Telescopes, How It Works

A children's format nonfiction book describing the types and uses of various telescopic instruments.

Grade 5-6--Two books that feature full- color photos and paintings, an easy text supplemented by comparatively long explanatory captions, and simply put information. Bender is specific about many kinds of Telescopes and the dif ferences among them; he also discusses how large telescopes are mounted, how computers assist in deciphering astro nomical data, and special problems en countered by astronomers who want to study neutrinos or the sun. Except for a confusingly crowded cutaway of a re flecting telescope at the beginning, plus occasional filler, the illustrations are clear and useful. Graham skims through lasers (and their use in indus try, medicine, and war) and holography at a more superficial level; statements such as "wounds can be healed without using bandages and stitches" raise questions rather than answers, and readers get no specific explanations of various applications. Unhelpful illus trations include many unintelligible clo seups and under-labeled schematics. Telescopes will effectively deepen col lections that already own Couper and Henbest's Telescopes and Observa tories (Watts, 1987); Lasers and Holo grams makes an up-to-date but less sig nificant companion to Barrett's work of the same title (Watts, 1985).
-John Pe ters, New York Public Library
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.