Since comet Shoemaker-Levy collided with the planet Jupiter with stupendous force in 1994 there has been an upsurge of amateur interest in comets. Most comets are first discovered by amateur astronomers because there are so many amateurs looking for them, and techniques and instruments have improved dramatically in the past few years.
After a short but detailed introduction to the comets themselves Nick James and Gerald North describe comet hunting, photographing and imaging comets, and digital image processing. The use of computers for orbital calculations and even helping to discover new comets is given a full chapter, as are advanced techniques including comet photometry and spectroscopy.
This comprehensive book has an accompanying CD-ROM and is at once a "primer" for comet hunters and a reference text for more advanced amateur astronomers.

In one book, everything you need to know about discovering and observing comets! The only book to feature the latest amateur equipment and techniques The accompanying PC-format CD-ROM provides many resources, including a comet image gallery, and orbital and ephemeris programs

Autorentext
Gerald North ist ein erfahrener Mond- und Planetenbeobachter, der - über seine Buchveröffentlichung hinaus - seit über 20 Jahren regelmäßig im Journal der British Astronomical Society schreibt.

Inhalt
Celestial Phantoms.- Comets Unveiled.- Comets in Vision.- Visual Practices.- Comets in Camera.- Comets and Computers.- Comets in Close-up.- Improving Your Image.- Advanced Research.- Recent Great Comets.