Urban Astronomer: A Practical Guide for Observers in Cities and Suburbs

A complete guide for the amateur astronomer living in an urban or suburban center. The Urban Astronomer If you think a trip to the country is necessary to observe celestial objects, take a second look. Viewing the sky from an urban location can be just as fun and educational -- if you know how to go about it. The Urban Astronomer shows amateur and more advanced astronomers the best ways and times to observe celestial objects from a city or suburban environment. Complete with detailed illustrations, The Urban Astronomer:
* Shows readers how to overcome the special problems of viewing the sky from cities and suburbs, such as light pollution
* Describes in detail those objects most easily viewed from a city location
* Includes many sky activities that can be enjoyed by novice and experienced urban astronomers
* Provides helpful tips and checklists for preparing your own stargazing outing
* Covers objects for naked-eye observation as well as those that need binoculars or telescopes and describes the best equipment for the urban stargazer

Designed for amateur astronomers living in or near large urban centers. It offers a comprehensive and thorough discussion of astronomical observing, including the observation of our nearest neighbors in the heavens as well as those farther away--some constant and some only appearing every hundred years or so. Topical coverage includes discussions of the problem of seeing the night sky in cities, the wonders of naked eye astronomy, the ``seeing'' instruments necessary for observation in an urban setting, planning an observing session in a city park and looking at the moon, planets, spacecraft, meteorites, comets, solar and lunar eclipses, unusual phenomena such as variable and double stars and the sun. The final chapter stresses the importance of astronomy as an invaluable educational tool and presents a number of projects that can be performed by the urban amateur astronomer.