Herbert A. Luft astronomy book catalog — astronomy & optics titles (c.1980) — reading text

BURNHAM'S CELESTIAL HANDBOOK Volume I $8.95 Volume II $8.95 Volume III $8.95 Robert Burnham, Jr. {In 1966 Robert Bumham, Jr, a staff member of the Lowell Observa- tory, published an excellent’ guide to the stars in a small, privately printed edition. Called The Celestial Handbook, this volume s00n became a well-known and highly sought-after book among. serious astronomers throughout the U.S. The reaions: it was the most thorough, up-to-date, accurate and complete guide available to the universe beyond the solar system; it served 10 bridge the immense gap between the large number of beginner's “star books” and the technical publications for professional astronomers; and it was an immensely entertaining browsing book. Now completely revised and updated through 1977, Burnham's Celestial Handbook is available ‘once again! In the words of the author, Burnham's Celestial Handbook is. “in: tended to be a standard catalogue and detailed descriptive handbook Of the many thousands of objects available to observers with tele- Scopes in the 2-inch to 12-inch range.” In its present expanded form, the Handbook includes virtually all objects of interest which appear in star atlases such as Norton's; in conjunction with any good. star atlas, these volumes will allow you to find, identify and leam about Virtually every celestial object in range of your telescope. ___ IF YOU ARE A BEGINNING STAR GAZER ‘Mr. Bumham has provided over 100 pages of introductory material which offers most of the information you need to understand and use the scientific terms of the professional astronomer: concepts. of distance (the light-year, parsec); differences between a nebula, galaxy, globular star cluster, etc.; 2 complete explanation of the daily and seasonal motion of the stars as viewed from the earth; astronomical directions, and the celestial coordinate system that allows you to pin- point the exact star you want to observe; and a host of other helpful ‘concepts such as sidereal time, angular measurement (the method of expressing apparent sizes and distances between celestial objects), the magnitude system, etc IF YOU ARE A PROFESSIONAL OR ADVANCED AMATEUR ‘ASTRONOMER You will appreciate the sheer magnitude of information offered by the Handbook. All of the celestial objects are grouped according to the constellations in which they appear. Each constellation is divided into four sections: list of double and multiple stars; list of variable stars; list of star clusters, nebulae and galaxies; and descriptive notes. The first three sections offer vast amounts of information in an easy-to-use tabular format (see below) But the joy of the book to anyone Is the descriptive notes that follow. They cover history, unusual movements or appearances, and ‘currently accepted explanations of such phenomena as white dwarfs, novae and supernovae, cepheids, mira-type variables, dark nebulae eclipsing binary stars, the history of certain stars in folklore, liters: ture, the fine arts, etc. Hundreds of charts and other visual aids, and ‘over 600 magnificent photographs, help to capture the beauty of these “deep sky wonders. Revised and expanded (1977/78) edition. Published in three volumes. Innumerable finding charts and. diagrams, ‘Andromeda through Cetus. 187 photographs. 656pp. 23567-X Paperbound $8.95 248 photographs. 700pp. 23568-8 Paperbound $8.95 Volume 1 6% x 9% Volume tt 6h x 9% Volume ill: Pavo through Vulpecula, 210 photographs, 800pp. 6% x 9%. 