How to Use a Computerized Telescope describes how to get a computerized telescope up-and-running, and how to embark on a program of observation. Michael Covington explains in detail how the sky moves, how a telescope tracks it, and how to get the most out of any computerized telescope. Packed full of practical advice and tips for troubleshooting, his book gives detailed instructions for three popular telescopes: the Meade® LX200, Celestron^DCC NexStar 5 and 8, and Meade® Autostar^DTM (ETX and LX90). Michael A. Covington is an associate research scientist at the University of Georgia. He is a computational linguist trained in the computer processing of human language and the computer modeling of human logical reasoning, and a widely recognized expert on the Prolog programming language. He is the author of nine books including Dictionary of Computer and Internet Terms, Seventh Edition (Barron's, 2000), Astrophotography for the Amateur (Cambridge, 1999), PROLOG Programming in Depth (Simon & Schuster, 1996), Cambridge Eclipse Photography Guide (1993), and Syntactic Theory in the High Middle Ages (Cambridge, 1985). A senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Covington is a Contributing Editor to, and former "Q&A" columnist of, Poptronics magazine.
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'[Covington] writes clearly and the text is presented in an orderly manner, so that the reader is unlikely to become confused.' Times Higher Education Supplement
Book Description
How to Use a Computerized Telescope is the first handbook that describes how to get your computerized telescope up-and-running, and how to embark on a program of observation. It explains in detail how the sky moves, how your telescope tracks it, and how to get the most out of any computerized telescope. Packed full of practical advice and tips for troubleshooting, it translates the manufacturers' technical jargon into easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions, and includes many of the author's tried and tested observing techniques.
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46 of 48 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Covington's "Astrophotography for the Amateur" is one of the two must reads for beginning to intermiediate astrophotographers. "How to Use a Computerized Telescope" fits in the same category for beginner and intermediate amatuer astronomers who have or are thinking of aquiring a computerized telescope. The book is divided into two sections. The first covers basic topics on the use, care and feeding of telescopes in general. The second looks at three classic "Go To" telescope families. If you are looking to buy a computerized telescope, or already own one and want to get more out of it, then this is a good place to start.
Chapters:
PART I - Telescopes in general
1. Welcome to amatuer astronomy
2. How the sky moves
3. How telescopes track the stars
4. Using equatorial mounts and wedges
5. Telescope optics
6. Eyepieces and optical accessories
7. Astrophotography
8. Troubleshooting
PART II - Three classic telescopes
9. Three that led the revolution
10. Meade LX200
11. Celestron NexStar 5 and 8
12. Meade Autostar (ETX and LX90)
Though the models described in detail in the book are no longer the latest models, the foundations will allow one to get a better understanding of how computerized telescopes work, and how to get more out of their use.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I recently purchased a Celestron StarSeeker telescope (basically a NexStar80) so wanted to read more about computerized telescopes. Michael Covington's book is very good. He starts by saying "Welcome to amateur astronomy". The first part of the book then goes on to discuss telescopes in general, such as the different types (ie, refractors, reflectors and catadioptric) and much very helpful general information about observational astronomy. Things like celestial coordinates, how a telescope works, etc. Too much to put in this review but I found the information extremely helpful. The second section is about astrophotography including simple ways to do astrophotography without a lot of expensive equipment. This author also has a book on Astrophotography which I haven't read. He refers to it several times in this section of this book. The last section describes in quite a bit of detail the operation of 3 computerized telescopes, the Meade LX200, Celestron NexStar 5 and 8 and two Meade telescopes with Autostar, the ETX 90 and the LX 90. All of these telescopes are now outdated as both Meade and Celestron have newer models. However, what is said in this section would apply to the newer models to a large extent. Overall I enjoyed reading this book and obtained a lot of useful information and recommendations to start my budding career in amateur photography. One further note; there is another book by Michael Swanson that deals with just the Celestron NexStar telescopes. I have this book also but haven't finished reading it. If you are just interested in computerized telescopes in general, I would recommend the one in this review. If you have or are interested in a Celestron, then I would suggest the Michael Swanson book; actually I would recommend both.
8 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I found this book to be very useful and informative. I am a beginner to astronomy and need something to orient me to what a electronic telescope was all about. A must reqad if you are considering a computerized telescope and are a beginner who has never used one.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Learning about telescopes book
Learning about Telescopes, this is a great first time /review of things you for got and thing you just didn't know how book.very helpful.
Published on January 24, 2008 by David C. Brumgard
Useful book for those new to goto scopes
If you have a goto scope it's very useful. I have a Celestron NexStar goto telescope, and have bought a book specific to NexStar scopes, and I still found this one helpful,... Read more
Published on January 20, 2008 by Lawrence Maturo
The Book your looking for!
If your looking for a clearly written, very informative, get you going in the right direction book, this is the one!
Published on May 16, 2007 by Louis R. Herman
How to Use a Computerized Telescope
This is a very clearly-written book and excellent for beginners. It breaks down the various topics of using a computerized telescope into manageable chapters.
Published on January 18, 2007 by CA Reader
Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
Welcome to amateur astronomy! Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
keypad cable, altazimuth mode, more eye relief, afocal coupling, guiding corrections, tripod leveling, equatorial mode, scrolling keys, computerized telescopes, equatorial wedge, declination setting circle, polar alignment, connector panel, backlash compensation, solar rate, slewing speed, land mode, eyepiece tube, altazimuth mount, drift method, corrector plate, alignment stars, equatorial mount, slewing rate, eyepiece designs Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Elite Chrome, New York, Meade Autostar, Tele Vue, Universal Time, Deep Sky, Eastern Standard Time, Software Bisque, United States, Ursa Major, Celestron Ultima, Covington Select Item, Greenwich Mean Time, Milky Way, Keypad Figure, Ready Press, Select Method Auto-Align, Select Star New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Welcome to amateur astronomy! Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
keypad cable, altazimuth mode, more eye relief, afocal coupling, guiding corrections, tripod leveling, equatorial mode, scrolling keys, computerized telescopes, equatorial wedge, declination setting circle, polar alignment, connector panel, backlash compensation, solar rate, slewing speed, land mode, eyepiece tube, altazimuth mount, drift method, corrector plate, alignment stars, equatorial mount, slewing rate, eyepiece designs Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Elite Chrome, New York, Meade Autostar, Tele Vue, Universal Time, Deep Sky, Eastern Standard Time, Software Bisque, United States, Ursa Major, Celestron Ultima, Covington Select Item, Greenwich Mean Time, Milky Way, Keypad Figure, Ready Press, Select Method Auto-Align, Select Star New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 3
books:
2
books
cite this book:
- The Solar System (3 Vol Set) (Magill's Choice) by Roger Smith on page 213
- Telescope Control by Mark Trueblood on page 36
- The Nautical Almanac by Nautical Almanac Office on page 16
- Celestial Objects for Modern Telescopes: Practical Amateur Astronomy Volume 2 by Michael A. Covington in Front Matter, and Back Cover
- Hands-On Astronomy: A Cambridge Guide to Equipment and Accessories by Hervé Burillier in Back Matter
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