Build Your Own Telescope detailed instructions on building five really nice telescopes, from a 4-inch f/10 Newtonian that's great for kids to a 6-inch refractor and 10-inch reflector that could easily serve as "lifetime telescopes" for a serious amateur astronomer. Two chapters on grinding, polishing, and figuring precision telescope mirrors, a complete bibliography, and lots of telescope lore. For all amateur astronomers. 276 pgs, 8.5x11, published by Willmann-Bell.
Discover the Stars Written to introduce the newcomer to the stars and constellations. Twelve monthly sky charts with constellation lore and twenty-three detailed star maps showing objects for small telescopes. Handsome star maps with deep blue sky and white stars. Non-technical. A great way to get started in amateur astronomy. 120 pgs, 8 x 9.5, published by Crown Publishers.
Telescope Optics: Evaluation and Design (editor, with Harrie Rutten and Martin van Venrooij) For the amateur astronomer who wants to know how a telescope works, this book is a gold mine. Detailed description and analysis of telescopes and eyepeices in use in amateur astronomy, complete with optical formulae and spot diagrams. Technical. 374 pgs, 5.5 x 8.5, published by Willmann-Bell.
Introduction to Astronomical Image Processing Enter the world of image processing with a solid grounding in the fundamental tools of image processing. Covers CCD operation, image file formats, computer displays, histograms, linear and non-linear brightness scaling, convolution and deconvolution filters, noise reduction, masking, merging, summing, and saving images. Includes software and sample images. For all amateur astronomers. 96 pgs, 8.5 x 11, published by Willmann-Bell.
Choosing and Using a CCD Camera Don't build or buy a CCD camera before you understand the basics. Covers CCD camera basics, the six types of CCD images, how to match the telescope and CCD camera, readying your telescope for CCD imaging, taking images, calibrating images, and archiving and sharing images. Includes software and sample images. For all amateur astronomers. 96 pgs, 8.5 x 11, published by Willmann-Bell.
The CCD Camera Cookbook with Veikko Kanto and John Munger. This book has opened the field of CCD imaging to thousands of amateur astronomers who would not have otherwise been able to afford a CCD camera. Describes how to build two high-performance CCD camera systems, using the TC211 and TC245 CCDs from Texas Instruments. (For more information, link to the Cookbook Camera Web Page and Cookbook Camera FAQs.) 176 pgs, 8.5 x 11, published by Willmann-Bell.
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