Astronomical Spectroscopy for Amateurs
Ken M Harrison
Introduction to Spectroscopy
1.0 Early Experiments in Spectroscopy
Webpages
http://home.vicnet.net.au/~colmusic/clario2.htm
2.0 History of Astronomical Spectroscopy
Webpages
http://messier.obspm.fr/xtra/Bios/huggins.html
http://www.fraunhofer.de/en/about-fraunhofer/joseph-von-fraunhofer/
http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k30204.image.f623
3.0 Theory of spectra
Webpages
http://astrosurf.com/buil/us/spe2/hresol4.htm
http://spiff.rit.edu/classes/phys301/lectures/comp/comp.html
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4.0 Prisms, Gratings and Spectroscopes
Webpages
http://ioannis.virtualcomposer2000.com/spectroscope/amici.html#diagram
http://www.noao.edu/noao/noaonews/jun98/node4.html
5.0 Types of Spectroscopes
Webpages
http://www.cfai.dur.ac.uk/old/projects/dispersion/grating_spectroscopy_theory.pdf
http://bass2000.obspm.fr/solar_spect.php?step=1
http://www.horiba.com/scientific/products/optics-tutorial/diffraction-gratings/
http://refractiveindex.info/index.php?group=SCHOTT&material=NSF2&wavelength=0.4
http://www.regulusastro.com/regulus/spectra/index.html
http://zebu.uoregon.edu/spectra.html
http://nedwww.ipac.caltech.edu/level5/ASS_Atlas/frames.html
http://outreach.atnf.csiro.au/education/senior/astrophysics/spectra_astro_types.htm
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http://laserstars.org/spectra/index.html
http://fermi.jhuapl.edu/liege/s00_0000.html
http://spectroscopy.wordpress.com/instruments/
http://www.peripatus.gen.nz/Astronomy/SteCla.html
http://las.perkinelmer.com/content/TechnicalInfo/TCH_Raman400EchelleSpectro
graphs.pdf
SECTION II –Obtaining and analyzing spectra
6.0 Setting up the spectroscope
Webpages
http://www.starrywonders.com/ccdcameraconsiderations.html
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7.0 Using Spectroscopes in the converging beam.
Webpages
http://astrosurf.com/aras/staranalyser/userguide.htm
8.0 Using gratings in a collimated beam
Webpages
www.rigelsys.com
9.0 Reflection grating spectroscopes
Webpages
http://www.televue.com/engine/page.asp?ID=42
http://eq-mod.sourceforge.net/
http://ascom-standards.org/
http://www.stargazing.net/astropc/
http://www.skywatchertelescope.net/swtinc/product.php?class1=3&class2=304
http://www.socastrosci.org/2008%20papers/2008SASc..27..103C_Paper.pdf
10.0 Cameras and CCD’s
Webpages
http://www.licha.de/astro_article_ccd_sortable_compare.php
http://www.astrosurf.com/buil/iris/tutorial5/doc17_us.htm
http://astrosurf.com/aras/lhires_flat/flat.htm
http://www.stark-labs.com/craig/articles/assets/Debayering_API.pdf
http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=2042
http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=1973
http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=1966
http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=2001
http://www.eaas.co.uk/news/astrophotography_resources.html
http://tech.dir.groups.yahoo.com/group/ccdnewastro/files/CCDCalc%20Install%20Files/
http://home.arcor.de/l.schanne/Einsteiger/Flats/flats_e.htm
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11.0 Processing Spectra
Webpages
http://www.sc.eso.org/santiago/uvespop/bright_stars_uptonow.html
http://deepskystacker.free.fr/english/index.html
http://www.astronomie.be/registax/
http://astrosurf.com/aras/spiris/spiris.htm
http://astrosurf.com/aras/spiris_en/spiris_en1
http://www.astrosurf.com/vdesnoux/
http://www.astrosurf.com/buil/us/iris/iris.htm
http://astrosurf.com/buil/iris/tutorial10/doc27_us.htm
http://www.eso.org/sci/data-processing/software/esomidas//midas-overview.html
http://iraf.noao.edu/
12.0 Amateur Spectroscope Projects
Webpages
http://fermi.jhuapl.edu/liege/s00_0000.html
http://astrosurf.com/jpmasviel/unpeudescience/saf_ohp_spectro_comete.pdf
http://basebe.obspm.fr/basebe/Accueil.php?flag_lang=en
http://www.peripatus.gen.nz/Astronomy/Index.html
http://www.hposoft.com/EAur09/EAurSpectRef.html
http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1958JRASC..52..169H
http://www.amsmeteors.org/spectro.html
