Observing the Moon: The Modern Astronomer's

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!

Preface	p. ix
Acknowledgements	p. xi
"Magnificent desolation"	p. 1
An orbiting rock-ball	p. 2
Phases and eclipses	p. 3
Solar eclipses	p. 11
Gravity and tides	p. 12
More about the motions of the Moon - libration	p. 13
Co-ordinates on the surface of the Moon	p. 16
Occultations	p. 20
The Moon through the looking glass	p. 21
The Moon in focus	p. 22
The pioneering selenographers	p. 35
Telescopes and drawing boards	p. 41
What type of telescope do you need?	p. 42
How big a telescope do you need?	p. 50
So, what telescope should I spend my money on?	p. 52
Eyepiece characteristics	p. 53
Specific eyepiece types and magnification	p. 55
Making the best of what you have	p. 58
Drawing the Moon	p. 61
The Moon in camera	p. 69
Some basic principles of CCD astrocameras and digital cameras	p. 72
Practical CCD astrocameras and digital cameras	p. 75
The imaging area of a CCD camera when used on your telescope, or with an attached camera lens	p. 77
Image scale using the supplied lenses on a '35 mm format' DSLR	p. 79
Practical lunar photography through the telescope - at the principal focus	p. 79
The potential resolution of detail in the image	p. 81
Enlarging the telescope's primary image	p. 84
Image processing	p. 89
Stacking up the Moon	p. 97
The Moon and your domestic video camera	p. 97
The benefits of stacking selected images	p. 105
Manually stacking individual frames	p. 106
The webcam revolution	p. 109
Your webcam and computer	p. 111
The webcam's first night on your telescope	p. 116
Stacking the images using RegiStax	p. 117
Processing the stacked image in RegiStax	p. 121
Striving for the best results	p. 122
The physical Moon	p. 125
The first lunar scouts	p. 125
Men on the Moon	p. 128
The post-Apollo Moon	p. 133
Not green cheese but...	p. 135
Genesis of the Moon	p. 136
The Moon's structure	p. 137
The evolution of the Moon - a brief overview	p. 139
Lunar chronology	p. 141
Filling in the details	p. 143
Lunarware	p. 145
Out-of-print books	p. 145
Books currently in print	p. 146
Printed maps, charts and atlases	p. 147
Some useful website addresses concerning equipment and techniques	p. 149
Consolidated Lunar Atlas, Lunar Orbiter Photographic Atlas, Apollo Image Atlas and Ranger photographs online	p. 151
Clementine, Lunar Prospector and SMART-1 images and data online	p. 152
Virtual Moon Atlas	p. 152
Lunar ephemerides	p. 153
Key map for Chapter 8	p. 155
'A to Z' of selected lunar landscapes	p. 157
Agarum, Promontorium	p. 158
Albategnius	p. 161
Alpes, Vallis	p. 161
Alphonsus	p. 163
Apenninus, Montes	p. 166
Ariadaeus, Rima	p. 170
Aristarchus	p. 173
Aristoteles	p. 179
Bailly	p. 181
Bullialdus	p. 183
Cassini	p. 186
Clavius	p. 189
Copernicus	p. 192
Crisium, Mare	p. 200
Endymion	p. 206
Fra Mauro	p. 210
Furnerius	p. 215
'Gruithuisen's lunar city'	p. 221
Harbinger, Montes	p. 224
Hevelius	p. 227
Hortensius	p. 234
Humorum, Mare	p. 237
Hyginus, Rima	p. 245
Imbrium, Mare	p. 248
Janssen	p. 258
Langrenus	p. 262
Maestlin R	p. 267
Messier	p. 269
Moretus	p. 271
Nectaris, Mare	p. 273
Neper	p. 278
Pitatus	p. 281
Plato	p. 285
Plinius	p. 292
Posidonius	p. 297
Pythagoras	p. 301
Ramsden	p. 304
Regiomontanus	p. 308
Russell	p. 313
Schickard	p. 318
Schiller	p. 322
Sirsalis, Rimae	p. 326
'Straight Wall-(Rupes Recta)	p. 331
Theophilus	p. 334
Torricelli	p. 339
Tycho	p. 341
Wargentin	p. 348
Wichmann	p. 351
Webcam gallery	p. 353
TLP or not TLP?	p. 357
The mystery unfolds	p. 357
Categories of TLP	p. 362
The mystery continues	p. 363
What might be the cause(s) of TLP?	p. 371
Possible causes of bogus TLP	p. 376
TLP observing programme	p. 378
Telescope collimation	p. 381
Field-testing a telescope's optics	p. 393
Polar alignment	p. 397
Index	p. 401
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

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Observing the Moon: The Modern Astronomer's Guide

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