You’ve had your fill of giant optical telescopes and orbiting space
observatories. Now you want to do some real astronomy. For advice on how to get
going, look no further than two excellent books—Amateur Telescope Making
and Astronomical Equipment for Amateurs. They cover everything from building a
telescope on a shoestring (or one that fits into a shoebox), to
astrophotography, CCD imaging, software for controlling a telescope, and useful
sites on the Net. Highly recommended. Both published by Springer-Verlag, the
first is edited by Stephen Tonkin, £19, ISBN 1852330007, the second by
Martin Mobberley, £19, ISBN 1852330198.
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