A great primer for astrophotography
352901
Astrophotography is an area in the hobby where most beginners feel a measure of intimidation- from the high cost of equipment, the myriad jargon tossed around in amateur astronomy forums on the web, and a seemingly confusing and endless selection of knobs, plates, adapters, scopes, mounts, tripods, cameras, etc. available in the market place. But most folks are hooked the moment they take a photo of the moon or a planet through a small digital camera or even a cell phone cam.

Seip's book is concise, highly readable and an up-to-date book on amateur astrophotography. It is clear and well written and perhaps the best primer to read when one is contemplating delving into this area of the hobby.

I would have liked to see a little more elaboration on guiding (manual and auto), on focusing a DSLR (that's what most people start dabbling in), and on the importance of a good mount-perhaps an appendix guide on mount recommendations, stability considerations, the concept of PEC and maybe on drift alignment (a proper mount is the biggest success factor in astrophotography), but this information can be easily found elsewhere on the web and in books (Ron Wodaski has an excellent section on telescope and mount selection and considerations in his book that bears reading). All in all, an excellent book. I enjoyed reading it very much.

Lastly, if you see Seip's astrophotography photos on the web, you will realize how spectacular his photos (and skills) are. Perhaps it is a reflection of his humility that he avoids showcasing his jaw-dropping photos in his own book!
1907798
If you have even a little bit of interest in learning about imaging technology in the field of Astronomy then this is definitely the first book you should be grabbing. What really separates this book from others like it is how its meticulously set up for all levels of experience and interest. In other words whether your a seasoned professional, a college student, or just an amateur backyard astronomer, this book has something to offer you.

If there was ever a time for a book like this its now as imaging technology in general has seen just massive breakthroughs in recent years and astronomy is one of the fields that has really benefited the most from such breakthroughs. In fact one could argue that astronomy has actually benefited more from such breakthroughs than photography itself. Of course photography is a huge part of astronomy so such arguments are pretty much futile. The bottom line is that imaging in astronomy is light years ahead of where it was even 20 years ago and this book will bring you up to date in regards to those technologies. It covers everything from the invention of CCD's right up to the use of adaptive optics. Overall Its extremely well written and is packed with a lot of great diagrams and mathematical equations.

I am actually an architectural photographer but I have been getting into astrophotography more and more in recent years and its now to the point where its one of my main focuses in regards to my personal work. A little while back I just really started getting the urge to learn about this technology from the ground up and I have been doing just that ever since. I have now read 4 different books on CCD's and imaging technology and this book is easily the best one I have read yet. If you want to take your understanding of such technologies to the next level then this is without a single doubt the place to start. Even if you already have a good understanding of such material, this book will still have plenty to offer you. In fact, anyone even half serious about imaging technology should have this on their bookshelf, period!

The bottom line - This is one book that anyone even remotely interested in imaging technology should have!!

5 Stars!!
1544591
I like this book! I will check it often to see, "What's Up Tonight" since the author suggests many objects not on my list. The suggested Field Of View will solve the problem of my selecting too small an FOV because a chart caused me to underestimate the full size of an object plus some star field around it. I don't discover that mistake until the following day. The suggestion of a IDAS filter has already improved my images from a light polluted back yard. The suggested processing for each object will be very helpful.
4764683
Excellent, very clear explanations. All important items for astrophotography covered and extremely useful tips and links for equipment.
3339088
For the price this bino is hard to beat.  Large aperture lenses give lots of bright images of the moon.  I was able to spot 4 of Jupiters moons and almost resolve the orion nebula.  I couldn't get it to focus very well on most deep sky objects.  My older and much smaller Pentax did better with the orion nebula for example.  Edge of view would show luminated shadows (double images) that I couldn't resolve with the focuser.  But for the $ you get a very bright image that is excellent for terrestrial viewing even at night.

Build quality is about what you would expect from a bino of this price but not much more.
I wonder if the 25x100 which is almost 3 times the price would fare much better.  The spec sheet is very similar (same type of lenses, same bak4 prism etc..  but the pictures would indicate a better build quality as well.

Overall a good starter astro bino for the budget conscious.
1604348
As a professional astronomer, I have been surfing plenty of sky atlases, ranging from very simple to heavy and complete ones. This book is just great for those observing the heavens with thier own binoculars or telescope, as everything is in your hands, requiring just a little space. The choice to divide the whole sky in RA is a good one, as you have the season maps close each other. You have stars down to magnitude 7.5 and the maps are really accurate and a joy to look at. The milky way is reproduced with two different colours, accounting for the different star densities. You can quickly skip to any other map, thanks to the general index and indications given on each page.

