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Book Cover
E-book
Author Harshaw, Richard.

Title The complete CD guide to the universe / Richard Harshaw
Published New York : Springer, [2007]
©2007
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Description 1 online resource (xiv, 120 pages) : illustrations
Series Patrick Moore's practical astronomy series
Practical astronomy
Patrick Moore's practical astronomy series.
Practical astronomy.
Contents Book: Introduction -- How to observe different types of objects -- How to rate the sky -- How to keep a log -- How to observe double stars -- Detailed instructions on how to use the CD-R, with screen shots, examples, and a tutorial -- Appendix : summaries of the CD-R contents. CD-ROM: Approximately 3,000 pages (in PDF format) of maps and descriptive material, broken down as follows -- Double Stars -- Dark nebulae -- Bright nebulae -- Planetary nebulae -- Supernova remnants -- Open clusters -- Globular clusters -- Galaxies -- Quasi stellar objects -- Other -- Index -- Acrobat ® Reader -- Appendices
Summary This is without doubt the largest and most comprehensive atlas of the universe ever created for amateur astronomers. It is the first major observing guide for amateurs since Burnham's Celestial Handbook. With finder charts of large-scale and unprecedented detail, in both normal and mirror-image views (for users of the ubiquitous Meade and Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope ranges), and an extensive list of 14,000 objects, it will provide a detailed observing guide for almost any practical amateur astronomer, up to the most advanced. Spanning some 3,000 pages. The atlas covers the whole range of objects viewable by amateur astronomers with 8- to 11-inch telescopes, from latitude approx +40 degrees. The projected total number of objects is (currently) 13,238, compared with Burnham's approximately 5,000 double stars (in three volumes). This is much more than just a catalog of objects. As planned, the atlas will have about 270 double star images and sketches, and 590 or so deep-sky images and sketches. Comparisons with other atlases are invidious, but Tirion's atlas and Uranometria, for example, don't go as deep in magnitude and the scale is unsuitable for "star hopping" in the eyepiece -- where the action REALLY takes place. The charts in the Complete CD Atlas of the Universe and the scale they are on, allow the user to get enough detail to easily find the objects described. In addition mirror-image charts are supplied for instruments with reverse fields (all SCTs). This is also much more than 'planetarium' software. Many planetarium programs do not have good object databases, and those that do have databases that are too large for practical field use. For example, TheSky, one of the most popular (and best) programs, can display the entire Washington Double Star Catalog (some 120,000 doubles!), but 90% of these are not resolvable (or even viewable from certain horizons), and there is no way to determine that by looking at the screen. The result is that there are more objects plotted on the screen than you can actually see, and the clutter makes it very hard to find what you want. The CD-R pages are extensively indexed and referenced for quick location of objects, areas, classes of objects etc. The accompanying book gives an introduction to the Atlas, showcases the maps, describes the CD-R content and organization, and includes various appendices
Notes Print version record
Subject Galaxies -- Atlases.
Astronomy -- Observers' manuals.
Astronomy -- Amateurs' manuals.
Genre/Form Scientific atlases.
Handbooks and manuals.
Atlases.
Handbooks and manuals.
Form Electronic book
LC no. 2006940068
ISBN 0387468935 (acid-free paper)
0387468951 (electronic bk.)
6611042768
9780387468938 (acid-free paper)
9780387468952 (electronic bk.)
9786611042769
Other Titles Complete CD atlas of the universe