Table Of ContentHandbook of Practical Astronomy
Günter D. Roth (Editor)
Handbook of
Practical Astronomy
Extrason
www.springer.com/978-3-540-76377-2
123
GünterD.Roth
Ulrichstraße43a
Irschenhausen
82057Icking/Isartal
Germany
ThisbookisacompletelyrevisedandupdatededitionoftheCompendiumofPracticalAstronomy,published
in1994atSpringer-Verlag.
Coverphoto:CopyrightbyFranzXaverKohlhauf.
ISBN 978-3-540-76377-2 e-ISBN 978-3-540-76379-6
DOI10.1007/978-3-540-76379-6
SpringerDordrechtHeidelbergLondonNewYork
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Preface
Withamateurs,studentsandteachersofastronomyinhighschoolsandcollegespartic-
ularly inmind, the Handbookof Practical Astronomy comprises an essential sourceof
currenttrendsinastronomyandexamines thebroadvariety ofastronomical observa-
tions.
Methods used by amateur astronomers have changed significantly in recent years.
ClassicalphotographyhasbeensupersededbyvideoastronomyandCCD-systems.Tele-
scopesarenowcomputer-controlled.TheInternethasbecomethebasisforexchanging
knowledgeand experience, evenproviding amateur observerswith accesstoscientific
datafiles.Personalcontactcannowbemadeworldwidewithoutdelay.
Astronomyonlineforusersofthishandbook:Toaccessastronomydata,physicalcon-
stants,catalogues,maps,andobjectsearchvisitwww.springer.com/----.
ThefirsteditionofthisbookwaspublishedininGermanywiththetitleHand-
buchfürSternfreunde, followed byfurther editions in,and.Thecurrent
edition has two English forerunners, Astronomy: a Handbook, published in , and
CompendiumofPracticalAstronomy,publishedin.
As the Editor, I wish to thank sincerely all authors for their understanding and
friendlycooperationduringtheplanningstagesandexecutionofthiswork.Iwouldlike
toaddawordofgratefulremembranceofProfessorDr.FelixSchmeidleroftheUniver-
sity Observatory at Munich, hehad beenan author inall editions since and had
fromtheverybeginningwarmlysupportedthisproject,butwhosedeathinthemiddle
ofthecurrenteditionendedhiscollaborationprematurely.
I gratefully acknowledge the helpfulness of Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg, where
Dr.T.Schneidergaveeverypossibleconsiderationtotheauthors’andmysuggestions.
Irschenhausen,March GünterD.Roth
TableofContents
. WhyAstronomy? .................................................. 1
G.D.Roth
. Introduction ..................................................... 1
. AstronomyandtheObserver ...................................... 1
. SpecializedInstruments,MethodsandObjects...................... 2
. MajorObjectsfortheAmateur .................................... 3
. “TheUniverse,YourstoDiscover” ................................. 4
. FundamentalsofSphericalAstronomy................................ 5
M.Gottwald
. Introduction ..................................................... 5
. TheCoordinates.................................................. 5
.. GeographicCoordinates ................................... 5
.. HorizontalCoordinates .................................... 7
.. TheEquatorialSystem,VernalEquinox,andSiderealTime ... 9
.. TransformationofHorizontalCoordinates
intoEquatorialCoordinatesandViceVersa.................. 11
.. OtherCoordinateSystems ................................. 11
... TheSystemoftheEcliptic ......................... 12
... TheGalacticCoordinateSystem ................... 12
. TimeandthePhenomenaofDailyMotion.......................... 13
.. TrueandMeanSolarTime ................................. 13
.. TheRelationBetweenSiderealTimeandMeanTime......... 14
.. OtherPhenomenaofDiurnalMotion ....................... 15
. ChangesintheCoordinatesofaStar ............................... 16
.. ProperMotion ............................................ 16
.. PrecessionandNutation ................................... 16
.. Aberration ................................................ 19
.. Parallax................................................... 20
.. ReductionofMeanPositiontoApparentPosition ............ 20
References.............................................................. 21
VIII TableofContents
. AppliedMathematicsandtheComputer .............................. 23
M.Gottwald
. Introduction ..................................................... 23
. TheTheoryofErrors.............................................. 23
.. DirectObservations ....................................... 24
.. IndirectObservations...................................... 25
. PhotographicAstrometry ......................................... 29
. DeterminationofthePositionandBrightnessofPlanets
andofthePlanetographicCoordinates ............................. 33
. StarOccultationsandGrazeswiththeComputer.................... 36
.. PredictionsofStarOccultationsandGrazes ................. 36
.. TheReductionofStellarOccultations ....................... 36
References.............................................................. 39
. OpticsandTelescopes .............................................. 41
B.Weisheit
