SPECTROSCOPY 

INTRODUCTION

EQUIPMENT

RESULTS

LINKS

 

RESOURCES

 

A personal selection of  resources for amateurs specifically interested in making useful scientific spectroscopic observations which I have found particularly useful.

 

Forums

 

ARAS (French and English) The leading international forum for amateurs doing spectroscopy at a Pro-Am level

http://www.spectro-aras.com/forum/ 

 

VdS  (mainly in German with some English)

Mainly high technical discussions

https://forum.vdsastro.de/viewforum.php?f=38

 

BAA The forum for BAA members and those submitting spectra to the BAA database

https://britastro.org/forum/143

 

QUASAR (Italian)

http://quasar.teoth.it/forums/viewforum.php?f=22

 

 

Websites

ARAS

http://www.astrosurf.com/aras/

Gives a good overview of what amateurs are capable of but for the latest work see the ARAS forum

 

BAA

https://britastro.org/node/19378

Some good resources for the beginner to advanced amateur looking to do spectroscopy at a Pro-Am level.  Boyd's "Scientific Analysis of Amateur Spectra" gives a good overview of the complete process to produce research quality spectra.

The BAA also maintains a database of amateur spectra

https://britastro.org/specdb/

 

Christian Buil   

http://www.astrosurf.com/buil/index.html

The one stop shop for everything spectroscopic from arguably the world leading amateur spectroscopist

 

Francois Teyssier

http://www.astronomie-amateur.fr/

Many useful and interesting resources, particularly  the "low resolution spectroscopy observer's guide" and the reference star finder spreadsheet here http://www.astronomie-amateur.fr/ProjetsSpectro0.html

(Teyssier also publishes the ARAS "eruptive star newsletter")

 

 

My Spectrographs

PH manufacturer of the Star Analysers

https://www.patonhawksley.com/

 

Shelyak manufacturer of the ALPY and LHIRES III 

https://www.shelyak.com/?lang=en

 

 

Books

 

Spectral Atlas for Amateur Astronomers, Richard Walker

https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/spectral-atlas-for-amateur-astronomers/32126CD730EBA49238F9318C16B90523

A comprehensive  compendium  of annotated spectra taken using amateur equipment

 

Successfully Starting in Amateur spectroscopy, Francois Cochard  

https://www.shelyak.com/produit/dc0029-spectroscopy-practical-guide/?lang=en

 

Understanding Variable Stars, John Percy

https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/understanding-variable-stars/8363B48D96BA232AFD620C50E274C430

An excellent  book on variable star rather than specifically spectroscopy

 

Kaler Stars and their Spectra

https://www.cambridge.org/gb/academic/subjects/physics/astrophysics/stars-and-their-spectra-introduction-spectral-sequence-2nd-edition?format=HB&isbn=9780521899543

 

Gray and Corbally. Stellar Spectral Classification

https://press.princeton.edu/books/paperback/9780691125114/stellar-spectral-classification

The modern  "bible" of stellar spectroscopy

 

 

Software I use

ISIS - the software I use to produce most of my spectra. Comprehensive and efficient, written by an expert amateur spectroscopist

http://www.astrosurf.com/buil/isis-software.html

 

Visual Spec  many useful analysis tools and can also be used to process spectra (Valerie Desnoux also publishes the ARAS Be star newsletter)

http://www.astrosurf.com/vdesnoux/

 

Plotspectra an excellent plotting program by amateur Tim Lester

http://www.spectro-aras.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1596

link to latest version here

http://www.spectro-aras.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=51

 

BACK TO ASTRONOMY HOME