Observing the Sun with Coronado Telescopes (Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series) (Paperback)

by Philip Pugh (Author)
Key Phrases: telescope house, hydrogen alpha viewing, hydrogen alpha telescopes, Observing the Sun, Sol Ranger, Larry Alvarez (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
From the reviews:

"Observing the Sun is becoming more and more popular these days a ] . therea (TM)s a whole range of Coronado solar telescopes on offer. This book aims to clarify the differences between them and give you solid advice on what each one can do. a ] The chapters are well written and comprehensive. a ] this is actually a very useful resource if youa (TM)re interested in pursuing solar observing or imaging a" not just if you have a scope made by Coronado in your garage. a ] ita (TM)s highly recommended." (Pete Lawrence, BBC Sky at Night, April, 2008)

"Philip Pugha (TM)s new book, which includes contributions from several expert coauthors, covers more ground than its title suggests a" including gear from other manufacturers. a ] I think it serves as a valuable reference and a worthwhile review of the current state of the art of daytime amateur astronomy." (Rick Fienberg, Sky and Telescope, July, 2008)

"This book does exactly what it says on the cover and more. It covers the whole gambit of solar observation in both red hydrogen light (hydrogen-alpha) and violet calcium light (CaK) and is profusely illustrated with telescopes, accessories and innumerable solar images. a ] The text is upbeat a ] . this is an excellent book and essential reading for all interested in this fascinating area of observation a" no less in that it occurs at sociable daylight hours!" (Maurice Gavin, Astronomy Now, June, 2008)

"This book provides a wealth of useful information on choosing the right telescope, what accessories work best with those instruments, the use of cameras and CCD detectors, and the post-processing of their images. There are copious illustrations of both theinstrumentation and the results a ] . I have no hesitation in recommending this book. For potential buyers of such telescopes this book is well worth a ] . Philip Pugh and his co-authors are to be congratulated on a very useful guide." (Steve Bell, The Observatory, Vol. 128 (1206), October, 2008)

Product Description
The Sun provides amateur astronomers with one of the few opportunities for daytime astronomy. In order to see the major features of our nearest star, special telescopes that have a very narrow visible bandwidth are essential. The bandwidth has to be as narrow as 1 A - 10-10 m (1 Angstrom) and centred on the absorption line of neutral hydrogen. This makes many major features of the Sun's chromosphere visible to the observer. Such narrow-band 'Fabry-Perot etalon filters' are high technology, and until the introduction of the Coronado range of solar telescopes, were too expensive for amateur use. The entry-level Coronado telescope, the PST (Personal Solar Telescope) costs under $500. Solar prominences (vast columns of plasma, best seen at the edge of the solar disk), filaments, flares, sunspots, plage and active regions are all visible and can be imaged to produce spectacular solar photographs. Philip Pugh has assembled a team of contributors who show just how much solar work can be done with Coronado telescopes, and explain how to get the best from these marvellous instruments.

Product Details

• Paperback: 326 pages
• Publisher: Springer; 1 edition (November 7, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0387681264
• ISBN-13: 978-0387681269
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #367,155 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Observing the sun, August 11, 2008

By	Little Old Granny (Redding, CA) - See all my reviews

If you are interested in observing the sun other than in white light, ie, hydrogen alpha or CaK, I would recommend this book as a reference. Hydrogen alpha observing allows you to see more of the sun than sunspots. Prominences, solar flares and much more. The hydrogen alpha telescopes and filters block out all the wavelengths of light except the one emitted by the alpha emission line from the hydrogen spectrum. In addition to the etalon (part that filters wavelength), there is also a blocking filter to block dangerous ultraviolet and infrared light.

This book deals mostly with the Coronado PST (Personal Solar Telescope). However it also discusses other larger aperture Coronado solar telescopes plus filters that can be used with a regular "nighttime" telescope. There is a wealth of information about solar viewing and many nice photos. A few other brands of solar telescope and filters are also discussed. There is a lot of information about ways of observing the sun, how the sun "works", what you are seeing. The book also has a chapter on imaging the sun.

The book was published before Lunt Solar Systems was founded so there is no information on their solar equipment.

Recommended as a good reference for solar observing and imaging.

4.0 out of 5 stars A decent refence guide, July 9, 2009

By	dkap (Washington, DC area) - See all my reviews

I just purchased a "double-stacked" MaxScope 40 and was looking for tips on how to tune it and the interaction between the two filters, but I couldn't find that type of practical information in the book. The book does have a page on double-stacking, but says nothing about which filter to tune first and what to look for when tuning the filter. Also, since chapters are written by different people, it seems that the same information is repeated several times throughout the book, especially in the accessories section for each. Additionally, as was pointed out in another review, a new manufacturer named Lunt is directly competing with Coronado. Until this book may be revised to include that new line of scopes, it really isn't a complete guide to what you can get. So, I recommend this book as a reference, but was a bit disappointed by the lack of certain types practical information in using the scope.

5.0 out of 5 stars When it comes from the best, expect no less!, May 14, 2008

By	Stephen Ames "darkstar" (Hodgenville, KY, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

For those looking to get into, or already into, solar observing or imaging, this book is a must. The contributors are extremely knowledgeable and it's written in a way even a neophyte observer like myself was able to understand and gain valuable information. A great addition to any library! Stephen Ames