The 100 Best Astrophotography Targets: A Monthly Guide for CCD Imaging with Amateur Telescopes (Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series) [Paperback]

Ruben Kier (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2009 | ISBN-10: 1441906029 | ISBN-13: 978-1441906021 | Edition: 1

Any amateur astronomer who is interested in astrophotography, particularly if just getting started, needs to know what objects are best for imaging in each month of the year. These are not necessarily the same objects that are the most spectacular or intriguing visually. The camera reveals different things and has different requirements. What objects in the sky tonight are large enough, bright enough, and high enough to be photographed? This book reveals, for each month of the year, the choicest celestial treasures within the reach of a commercial CCD camera. Helpful hints and advice on framing, exposures, and filters are included. Each deep sky object is explained in beautiful detail, so that observers will gain a richer understanding of these astronomical objects. This is not a book that dwells on the technology of CCD, Webcam, wet, or other types of astrophotography. Neither is it a book about in-depth computer processing of the images (although this topic is included). Detailed discussions of these topics can be found in other publications. This book focuses on what northern latitude objects to image at any given time of the year to get the most spectacular results.

Editorial Reviews

Review

From the reviews: “Kier comes to the rescue with targets that are well placed at different times during each month. … Each target has a colour image and a description, plus advice on the equipment you’ll need. There’s useful advice on processing too. … seasoned imagers will enjoy this book.” (Steve Richards, Sky at Night Magazine, February, 2010) “This book is one of the Patrick Moore’s Practical Astronomy series from Springer, aimed at the practising … amateur astronomer. … The book’s intent is to provide a visually compelling list of the 100 most interesting deep sky objects from the perspective of a digital imager, more precisely of the CCD user. … This book is a good starter for going beyond the early shots and provides a reasonable reference on what to expect from each target … .” (Andrea Tasselli, Journal of the British Astronomical Association, Vol. 120 (1), 2010) “Ruben Kier, a highly accomplished astrophotographer, has compiled an impressive list of 100 objects, arranged in order of when they are best placed for observers in the Northern Hemisphere. … Though the book is clearly aimed at the established imager … . I was particularly impressed at how well some deep sky objects can now be imaged even with the full moon in the sky. The book will serve as an inspiration to those wishing to take their CCD imaging to the next level.” (Neil English, Astronomy Now, May, 2010)

From the Back Cover

Astronomical observing and photography are favorite pastimes of yours. You want to combine the two, but you’re not sure how. Or perhaps you have dabbled in astronomy for a while and want to take another step. What do you photograph? Will something that looks amazing as you peer at it through a telescope look the same in a photograph? There are so many dazzling sights in the night sky. How to choose? Ruben Kier has some answers for you. With his technical expertise and wide experience as both a visual observer and a photographer, he can help you attain some of the best images you can imagine, perhaps ones you will want to send to a magazine or proudly put up on your website. And the secret is – it’s not that hard! It’s mostly a matter of choosing the right subjects and then doing the necessary post-processing to get results that will dazzle. So get out there on the next clear night and create something to show for your efforts. Your friends will be impressed, and you will be thrilled at how you are able to combine the two passions of your life into one.

Product Details

• Paperback: 381 pages
• Publisher: Springer; 1 edition (September 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1441906029
• ISBN-13: 978-1441906021
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #266,060 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #68 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Astronomy & Space Science > Star-Gazing

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The 100 Best Astrophotography Targets, great book!, September 19, 2009

By 

David Ellison - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The 100 Best Astrophotography Targets: A Monthly Guide for CCD Imaging with Amateur Telescopes (Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series) (Paperback)

This book is fantastic. Targets are arranged by date. Each target has a full color full page photograph with the all the information necessary to photograph it. There's a concise discussion of each target including what it is, distance, and why it appears as it does. He includes exposure times, filters used, and processing tips, both simple and advanced. This book should be included with every CCD camera. It tells you exactly what you need to know.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars JAndrews, September 19, 2009

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John J. Andrews - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The 100 Best Astrophotography Targets: A Monthly Guide for CCD Imaging with Amateur Telescopes (Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series) (Paperback)

I was extremely impressed with Ruben Kier's new book for multiple reasons. I predict that this will become the "absolutely must have" reference book for everyone who does CCD imaging. It contains valuable imaging and processing information. More than that, it has a tremendous number of truly beautiful astrophotographs all neatly arranged in the monthly order in which the deep sky objects are visible in the night sky. Included are brief descriptions of the objects making this a great reference book for ANYONE who is interested in astronomy.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "100 Best..." a must for all CCD astrophotographers., September 23, 2009

By 

K. Nelson (Capistrano Beach, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The 100 Best Astrophotography Targets: A Monthly Guide for CCD Imaging with Amateur Telescopes (Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series) (Paperback)

The book solves a real problem for me in trying to figure out what to image on any given night. As you might expect from the subtitle, the book is organized to show the best targets in each month throughout the year. Every target includes a high quality image to show you what you can expect to achieve given enough patience and experience. There also a second section with a few additional chapters on getting started with CCD Imaging. I would recommend this book for any CCD imager from beginners to experts.