Lunar Explorations - The Moon In Plain English

By:   Laurence Waite
Imprint:   Alison Waite
Dimensions:   Height: 216mm,  Width: 140mm,  Spine: 8mm
Weight:   168g
ISBN:   9798227361424
Pages:   138
Publication Date:   22 July 2024
Audience:   General/trade ,  ELT Advanced
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active

Venturing out to a remote property under the vast Australian sky sparked a transformative journey for me over a decade ago. Captivated by a spontaneous photograph taken one starlit night from around a campfire, the pull of the stars took hold. From those humble beginnings with a pocket digital camera, my passion for photography and astronomy began to unfold. Driven by an insatiable curiosity, I spent countless nights over several years sometimes travelling hundreds of kilometres each night searching for that perfect shot. That perfect shot for me at the time, was capturing a night landscape or subject in the foreground and our Milky Way in one photograph. Photography introduced me to the fundamentals and intricacies of capturing light post-and-processing techniques, from learning the three pillars of photography (shutter speed, aperture, and ISO) to the value of a good tripod, a wide-angle lens, and a remote shutter release. Transitioning into astronomy, telescopes and eyepieces replaced the traditional camera lens and my attention was drawn from earthly subjects to entities within the cosmic expanse. Now, I can unearth and capture craters on the moon, stars, nebulas, galaxies, and planets. Yet, with each discovery, I'm humbled by the vastness of the universe, realising that the more I learn, the more questions I have. The convergence of these passions is a time-consuming hobby that gets me out of the house, usually to some dark, lonely, remote location, and for a few hours gives me the sense that the night sky is all mine, yet my existence is almost insignificant. Today, I continue to chase the clarity of night skies, finding solace in capturing the timeless elegance of nebulas, galaxies, stars, and planets, all whilst usually accompanied by our celestial neighbour. With over a decade of observing and photographing the night sky, my journey is a testament to the transformative power of curiosity and our affinity with the cosmos. The intricate details of our lunar neighbour are just as fascinating, mysterious, and mesmerising, as all the other celestial bodies. Over the last few years, I have learnt to appreciate the moon and its importance to us. I often look at and photograph the moon, which makes me wonder even more each time. It is these experiences, that inspired me to create this book and share my admiration.