23673-0 Paperbound $8.95 Chamaeleon through Orion PLEASE NOTE: The third and concluding volume of Burnham's Celestial Handbook contains constellations Pavo through Vul- pecula and 10 sections 6, 7, and 8 of the original privately printed edition. Unfortunately, economic necessities dictate that this volume be published only in a paperbound format (not in the original loose-leaf style); nor will errata sec tions or additional pages be available for any of these volumes. INFORMATION PROVIDED FOR EACH OF THE CONSTELLATIONS COVERED IN THESE THREE VOLUMES, DESCRIPTIVE NOTES Provided for all stars in the constellation brighter than magnitude 3.50. Includes such diverse and fascinating topics as history of its observation, the place of the celestial object in myths and legends LUST OF DOUBLE AND MULTIPLE STARS Each star name and most commonly used designation, coordinates, ngular separation and position angle of the pair, year of measure ment, visual magnitudes, other information of interest LIST OF VARIABLE STARS AND FINDER CHARTS All known variable stars which reach 9.5 magnitude or brighter at tar’s name and designation, amplitude, period (in regular), coordinates, and finder charts tars chosen for description (including uding regular and se UST OF STAR CLUSTERS, NEBULAE, AND GALAXIES neral Catalogue), coordinates, class of ob uding visual appearance, magnitude of antiquity, ancient and modern literature (Western and Eastern representation in coinage and art, etc PHOTOGRAPHS More than 600 high qual observatories around the world, an photographs collected from major from many amateur astron- CHARTS, GRAPHS, TABLES. ds, portraying everything from the light curves of Andromeda Galaxy to variations of Literally hun cepheid variable stars in the supernovae F More Fascinating Volumes on Astronomy, and Optics ‘THE SEARCH FOR EXTRATERRESTRIAL INTELLIGENCE Edited for NASA by Philip Morrison, John Billingham and John Wolfe $3.50 Far from a science fiction fantasy, The Search for Extraterrestrial Inteligence (SETI) Is 2 serious, thoroughly scientific avaluation of ‘our present capabilities for detecting extraterrestrial io, Based on a vories of Scientific Workshops conducted by NASA In ‘1975-76, the book comprisos a fascinating eeries of reports on signifi- ‘eant aspects of the SETI program: cosmic evolution as a scientific ra- tionale, factors required for a planet to produce intelligent life, detec- on of planetary systoms, the "wator-hole” frequency range, search strategies, the Soviet search, and much more. The istinguished ists, biologists and other scientists involved In the project (including such savants as Cart Sagan, Philip Morti- ‘son, Arthur Kantrowitz and Harrison Brown) concluded that a ‘search for allen intelligence Is within our capabilities and should begin immediately. Dover republication (1978) of the work originally published in 4977 as NASA SP-419. Bibliography. 28 ilustrations. 182pp. Ge x 914. "2800-3 Paperbound $3.00 SUNSPOTS R. J. Bray and R. E. Loughhead $6.00 lg an oxtromoly important topic and ‘esearch in modern astronomy. This volume, iby two Australian astrophysicist who have done pioneering work In sunspots and other aspects of solar physics, has been recognized as the definitive book on the subject since its original the most recent Investigations in the area, Proceeding trom the particular to the general, the authors start ‘with the Individual sunspot, dealing successively with its morphol- ‘and magnetic {ield. Then they turn to a ‘ogy, physical conditions, Gestription of the properties of sunspot groups, the role played by in acilvity centers, and the modorn magnetohydrodynamic theories of the origin of sunspots and of the solar cycle as a whol Preceding this entire discussion Is a brief background survey of the history of sunspot discoveries and observational methods. Unabridged (1979) republication of the original (1964) dition. Indexes, 43 Illustrations. Preface. References within chapters, 63731-X Paperbound $6.00 xvll + 303pp. of text. 6% x 9% BASIC OPTICS AND OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS Prepared by The Bureau of Naval Personnel $3.50 This book provides a thorough coverage of the basic theory of Optics and’ iis applications. Presenting its subject matter with Oxiraordinary clarity, It stroases theory and application equally, fend ‘will serve admirably to supplement a course in which only ‘one of these factors Io emphasized. Tho course begins with