Patrick Moore Practical Astronomy

By: John D. Clark

Write A Review

Paperback | 26 March 2009

At a Glance

Paperback
192 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
22.86 x 15.24 x 0.64

Paperback

$54.99

or 4 interest-free payments of $13.75 with

or

Ships in 5 to 7 business days

Instead of taking somebody's word for it about the basic size and distance statistics for the solar system, this book shows amateur astronomers how to measure these things for themselves. This is an enriching experience for any amateur astronomer - to understand and personally measure some fundamental astronomical quantities and distances.

A basic knowledge of geometry is required, but it is amazing how simple the geometry can be. Readers are led through the geometry as gently as possible - and in a light-hearted way - presuming that most non-academics will have half-forgotten most of their mathematics.

The practical astronomical equipment recommended is no more than a typical commercially-made amateur telescope and a camera of some sort - these days a webcam works very well. Apart from that all the reader will need is access to a computer, the know-how to download free software, and an enthusiasm to expand his knowledge of the basis of scientific astronomy.

Industry Reviews

From the reviews: "This delightful book ... is really a breath of fresh air in popular science publishing, taking us back to astronomical basics and starting from the beginning. With the help of very clear diagrams and graphics, the text takes you through fully-worked examples, asking questions about sizes, distances and motions within the Solar System. It then sets about, always with simple, readily available and inexpensive equipment, to show you how to answer those questions for yourself. ... Overall, this is a very worthwhile text ... ." (John Rowlands, Astronomy Now, January, 2010)

Shipping

	Standard Shipping	Express Shipping
Metro postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Regional postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Rural postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95

Orders over $89.00 qualify for free shipping.

How to return your order

At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.

Additional postage charges may be applicable.

Defective items

If there is a problem with any of the items received for your order then the Booktopia Customer Care team is ready to assist you.

For more info please visit our Help Centre.

More in Astronomy, Space & Time

Big Sky

When the Emu Left the Earth

Paperback

RRP $34.99

$28.75

18%
OFF

The First Astronomers

How Indigenous Elders read the stars

Paperback

RRP $34.99

$28.75

18%
OFF

The Holographic Universe - Michael Talbot

$22.99

15%
OFF

The Anthropic Cosmological Principle

Oxford Paperbacks

Paperback

RRP $41.95

$33.75

20%
OFF

2026 Guide to the Night Sky Southern Hemisphere

A month-by-month guide to exploring the skies above Australia, New Zealand and South Africa

Paperback

RRP $22.99

$18.75

18%
OFF

Black Holes

The key to understanding the universe

Paperback

RRP $35.99

$29.75

17%
OFF

Cellarius Atlas

Hardcover

RRP $275.00

$190.75

31%
OFF

God, the Science, the Evidence

Paperback

RRP $48.99

$38.75

21%
OFF

Gravitational-Wave Astronomy Ogt Paperback : Exploring the Dark Side of the Universe - Nils Andersson

$58.75

15%
OFF

A Guide to the Night Sky

The science and lore behind our constellations

Hardcover

RRP $34.99

$28.75

18%
OFF

The Astrophysical Observatory Potsdam - Triumph and Tragedies : Reports and Memories 1874 - 1991 - Gunther Rudiger

$22.99

15%
OFF

2026 Australasian Sky Guide

Australasian Sky Guide

Paperback

RRP $24.99

$22.75

Turn Left at Orion

Spiral Ringed Book

RRP $53.95

$49.75

$26.75

46%
OFF

Cosmology : The Science of the Universe - Callen Hogan

The extraordinary story of how an amateur astronomer's unwavering passion for the cosmos propelled him from the mines of Broken Hill to working with NASA

