High-Resolution Astrophotography

J. Dragesco (trans. Dr R.J. McKim)

Cambridge University Press, 1995 – ISBN 0-521-41588-8 – pp.xiv + 158 – £24.95 (hardback)

Reviewed by R.W. Arbour : Journal of the British Astronomical Association, 106 (1), 45 (1996)

It is a popular misconception that film-based astrophotography is obsolete, having been totally replaced by digital electronic technology. High Resolution Astrophotography goes a long way to demonstrate that photographic emulsions are still alive and kicking strongly. However, it must be said that CCDs greatly improve the chances of securing a good image with an average amateur instrument and mediocre seeing conditions. The amateur is now able to produce results that rival the best of those using film-based technology with much less effort and more chance of success.

What, then, is the purpose of a book largely devoted to a process that is more difficult and time-consuming, but which achieves similar results? The photographic emulsion may eventually be totally superseded by CCD technology, but the instrumentation, ancillary equipment and methods by which an image is secured on the detector surface, as described in this book, will remain essentially unchanged.

Jean Dragesco has a world-wide reputation as a leading lunar, planetary and solar photographer, and is well respected by the professional community. He has used the great refractors at Meudon and Lowell observatories to obtain planetary photographs that have been described as some of the best Earth-based photographs ever taken.

The main chapter topics are: the effects and control of atmospheric and instrumental turbulence; the merits of various telescope optical designs and mountings; photography at the telescope; methods of enlargement, exposure times, filters and photographic emulsions; film and print processing; photographing the Sun in white light and H-alpha; the Moon, measurement of resolution obtained; and high-resolution planetary photographs in black-and-white and colour.

The book contains a wealth of information obtained from the experience of the author and several other top exponents of the subject, such as Donald Parker, Isao Miyazaki, Georges Viscardy, and our own Terry Platt. One chapter I particularly liked contained short biographies and photographs of past, present and possible future leading high-resolution specialists, giving the reader an insight into the human aspect of the observer.

High-Resolution Astrophotography is very hard to criticise, so I shall not attempt to do so. Personally, I should have liked to see more on reducing tube currents by total tube enclosure and fans as recommended by Texereau, light baffling for Newtonians, and more on reducing vibration.

Richard McKim’s translation from Jean Dragesco’s original script is excellent, and so is the style, unlike much of the recent spate of American ‘astronomy is easy’ books which are written for the lowest common denominator. This is a book that is suitable for observers of all levels. The photographic reproductions are numerous and of excellent quality, making the observer reassess his/her observations and be inspired to improve the results. There can be little doubt that High Resolution Astrophotography will become the standard work for amateurs, and perhaps a later edition will contain more information on CCDs, and especially image processing of Solar System objects.

I was very impressed with this book, and can thoroughly recommend it to all those interested in the subject.