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Almost all amateur astronomers want to take photographs of the night sky. For all but the simplest star-trail pictures, this involves machinery - a telescope drive - to track the stars, essential to compensate for the rotation of the earth. The task becomes even more complicated when photographing very small or very faint objects that require high magnification or very long exposure times.
Amateurs have many options according to their requirements, technical ability, and budget. Astrophotography for Amateurs looks at all the possibilities, including normal ("wet") photography, CCD imaging, and modern techniques of computer enhancement. There are sections about photographing different classes of astronomical object from the Moon to faint nebulae, as well as a thorough look at the equipment needed.
List of contents
1 Photography Basics.- 2 Astrophotography Basics.- 3 Calculating Focal Length, f/ratio, etc..- 4 What to Expect from Your Equipment.- 5 Travel and Astrophotography.- 6 Astrophotography Without a Sidereal Drive.- 7 Astrophotography With a Sidereal Drive.- 8 Guided Astrophotography Through a Telescope.- 9 Photographing Astronomical Events.- 10 After You Take Your Astrophotos.- Appendices.- A Astrophotography Exposure Guide.- B Exposure Data Form.- C Condensed Step By Step Guide to Prime Focus Off-Axis Guided Photography.- D Sample Checklist for Star Party or Astrophotography Session at a Domestic Site.- E Sample Checklist for International Astrophotography or Eclipse Expedition.- F Intellectual Property; Relevant Patents and Allowed Use.- G Bibliography and Other References.