Paperback

RRP $35.99

$29.75

17%
OFF

Until the End of Time

Mind, Matter, and Our Search for Meaning in an Evolving Universe

Paperback

RRP $26.99

$22.99

15%
OFF

The Universe

The Book of the BBC TV Series Presented by Professor Brian Cox

Paperback

RRP $24.99

$21.75

13%
OFF

An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth

Paperback

RRP $24.99

$21.75

13%
OFF

Space Atlas

Mapping the Universe and Beyond

Hardcover

RRP $120.00

$71.75

40%
OFF

Preface	p. v
Acknowledgments	p. ix
About the Author	p. xv
How Do We Know That Venus Orbits the Sun?	p. 1
Circular Motion	p. 4
Newton's Law of Gravity	p. 9
Application to Circular Orbits	p. 9
Back to Venus and the Earth	p. 10
How to Predict the Greatest Western Elongation Date	p. 11
Checking the Date of Greatest Western Elongation	p. 14
Alternative Hypothesis: Venus Orbits Earth	p. 16
When Can You Try This for Yourself?	p. 19
Conclusion	p. 19
How Big is the Earth?	p. 21
Ways to Measure the Earth's Size	p. 21
What Johnny Did Next	p. 22
Conclusion	p. 27
How Far Away and How Big is the Moon?	p. 29
First Attempt	p. 29
Advanced Topic: A Sphere Attracts Like a Point Mass	p. 37
Second Experiment	p. 41
Discussion of Quality of Results	p. 51
Jupiter's Moons: Where You Can Watch Gravity Do Its Thing	p. 57
Why the Jovian System is a Good 'Gravity Laboratory'	p. 57
My Equipment	p. 58
Observing in the Rain (Well, Almost)	p. 58
Measuring Angular Separations on Photos	p. 61
Making Sense of the Moon's Positions	p. 66
Other Jupiter Projects You Could Try	p. 78
Conclusion	p. 80
Sunrise, Sunset	p. 81
A Mars Day for Work, Rest and Play	p. 82
The Celestial Sphere	p. 87
Let Now the Sun Go Down along Its Path	p. 90
Conclusion	p. 96
Getting Further from the Sun: How do you Ride an Epicycle?	p. 97
Photography	p. 98
Astrometry: Getting Data from Photographs	p. 101
Epicycles	p. 120
Conclusion	p. 125
Size Matters	p. 127
Appendixes
Geometrical Appendix: Geometry for Those Who Have Forgotten	p. 133
Basic Trigonometry	p. 133
What Happens if A is bigger than 90°?	p. 135
Angular Units	p. 135
Coordinate Systems	p. 137
Proof of Coordinate Transform Formulae	p. 143
Vectors: A Way of Simplifying Geometry	p. 144
Statistical Appendix	p. 151
Probability	p. 152
A Measurement that Fluctuates	p. 153
All Distributions Tend Toward a Normal Distribution	p. 160
What Happens When I Can only Make One Measurement per Observation of a Moving Body?	p. 164
References	p. 169
Index	p. 171
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

Patrick Moore Practical Astronomy

At a Glance

Paperback

Industry Reviews

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

You Can Find This Book In

More in Astronomy, Space & Time

Big Sky

When the Emu Left the Earth

The First Astronomers

How Indigenous Elders read the stars

The Holographic Universe

The Inner Clock

Living in Sync With Our Circadian Rhythms

The Anthropic Cosmological Principle

Oxford Paperbacks

2026 Guide to the Night Sky Southern Hemisphere

A month-by-month guide to exploring the skies above Australia, New Zealand and South Africa

Black Holes

The key to understanding the universe

Cellarius Atlas

God, the Science, the Evidence

Gravitational-Wave Astronomy Ogt Paperback

Exploring the Dark Side of the Universe

It's (Just) Rocket Science

Exploring Physics Through Spaceflight Missions

A Guide to the Night Sky

The science and lore behind our constellations

The Astrophysical Observatory Potsdam - Triumph and Tragedies

Reports and Memories 1874 - 1991

A Brief History Of Time

From Big Bang to Black Holes

2026 Australasian Sky Guide

Australasian Sky Guide

Turn Left at Orion

Cosmos

Classical Mythology of the Constellations

Timeless Tales of the Starry Night Sky

Cosmology

The Science of the Universe

Outback Astronomer

The extraordinary story of how an amateur astronomer's unwavering passion for the cosmos propelled him from the mines of Broken Hill to working with NASA

Until the End of Time

Mind, Matter, and Our Search for Meaning in an Evolving Universe

The Universe

The Book of the BBC TV Series Presented by Professor Brian Cox

An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth

Space Atlas

Mapping the Universe and Beyond

This product is categorised by