Martin Mobberley

Top That!

Find the answers to the how and why of space.

Space

This book is intended for amateur astronomers who are readers of Sky & Telescope magazine or similar astronomy periodicals – or are at least at the same level of knowledge and enthusiasm. Supernovae represent the most violent stellar explosions in the universe. This is a unique guide to supernova facts, and it is also an observing/discovery guide, all in one package. Supernovae are often discovered by amateur astronomers, and the book describes the best strategies for discovering and observing them. Moreover, it contains detailed information about the probable physics of supernovae, a subject which even today is imperfectly understood.

and How to Observe Them

Supernovae

To British television viewers, the name ‘Patrick Moore’ has been synonymous with Astronomy and Space Travel since he first appeared on The Sky at Night in 1957. To amateur astronomers he has been a source of inspiration, joy, humour and even an eccentric role model since that time. Most people know that his 55 years of presenting The Sky at Night is a world record, but what was he really like in person? What did he do away from the TV cameras, in his observatory, and within the British Astronomical Association, the organisation that inspired him as a youngster? Also, precisely what did he do during the War Years, a subject that has always been shrouded in mystery? Martin Mobberley, a friend of Patrick Moore’s for 30 years, and a former President of the British Astronomical Association, has spent ten years exhaustively researching Patrick’s real life away from the TV cameras. His childhood, RAF service, tireless voluntary work for astronomy and charity and his endless book writing are all examined in detail. His astronomical observations are also examined in unprecedented detail, along with the battles he fought along the way and his hatred of bureaucracy and political correctness. No fan of Sir Patrick Moore can possibly live without this work on their bookshelf!

A Fan's Biography of Sir Patrick Moore

It Came From Outer Space Wearing an RAF Blazer!

Le economiche webcam stanno rivoluzionando l’imaging astronomico amatoriale, fornendo un’alternativa conveniente ai CCD raffreddati, quanto meno per i soggetti più luminosi. Le webcam, che costano solo poche decine di euro, sono in grado di realizzare riprese di più alta risoluzione rispetto alle macchine fotografiche digitali grazie alla maggiore velocità di scaricamento dell’immagine che "congela" i dettagli planetari, nonostante il disturbo della turbolenta atmosfera terrestre. La loro struttura è piuttosto semplice, ed è facile rimuovere la lente frontale per utilizzarle in proiezione dell’oculare con un telescopio astronomico. Le webcam si collegano direttamente a un PC, in modo tale che si può utilizzare un apposito software per sommare sequenze di immagini, ottenendo così un notevole miglioramento qualitativo dell’immagine finale. In questo libro, Martin Mobberley introduce l’astrofilo all’uso delle webcam e all’elaborazione digitale delle immagini, mentre fornisce suggerimenti dettagliati per la ripresa del Sole, della Luna e dei pianeti. Ogni oggetto, con le specifiche tecniche di ripresa ed elaborazione, viene trattato in un capitolo a sé. Attraverso le immagini di questo libro, l’astrofilo potrà rendersi conto di quanto si possa fare applicando una webcam al proprio telescopio!

Guida all'uso della webcam

Imaging planetario:

For many astronomers, the holy grail of observation is to discover a comet, not least because comets always bear the name of their discoverer! Hunting and Imaging Comets was written for comet hunters and digital imagers who want to discover, rediscover, monitor, and make pictures of comets using astronomical CCD cameras and DSLRs. The old days of the purely visual comet hunter are pretty much over, but this is not to say that amateurs have lost interest in finding comets. The books also covers the discovery of comet fragments in the SOHO image data, CCD monitoring of older comets prone to violent outbursts, the imaging of new NEOs (Near Earth Objects) that have quite often been revealed as comets - not asteroids - by amateur astronomers, and the finding of recent comets impacting Jupiter.

Hunting and Imaging Comets

This is the ultimate, easy-to-read guide for "eclipse-chasers" which includes everything an eclipse chaser needs. There are some important eclipses coming up in the years ahead and the technology available to amateur astronomers is improving fast. The book provides "eclipse virgins" with a good feeling for what a trip abroad to an eclipse is like – including a humorous look at all the things that can and have gone wrong. Travel details are included, essential in these days of high-security. And of course the first part of the book contains a wealth of information about solar eclipses and what can be observed only during a total eclipse.

Total Solar Eclipses and How to Observe Them

This book de-mystifies the jargon of webcams and computer processing, and provides detailed hints and tips for imaging the Sun, Moon and planets with a webcam. It demonstrates how inexpensive tools are revolutionizing imaging in amateur astronomy. Anyone with a modest telescope and a webcam can now obtain jaw-dropping lunar and planetary images to rival those taken with mid-range astronomical CCD cameras costing thousands of dollars. A glance through the images in this book shows just what spectacular results can be achieved by using a webcam with your telescope! Your scientific results will be sought by professional astronomers.

Lunar and Planetary Webcam User's Guide

The result of an exhaustive study of Sir Patrick Moore’s observations of the Moon and planets for more than 60 years, this book is a fantastic companion to the extremely popular, “It Came From Outer Space Wearing an RAF Blazer!” written by the same author. Moore recorded his telescopic observations in his logbooks, which are reproduced and described here in detail, along with his sketches and notes. In this light, the author discusses the factors that caused Moore to switch from lunar observing to planetary and variable star observing. He has also included personal recollections and humorous anecdotes from Moore’s friends and acquaintances, as well as a look at his best loved books. Further chapters describe Moore’s foreign travels and correspondence with those back home. Lastly, the author has not neglected a few of Moore’s most memorable television and radio appearances, which are examined along with a close up of what it was like to visit Moore’s beloved home of Farthings in Selsey. Essentially, this is a book written by popular demand from the readers of the author’s original biography, who craved more of Moore!

Rambling Through Observations, Friendships and Antics of Sir Patrick Moore

Return to the Far Side of Planet Moore!

This guide provides useful insight for first-time telescope buyers as well as experienced amateurs. It examines the advantages and disadvantages of different types of telescopes, mountings, and accessories-ranging from refractors and reflectors to computer controlled drives and CCD cameras. The author also covers observation techniques, photographic equipment, astronomical software, as well as equipment care and maintenance.

Martin Mobberley

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