Book Description

The book will, in jargon-free blow-by-blow terms, describe how to create the best astronomical images you can with the digital camera equipment at your disposal. It will explain the steps we go through to extract results from the raw-and-dirty original imagery, and then transform them into high quality pictures that you could hang on your wall.

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent Practical Source of Information
I have been a serious photographer for several years, and an intermediate astronomer for the last couple years.I have recently decided to try and marry these two interests together in the form of astrophotography.This book has been an outstanding source of practical, usable information that has made the transition to using a telescope in conjunction with my cameras much easier and more enjoyable.I especially benefited from Privett's section on Image Reduction; I found several mistakes in my technique that I was not even aware I was making.Privett has a very readable writing style, and he also uses a subtle sense of humor to make the reading enjoyable, and not just a dry technical treatise.I also own one of Privett's other books, The Deep-Sky Observer's Year, and these two books go together very well for planning what to shoot, and knowing how to shoot.I heartily recommend this book for anyone who wants practical advice on how to improve their digital astrophotography results.

Not worth the money
To start, this book is not 244 pages, it is 142 pages including indexes and appendices. I had hoped for a tutorial that would take you through the process of taking, processing and displaying astro photos. Given the advertised 244 pages (and the relatively high price) it seemed a reasonable expectation. It's not that there is something wrong, it's just that it's not anything special and for the price it should be. Bottom line, it's not worth the money ... Read more

Product Description
14¼"x22. Deep space images of galaxies. A different galaxy shown each month. ... Read more

Book Description

With information and scale as central themes, this comprehensive survey explains how to handle real problems in astronomical data analysis using a modern arsenal of powerful techniques. It treats those innovative methods of image, signal, and data processing that are proving to be both effective and widely relevant. The authors are leaders in this rapidly developing field and draw upon decades of experience. They have been playing leading roles in international projects such as the Virtual Observatory and the Grid.
The book addresses not only students and professional astronomers and astrophysicists, but also serious amateur astronomers and specialists in earth observation, medical imaging, and data mining. The coverage includes chapters or appendices on: detection and filtering; image compression; multichannel, multiscale, and catalog data analytical methods; wavelets transforms, Picard iteration, and software tools.

Book Description

The aim of State of the Universe 2007 (and subsequent volumes issued annually) is to provide an annual astronomy review suitable for the popular science level reader to be published every year in September in a format that will be suitable for an appeal to the Christmas market. The book will cover all major astronomical news on topics beyond the Solar System and place them in the context of the longer term goals that astronomers and astrophysicists around the world are aiming for. The target is to capture the excitement and vibrancy of modern astronomical research. The book will present a complete list of the major announcements, discoveries and news items from each year, with the major ones being explained in detail through selected chapters being written by invited contributors who are at the forefront in those fields. The January meeting of the American Astronomical Society each year will be the major source of astronomical news for the following years volume, giving access to potential authors and contacts with public information officers of major observatories, space centers, etc.

Customer Reviews (2)

A must have!
When I read about the book I was quite excited and when I received the book, a few days ago, I was not disappointed. The book has a part dedicated to brief news and other with in-depth articles about very interesting topics (gravitational waves and LIGO, supernova 1987A remnants, gamma ray bursts...) and appendixes with data about current and future telescopes and extrasolar planets. I have still not finished it, but it won't take me long to.

Only slight cons is that I expected it to cover 2006 news and, because editorial schedule, it covers march 2005 - march 2006. Then maybe State of the Universe 2007 was not the most proper or accurate title. Other con was that I expected glossy paper, and it's not, Mate astronomical pictures are not so spectacular, but I guess this way it's cheaper (and more ecologic?).

I hope next year will bring a new State of The Universe, and I sure will buy it,

Excelent Information
I read the Martin Radcliffe's book "State of the Universe 2007" and I think it was a good idea to write a book like this. It is informative, well documented, comprehensive and provides you a good vision of what is going on in the different areas of the Universe whicha are under investigation. I think he should publish it every year, to keep un up-to-date with the latest discoveries. We could collect them and follow up different researches and their results and novelties. Superb. ... Read more

Product Description
X ... Read more

Book Description
This up-to-date and comprehensive set of two CD-ROMs provides a superb guide to the images and observations of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, launched by NASA and operated by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Thousands of genuinely stunning photographs taken by the observatory are presented. Over 450 image files in JPG and GIF format are provided for use in any computer graphics program, and twenty computer video movie clips are also included.

Images and observations of many types of astronomical targets are included:

Supernovae Pulsars Neutron Stars Quasars Galaxies Clusters Black Holes Milky Way Galaxy

The Chandra X-ray Observatory, launched by Space Shuttle Columbia on July 23, 1999, is NASA's newest Great Observatory. Chandra detects and images X- ray sources that are billions of light years away. The mirrors on Chandra are the largest, most precisely shaped and aligned, and smoothest mirrors ever constructed. If the surface of Earth was as smooth as the Chandra mirrors, the highest mountain would be less than six feet tall! The images Chandra makes are twenty-five times sharper than the best previous X-ray telescope. This focusing power is equivalent to the ability to read a newspaper at a distance of half a mile. Chandra's improved sensitivity is making possible more detailed studies of black holes, supernovae, and dark matter. Chandra will increase our understanding of the origin, evolution, and destiny of the universe.

In all, the disc has nearly 6000 pages reproduced using Adobe Acrobat PDF software - allowing direct viewing on Windows and Apple Macintosh systems. Reader software is included on the CD.

Our CD-ROMs are privately-compiled collections of official public domain U.S. federal government files and documents. They are designed to provide a convenient user-friendly reference work utilizing the benefits of the Adobe Acrobat format to uniformly present thousands of pages that can be rapidly reviewed, searched by finding specific words, or printed without untold hours of tedious research and downloading. Vast archives of important public domain government information that might otherwise remain inaccessible are available for instant review no matter where you are. This book-on-a-disc makes a great reference work and educational tool.There is no other reference that is as fast, convenient, comprehensive, and portable - everything you need to know, from the federal sources you trust. ... Read more

Book Description

The aim of the State of the Universe annuals is to provide an annual astronomy review suitable for the popular science level reader to be published every September in a format that will be suitable for, and appeal to, the Christmas market. The book will cover all major astronomical news on topics beyond the Solar System and place them in the context of the longer term goals of astronomers and astrophysicists around the world. The aim is to capture the excitement and vibrancy of modern astronomical research. This section also includes web links for all major news stories, providing a bridge between the public news stories and the actual research web sites.