E-Book Overview
Astronomical Spectroscopy for Amateurs is a complete guide for amateur astronomers who are looking for a new challenge beyond astrophotography. The book provides a brief overview of the history and development of the spectroscope, then a short introduction to the theory of stellar spectra, including details on the necessary reference spectra required for instrument testing and spectral comparison. The various types of spectroscopes available to the amateur are then described. Later sections cover all aspects of setting up and using various types of commercially available and home-built spectroscopes, starting with basic transmission gratings and going through more complex models, all the way to the sophisticated Littrow design. The final part of the text is about practical spectroscope design and construction. This book uniquely brings together a collection of observing, analyzing, and processing hints and tips that will allow the amateur to build skills in preparing scientifically acceptable spectra data. It covers all aspects of designing, constructing, testing, calibrating, and using a spectroscope and enables the average amateur astronomer to successfully build and use a homemade spectroscope for a fraction of the current commercial cost. As Professor Chris Kitchin said, “If optical spectroscopy had not been invented then fully 75 percent of all astronomical knowledge would be unknown today, and yet the subject itself re-ceives scant attention in astronomical texts.” This book answers that need. It is the practical spectroscopy book that amateur astronomers have been waiting for!
E-Book Content
Patrick Moore’s Practical Astronomy Series
For other titles published in this series, go to http://www.springer.com/series/3192
Astronomical Spectroscopy for Amateurs
Ken M. Harrison
123
Ken M. Harrison Cobham, UK
Additional material to this book can be downloaded from http://extras.springer.com ISSN 1431-9756 ISBN 978-1-4419-7238-5 e-ISBN 978-1-4419-7239-2 DOI 10.1007/978-1-4419-7239-2 Springer New York Dordrecht Heidelberg London © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011 All rights reserved. This work may not be translated or copied in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher (Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, 233 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013, USA), except for brief excerpts in connection with reviews or scholarly analysis. Use in connection with any form of information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed is forbidden. The use in this publication of trade names, trademarks, service marks, and similar terms, even if they are not identified as such, is not to be taken as an expression of opinion as to whether or not they are subject to proprietary rights. Printed on acid-free paper Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com)
Preface
There have been three significant milestones in the history of observational astronomy: the invention of the telescope, photography, and the spectroscope. The development of the spectroscope has contributed more to the science than any other telescope accessory. It has been said that 85% of all astronomical discoveries have been made with the spectroscope. Probably due to the perception that lots of mathematics and calculations are involved, plus the fact that it doesn’t have the “Ohh” or “Ahh” impact of some of the spectacular astronomical images now being regularly distributed on the forums and websites, spectroscopy is an area that has been long overlooked and neglected by the amateur. By using amateur telescopes, mountings, and CCD cameras currently available, this book will show how, with the addition of a simple spectroscope we can observe and record spectra that