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Beginner's Guide to Observational Astronomy

Explore the basics of observational astronomy with essential tips on choosing equipment, finding optimal viewing locations, and identifying celestial objects. Discover podcasts, interactive tools, and terminology to enhance your stargazing experience.

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Beginner's Guide to Observational Astronomy

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  1. Observational Astronomy Basics Palm Coast Astronomy Club September 29, 2008

  2. Visit Club’s Website • http://whittsearthscience.tripod.com/astronomy.htm

  3. Helpful Items • Sky Map/Chart - http://www.skymaps.com/ • Compass • Red Light-flashlight w/red plastic wrap or red lens • Sketch Pad or checklist of objects to view • Binoculars- 7 x 50 • 7 refers to magnification • 50mm is the diameter of the 2 objective lenses • Telescope-buy good quality or use binoculars

  4. Things to Do • Find a suitable location • Avoid city lights=light pollution • Join International Dark Sky Association (IDA)

  5. Things to Do • Find a suitable location • Avoid city lights=light pollution • Broad view of sky (avoid tree lines & tall buildings) • Poor air quality- • Objects twinkle due to poor air conditions • Solution-high altitude or dry region • Arrive early to set up-can be difficult to set up in the dark • Be familiar w/brightest objects for that month

  6. Plan for Comfort • Folding Chair • Drink • Bug Spray • Light Jacket

  7. Viewing the Night Sky • Allow your eyes to adjust to the darkness • Look for the brightest objects-planets, constellations, and moon-use star map • Use a red light so your eyes stay dark adapted • As the sky becomes dark, brightest stars appear first • Stars vary by season unless polar stars

  8. Viewing the Night Sky (cont.) • Stars in the west “set” soon after they appear. • Rising stars in the east appear to move across the sky towards the west • Easy objects to recognize: • Orion, the hunter • Big Dipper • Cassiopeia • Pleiades or Seven Sisters

  9. Orion, The Hunter Shape of hourglass with 3 bright stars on the belt

  10. Big Dipper Pointer Stars-draw an imaginary line from 2 stars that make up the edge of the bowl to find Polaris.

  11. Cassiopeia • Five Bright Stars • Looks like “W” in the spring • Looks like “M” in the fall • Across the pole from Big Dipper

  12. M45-Pleiades-Seven Sisters

  13. Little Dipper & Polaris

  14. Objects to View Now • This Week at a Glance- http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/ataglance • September Viewing http://astronomy.libsyn.com/ • Space.com Viewing http://www.space.com/spacewatch/sky_calendar.html

  15. Podcasts • Audio presentations you can download to your computer or mp3 player • Listen to a guide of the night sky at your computer or in your earphones • Monthly Podcast- Astronomy Go Gohttp://astronomy.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=373572 • Listen to October Tour-AOL http://aolradio.podcast.aol.com/nightsky/nightsky_podcast071001.mp3 • Sky & Telescope Podcast-http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/highligh ts

  16. Interactive Night Skies • Interactive Night Sky • Free open source software you can download • http://www.stellarium.org/ • Interactive Sky Chart- http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/skychart/

  17. Terms to Know • Apparent Magnitude-how bright the object appears to us from Earth • The lower the number, the brighter the star

  18. Estimating Distance in Degrees • Two full Moons edge-to-edge = 1 degree. • The tip of your pinkie finger on outstretched arm = 1 degree • Outstretched fist (from thumb to little finger) = 10 degrees.

  19. Recording What You View • Lunar 100-http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=4706 • Messier Catalog http://seds.org/messier/data3.html • Messier’s Marathon Observers Form-http://seds.lpl.arizona.edu/messier/xtra/marathon/marath1.txt

  20. Go Outside & Look Up!!

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