Instrumentation for Large Telescopes (Cambridge Contemporary Astrophysics) - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0521582911 ISBN 13: 9780521582919

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 1997

Synopsis

Drawing from a series of lectures given at the VII Canary Islands Winter School of Astrophysics, this volume presents eight specially written chapters by leading experts in the world, covering all aspects of the peculiarities, advantages, and disadvantages of dealing with a new generation of large, ground-based telescopes that will be used well into the next century. In reviewing the challenges involved in designing successful instrumentation, this work also addresses the fundamentals of astronomical imaging, low- and high-resolution spectroscopy, and polarimetry. This book can be read profitably by advanced undergraduates and graduate students as well as those in the fields of astronomy, optics, medicine, and defense.

About this title

Book Description:

A new generation of large, ground-based telescopes are just coming into operation. They will take astronomical research well into the next century. These extremely powerful telescopes demand specially designed detectors and observing techniques. The VII Canary Islands Winter School of Astrophysics gathered together leading experts to review this technology. Based on the meeting, this timely volume presents eight specially written chapters covering all aspects of telescope instrumentation. This book reviews both the challenges involved in designing successful instrumentation and the questions in astronomy they must address. We are taken from the fundamentals of astronomical imaging, low- and high-resolution spectroscopy, and polarimetry up to the state-of-the-art technology in adaptive optics and laser guide stars, image pattern recognition, and optical, near and mid infrared arrays. This timely volume provides an essential reference for all astronomers using these large telescopes.

Review:

"...covers the range of current instrumental technology and analytical techniques...providing excellent coverage." Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada

"...the book contains useful presentations of the state of the art in astronomical observing, and should benefit a wide range of readers, from students to amateur astronomers, engineers and researchers." Antoine Labeyrie, Transport in Porous Media

About this edition

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0521582911
• ISBN 13: 9780521582919
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 340
• Editor: Espinosa Jose M. Rodriguez, Herrero Artemio, Sánchez Francisco