Practical work in astronomy at elementary and intermediate levels presents a difficulty for teachers. Unlike laboratory sciences, astronomy does not easily lend itself to bench experiments. Astronomical photographs supply an answer; they show what celestial objects actually look like, and are at the same time capable of being used to set problems relevant to the course work. In these exercises, good quality prices of first class original photographs, most of them taken with the UK Schmidt Telescope, are reproduced. The photographs are negatives (black images on a clear background), as used by astronomers in their researches on which objects can be identified and classified, their dimensions measured or their numbers counted. By a suitable choice of subjects a range of problems may be tackled. To use the photographs effectively requires only the most basic equipment, such as rulers and protractors. Though the methods are simple, they are in principle the same as those used by astronomers with their more elborate equipment. It is assumed that students have a knowledge of astronomy at the level of a normal first year college course or that they are currently attending such a course. 12 topics have been chosen. Each topic is briefly introduced, and enough additional information is given with each exercise to produce a satisfactory result. Solutions are also provided. The exercises are to a large extent independent in that it is not necessary to do them in succession, though they have been arranged to follow approximately the sequence of most elementary and intermediate college textbooks. A modest level of mathematics is required, specifically the use of logarithms and of simple trigonometrical functions. A knowledge of physics beyond the general descriptive level of standard elementary astronomy textbooks, is not called for. Spectroscopy does not form a part of the programme of the exercises, except as a means of finding motions. The standard international (SI) system is used throughout for data and conversions.