Giscussion of the composition of optical glass and the manufacture ‘of lensos and prisms for optics iments. This 's followed by @ consideration of the ies of light, with special ‘emphasis on wave lengths, reflection and retraction. Two chapters Contain a detailed discussion of the formation of images by mirrors, lenses and prism: in how images are formed by thin fend thick lenses, how to use the lens formula, and how to deter- mine the location of en Image formed by an optical Instrument. The fnechanical construction, maintenance procedures, and machining Sperations of basic optical instruments aro explained in detail, and fine chapters on the function and operation of specific optical In- Siruments—ship telescopes and spyglasses, boresight telescopes, fixed prism gunsight telescopes, magnetic com, imuth and bearing circles, soxtants, stadimotors, telescopic alldades and bino- culars—complete the volume, These final chapters contain detailed fnetruction for disassembling, repairing, reassembling and adjust- ing the Instruments under consideration. Unabridged republication of Opticalman 3 & 2, Navy Training Course NavPers 10205 (1966). 583 figures, Index v + 480pp. 6% x 9¥% 22291-6 Paperbound $3.50 THE NATURE OF LIGHT AND COLOR IN THE OPEN AIR M. Minnaert $4.00 Rainbows, mirages, multiple moons, black snow, colored shadows, Iridescent clouds, halos, green surt, and hundreds of other natural ‘phenomena are ciearly and simply explained in this unique book by Professor Muinaert of the University of Utrecht. The author shows just how, when and under what conditions to observe the fata morgana (a complex mirage in the form of a city in the sky), the Scintillation of stars and planets, apparent motion in shadows and objects due to air currents, color changes due to retraction and tellection, illusions of motion and direction, etc. 202 illustrations, Including’ 42 photographs, cover practically every phenomenon discussed. Index. xill + 362pp. 5% x8. 20196-1 Paperbound $4.00 ‘A SHORT HISTORY OF ASTRONOMY, Arthur Berry. Earliest times through the 19th century. Individual chapters on Copernicus, Tycho Brahe, Galileo, Kepler, Newton, etc. Non-lechnical, but precise. For specialist or layman 104 illustrations, 9 portraits 440pp. 5% x 8 20210-0 Pa, $6.00 ‘A HISTORY OF ASTRONOMY FROM THALES TO KEPLER, J. L E. Dreyer. Compiete. thorough history: Near Eastern, early Greeks, moce theories. Plolemaic system, medieval cosmology. Copernicus, Kepler, etc. 438pp. 5% x 8 ‘6079-3 Pa. $5.00 STAR NAMES: THEIR LORE AND MEANING, Richard H. Allen. " jar names, the zodiac, constella jated with heavens. The basic S63pp, 5% x 8Y2 21079-0 Pa, $5.50 SKYSHOOTING: PHOTOGRAPHY FOR AMATEUR ASTRONOMERS, R. Newion Mayall and Margaret W. Mayall, How to photograph n sun and moon, No elaborate x 8 21854-6 Pa, $3.50 SCIENCE FROM YOUR AIRPLANE WINDOW, Elizabeth A. Wood. It's sing how much you can lean from this non-technical ete, from ates, 256pp 5-0 Pa. $3.00 ‘THE HISTORY OF THE TELESCOPE, Henry C. King. The story of early inventors and astronomers, of the instrument makers and the instruments themselves. Definitive, tact-tull, biographical and history of technology information unavailable elsewhere. 480pp. 6% x 9% (Available December 1979) 23893-8 Pa. $8.95 AN INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF STELLAR STRUCTURE, S. Chandrasekhar, Rigorous examination, using both classical and modern mathematical methods, of relationship between loss ot energy, mass and radius of stars in a steady state. SO9pp. 5% x 8. 60413-6 Pa $6.00 STRUCTURE AND EVOLUTION OF THE STARS, Martin Schwarzs- child. Modern (1958) summary of stellar evolution theory, describing methods of study with spectrographic and photoelectric _tech- niques, important findings. 296pp. 6% x 914. 61479-4 Pa. $5.00 TO ORDER Please write directly to: MR. HERBERT A. LUFT 69-11 229 St. Oakland Gardens, N.Y. 11364 @ shipment, please give the author, title and code num- ordering. Add $1.00 to your remittance for postage and handling