Public Libraries of Suffolk County, New York

Comets and how to observe them, Richard Schmude

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages 235-249) and index

illustrations

index present

non fiction

Comets and how to observe them

bibliographyhandbooks

Richard Schmude

Astronomers' observing guides

This book offers a complete guide to comets. It provides detailed information about how to observe them with telescopes or even binoculars and includes data from the latest space probes sent to Comets Halley, Wild 2, and Tempel. It also explains how to image comets using digital cameras and how to discover comets with just a computer. Comets have inspired wonder, excitement and even fear ever since they were first observed. They contain material from early in the life of the Solar System, held in deep freeze. This makes them key in our understanding of the formation and evolution of many Solar System bodies. Recent ground and space based observations have changed much in our understanding of comets. This book gives a summary of our current knowledge and describes how amateur astronomers can contribute to the body of scientific knowledge of comets. It contains many practical examples of how to construct comet light curves, measure how fast a comet's coma expands, and determine the rotation period of the nucleus. All these examples are illustrated with drawings and photographs

This book offers a complete guide to comets. It provides detailed information about how to observe them with telescopes or even binoculars and includes data from the latest space probes sent to Comets Halley, Wild 2, and TempelComets: an overview -- Comets 9P/Tempel 1, 1P/Halley, 19P/Borrelly, and 81P/Wild 2 -- Observing comets with the unaided eye and binoculars -- Observing with small telescopes -- Observing with large telescopes