by Henden and Kaitchuck, 9.50" by 6.00", 392 pages, hardbound, 2 Lbs. 2 Ozs. ship wt., $29.95.

Photoetry, the measurement of light flux, is one of the most fundamental and oldest research techniques employed in astronomy. It is also an area where valuable contributions can be made by amateur astronomers using small telescopes. Most people who do photometry have learned the hard way, because how-to books in this field are very few and often incomplete. This book is intended to fill this gap for both amateur and professional astronomers who wish to learn the techniques of photoelectric photometry. It begins with an overview of photometry and its history, followed by an explanation of photometric systems and how they are defined. There are three chapters dealing with statistics, required calculations and the processing of the observational data. These chapters, and their related appendices, contain many worked examples to aid the beginner. There are step-by-step instructions on the design and constriction of the photometer head, and two chapters on the associated electronics. The book ends with outlines of some practical observing techniques, suggestions for research projects, and useful appendices of difficult to find information. This book will be an excellent self-contained reference for interested amateur astronomers, astronomy graduate students, or professional astronomers learning photoelectric photometry for the first time.

What the Reviewers said:

"This is a very lucid and attractive book. While it is directed largely at advanced amateurs, it is equally useful as a professional introduction to the subject . . ."

--Astrophysical Letters

". . .Astronomical Photometry is an excellent reference book on photoelectric photometry and is a"must" for every serious amateur interested in the subject."

--Journal of The American Association of Variable Star Observers degree

"Undoubtedly this is an excellent text for giving the first- or second-year undergraduate the all-round flavor of the subject."

--New Scientist

" . . . a complete guide from photometer construction to observation and data reduction."

--I.A.P.P.P. Communications

"Although the authors indicate that they have written a book aimed at amateurs, Astronomical Photometry may be read with profit by students and researchers at all levels."

--Astronomy

"The bottom line is that this book should be on the shelf of every astronomer, amateur or professional, interested in doing photometry of the type discussed --- basically, small-telescope, single-object, optical-photoelectric photometry."

--American Scientist

Also by Kaitchuck and Henden—

Astronomical Photometry Software For IBM-PC

By Kaitchuck and Henden, CDROM., $69.95.

In addition to writing a book on the subject Astronomical Photometry and described (described above) the authors have written a professional level computer program based upon the techniques described in their book. The software package is a fairly complete photoelectric photometry data reduction system. There are several programs, each of which handle a different aspect of the reduction process. This modularity allows the user the flexibility to adapt the reduction process to their specific needs. Specifics are:

• Input and output to the programs is via simple ASCII files.
• There are five major programs which calculate:
• dead time (if required),
• instrumental magnitudes and colors,
• air mass,
• heliocentric Julian dates,
• extinction coefficients,
• transformation coefficients to the Johnson system,
• conversion to the standard photometric system, and
• the reduction of differential photometry.

Data from either a pulse counting or DC photometer system can be reduced Programs execute on an IBM-PC or compatible. Requires only 128K memory. Automatic selection of math coprocessor, if present. Supplies as both executable (compiled) programs and FORTRAN 77 source code.