http://members.shaw.ca/epmajden/index.htm
http://www.eyes-on-the-skies.org/shs/
http://www.astrosurf.com/cieldelabrie/sphelio.htm (In French)
http://www.spectrashift.com/
http://www.tomkaye.com/astronomy_extrasolar_planets.shtml
http://www.webbdeepsky.com/wperiodical/article117.pdf
http://www.astroman.fsnet.co.uk/quasars.htm
http://www.astrosurf.com/~buil/us/spe6/quasar.htm
http://www.hposoft.com/EAur09/EAurSpectRef.html
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/home/51804622.html
http://www.threehillsobservatory.co.uk/astro/spectra_40.htm
http://www.astronomie-amateur.fr/feuilles/CV/SS%20Cyg.html#obs
http://astrosurf.com/buil/sn2009/spectra.htm
http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/supernova//SNarchive.html
http://www.lesia.obspm.fr/perso/jean-marie-malherbe/papers/setup.pdf
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http://www.unitronitalia.it/baader-dados/dados.htm
http://www.shelyak.com/
http://astrosurf.com/thizy/lhires3/index-en.html
http://www.samirkharusi.net/spectrograph.html
http://astrosurf.com/buil/filters/curves.htm
http://www.astronomie-amateur.fr/Projets%20Spectro1.html (In French)
Section III – Spectroscope design and construction
13.0 Introduction
Webpages
http://spectroscopy.wordpress.com/2009/05/22/slitpinhole-flux-calculator/#more525
http://www.astroman.fsnet.co.uk/needle1.htm
http://www.cfai.dur.ac.uk/old/projects/dispersion/grating_spectroscopy_theory.pdf
http://www.solarphysics.kva.se/LaPalma/spectrograph/spectrograph.html
http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu//full/1895ApJ.....1...52W/0000052.000.html
http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu//full/1995ASPC...71...18S/0000018.000.html
http://www.astr.ua.edu/keel/techniques/spectra.html
14.0 Objective prism/ grating spectroscopes
Webpages
http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/~rhill/spect/spect.html
http://www.iop.org/EJ/article/1538-3881/134/3/1072/205206.text.html
15.0 Other Prism spectroscopes
16.0 Transmission grating spectroscopes
Webpages
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http://www.astrosurf.com/buil/staranalyser/obs.htm
http://astrosurf.com/buil/us/spe1/spectro1.htm
http://users.erols.com/njastro/faas/articles/west01.htm
http://www.britastro.org/iandi/gavin02.htm
http://www.burwitz-astro.de/spectrographs/index.html
http://www.regulusastro.com/regulus/papers/grism/index.html
17.0 Reflection grating spectroscopes
Webpages
http://www.astro-reinecke.org/html/spectroscopy.html
http://mais-ccd-spectroscopy.com/
http://www.starlink.rl.ac.uk/star/docs/sg9.htx/sg9.html#stardoccontents
http://www.astroman.fsnet.co.uk/newspec.htm
http://www.spectrashift.com/spectrographs_high_reso.shtml
http://www.lightfrominfinity.org/gli_strumenti.htm
http://www.telescope-service.com/baader/adaptors/adaptors.html#Large
http://www.surplusshed.com/pages/item/m1570d.html
http://www.surplusshed.com/pages/item/l2047d.html
http://www.etsu.edu/PHYSICS/aas190/aas190.htm
http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu//full/1979PASP...91..149S/0000149.000.html
http://www.stsci.edu/hst/stis/documents/isrs/199823.pdf
http://www.astrosurf.com/rondi/spectro/index.htm
http://www.astrosurf.com/aras/bareges/bareges_en.htm
http://mechse.illinois.edu/research/glumac/astro/astro.html
http://www.chara.gsu.edu/CHARA/Reports/appendixy.pdf
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6628383.html
http://www.itpa.lt/~laroma/nordforsk2008/Lectures/EchelleDataReduction.pdf
18.0 Guiding, OAG and Beam splitters/ Flip mirrors
Webpages
http://www.opticsplanet.net/vixen-flip-mirror.html
http://www.surplusshed.com/pages/item/pm1063.html
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Appendixes
Appendix A
Suppliers of spectroscopes and accessories
Star Analyser Grating:
AVA ASTRO CORP, DBA – Adirondack Video Astronomy
72 Harrison Avenue
Hudson Falls, NY 12839 USA
http://www.astrovid.com/prod_details.php?pid=3490
Paton Hawksley Education Ltd
Rockhill Laboratories, Wellsway, Keynsham
Bristol, BS31 1PG U.K.
