Includes index.

Bibliography: p. [270]-272.

Many years ago amateur astronomers made observations of equal quality to professionals and hence could participate in the intellectual challenge of ad-vancing• our knowledge of the universe. Throughout most of this century, how-ever, the cost and complexity of telescopes and instruments have generally precluded their contribution. With the advent of home computers and relatively cheap electronics, the pendulum has swung back and the time is now ripe for amateurs to join their professional colleagues in the excitement of discovery.
Getting the Measure of the Stars airs to bridge the gap between the dedicated amateur and the fully fledged professional, who both seek to understand the nature and evolution of the stars. The first part explains, in terms accessible to the layperson, how and why some stars have varying brightness, and what this variation can tell us about their physics and structure. The authors go on to discuss how to make brightness measurements, either by the unaided eye or by using photoelectric photometers. The accuracies of the various methods are discussed and the limitations on projects are described. The final section describes possible projects, the observations required, and what these would do to enhance our understanding of the stars and the Solar System.
The authors combine a great deal of theoretical and observational expertise in this book. Getting the Measure of the Stars is a vital source of reference for those wishing to maximize their enjoyment and advantage from the use of small telescopes.