As 'distributed' astronomical projects multiply, this text on how to produce professional-quality space imaging will be welcome to many amateurs equipped with today's powerful telescopy. It offers a thorough grounding in the scientific principles and methods.

Scientific Astrophotography is intended for those amateur astronomers who are looking for new challenges, once they have mastered visual observing and the basic imaging of various astronomical objects. It will also be a useful reference for scientifically inclined observers who want to learn the fundamentals of astrophotography with a firm emphasis on the discipline of scientific imaging. This books is not about making beautiful astronomical images; it is about recording astronomical images that are scientifically rigorous and from which accurate data can be extracted.

This book is unique in that it gives readers the skills necessary for obtaining excellent images for scientific purposes in a concise and procedurally oriented manner. This not only gets the reader used to a disciplined approach to imaging to maximize quality, but also to maximize the success (and minimize the frustration!) inherent in the pursuit of astrophotography. The knowledge and skills imparted to the reader of this handbook also provide an excellent basis for beautiful picture astrophotography!

There is a wealth of information in this book a distillation of ideas and data presented by a diverse set of sources and based on the most recent techniques, equipment, and data available to the amateur astronomer. There are also numerous practical exercises. Scientific Astrophotography is perfect for any amateur astronomer who wants to go beyond just astrophotography and actually contribute to the science of astronomy.

Teaches the amateur how to do scientifically useful astronomical imaging at a professional level Explains how to produce useful data in the fields of astrometry and photometry Details the steps amateurs must take to begin collaborations with professional astronomers Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Autorentext

Gerald R. Hubbell is currently the Director of Electrical Engineering for Explore Scientific, LLC and an Assistant Coordinator for Topographical Studies, Lunar Section, for the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers (ALPO), and former president of the Rappahannock Astronomy Club (raclub.org). He is the author of the book Scientific Astrophotography: How Amateurs Can Generate and Use Professional Imaging Data (Springer 2012). He has more than 30 years of experience in the nuclear utility industry as an expert in nuclear instrumentation and nuclear process controls and protection. He has been an amateur astronomer since his teenage years and has been active for more than 5 years in modern astrophotography. Richard J. Williams is the founder and CEO of the Sierra Stars Observatory Network (SSON), a global network of professional remote observatories available to everyone. Starting in the mid-1990s he was a pioneer in the development of robotic telescope hardware and software. He was a co-founder of Torus Technologies (now Optical Mechanics, Inc.), which designs and manufactures robotic telescope systems and custom optical-mechanical devices for government and industry. He owns and operates the 24-inch (0.6-meter) Sierra Stars Observatory telescope located at his ranch in California, which was the first telescope to go online for SSON in 2007. Linda M. Billard is a freelance technical writer/editor with 30 years of experience. Her clients span FORTUNE 500 companies to small businesses. Her focus is developing electronic and hardcopy products sensitive to the technical level of the reader. Products include documentation, marketing collateral, books, and newsletters; proposals; and software requirements analysis and design. Her interest in astronomy ramped up about 6 years ago when she became active in the Rappahannock Astronomy Club (RAClub). She is the editor/contributor for RAClub's well-regarded online newsletter, StarGazer, and its online presence at www.raclub.org, and the technical editor ofScientific Astrophotography: How Amateurs Can Generate and Use Professional Imaging Data (Springer 2012).

Klappentext

Scientific Astrophotography is a work for those amateur astronomers looking for new challenges, once they have mastered visual observing and the basic imaging of various astronomical objects. It is a wonderful reference for scientifically-inclined observers who want to learn the fundamentals of astrophotography with a firm emphasis on the discipline of scientific imaging.

This book is a wealth of information and a distillation of ideas presented by a diverse set of sources and based on the most recent techniques, equipment, and data available. It also includes numerous exercises for the reader, to maximize the success and minimize the frustration inherent in the pursuit of this specific craft. Scientific Astrophotography is perfect for any amateur astronomer who wants to go beyond just the process of making beautiful images and actually contribute to the science of astronomy!

"...Gerald Hubbell's new book, Scientific Astrophotography , is the perfectcompanion for anyone dipping their toe into the digital imaging realm for the first time. The author answers all the questions people have when starting out, such as how do I get the most bang for my buck, and how do I select the right CCD for my telescope?"

• Mike Simonsen, American Association of Variable Star Observers

Inhalt

Foreword.- Acknowledgements.- About the Author.- Table of Contents.- List of Figures.- List of Tables.- Preface.- Chapter 1: Introduction to Scientific Astrophotography.- PART I: Astronomical Imaging System (AIS).- Chapter 2: The "Perfect AIS".- Chapter 3: The Astrograph - The Imaging Telescope.- Chapter 4: CCD Chip Performance, CCD Camera Basics, and Image Scaling Factors.- Chapter 5: Telescope Mount Factors.- Chapter 6: Imaging Filters and Auxiliary Optical/Mechanical/Electrical Components.- Chapter 7: Astrograph and CCD Combinations.- Chapter 8: Environmental and External Factors.- PART II: Astronomical Imaging System (AIS) Integration and Operation.- Chapter 9: The Practical AIS - The Sum is Greater than the Parts.- Chapter 10: Planning and Executing the AIS Data Acquisition Process.- Chapter 11: Image Acquisition and Calibration.- Chapter 12: Field Practical Exercises (FPE) - Putting It All Together.- PART III: Scientific Image Data Analysis and Advanced Amateur Scientific Projects.- Chapter 13: Scientific Image Data Uses and Innovations in AIS Components and Systems.- Chapter 14: An Introduction to Scientific Image Data Analysis.- Chapter 15: Your Scientific Imaging Program and How to Submit Your Data to Scientific Organizations.- Chapter 16: Amateur Astronomer Access to Professional-Level Observatories.- Appendices.- Index.