. Introduction ..................................................... 41
. PupilsandStops .................................................. 41
. ImagingErrors ................................................... 43
.. SeidelTheory ............................................. 43
.. ThePrimaryAberrations................................... 43
.. ChromaticAberration ..................................... 46
. MethodsofOpticalTesting........................................ 47
.. DeterminationofFocalLength ............................. 47
.. TheHartmannTest ........................................ 48
.. Foucault’sKnife-EdgeTest.................................. 49
.. InterferometricTests....................................... 51
.. TheRonchiTest ........................................... 52
.. StarTestingaTelescope .................................... 52
. TelescopeSystems ................................................ 55
.. Refractors................................................. 55
.. TheNewtonianReflector................................... 57
.. TheCassegrainTelescope .................................. 59
.. TheRitchey–ChrétienSystem .............................. 61
.. TheSchiefspiegler ......................................... 61
.. TheSchmidtCamera ...................................... 63
.. Schmidt–CassegrainSystems............................... 65
.. MaksutovSystems ......................................... 66
.. InstrumentsforSolarObservations ......................... 68
.. Binoculars ................................................ 69
. TelescopePerformance............................................ 70
.. ResolvingPower........................................... 70
.. MagnificationandFieldofView ............................ 73
.. ImageBrightnessandLimitingMagnitude................... 74
. CollimatingaTelescope ........................................... 75
.. CollimationTools ......................................... 76
TableofContents IX
.. Refractor ................................................. 76
.. NewtonianTelescope ...................................... 77
.. OtherOpticalSystems ..................................... 78
. Accessories....................................................... 78
.. Eyepieces ................................................. 78
.. TheBarlowLens........................................... 81
.. TubeConstruction ........................................ 82
.. FindingandGuiding....................................... 83
.. EyepieceMicrometers(cid:2)CCDAstrometry ................... 84
.. ThePhotometer ........................................... 85
.. TheSpectrographandtheSpectroscope ..................... 86
.. SunProjectionScreens..................................... 87
.. TimeSignals .............................................. 87
. VisualObservations............................................... 88
.. TheEye................................................... 88
.. SketchingWhatYouSee.................................... 89
. ServicesforTelescopesandAccessories............................. 91
. FurtherReading .................................................. 91
References.............................................................. 91
. TelescopeMountings,Drives,andElectricalEquipment ................ 95
B.Weisheit
. Introduction ..................................................... 95
. TypesofMountings............................................... 95
.. TheAlt-AzimuthalorDobsonianMount .................... 96
.. TheParallacticorEquatorialMount......................... 97
.. ChoosingaMount......................................... 102
. MechanicsofTelescopeMounting ................................. 104
.. Stiffness................................................... 104
.. ShaftsandBearings ........................................ 106
.. FoundationandStability ................................... 111
.. TelescopeVibrations....................................... 112
. DriversforMountings ............................................ 114
.. DrivesinRightAscensionandDeclination .................. 115
.. ConnectingMountandComputer .......................... 120
.. GoToMountings .......................................... 122
.. GuidingSystems........................................... 124
. BasicAdjustments ................................................ 126
.. DirectandOff-AxisGuiding ............................... 126
.. PolarAlignment........................................... 127
.. TheSettingCircles......................................... 129
. FurtherReading .................................................. 131
Description:With amateurs, students, and teachers of astronomy in high schools and colleges particularly in mind, the Handbook of Practical Astronomy is an essential source to demonstrate trends and variety of astronomical observations. The book presents the substance of celestial bodies for the amateur observe
