The planet observer's handbook /
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| Author / Creator: | Price, Fred W. (Fred William), 1932- |
|---|---|
| Edition: | 2nd ed. |
| Imprint: | Cambridge ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 2000. |
| Description: | xvii, 429 p. : ill. ; 25 cm. |
| Language: | English |
| Subject: | |
| Format: | Print Book |
| URL for this record: | http://pi.lib.uchicago.edu/1001/cat/bib/4401970 |
Table of Contents:
- Foreword
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations used in this book
- Introduction: Why observe the planets?
- 1. The Solar System
- General
- A scale model of the Solar System
- Bode's Law
- Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion
- Elements of planetary orbits. Perturbations
- Planetary conjunctions, oppositions, phases and transits
- The sidereal and synodic orbital periods of the planets
- The brightness of the planets
- Further reading
- 2. The celestial sphere
- General
- Positions on the celestial sphere
- The ecliptic and the Zodiac
- Celestial latitude and longitude
- The precession of the equinoxes. Nutation
- Sidereal time (star time)
- The apparent motions of the planets on the celestial sphere
- Further reading
- 3. Telescopes and accessories
- Types of telescopes
- The choice of telescope
- Protecting the telescope from dust and atmospheric pollution
- Cleaning the mirror of a Newtonian reflector
- Housing and care of your telescope
- Further reading
- 4. The atmosphere and seeing
- General
- Assessing atmospheric seeing conditions
- The effect of telescope aperture
- Local effects on seeing
- Further Reading
- 5. Mercury
- General
- History of observation
- Visibility of Mercury
- The axial rotation of Mercury
- Observing Mercury
- Transits of Mercury
- Further reading
- 6. Venus
- General
- History of observation
- Space probe exploration of Venus
- Observing Venus
- Transits of Venus
- Further reading
- 7. Mars
- General
- Orbital characteristics
- Predicting oppositions
- The retrograde motion of Mars
- Martian seasons
- Surface features
- Atmospheric phenomena
- History of observation
- Observing Mars
- Features for observation
- Longitude determination of Martian features
- Further reading
- 8. The minor planets (asteroids)
- General
- Discovery and history of observation of the minor planets
- Visibility of the minor planets
- Observing the minor planets
- Further reading
- 9. Jupiter
- General
- History of observation
- Variations in the cloud belts
- The 1994 Shoemaker-Levy cometary impact event on Jupiter
- Surface markings of the satellites
- Spacecraft observation of Jupiter
- Visibility of Jupiter
- Observing Jupiter
- Determination of the longitudes of Jovian features by central meridian transit timings
- Classification and description of Jovian disc features
- Determination of latitudes of Jovian features
- Disc drawings, strip and sectional sketches
- Determination of rotational periods of Jovian features from longitudinal drift
- Observations of the Great Red Spot
- Colour changes and intensity estimates of Jovian features
- General observing notes
- Further reading
- 10. Saturn
- General
- History of observation
- Spacecraft exploration of Saturn
- The satellites of Saturn
- Visibility of Saturn
- Observing Saturn
- Recent oppositions of Saturn
- Further reading
- 11. Uranus
- General
- The discovery of Uranus
- Prediscovery sightings of Uranus
- History of observation
- Spacecraft exploration of Uranus
- Visibility of Uranus
- Observing Uranus
- Further reading
- 12. Neptune
- General
- The discovery of Neptune
- Prediscovery sightings of Neptune
- History of observation
- Spacecraft exploration of Neptune
- Visibility of Neptune
- Observing Neptune
- Further reading
- 13. Pluto
- General
- The search for a trans-Neptunian planet
- The discovery of Pluto
- History of observation
- Beyond Pluto
- Visibility of Pluto
- Observing Pluto
- Further reading
- 14. Constructing maps and planispheres
- General
- The horizontal orthographic projection
- Cylindrical projections
- The polar projection
- Further reading
- 15. Planetary photography and videography
- General
- The planetary photographer's camera
- Choice of film
- Characteristics of some films
- Black and white film processing
- Photography of individual planets
- Exposure times
- Video and CCD photography (videography) of the planets
- Using a CCD camera
- Suppliers of CCD cameras
- Video-assisted drawing (VAD) of the planets
- A note on digital imaging
- Further reading
- 16. Photoelectric photometry of the minor planets, planets and their satellites
- General
- The photoelectric photometer and its components
- Telescopes for photoelectric photometry
- Photoelectric photometric procedure
- Photoelectric photometry of the minor planets
- Colorimetric photoelectric photometry
- Photoelectric photometry of the planets and their satellites
- Further reading
- Appendix. Milestones in Solar System exploration
- Name index
- Subject index