Plenty of double and variable stars, as well as deep sky wonders complete this book, which is going to stay w

very close to my portable telescopes by now.
4946915
Very easy to use and very informative on the  constellations. I recommend this for any beginner or experienced astronomer.
1737408
I was lucky enough to find out about imaging with a webcam when hardly anyone outside QCUIAG(Quickcam and Unconventional Imaging Astronomy Group)had given it a second thought. There were individuals in that group that were, even then, turning out images of the Solar System that rivaled professional observatories with these inexpensive devices that were never intended to be turned skyward.  But because of the forward-thinking of some of their members and people's unceasing drive to tinker
(and discover!), major monthly publications like Sky and Telescope and Astronomy quickly understood the power these little cams wielded and began to pay considerable attention to the images that were beginning to fill their reader gallery pages.
  As with any technology, the quality of the cameras, their chips, and ultimately the software that was being written to drive them, resulted in amateur images that were making everyone take notice and want to get in on this versatile and simple method of capturing exciting images of our nearest neighbours. Until I discovered this gem on Amazon, I was pretty much limited to whatever knowledge I could acquire about imaging with a webcam to what was posted on the net.
 This book in the "Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series" has changed all that.  It is a wonderfully concise and richly illustrated guidebook for both beginner and advanced amateur alike.  It introduces in the most basic way how anyone with a modest telescope and simple webcam can turn out world-class images. Now to put this new knowledge to work in improving my own imaging techniques!
3817350
This is a great book for photographers who want to do some Astro-photography. It's a 'how to' book that gives clear directions on how to achieve a variety of night sky photographs. This is not a deep space book, it is not written for Astro-photographers with big telescopes and special cameras, it's for the ordinary bloke or blokess out there who just wants to take some great pictures of the night sky in their area.
2439079
This manual full of charts and maps of the different regions of the night sky is perhaps a bit dated with so many discoveries now in the outer rim of our universe.  It is perfect for a beginning star gazer out in the yard away from lights.  Justin and I could never find Halley's Comet because of the street lights in the small town.  To look at the sky, it is best to be out on a hill top away from all light.

At the Rochester, New York, Strasenburgh Planetarium, there is a 1968 star projector, a double-headed star ball, one end for the Southern Hemisphere, and the other for the Northern Hemisphere.  The ball is full of pinholes patterned after the positions of stars in the night sky with a mercury vapor light from incise the fall to create an accurate map of the stars in total darkness on the rounded ceiling of the dome.  It is computer-controlled.

Here, we have the Akima Planetarium which is even older, but fully functional; it has only one star ball which can be changed according to the season showing the different night sky. Mr. Ferguson explains where the known stars are located and gives a history of why and how the constellations got their names all the way back to antiquity.  He gives a good show for the children as well as the adults.  He always starts with the North Star and goes all the way around the dome with his interesting banter.  During the Fair, for ten days, he presented six shows a day in the Discovery Center located adjacent to the Fairgrounds.

If I were to suggest that you 'don't count your chickens before they're hatched' you might take it the wrong way. However, while it's worth reminding you not to go counting your chickens, it's not needed because they're not going to hatch. Those little chicks could well hatch exactly as you want them to. But there is another even better possibility. They may yet hatch in a way you hadn't even thought it that's preferable to the way you had expected. It's a week when anything could happen so allow a little room for the Universe to be creative.

Some years ago, it was my pleasure to visit the Adler Planetarium in Chicago with my astronomer son, Geoffrey.  As I recall, the oral program was all pre-recorded and on a much larger range than the Strasenburgh and Akima which are smaller.  There's nothing as fascinating as learning (in a fun way) about the planets (poor lost Pluto!), stars and shooting stars in our own universe.
4141395
Grab 'n' Go astronomy has become very popular in recent years. Neil's latest book is a great introduction on the virtues of grab 'n' go astronomy in our busy world.  The first half of the book describes the equipment you need. The second half offers a sprinkling of celestial objects to observe with the equipment described in part one.  The telescope of choice for introducing the night sky is the classic 80 mm refractor. A good choice. Occasionally, when describing what you can see in a small aperture telescope the author cannot resist the temptation to let you know what you are missing. He often refers to what you can see in larger aperture telescopes from 6 inches to 16 inches. Scopes of the size are not grab 'n' go.

Neil's writing style is upbeat and his enthusiasm and love of the night sky is highly infectious.  Part one is an up-to-date review of portable telescopes (mostly refractors) from 60 mm to 102 mm. He also reviews telescope mounts, eyepieces and filters and offers great advice on how to use these accesories to best advantage. There is little mention of other observing aids such as star charts and apps to assist the grab 'n' go astronomer.  The part two review of grab 'n' go objects is less complete.  There is no mention of observing planets beyond Saturn, nor dwarf planets, including some of the brighter asteroids. His survey of deep sky objects is excellent with a strong bias on double stars (which are perfect objects for grab 'n' go astronomy).  Explanations of astrophysical principles and the history of astronomy is insightful. This was a real surprise, something I would not have expected from the title of the book. The section on our Sun was one of the best I have ever read. The section on the Moon was weak and rushed.

The book could benefit from better editing.  There were 8 minor typos and some of the observing objects were unnecessarily redundant and one paragraph was repeated twice.

