Build your own telescope

These books give two quite different perspectives on astronomical instru mentation. Infinite Vistas , based most ly on a series of public lectures, con sists of 11 chapters by professional astronomers on major new astronomi cal instruments under construction, planned, or hoped for. From radio waves to gamma rays, they cover the full range of the electromagnetic spec trum, summarizing recent progress, de tailing planned new equipment, and ex plaining research problems to be resolved in the future. Individual con tributions are well written and fit to gether unusually well to form a coher ent treatise. Given the key role of instrumentation in the dramatic pro gress of 20th-century astronomy, the volume provides an exciting peek at the next two decades. Readers do not need advanced training to enjoy this work, although some prior knowledge of as tronomy and physics might be useful. Berry's book contains detailed in structions for amateurs wishing to con struct small optical telescopes. It pro vides photographs and plans for five specific telescopesfour reflectors of differing sizes and styles and one re fractor. Several other chapters explain telescope construction and general use. The author is an experienced construc tor of, and writer on, telescopes. Both books are recommended for public and academic libraries. Jack W. Weigel, Univ. of Michigan Library, Ann Arbor (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.