Telescope Power: Fantastic Activities And Easy Projects For Young Astronomers

Learn to unleash the awesome power of your telescope and take a fascinating tour of the Universe Astronomer Gregory Matloff introduces you to all the fun and excitement of astronomy by helping you to discover the full potential of any telescope. Packed with dozens of fun and easy stargazing projects and activities. Telescope Power doesn't just tell you about all the beauty and mystery of the stars but lets you see it all for yourself! You begin your tour of the Universe by setting your sights on nearby neighbors in our Solar System. You'll hunt for blue lunar flashes, spot lunar landing sites, and use color filters to observe the changing seasons on Mars and the spectacular rings of Saturn. From there, it's off to more distant stars. You'll learn how to read a star atlas and identify the various constellations: locate binary stars Mizar and Alcor; use a finder chart to observe the beautiful Globular Cluster M-13 and the Ring Nebula Lyra: visit the Great Spiral Galaxy in Andromeda (twin sister to our own Milky Way Galaxy); and a lot more. You'll also learn about the different types of telescopes and how they work; how to set up your telescope; the "care and feeding" of telescopes; the best accessories to try, including different eyepieces, filters, clock drives, and star wheels; and how to share your experiences with other young astronomers.

GREGORY L. MATLOFF is a consulting astronomer for the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. He has taught astronomy to young people in both the classroom and the field, and is the author of several adult books on astronomy.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR TELESCOPE.

The Telescope in History.

How Your Telescope Works.

Selecting Your Telescope and Its Accessories.

OBSERVING WITH YOUR TELESCOPE.

Observing the Moon.

Tracking the Planets.

Following the Stars.

Observing the Sun.

Appendices.

Glossary of Astronomical Terms.

Index.