David Levy's guide to observing and discovering comets

David H. Levy

186 pages, parution le 20/05/2003

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Résumé

David Levy has held a lifelong passion for comets, and is one of the most successful comet discoverers in history. In this book he describes the observing techniques that have been developed over the years - from visual observations and searching, to photography, through to electronic charge-coupled devices (CCDs). He combines the history of comet hunting with the latest techniques, showing how our understanding of comets has evolved over time.

This practical handbook is suitable for amateur astronomers, from those who are casually interested in comets and how to observe them, to those who want to begin and expand an observing program of their own. Drawing widely from his own extensive experience, Levy describes how enthusiastic amateurs can observe comets and try to make new discoveries themselves.

Contents

Why Observe Comets?

Of history, superstition, magic, and science
Comet science progresses

Discovering Comets

Comet searching begins
Tails and trails
Comet searching in the twentieth century
How I search for comets
Searching for comets photographically
Searching for comets with CCDs
Comet hunting by reading
Hunting for sungrazers over the Internet
What to do when you think you've found a comet

A New Way of Looking at Comets

When comets hit planets
The future of visual comet hunting

How to Observe Comets

An introduction to comet hunting
Visual observing of comets
Estimating the magnitude of a comet
Taking a picture of a comet
Measuring where a comet is in the sky

Closing Notes

My passion for comets

Appendix
Index

L'auteur - David H. Levy

David H. Levy has discovered twenty-one comets, eight of them using his own backyard telescope. Science Editor for Parade magazine, he also writes the monthly "Star Trails" column in Sky and Telescope. Levy is the author of many books relating to astronomy, from beginners' observing guides to such recent popular accounts as Comets: Creators and Destroyers. He has written two other scientific biographies: The Man Who Sold the Milky Way: A Biography of Bart Bok and Clyde Tombaugh: Discoverer of Planet Pluto. Levy's awards include an Emmy for his role in writing the 1997 Discovery Channel documentary Three Minutes to Impact.

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Caractéristiques techniques

	PAPIER
Éditeur(s)	Cambridge University Press
Auteur(s)	David H. Levy
Parution	20/05/2003
Nb. de pages	186
Format	17,5 x 24,5
Couverture	Broché
Poids	415g
Intérieur	Noir et Blanc
EAN13	9780521520515
ISBN13	978-0-521-52051-5