Star Ware

Philip S. Harrington

Description

Praise for Star Ware

"Star Ware is still a tour de force that any experienced amateur will find invaluable, and which hardware-minded beginners will thoroughly enjoy."

- Robert Burnham, Sky & Telescope magazine

"Star Ware condenses between two covers what would normally take a telescope buyer many months to accumulate."

- John Shibley, Astronomy magazine

Whether you're shopping for your first telescope or your fifth, don't be surprised if you feel overwhelmed by the dazzling array of product choices, bells and whistles, and the literature that describes them all. That's why you need Star Ware.

In this revised and updated Fourth Edition of the essential guide to comparing and selecting sky-watching equipment, award-winning astronomy writer Philip Harrington takes you telescope shopping the easy way. He analyzes and explains today's astronomy market and compares brands and models point by point. Star Ware gives you the confidence you need to buy the telescope and accessories that are right for you and the knowledge to get the most out of your new purchase, with:
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Extensive, expanded reviews of leading models and accessories-including dozens of new products
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A clear, step-by-step guide to every aspect of selecting telescopes, binoculars, filters, mounts, lenses, cameras, film, star charts, guides and references, and much more
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Ten new do-it-yourself projects for building your own astronomical equipment
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Easy tips on setting up, using, and caring for telescopes and other astronomical equipment
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Lists of where to find everything astronomical, including Web sites and resources; distributors, dealers, and conventions; and corporate listings for products and services
Preface to the Fourth Edition.

Acknowledgments.

1. Parlez Vous "Telescope?"

2. In the Beginning.

3. So You Want to Buy a Telescope.

4. Two Eyes are Better than One.

5. Attention Shoppers.

6. The "Eyes" Have It.

7. The Right Stuff.

8. The Homemade Astronomer.

9. Till Death Do You Part.

10. A Few Tricks of the Trade.

Appendices.

A. Specs at a Glance.

B. Eyepiece Marketplace.

C. The Astronomical Yellow Pages.

D. An Astronomer's Survival Guide.

E. Astronomical Resources.

F. English/Metric Conversion.

G. Star Ware Reader Survey.

Sujets

• Astronomie
• Astrophysique
• Science
• Astronomy
• Sciences et techniques
• Space Science
• Buying

Informations

• Publié par: Turner Publishing Company
• Date de parution: 25 février 2011
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781118046333
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

Table of Contents
 
Title Page
Dedication
Copyright Page
Preface to the Fourth Edition
Acknowledgments
 
Chapter 1 - Parlez-Vous “Telescope”?
 
Aperture
Focal Length
Focal Ratio
Magnification
Light-Gathering Ability
Resolving Power
 
Chapter 2 - In the Beginning . . .
 
Refracting Telescopes
Reflecting Telescopes
Catadioptric Telescopes
 
Chapter 3 - So You Want to Buy a Telescope!
 
Optical Quality
Telescope Point-Counterpoint
Refracting Telescopes
Support Your Local Telescope
Your Tel-O-Scope
 
Chapter 4 - Two Eyes Are Better Than One
 
Quick Tips
Shop Till You Drop
Equipment Reviews
Recommendations
 
Chapter 5 - Attention, Shoppers!
 
The Mysteries of the Orient
Refracting Telescopes
Reflecting Telescopes
Catadioptric Telescopes
Mounting Concern
The Scorecard
Congratulations, It’s a Telescope!
 
Chapter 6 - The “Eyes” Have It
 
Image Acrobatics
Eyepiece Evaluation
Eyepiece Accessories
Pieces of the Puzzle
 
Chapter 7 - The Right Stuff
 
Finders
Filters
Other Accessories
Books, Star Atlases, and Periodicals
The Electronic Age
Digital Setting Circles
Astrophotography Needs
Photographic Accessories
Star Wear
Still More Paraphernalia
The Well-Groomed Astronomer
 
Chapter 8 - The Homemade Astronomer
 
A Swinging Chart Table
Lazy Laser Collimator Collimator
Tom’s Chair
LYBAR Chair
Focuser Handle
A Simple Dew Heater for Unity Finders
Vibration Suppression Pads
Simple Accessory Tray
Equatorial Table
Star Watcher Observatory
 
Chapter 9 - Till Death Do You Part
 
It’s a Setup
Setting up a Dobsonian Mount
Setting Up an Equatorial Mount
Setting Up a GoTo Computerized Mount
Aligning a Finder
Love Thy Telescope as Thyself
Get It Straight! (Collimation)
Put Your Telescope to the Test
Have Telescope, Will Travel
 
Chapter 10 - A Few Tricks of the Trade
 
Evaluating Sky Conditions
Your Observing Site
Star Parties and Astronomy Conventions
Finding Your Way
Eye Spy
Record Keeping and Sketching
Observing vs. Peeking (a Commentary)
 
