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Review
'Anyone interested in the limits of human endeavour will get much pleasure out of it.' New Scientist
'A mine of information on a huge range of unusual telescope optics, mounts and drives.' Astronomy and Space
' … the down-to-earth practical usefulness of the book will ensure its desirability … I would have no hesitation in recommending this book very widely to students and enthusiasts of economy-conscious or low-budget observational astronomy in general.' The Observatory
'A mine of information on a huge range of unusual telescope optics, mounts and drives.' Astronomy and Space
' … the down-to-earth practical usefulness of the book will ensure its desirability … I would have no hesitation in recommending this book very widely to students and enthusiasts of economy-conscious or low-budget observational astronomy in general.' The Observatory
Product Description
Excellence in observation is crucial to astronomy. Optical designers, engineers and astronomers have tried all kinds of novel ways to improve telescope design, in the quest for better and more accurate telescopes. In this book, Peter L. Manly surveys more than 150 unusual telescope designs. They are all built by amateur and professional astronomers to suit some special need. This survey includes an inflatable telescope, and one with a liquid mirror. Every so often, a neglected design comes back into fashion: the largest telescopes now under construction use the alt-azimuth design that was ignored for over a century, and liquid mirror telescopes can be used for zenithal astronomy. The author shows why a particular engineering approach makes each telescope unique, and explains the rationale behind the design. The effects on telescope performance are also discussed where possible. This is not just a collection of weird and wonderful devices that proved to be false starts: the author includes the first instrument to measure star diameters, and the first useful radio telescope. This book is a resource and stimulus for anyone who likes to build astronomical telescopes.
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First Sentence
Astronomical Association reports very good results with the mirror shown in Fig.1.1. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Astronomical Association reports very good results with the mirror shown in Fig.1.1. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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2 reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
A necessity for telescope builders and fans
17 Dec 1997
Format:Hardcover
A marvelous little book, and completely unique so far as I can tell. Manly's book is a tour of unusual telescopes. What's an unusual telescope? Well, I suppose it's something you just don't see discussed anywhere else. He discusses unusual mirror and lens materials- obsidian, aluminum foam, mylar, spun mercury and even heated air. Mounts get quite a bit of discussion, sorted by degrees of freedom. There are fixed telescopes, one axis telescopes, and on up to multi-axis sattelite tracking telescopes.
This is an expensive little book, but at the same time I think Manly has written a modern classic of the sort people will be consulting well into the next century. Not that this is a dry reference; it's a wonderfully entertaining tour of the world of the possible. I'm very glad I bought my copy.
7 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Interesting book on general telescope topics
1 Feb 1999
Format:Hardcover
This book is NOT about telescope building or optical construction. It is a tour of the odd and unusual telescopes that have either been made or that have been proposed. It is an interesting text for the telescope fan but useless for someone wanting to purchase or construct their own telescope.
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