Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto and How to Observe Them (Astronomers' Observing Guides) [Paperback]

Richard Schmude (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0387766014 | ISBN-13: 978-0387766010 | Publication Date: April 27, 2010 | Edition: 1

This book is for two groups of people: those who want to study the remote planets with amateur astronomical equipment, and those who are just interested in learning about our knowledge of the remote planets. The Remote Planets, and How to Observe them is unique in that it gives a completely up-to-date summary of our current knowledge of the remote planets, and also explains how amateur astronomers can contribute to our knowledge of the remote planets. Readers are given some inspiring examples of people who, with modest commercially-made equipment, have made important contributions to our scientific knowledge. The observational section goes into great detail, including optical and CCD photometry, occultation measurements, imaging (including stacking and enhancement techniques) and polarization measurements. There are finder charts (from 2010 to 2026), complete with two sets of star-magnitudes in an appendix (one set of magnitudes are for photoelectric photometry and the other set is for visual photometry)

Editorial Reviews

Review

From the reviews: "Uranus, Neptune and Pluto and How to Observe Them is truly an enthusiast’s book, aimed at the serious amateur astronomer. Schmude … reviews in detail the findings from Voyager as well as Earth-based telescopes such as the Hubble Space Telescope. He does this in a tone that is accessible to nonscientists, offering them the latest information as well as allowing them to tailor their observation … about these fascinating objects. … Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readership levels." (E. S. Perlman, Choice, Vol. 46 (7), March, 2009)

From the Back Cover

This book tells the story of two giants and a dwarf. The giants, Uranus and Neptune, are mostly huge balls of gas, and they make their home in the remotest reaches of the Solar System. The dwarf, Pluto, which can usually be found even farther out than the two giants, was always small, but up until a short while ago, it enjoyed the same status as the other planets, a full-fledged member of the Solar System. Today, Pluto has been re-classified as a "dwarf planet." In this clear and succinct overview of the current research on these remote Solar System objects, Richard Schmude, Jr., tells us what facts we do know about these faraway entities, what we are seeking to know, and also how to observe them for yourself, using commercially available telescopes. He also explains why Pluto was re-classified and what it means, exactly, to be a dwarf planet. Intrigued by these objects since boyhood, Schmude has compiled a loving tribute to them, if not making them warm and fuzzy, at least making them seem less remote and bringing them into our current frame of reference, giving them personality and revealing their worth in our understanding of the structure and nature of the Solar System in which we live.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 244 pages
• Publisher: Springer; 1 edition (April 27, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0387766014
• ISBN-13: 978-0387766010
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #420,532 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Detailed information on the outer planets, July 29, 2010

By 

Philip - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto and How to Observe Them (Astronomers' Observing Guides) (Paperback)

This book has a lot of interesting and detailed information on the outer planets and would be perfect for an advanced amateur astronomer who wants to do his own research and observations. An armchair astronomer or beginning enthusiast might have trouble understanding some of the technical information in this book and may decide to skip over some of the graphs and equations. Dr. Schmude has a very direct and no-nonsense style of writing that packs a lot of technical information and data into each chapter. A reader who wants a coffee table style book with basic information and large photographs should look elsewhere. I enjoyed the book because it was a challenge to understand all of the information and I actually learned how to do planetary research with basic equipment.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Last Stop For the Grant Tour Of Our Solar System !!, May 13, 2010

By 

Busy Bee "Smiley" (Perth, Australia) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto and How to Observe Them (Astronomers' Observing Guides) (Paperback)

Sadly; exploring both Uranus and Neptune including their Moons at this stage in time have fallen from humanities interest to explore due to economic reasons or whatever excuses someone somewhere conjures up. What we have about them was basically obtained from Voyager 2 flyby in its Grand Tour of the Solar System. The Magnificent Moons around them such as Miranda and Triton which is geologically active are amazing; yet sadly we will never learn anything more in the near future; and for many of us we may pass on to the whatever lies beyond before we learn more; my guess is we have to be satisfied with "Artists Impressions" of what these places look like. Pluto is a bit lucky as the "New Horizons" mission is underway to explore that region of space, perhaps not all is lost.
This book may help awaken your the interest in space exploration and maybe create a new group of amateur and professional astronomers who will stir up public interest to send space probes to those two planets in line with Galileo and Cassini.
Catch a glimpse of those two Planets, and see if you can find the "DOT" of light called Pluto. This book has all you need and more; unfortunately that's all there is for now about those planets; not enough for fill more than a few pages!!!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book on the last planetary bodies in the Solar System, September 2, 2009

By 

Jared Z. Holloway (Athens, GA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto and How to Observe Them (Astronomers' Observing Guides) (Paperback)

Dr. Richard Schmude gives wonderful and indepth information on Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. I had Dr. Schmude as a professor for Astronomy, and he brings the same knowledge and enthusiasim to this book as he did in the class room.