Epilogue
Appendix A - Specs at a Glance
Appendix B - Eyepiece Marketplace
Appendix C - The Astronomical Yellow Pages
Appendix D - An Astronomer’s Survival Guide
Appendix E - Astronomical Resources
Appendix F - English/Metric Conversion
Star Ware Reader Survey
Index

For my wife, Wendy, and our daughter, Helen, the centers of my universe and in memory of my parents, Frank and Dorothy Harrington
Copyright © 2007 by Philip S. Harrington. All rights reserved
 
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey Published simultaneously in Canada
 
Wiley Bicentennial Logo: Richard J. Pacifico
 
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, [phone], fax [phone], or on the Web at www.copyright.com . Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, [phone], fax [phone], or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions .
 
Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and the author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.
 
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Harrington, Philip S.
Star ware : the amateur astronomer’s guide to choosing, buying, and using telescopes and accessories / Philip S. Harrington.—4th ed. p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-471-75063-5 (pbk.)
1. Telescopes—Purchasing—Guidebooks. 2. Telescopes—Amateurs’ manuals. I. Title.
QB88.H37 2007
522’.2—dc22
2006025134
 

 
Preface to the Fourth Edition

If the pure and elevated pleasure to be derived from the possession and use of a good telescope ... were generally known, I am certain that no instrument of science would be more commonly found in the homes of intelligent people. There is only one way in which you can be sure of getting a good telescope. First, decide how large a glass you are to have, then go to a maker of established reputation, fix upon the price you are willing to pay—remembering that good work is never cheap—and finally see that the instrument furnished to you answers the proper tests for telescopes of its size. There are telescopes and there are telescopes.
With these words of advice, Garrett Serviss opened his classic work Pleasures of the Telescope. Upon its publication in 1901, this book inspired many an armchair astronomer to change from merely a spectator to a participant, actively observing the universe instead of just reading about it. In many ways, that book was an inspiration for the volume you hold before you.
The telescope market is radically different than it was in the days of Serviss. Back then, amateur astronomy was an activity of the wealthy. The selection of commercially made telescopes was restricted to only one type of instrument—the refractor—and sold for many times what their modern descendants cost today (after correcting for inflation).
By contrast, we live in an age that thrives on choice. Amateur astronomers must now wade through an ocean of literature and propaganda before being able to select a telescope intelligently. For many a budding astronomer, this chore appears overwhelming.
That is where this book comes in. You and I are going hunting for telescopes. After opening chapters that explain telescope jargon and history, today’s astronomical marketplace is dissected and explored. Where is the best place to buy a telescope? Is there one telescope that does everything well? How should a telescope be cared for? What accessories are needed? The list of questions goes on and on.
Happily, so do the answers. Although there is no single set of answers that are right for everybody, all of the available options will be explored so that you can make an educated decision. All of the chapters that detail telescopes, binoculars, eyepieces, and accessories have been fully updated in this fourth edition to include dozens of new products. Reviews have also been expanded, based on my own experiences from testing equipment for Astronomy magazine as well as from hundreds of comments that I have received from readers around the world.
Unfortunately, so much astronomical equipment is now on the market that it is impossible to capture every product in these pages. That is why you and I will rely heavily on the supplemental online material available for each chapter. As you peruse the chapters, also visit their Internet counterparts, found in the Star Ware section of my Web site, www.philharrington.net .
Not all of the best astronomical equipment is available for sale, however; some of it has to be made at home. Ten new homemade projects are outlined further in the book. These range from simple accessories that can be made in less than an hour using common items that are probably lying around your basement or garage to advanced accessories requiring a good working knowledge of carpentry and electronics. All are very useful.
The book concludes with a discussion of how to assemble, care for, and use a telescope. All too often I hear from people who are frustrated with their telescopes. Not long ago, I was speaking with a friend of a friend who lamented that she didn’t have a copy of this book before purchasing a small telescope from a megamart-type department store. She was frustrated that even after reading the instructions that came with her telescope, she couldn’t get it to operate properly. We finally got the telescope to operate properly, no thanks to the inadequate instructions. Our back-and-forth exchange led me to add a section in this edition on how to assemble several typical of telescopes.
Yes, the telescope marketplace has certainly changed in the past century (even in the four years since the third edition of Star Ware was released), and so has the universe. The amateur astronomer has grown with these changes to explore the depths of space in ways that our ancestors could not have even imagined.
Acknowledgments
Putting together a book of this type would not have been possible were it not for the support of many other players. I would be an irresponsible author if I relied solely on my own humble opinions about astronomical equipment. To compile the telescope, eyepiece, and accessories reviews, I solicited input from amateur astronomers around the world. The respon