Full Description
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.
Contents
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.