http://www.patonhawksley.co.uk/staranalyser.html
Rainbow Optics Star Spectroscope
RAINBOW OPTICS
2116 Regent Way
Castro Valley, CA 94546
http://www.starspectroscope.com/
SGS and DSS-7 Spectroscopes
Santa Barbara Instrument Group
147-A Castilian Drive
Santa Barbara, CA 93117
http://www.sbig.com/sbwhtmls/spectrometer2.htm
http://www.sbig.com/sbwhtmls/online.htm
Shelyak Lhires III
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Shelyak Instruments
Les Roussets
38420 Revel
France
http://www.shelyak.com/
Baader Dados Spectrograph
Baader Planetarium
Zur Strenwarte
D-82291 Mammendorf Germany
http://www.baader-planetarium.com/
Rigel Systems
Rigel Systems
26850 Basswood Avenue
Rancho Palos Verdes
CA 90275 USA
http://www.rigelsys.com/
QMax Spectrograph
Questar Corp.
6204 Ingham Road
New Hope, PA 18938 - USA
http://www.questarcorporation.com/spectro1.htm
Gratings
Optometrics .
8 Nemco Way
Stony Brook Industrial Park
Ayer, MA 01432 USA
http://www.optometrics.com/
Paton Hawksley (See above)
ThorLabs Inc.
Thorlabs - Newton, New Jersey
435 Route 206 North
Newton, NJ 07860
USA
http://www.thorlabs.de/
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Newport Corp.-(Richardson Gratings)
705 St. Paul St, Rochester, NY 14605 USA
http://www.newport.com/products/overview.aspx?sec=124&lang=1033
Prisms
Optometrics (See above)
Edmund Optics Inc
101 East Gloucester Pike,
Barrington, NJ 08007-1380 USA
http://www.edmundoptics.com/
Surplus Shed
1050 Maidencreek Road
Fleetwood, PA 19522
http://www.surplusshed.com/
Entrance Slits
Surplus Shed (See above)
Shelyak Instruments (See above)
Lennox Laser
12530 Manor Road
Glen Arm, MD, 21057
http://www.lenoxlaser.com/
Lenses and mirrors
Surplus Shed (See above)
Edmund Optics (See above)
Thorlabs (See above)
electroluminescent panels
http://www.earlsmann.co.uk/ELPanels.htm
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Appendix B
Useful Spectroscopy Forums
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/astronomical_spectroscopy/?yguid=32261242
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http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/amateur_spectroscopy/?yguid=322612425
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Iris_software/?yguid=322612425
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/spectro-l/?yguid=322612425
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/staranalyser/?yguid=322612425
http://spektroskopie.fg-vds.de/
http://www.astrospectroscopy.de/
Other websites
http://www.threehillsobservatory.co.uk/astro/spectroscopy.htm
http://astrosurf.com/buil/us/book2.htm
Appendix C
Selected bibliography
The following books are also available on the web for download at
http://www.archive.org/ . They give a wonderful insight into the early years of
spectroscopic development.

“The Spectroscope and its work” – Richard A Proctor, 1888

“The Spectroscope and its applications” – J Norman Lockyer, 1873

“How to work with the Spectroscope” – John Browning, 1882
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
“Sir William Higgins and Spectroscopic Astronomy” – E W Maunder,
1913
Olivier Thizy ( Shelyak) has also prepared a “recommended” reading list:

http://www.shelyak.com/en/links.html
Appendix D
Springer Extra Materials
The Extra Materials can be accessed through:
http://extras.springer.com/
Springer customers can search the extra materials by ISBN (please make sure you
enter the full ISBN including hyphens).
Yahoo Technical Support Group
A support group dedicated to assisting amateurs in astronomical spectroscopy
has been set up by the author.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/astronomical_spectroscopy/?yguid=32261242
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Membership of this group is open to any interested amateur and provides an
ideal forum in which to raise questions on any and all aspects of spectroscopy.
There are many files available in the “knowledge base” covering spectroscope design and construction as well as the practical aspects of spectral imaging and subsequent analysis. Spectrum images are regularly uploaded to assist the novice and
there are many experienced amateurs who are only to willing to discuss any problem you may have as you move up the learning curve.
Any corrections and or amendments to this book will be published on the Astronomical Spectroscopy forum. See you there……