I have been observing the night sky for over 50 years. I really enjoyed this book and did not want it to end, because during the time it took me to read it it inspired me to go out and observe each evening. I hope the author has the oppertunity to revise it at a future date, so I can experience it all over again!
3370154
I've recently added this book to my collection.  I would recommend it for those new to astronomy more so than seasoned amatuers.  It's great for learning the night sky and making the most out of your small telescope and/or binoculars. Having only been into the hobby for a year I feel as I have outgrown the book somewhat, and I'm seeking more detailed information.  For what it is intended though, it is very good.
4538055
This is an excellent book!  If you are a beginner and just starting out  like I am, this is the book for you.  The topics are excellent.  They are  written in easy to read and understand words and terms.  This book covers  all the topics including what to look for in your first telescope.  The  charts are wonderful and easy to read.  The pictures are awesome.  In  addition, Terence provides a list of stars and constellations along with  their pronunciation and meaning.  Terence shows and explains how to use  major constellations to find other constellations and stars.  I found that  I couldn't put the book down.  This book will hook you on backyard  astronomy.
1390380
Received this book in conjunction with the Meade Refractor Telescope. As a novice and visual learner I would benefit from more pictures in the book.  It gives a good introduction and devotes a short section to each of the 50 celestial bodies.  They are listed in order of their difficulty to spot.
I can't say it was easy to locate the objects, but that could be because of my novice status.  Overall it was helpful to me to use with the telescope. I received this product in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
3751144
When I started out in Astronomy, I began with a pair of 7 x 50 binoculars, and a sky map / guide.  The bino's were Celestron Ultima, and the Sky Guide was this one - namely the Monthly Sky Guide.

I really liked this as a resource, and I would take it outside with me when I was learning the constellations, and their position at different times of the year.  What I like about this guide:

-  It shows the positions of the constellations at different times of the year.
-  It gives horizon grids, so you can account for what latitude you are at when observing
-  It shows the brighter stars by magnitude, so if observing in the city with a lot of sky glow, you can spot the higher magnitude stars
-  It has great information for the beginner, and history
-  It is easy to make out the constellations on the pages with a red light since the guide is good sized, and the sky maps are also good sized.

I would recommend this as a resource for anyone starting out learning the sky - it is a great guide for both inside and outside use.

Thanks for reading.
752490
Without doubt, this is one of the best purchases I've made in recent memory. The "Astrophotography Sky Atlas" contains a wealth of information in a single volume; I can only begin to imagine the amount of time and effort that went into its production. An especially unique and helpful feature of this atlas is its plotting of objects in differently shaded colors to represent their respective brightness as photographic targets. In addition to the usual Messier, NGC and IC objects, the atlas plots the Sharpless, RCW, vdB and Abell catalogs of emission and reflection nebulae, as well as a selection of dark nebulae and supernova remnants. The Object Index is very detailed and cross-referenced and includes object type, location, size, alternate names in other catalogs, ideal dates for viewing, etc. This is a "must have" for those new to astrophotography, as it contains all of the most important information needed for selecting and locating targets, and it will certainly be of value to the experienced astrophotographer as well. I write very few reviews of my purchases; however, this is one I felt compelled to write given the value of this atlas.
3740844
The author approached the topic from the premise the reader has never done in Astrophotography which in my case is true.  One particular section of the book I liked showed a price estimate of different systems ranging from a few hundred dollars through many thousands of dollars along with the advantages of each system.  I actually used this as a guide to put together my system.  Each system lists the main components including the telescope, software, camera, mounts, etc.  Albeit, I have substituted many components in my system, but having a starting point from a price vs performance standpoint got me much closer to finding all the components I needed quicker than starting from scratch.

The author also listed every single component of his system which was extremely helpful.  All the 'minor' components such as filters to flashlights add up to be a sizable amount of money and needs to taken into account when selecting the components for your system.  I found the easiest way to put together my system was to list all the components needed by name and then set the total dollar amount I wanted to spend.  After that it becomes a balancing act as to how much you can afford to spend on each component.  My list of components consists of 50 items.

My toughest dilemma is deciding on what type of camera to use.  The basic technology of telescopes doesn't change much over the years, but the camera technology and CCD capabilities are changing quickly and there are many choices.  I am still researching.  I also think going ahead and spending the 'extra' money on top of the line software and a good telescope mount is of major importance from a photography standpoint.

I have had many hobbies in my life and the one thing I find to be true is that if you truly think you are going to immerse yourself in a particular hobby then go ahead and spend the money upfront to get what you probably will end up with in the end.  Starting with 'sub par' equipment and then working your way up to the system you really want in my opinion is a frustrating route to take and not the best from a financial, time, and enjoyment standpoint.  I would say this is especially true with Astrophotography.  Going to all the trouble that it takes to get a photograph of a planet or a deep space object to find out that the quality isn't what you are wanting isn't my idea of a good time.  If I want a full size truck I don't need to start with a wheelbarrow.  But, then again I don't have an unlimited budget so the importance of picking and choosing the components with a budgeted amount of money becomes important which with me is an enjoyable part of any hobby.  Did I get the best bang for my buck?!  In that regard this book pointed me down a good path.

I don't think an experienced photographer would find this book 'hard to put down', but as a newbie to Astrophotography this book was very valuable and I will forever blame this book in causing me to spend more money on this hobby than I wanted.  LOL