Shoot the Moon

Nicolas Dupont-Bloch Cambridge University Press £24.99 PB There are many books about astrophotography, and many more about the Moon. But there are few that combine the two, and none that does it this well. This guide moves from the extremely simple (holding your smartphone up to a telescope eyepiece) through to the eye-wateringly complex, by way of sensors, image formats and processing techniques. The author’s experience shines clearly through his prose, his images and the many tips that he shares: his idea of a DIY focusing lever instead of an expensive microfocuser, for example. Another worthy suggestion is to create a negative image to better highlight ray systems. The book is littered with such observations.

Yet there is no escaping the fact that this is a rather technical book. The complexity of the content and the inclusion of numerous equations, graphs and process diagrams will no doubt appeal to experienced astronomers or astrophotographers, but will be less attractive to those just starting out.

That said, the book also provides a delightfully comprehensive overview of lunar features and phenomena, from mountains and maria to mascons and pyroclastics, which will no doubt be of interest to beginners or those looking to brush up on their lunar knowledge. There are also suggestions of specific observing targets, along with an explanation of how each of these can be imaged to best effect.

If you are new to astronomy or astrophotography, you would be better off by starting with something more basic. But if you are a keen lunar observer looking to start imaging, or an astrophotographer looking to take things to the next level, this is the book for you.

SIMON PERKS is a science writer and a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society