Astronomer pens beginners book

Steve Arnold, who is a mechanical engineer by trade, has had his new book Getting Started in Radio Astronomy published by New York-based Springer Publishing.

Mr Arnold has been studying radio astronomy for 10 years and believes the pursuit is the best subject to turn to for an expanded knowledge of the sky.

He said many books on the subject are unnecessarily complicated and full of jargon that can be off putting.

“The aim of my book is to dispel the myth that radio astronomy is difficult.

“It would have been great for there to have been more books like this when I was starting out ten years ago.

“A lot of radio astronomy books are full of maths and unnecessary jargon so I wanted to write one that was more accessible for all.

“It is ideal for those who are starting out as an introduction to the subject,” He said.

The book contains four easy-to-build radio astronomy projects for readers who have no prior experience in radio astronomy and electronics.

It also has an introduction to and brief history of the science behind the pursuit.

Mr Arnold, of Coopers Rise, is a keen astronomer in his spare time and as a member of the NASA radio Jove project, The Standford Solar center, The British Astronomical Society and The Society for Popular astronomy, he was approached to write the book as a self-taught expert.

Mr Arnold added: “Radio astronomy is a way of beating the weather.

“It doesn’t matter if it is cloudy because you can do it all the time, it is about listening to what’s happening in space rather than seeing it.”

Getting Started in Radio Astronomy is available to buy on Amazon and direct from Springer Publishing.