Table of Contents

Astronomy Hacks
By Robert Bruce Thompson, Barbara Fritchman Thompson
...............................................
Publisher: O'Reilly
Pub Date: June 2005
ISBN: 0-596-10060-4
Pages: 416

Table of Contents  | Index

		Credits
			About the Authors
			Contributors
			Acknowledgments
		Preface
			Why Astronomy Hacks?
			How This Book Is Organized
			How to Contact Us
			Got a Hack?
		Chapter 1.  Getting Started
			Section 1.1.  Hacks 110
			Hack 1.  Don't Give Up
			Hack 2.  Join an Astronomy Club
			Hack 3.  Safety First
			Hack 4.  Stay Warm
			Hack 5.  Don't Violate Observing Site Etiquette
			Hack 6.  Be Prepared
			Hack 7.  Measure Your Entrance Pupil Size
			Hack 8.  Choose the Best Binocular
			Hack 9.  Choose the Best General-Purpose Telescope
			Hack 10.  Equip Yourself for Urban Observing
		Chapter 2.  Observing Hacks
			Section 2.1.  Hacks 1132
			Hack 11.  See in the Dark
			Hack 12.  Protect Your Night Vision from Local Lights
			Hack 13.  Describe the Brightness of an Object
			Hack 14.  Identify Stars by Name
			Hack 15.  Identify Stars by Catalog Designations
			Hack 16.  Know Your Constellations
			Hack 17.  Understand Celestial Coordinate Systems
			Hack 18.  Print Custom Charts
			Hack 19.  Keep Your Charts at the Eyepiece
			Hack 20.  Locate Objects Geometrically
			Hack 21.  Learn to Star Hop
			Hack 22.  Learn to See DSOs
			Hack 23.  Observe Shallow-Space Objects
			Hack 24.  Slow Down, You Move Too Fast, You've Got to Make the Evening Last
			Hack 25.  Learn Urban Observing Skills
			Hack 26.  Sweep Constellations
			Hack 27.  Maintain an Observing Notebook
			Hack 28.  Develop an Organized Logging System
			Hack 29.  Plan and Prepare for a Messier Marathon
			Hack 30.  Run a Messier Marathon
			Hack 31.  Photograph the Stars with Basic Equipment
			Hack 32.  Discover and Name a New Planet
		Chapter 3.  Scope Hacks
			Section 3.1.  Hacks 3343
			Hack 33.  Center-Spot Your Mirror
			Hack 34.  Clean Your Primary Mirror
			Hack 35.  Eliminate Astigmatism
			Hack 36.  Eliminate Diffraction Spikes and Increase Contrast
			Hack 37.  Build a Film Can Collimating Tool
			Hack 38.  Tune Your Newtonian Reflector for Maximum Performance
			Hack 39.  Collimate Your Primary Mirror Quickly and Accurately
			Hack 40.  Star-Collimate Your Scope
			Hack 41.  Counterweight a Dobsonian Scope
			Hack 42.  Improve Dobsonian Motions with Milk Jug Washers
			Hack 43.  Upgrade Your Dobsonian Bearings
		Chapter 4.  Accessory Hacks
			Section 4.1.  Hacks 4465
			Hack 44.  Dark Adapt Your Notebook Computer
			Hack 45.  Dark Adapt Your Vehicle
			Hack 46.  Use a Barlow
			Hack 47.  Determine Actual Barlow Magnification
			Hack 48.  See More of the Sky
			Hack 49.  Optimize Your Eyepiece Collection
			Hack 50.  Chart Your Eyepiece Characteristics
			Hack 51.  View Dim Objects in the Same Field as a Very Bright Object
			Hack 52.  Clean Your Eyepieces and Lenses Safely
			Hack 53.  Install a Unit-Power Finder
			Hack 54.  Upgrade Your Optical Finder
			Hack 55.  Align Your Finder
			Hack 56.  Determine Your Optical Finder's Field of View
			Hack 57.  Determine Your True Field of View
			Hack 58.  Enhance Lunar and Planetary Contrast and Detail
			Hack 59.  Enhance Nebular Contrast and Detail
			Hack 60.  Please Be Seated
			Hack 61.  Stash Your Gear in a Photographer's Vest or Fanny Pack
			Hack 62.  Use a Voice Recorder for Logging
			Hack 63.  Build or Buy an Equatorial Platform
			Hack 64.  Make Your Computer Work for You
			Hack 65.  Astronomy Software in the Palm of Your Hand
		Colophon
		Index