158
14.19;Personal Observations: Dome versus Roll- Off Roof;160
14.20;Would I Have Done Anything Different?;160
14.21;Resources;161
15;The Spring Gulch Observatory, Jackson Hole, Wyoming;162
15.1;Brad Mead at 43°29´46“ North and 111° 47 ´ 20“ West;162
16;Public Reaction;171
17;A Few Last Thoughts;176
17.1;Conclusions ;181
18;Resources;182
18.1;Astrophotographers;182
18.2;Miscellaneous Resources;183
18.3;Equipment Suppliers;183
18.4;Weather Forecasts;183
19;Index;185