Star Clusters and How to Observe Them

✍ Scribed by Mark Allison FRAS (auth.)

• Publisher: Springer-Verlag London
• Year: 2006
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 218
• Series: Astronomer’s Observing Guides
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Star clusters are among the most spectacular objects for amateur astronomers to observe and image. They represent the beginning, the present and the future of the universe, from sparse open clusters containing only a dozen stars, to giant globular clusters, each replete with a million suns.

Part one of this detailed book provides a comprehensive review of star clusters – including open, globular, extragalactic, and even cluster remnants – along with their evolution and physics.

Part two is about observing. The larger clusters can be observed through the most basic equipment – normal binoculars or budget telescopes – but Mark Allison talks about instrumentation and accessories, for observers from beginner to expert. Finally there is an observing guide and a comprehensive observing list for a wide range of telescope apertures.

This one book provides all you need to observe star clusters, and to understand the many and varied objects that fall under this classification.

✦ Table of Contents

Front Matter....Pages 1-1
Stars: The Ingredients of Star Clusters....Pages 3-8
The Milky Way: Home to Star Clusters....Pages 9-12
Open Clusters....Pages 13-24
Globular Clusters....Pages 25-37
Stellar Associations....Pages 38-42
Asterisms....Pages 43-45
Extragalactic Clusters....Pages 46-55
Cluster Remnants....Pages 56-59
Misfits and “Nonexistent” Clusters....Pages 60-65
Front Matter....Pages 67-67
Instruments....Pages 69-76
Equipment and Accessories....Pages 77-83
Observation Planning and Resources....Pages 84-91
Observing Guide and Techniques....Pages 92-100
Imaging and Recording Objects....Pages 101-109
Comprehensive Observing List....Pages 110-194
Catalogues and Cluster Data....Pages 195-198
Postscript....Pages 199-199

✦ Subjects

Astronomy; Popular Science in Astronomy