Visual Practices

Abstract

Amateur astronomy has undergone a revolution in the last few years, thanks to the advent of affordable sophisticated technology. A modern amateur’s computer-controlled telescope can find and then track any celestial body. The CCD astrocamera plugged into it can obtain images that years ago would have required a large professional telescope. The amateur’s computer can perform image processing, and even astrometry and photometry. Tasks that were the sole province of the professional astronomers of not that many years ago can now be undertaken by amateurs. As you might expect, the main bulk of this book reflects this new astronomy.