Press Release
June 21, 2005
"Astronomy Hacks": Identify Celestial Objects and Chart the Skies
Sebastopol, CA--From prehistoric times to the present day, the stars and
constellations have presented a mystery that has inspired astronomy--the
study of celestial bodies and the universe as a whole. There are various
constellations and stars visible to the naked eye, but there are many more
galactic wonders that can only be viewed with the right techniques and
equipment.
Astronomy Hacks: Tips and Tools for Observing the Night Sky (Thompson
and Thompson, O'Reilly, US $24.95) is for anyone interested in exploring
the evening skies. The authors offer time-honored tips and tricks on how
to use computers, hand-held devices, binoculars, and telescopes--including
the use of basic equipment to photograph celestial objects.
"There is something special about being out under the night sky," states
co-author Robert Bruce Thompson. "The stars provide a link across the
generations. We look at the Great Orion Nebula, for example, and realize
that the light we see tonight began its journey about 1,550 years ago,
when the Roman Empire was in its final days."
This book shows amateurs and experienced hobbyists alike, how to get up to
speed quickly, spend money wisely, and avoid common mistakes. It can be
read from cover to cover, or each hack can stand on its own. The authors
also encourage the reader to browse and jump to the hacks they find most
interesting.
Astronomy Hacks is organized into four chapters that cover everything
from essentials and etiquette at observation sites, to tweaking and
building accessories:
Getting Started--Choosing the right equipment, safety tips and good etiquette at observing sites, and preparing for urban observing
Observing Hacks--Locating astronomical objects, learning about dark adaptation and preserving night vision, describing the brightness of an object, identifying stars and constellations, printing custom charts, seeing deep sky objects, and photographing the stars
Scope Hacks--Tweaks and upgrades for scopes including tips for maintaining your equipment, eliminating astigmatism, building a film can collimating tool, tuning a Newtonian reflector, star collimating a scope, using counterweights on a Dobsonian scope, and much more
Accessory Hacks--How to choose, build and maintain essential and not so essential accessories, including using a Barlow lens, optimizing an eye piece collection, building an occulting eye piece, choosing planetarium software, building an equatorial platform, and using PDAs
Graphical icons are placed alongside each hack to guide the reader, like
the thermometer icon indicating the relative complexity of the hack. There
is also an icon for supplementary information and one that conveys a note
of caution.
Astronomy Hacks is an essential companion for anyone interested in
making the most out of celestial observations.
Additional Resources:
Astronomy Hacks
Robert Bruce Thompson and Barbara Fritchman Thompson
ISBN: 0-596-10060-4, 416 pages, $24.95 US, $34.95 CA
order@oreilly.com
1-800-998-9938; 1-707-827-7000
About O'Reilly
O'Reilly Media spreads the knowledge of innovators through its books, online services, magazines, and conferences. Since 1978, O'Reilly Media has been a chronicler and catalyst of cutting-edge development, homing in on the technology trends that really matter and spurring their adoption by amplifying "faint signals" from the alpha geeks who are creating the future. An active participant in the technology community, the company has a long history of advocacy, meme-making, and evangelism.
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