Telescope Reviews: A Modest Announcement

Thanks for the kind words, folks!

Just one word of "caution": Those of you who have been hanging onto the wise words of the likes of Ed and Bill over the years may not find that much that you didn't alrady know in the book.

(Not trying to reduce sales, but to introduce "reality"...

)

@ Kenny: According to Springer, UK publication will be "up to 5 weeks" after USA publication, which was meant to be 2006 December 01. Should be available from Amazon.co.uk and the other "usual suspects" for astro books.

@ John: The whole thing took about 30 months from conception to birth. It was meant to be a tad less (my other books each took about 18 months), but a few things got in the way. Specifically: Springer moving control of the Practical Astronomy series from London to NY during the process, me lacerating a hand and being unable to type, pushing back things by a few months, negotiation on cover illustration.

Springer are open to ideas for astro books. If you have an idea, you can make contact via their web site and take it from there. You'd need to submit a proposal and probably a sample chapter or two if you don't have a "record" of being able to write. Once you agree, you sign a publishing agreement, which is the contract of who undertakes to do what, etc.

Most of the illustrations in the book are my own drawings or photos (you submit line drawings and an artist will make them of "publishable" quality). I used Guide v8 for the finder charts (it's software I've used for years, so am familiar with it). Other photos come from manufacturers (e.g JMI, Starchair, etc.) and from folk on these forums (specifically Florian Boyd, John Burns, Gordon Nason, Craig Simmons, Rob Teeter -- thanks, guys!). In each case, written permission to publish should be obtained.

When the whole lot is finished, the manuscript is submitted (disk ar hard copy) and copy-edited. This is intended to (a)pick up typos, grammatical errors, etc. and to render everything into "house style" for printing (subheading styles, etc.). Also, because of the Lon -> NY move, my UK English had to be translated into US English. Author then checks copy editor's amendments. Then it's typeset, and the page proofs have to be checked. (Errors should be picked up at the copy-edit stage, but there are inevitably some howlers that make it through to page-proofs; I hope I picked them all up!). The covers and cover-blurb is agreed, then it's printed and, finally, you have a book!

In my experience, Springer have been very supportive and are first class people to work with.

A long answer, John -- I hope it tells you what you wanted to know).

--------------------
Stephen

Hindsight: The only truly diffraction-limited system