By Dr. James R. Dire Dr. James Dire has an M.S. in physics from the University of Central Florida and a M.A. and Ph.D. from The Johns Hopkins University, both in planetary science and is an associate provost at Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Spring, N.C., and a professor of physics […]
Joshua Bury’s latest version of his iOS astronomy observation planning app, Observer Pro 2.1, is available in the Apple App Store. New updates to the app include: – The Featured list is now much more useful: your location, local horizon, and the current lunar phase are now used to provide […]
Although satellite imagery of Earth may seem an unlikely subject for a magazine devoted to astro tech, we thought you might appreciate notice of this new service, nonetheless. After all, Earth is a planet, too! Within just a few decades, planetary research progressed from Earth-based telescopes, to flyby and orbiting […]
By Gary Parkerson, Managing Editor Astronomy Technology Today If you live on the mainland U.S., and you are at all like me, you’re already counting the seconds until the August 21, 2017, total eclipse of the Sun … as in, there is literally a countdown timer in the corner of […]
By Douglas Bullis Douglas Bullis has lived all over the world in search of perfect skies. He finally retired in the arid Karoo highlands of South Africa, one of the three or four darkest regions in the world. After a forty-year career writing books about business, world cultures, art, and […]
With each new advancement in the technology available to amateur astronomers, the line between amateur and professional – already barely distinguishable – is further blurred. There may be no better example than the feats of the Backyard Observatory Supernova Search (with the enviable acronym, “BOSS”). Boss represents an amateur collaboration […]
The SBIG STXL series is a high performance astro imaging platform supporting large format CCD sensors. It includes support for self-guiding filter wheels, and the AO-X adaptive optics accessory. The STXL-11002M uses the popular 35 mm, 11 megapixel KAI-11002 sensor. The STXL-16200 is a 16 megapixel, APS format camera. The […]
Field Tested Systems was established by Tom Field in 1995 to work directly with leading STEM educators, curriculum experts and scientists to create learning tools that are both effective and economical. Its latest product, a Periodic Table of Spectra, is a prime example of its focus on education. The table […]
Unihedron SQM-LU-DL: The names Unihedron and have become synonymous with measurement of sky brightness. Indeed, it’s hard to imagine a Sky Quality Meter tool that has had greater impact on quantification of local light pollution. Unihedron’s original SQM set the standard and has since evolved into a comprehensive range of […]
3D printing, or additive manufacturing, has the potential of revolutionizing every industry whose products incorporate physical components, by delivering mass customization and eliminating cost-prohibitive set up and production complexity. It was only a matter of time before the benefits of 3D printing were deployed in the manufacture of custom telescopes […]
By Mark Zaslove Mark Zaslove is a two-time Emmy Award winner and recipient of the coveted Humanitas Prize. Mark is a born-again astro noobie, who once had an Optical Craftsman scope as a kid, and is now recapturing his youthful enthusiasm (with a digital twist) and having a lovely time […]
By Gary Parkerson, Managing Editor of Astronomy Technology Today Telescope Support Systems’ website describes the company as, “… founded by a pair of guys who live and breathe astrophotography. Between us, we have over 40 years of experience. While we currently shoot with CCDs and DSLRs, a peek in our […]