How to Use a Computerized Telescope is the first handbook that describes how to get your computerized telescope up and running, and how to embark on a program of observation. It explains in detail how the sky moves, how your telescope tracks it, and how to get the most out of any computerized telescope. Packed full of practical advice and tips for troubleshooting, it translates the manufacturers' technical jargon into easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions, and includes many of the author's tried and tested observing techniques. Early chapters explain how to test your telescope's optics, choose eyepieces and accessories, and diagnose operational problems. The second half of the book then gives detailed instructions for three classic telescopes: the Meade LX200, Celestron NexStar 5 and 8, and Meade Autostar (ETX and LX90). Concentrating mainly on telescope operation and troubleshooting, it is the ideal companion to Celestial Objects for Modern Telescopes, also by Michael Covington.
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. Learn more. |
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Product Description
Review
'[Covington] writes clearly and the text is presented in an orderly manner, so that the reader is unlikely to become confused.' Times Higher Education Supplement
Book Description
How to Use a Computerized Telescope is the first handbook that describes how to start observing the night sky with a computerized telescope. Full of practical advice and tips for troubleshooting, it explains how your telescope tracks sky movements, and how to get the most out of any computerized telescope.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
First Sentence
Welcome to amateur astronomy! Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Welcome to amateur astronomy! Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By Robert Bruce
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Excellent book.Easy to understand. Much better than the instruction manuals that come with most telescopes. It covers everything you would want to know about operating a computerised telescope.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.7 out of 5 stars
7 reviews
46 of 48 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
What you need to know to use a "Go To" telescope
9 Jan 2003
By Taras R. Hnatyshyn
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
Covington's "Astrophotography for the Amateur" is one of the two must reads for beginning to intermiediate astrophotographers. "How to Use a Computerized Telescope" fits in the same category for beginner and intermediate amatuer astronomers who have or are thinking of aquiring a computerized telescope. The book is divided into two sections. The first covers basic topics on the use, care and feeding of telescopes in general. The second looks at three classic "Go To" telescope families. If you are looking to buy a computerized telescope, or already own one and want to get more out of it, then this is a good place to start.
Chapters:
PART I - Telescopes in general
1. Welcome to amatuer astronomy
2. How the sky moves
3. How telescopes track the stars
4. Using equatorial mounts and wedges
5. Telescope optics
6. Eyepieces and optical accessories
7. Astrophotography
8. Troubleshooting
PART II - Three classic telescopes
9. Three that led the revolution
10. Meade LX200
11. Celestron NexStar 5 and 8
12. Meade Autostar (ETX and LX90)
Though the models described in detail in the book are no longer the latest models, the foundations will allow one to get a better understanding of how computerized telescopes work, and how to get more out of their use.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very helpful book
7 Mar 2006
By Little Old Granny
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I recently purchased a Celestron StarSeeker telescope (basically a NexStar80) so wanted to read more about computerized telescopes. Michael Covington's book is very good. He starts by saying "Welcome to amateur astronomy". The first part of the book then goes on to discuss telescopes in general, such as the different types (ie, refractors, reflectors and catadioptric) and much very helpful general information about observational astronomy. Things like celestial coordinates, how a telescope works, etc. Too much to put in this review but I found the information extremely helpful. The second section is about astrophotography including simple ways to do astrophotography without a lot of expensive equipment. This author also has a book on Astrophotography which I haven't read. He refers to it several times in this section of this book. The last section describes in quite a bit of detail the operation of 3 computerized telescopes, the Meade LX200, Celestron NexStar 5 and 8 and two Meade telescopes with Autostar, the ETX 90 and the LX 90. All of these telescopes are now outdated as both Meade and Celestron have newer models. However, what is said in this section would apply to the newer models to a large extent. Overall I enjoyed reading this book and obtained a lot of useful information and recommendations to start my budding career in amateur photography. One further note; there is another book by Michael Swanson that deals with just the Celestron NexStar telescopes. I have this book also but haven't finished reading it. If you are just interested in computerized telescopes in general, I would recommend the one in this review. If you have or are interested in a Celestron, then I would suggest the Michael Swanson book; actually I would recommend both.
8 of 10 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very useful
2 Aug 2005
By Dave
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
I found this book to be very useful and informative. I am a beginner to astronomy and need something to orient me to what a electronic telescope was all about. A must reqad if you are considering a computerized telescope and are a beginner who has never used one.
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 7 reviews
4.7 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Computing & Internet > Computer Science
- Books > Computing & Internet > Digital Lifestyle > Online Shopping > Amazon
- Books > Science & Nature > Astronomy & Cosmology > Astronomy > Star Gazing
- Books > Science & Nature > Astronomy & Cosmology > Astronomy > Stars & Interstellar Matter
- Books > Science & Nature > Astronomy & Cosmology > Astronomy > Telescopes & Equipment
- Books > Science & Nature > Astronomy & Cosmology > Space & Computer Technology
- Books > Science & Nature > Mathematics > Popular Maths
- Books > Scientific, Technical & Medical > Astronomy & Cosmology > Astronomy
- Books > Travel & Holiday > Atlases & Maps > Countries A-Z > United Kingdom > Cities & Towns > Cambridge
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
