The Shorttube 80 Telescope: A User's Guide

ISBN-13: 9783030235567 / Angielski / Miękka / 2019 / 243 str.

Neil T. English

Opis

Welcome to the first comprehensive guide to using one of the world's most popular telescopes: the ShortTube 80 refractor. With its ultra-portability, versatility, and relatively low cost, this telescope continues to delight generations of stargazers, offering crisp images of hundreds of star clusters, nebulae, galaxies, the Sun, the Moon and brighter planets.Starting in the field under a dark country sky, the author walks the reader through a typical evening of stargazing, where the ShortTube 80 brings many deep sky treasures into sharp focus. From there, he provides an in-depth account of the optical properties of the ShortTube 80 refractor and the accessories and mounting arrangements that maximize its potential both as a spotting 'scope by day and an astronomical 'scope by night.The main body of the book discusses how the ShortTube 80 can be productively used to study deep sky objects, the Sun, the Moon, bright planets and even high-resolution projects, where the instrument's features can be optimized for the observation of tight double and multiple stars. The book explores how the ShortTube 80 can image a variety of celestial objects and daytime targets using camera phones, DSLRs and dedicated astronomical CCD imagers. For each activity, the author takes a detailed look at what equipment is most compatible so that the reader can obtain the very best performance out of this versatile instrument.The final chapters of the book discuss the evolution of the ShortTube 80 from simple, no-frills models to sophisticated variations of the same telescope, including the highly popular Meade ETX 80 computerized telescope. In addition, the author discusses various ongoing efforts to improve the optical performance of the telescope before finally reflecting upon why the ShortTube 80 has remained a firm favorite among amateur astronomers for over three decades and why it is likely to remain popular among this community for many years to come.

Spis treści

Preface.- Acknowledgements.- Chapter 1 Under a Dark Sky.- Chapter 2 The Anatomy of a ShortTube 80.- Chapter 3 Mounting the ShortTube 80.- Chapter 4 Exploring the Deep Sky.- Chapter 5 Improving the High-Power Performance of the ShortTube 80.- Chapter 6 Watching the Sun.- Chapter 7 Exploring the Moon and the Planets.- Chapter 8 Realm of the Double Stars.- Chapter 9 A Computerized ShortTube 80; The ETX 80.- Chapter 10 Imaging with the ShortTube 80.- Chapter 11 Souping Up the ShortTube 80.- Chapter 12 Founding Days.- Chapter 13 The Little ‘Scope that Could.- Index.

O autorze

Internationally known UK observer and astronomy author, Dr. English has owned, reviewed and written about telescopes of all genres over the last 20 years. He is the proud owner of a number of excellent refracting and reflecting telescopes, including a fine ShortTube 80 that he employs for general observing or for teasing out especially difficult double and multiple stars. 

Neil has been a regular contributor to the UK's bestselling astronomy magazine Astronomy Now for over 20 years.  He has also contributed to Astronomy Ireland's monthly magazine Astronomy & Space for nearly 20 years.  During his writing career, he has published several hundred articles. Neil is the author of the fully illustrated Guide to Mars, published by Pole Star Publications in 2003. One of his astrophotography images (a full-page image) appeared in the June 2006 issue of US Astronomy. He has contributed several detailed telescope reviews to Cloudy Nights. Neil’s books for Springer include Choosing and Using a Refracting Telescope (2011), Choosing and Using a Dobsonian Telescope (2011), Classic Telescopes (2013), Grab ‘n’ Go Astronomy (2014), Space Telescopes (2016) and Chronicling the Golden Age of Astronomy (2018).

Neil currently lives with his wife and two sons in rural central Scotland.

Blurb

Welcome to the first comprehensive guide to one of the world’s most popular telescopes: the ShortTube 80 refractor. With its ultra-portability, versatility, and relatively low cost, this telescope continues to delight generations of stargazers.

Starting in the field under a dark sky, the author walks the reader through a typical evening of stargazing, where the ShortTube 80 brings many astronomical treasures into focus. From there, he provides an in–depth account of the optical properties of the ShortTube 80 refractor and the accessories and mounting arrangements that maximize its potential both as a spotting ‘scope by day and an astronomical ‘scope by night.

The main text discusses how the versatile ShortTube 80 can be used to study deep sky objects, the Sun, the Moon, bright planets and even high-resolution projects, where the instrument's features can be optimized for the observation of tight double and multiple stars. It explores how the ShortTube 80 can image targets using camera phones, DSLRs and dedicated astronomical CCD imagers.

Packed with practical advice gained from years of firsthand stargazing experience, this book demonstrates exactly why ShortTube 80 has remained a firm favorite among amateur astronomers for over three decades, and why it is likely to remain popular for many years to come.