Practical Astronomy with your calculator Author: Peter Duffett-Smith Publisher: Cambridge University Press @ London, New York, Syndey, et al. Published: 1981 Comments: Contains good explainations easily worked on a calculator. Mathematical Astronomy with a Pocket Calculator Author: Aubrey Jones FRAS Published: 1978 Publisher: David & Charles @ Newton Abbot and London Comments: Contains many programs for HP 67 or HP 41 calculators. Astronomical Formulae for Calculators Author: Jean Meeus, Vereniging voor Sterrenkunde Belgium Publisher: Willman-Bell, Inc., P.O. Box 3125, Richmond, VA 23235, USA (804) 320-7016 Published: 1982 Comments: The title is a misnomer unless you consider a HP-85 a calculator. Formulae are presented not programs. If you are interested in astronomy, you ought to get this publisher's catalog. Astronomical Tables of the Sun, Moon, and Planets Author: Jean Meeus, Vereniging voor Sterrenkunde Belgium Publisher: Willman-Bell, Inc., P.O. Box 3125, Richmond, VA 23235, USA (804) 320-7016 Published: 1983 Comments: This book is 'companion volume' to the previous book giving computed results. Low-Precision Formulae for Planetary Positions in 'The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series *41*, 391-411' Author: T.C. Van Flandern and K . F Pulkkinen Publisher: The American Astronomical Society by University of Chicago Press 5801 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637, USA Published: November 1979 ess Comments: A how-to-compute 'cookbook'. 'This paper gives low-precision (1') formulae for geocentric and heliocentric positions of the Sun, Moon, and planets, which are valid for any epoch within 300 years of the present.' Textbook on Spherical Astronomy Author: W. M. Smart, revised by R. M. Green Publisher: Cambridge University Press (see above) Published: 1980 (1st ed. 1931) Comments: Textbook. Good for a beginner. College freshman math. Considered a classic reference. Sometimes used in a graduate level course. Orbital Motion Author: A. E. Roy Publisher: Halsted Press John Wiley & Sons @ New York, Chichester, Brisbane, et al. Published: 1980 (1st ed. 1931) Comments: Advanced textbook. Starts out at a low enough level that an advanced undergraduate can follow it. Spherical Astronomy Author: Edgar W. Woolard and Gerald M. Clemence Publisher: Academic Press @ New York, San Franciso, London, Syndey et al. Published: 1966 Comments: Advanced reference. Very complete discussions. Methods of Celestial Mechanics Author: Dirk Brouwer and Gerald M. Clemence Publisher: Academic Press @ New York, San Franciso, London, Syndey et al. Published: 1961 Comments: Advanced reference. Very complete discussions. Introduction to Orbital Mechanics Author: Franz T. Geyling and H. Robert Westerman Publisher: Addison-Wesley @ Reading MA, Menlo Park CA, London et al. . Published: 1971 Comments: Advanced reference. Includes discussions of spheriod, light pressure and magnetic field effects on Earth satellites. This book is currently out of print. Theory of the Motion of the Heavenly Bodies Moving about the Sun in Conic Sections Latin title: Theoria Motus Corporum Coelestium in Sectionibus Conicis Solem Ambientium Auctore Author: Karl Friedrich Gauss, translated by Charles Henry Davis Publisher: Dover Publications, Inc. @ New York Published: 1963 (reprint of Little, Brown & Co. edition of 1857) Comments: Reference book. Shows how to compute orbits from observations. Considered a classic reference. It is somewhat hard to follow. Computational Spherical Astronomy Author: Laurence G. Taff Publisher: John Wiley & Sons @ New York, Chichester, Brisbane, et al. Published: 1981 Comments: Textbook. Good for a beginner. College freshman math. Intended for engineers and other such users. Almanac for Computers (numbered by year) Publisher: Nautical Almanac Office, United States Naval Observatory, Washington, DC 20390 Published: yearly Comments: Very high precision Chebyshev short term (e.g. 1 month) formulae suitable for hand calculator (programability is nice but not really necessary). American Practical Navigator (2 vols) Author: originally Nathaniel Bowditch, LL.D. 1773-1838 Publisher: (United States) Defense Mapping Agency Hydrographic Center Published: 1977 (1st Vol) 1975 (2nd Vol) Comments: Textbook. Very good for a beginner. Elementary school math. Intended for seaman with about 8th grade education. Teachs the why's, how's and needed mathematics to work astronomical problems associated with navigation. The second volume contains the necessary tables. The Astronomical Almanac (numbered by year) Publisher: Nautical Almanac Office, United States Naval Observatory, Washington, DC 20390 & Her Majesty's Nautical Almanac Office, Royal Greenwich Observatory, East Sussex, BN27 1RP, England Published: yearly Comments: Reference tables with some text. Can be ordered from: 1. Superintendent of Documents, US Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402 2. Her Majesty's Stationery Office, P.O. Box 569, London SE1 9NH, England Explanatory Supplement to the Astronomical Ephemeris and the American Ephemeris and Nautical Almanac Publisher: Nautical Almanac Office, United States Naval Observatory, Washington, DC 20390 & Her Majesty's Nautical Almanac Office, Royal Greenwich Observatory, East Sussex, BN27 1RP, England Published: 1961 Comments: Reference. Title describes relationship to The Astronomical Almanac described above. Can be ordered from: 1. Pendragon, 2595 E. Bayshore Road, Palo Alto, CA 94303, USA 2. Her Majesty's Stationery Office, P.O. Box 569, London SE1 9NH, England Fundamentals of Astrodynamics Authors: Roger R. Bate, Donal D. Mueller, and Jerry E. White Publisher: Dover Publications, Inc. @ New York Published: 1971 Comments: Used by the United States Air Force Academy. The book contains "cookbook" procedures for various orbital computations: for example: orbital position, orbits from observations, change of orbit given various consideration, and intercept in orbit. Special cases and "watch-out-for"s are discussed in detail. ------ The following books are not directly concerned with ------ Mathematical Astronomy; but they do contain related material. Algorithms for RPN Calculators Author: John A. Ball Publisher: John Wiley & Sons @ New York, Chichester, Brisbane, et al. Published: 1978 Comments: Primarily a book showing how to write good tight algorithms for RPN calculators. It does contain several algorithms related to geodesy and astronomy. The Christian Calendar and the Gregorian Reform Author: Peter Archer, S.J. Publisher: Fordham University Press @ New York Published: 1941 Comments: Primarily a study of the Christian luni-solar calendar and of its Geogorian correction. This is the most complete discussion of the Christian calendar that I have able to find in English. The Cyclopedia of Religion and Ethics (I do not have with me a complete reference to this work.) Comments: This cyclopedia a number of detailed descriptions of the various religious calendars. There are many other good reference books. Randolph J. Herber, Amdahl Systems Engineer, ..!ihnp4!{ihlpa|yclept}!rjh, c/o IH 6X213, AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL 60566, (312) 979-6553 or AT&T Cornet 8-367-6553,