Book Description
Since comet Shoemaker-Levy collided with the planet Jupiter with stupendous force in 1994 there has been an upsurge of amateur interest in comets. Most comets are first discovered by amateur astronomers because there are so many amateurs looking for them, and techniques and instruments have improved dramatically in the past few years. After a short but detailed introduction to the comets themselves Nick James and Gerald North describe comet hunting, photographing and imaging comets, and digital image processing. The use of computers for orbital calculations and even helping to discover new comets is given a full chapter, as are advanced techniques including comet photometry and spectroscopy. This comprehensive book has an accompanying CD-ROM and is at once a "primer" for comet hunters and a reference text for more advanced amateur astronomers. FROM THE REVIEWS: "If you dream of joining the ranks of comet discoverers such as Halley and Hyakutake, this is the book for you. Part of Sir Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series, OBSERVING COMETS provides clear descriptions of the anatomy and trajectories of these "dirty snowballs," as well as tips on viewing, photographing, and sketching them. Advanced amateurs will enjoy technical sections on image processing and spectroscopy, and an accompanying CD-ROM generates comet ephemerides. -ASTRONOMY

Book Info
Gives a short but detailed introduction to comets. An accompanying CD-ROM provides a primer for comet hunters and a reference text for the more advanced amateur astronomer. Softcover. CD-ROM included.

FROM THE PUBLISHER