Choosing and Using a Refracting Telescope Author:Neil English Publisher: Springer ISBN: 978-1-4419-6402-1 Price: £ 35.99 (Pb), 284pp
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Dr Neil English is no stranger to the astronomical community or indeed Astronomy Now. His knowledge of telescope optics is highly respected, and here he endeavours to lay down all his knowledge in a concise and thorough manner. He opens the book with a wonderful overview of the history of the telescope, which differs from the usual run of the mill Galileo and Harriot rehash in that it follows through with more information on the evolution of the telescope after its momentous beginnings. This chapter alone would make, if expanded, an excellent reference for any student of telescope history.

He then moves deftly through the various types of refractor, starting with the humble achromat, uncovering the truths about false colour with remarkable clarity and augmented by clearly understandable tables. It almost turns into a manual for how to make the perfect telescope. Covering baffling and Strehl ratios, this is a perfect reference for anyone testing a refractor or even writing magazine reviews on them. The short tube achromat, much loved by autoguider users, is then shown to be a powerful tool in its own right. Neil covers a wide range of popular models with no fear of uncovering defects in both these and their longer focal length cousins.

He makes no secret loving TAL's telescopes, but justifies it with well-documented insights into how he tests all of the telescopes. Large aperture and antique telescopes are covered in the same detail as well as the apochromats that are in such common use. There’s even time for a discourse on the sports optics range but it's the chapters on the ‘elite’ refractors – the triplets and the quad elements – that both inspires if you don't have one, and warms your heart when you realise that you own one of the finest pieces of optical machinery ever made.

Covering such legendary telescopes as the TEC140, the AP130 and the APM revamp of my own TMB105 f/6.2, makes this book something you really want to own, as it's a guide not only to what is achievable by anyone with modest equipment, but also what to aspire to. Thoroughly recommended.

Nick Howes