Fundamentals of Stargazing

Deep Sky Tours – April

You continue touring some excellent deep-sky objects this month with a look at more open star clusters and few superb double stars, which are surely are underappreciated objects for visual observers in this age of digital imaging. As a slightly more challenging sight, you learn to find a planetary nebula, a glowing cloud of gas ejected by a dying m...

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Sky Tours (South) – April

Filed Under: Fundamentals of Stargazing

This month’s tour of the southern night sky takes place in two parts. First, you look towards the northern horizon to continue a look at the constellations of the zodiac, the constellations that mark the ecliptic and the plane of the solar system. The Moon, Sun, and planets are always found along the zodiac, so it pays to know these stars. These an...

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Sky Tours (North) – April

Filed Under: Fundamentals of Stargazing

You continue the tour of the northern night sky with a look at three more constellations along the ecliptic: Gemini, Cancer, and Leo. And you learn how to find the two long and faint constellations Lynx and Hydra. The PDF notes contain maps and descriptions of the main stars of these constellations. At the bottom of the page you will find a PDF of ...

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Solar System Observing – Layout of the Solar System

Filed Under: Fundamentals of Stargazing

In this month’s look at the solar system, you learn about the geometry of the solar system and how it affects our view of the planets as they, and we, continue our constant Newtonian fall around the Sun. After this section, the wanderings of the planets across the heavens will never again be a mystery for you. You also get a look at the retrograde ...

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Stargazing Tools – Evaluating the Night Sky

Filed Under: Fundamentals of Stargazing

Cloudy nights are all bad for stargazing. But not all clear night are the same. Some are better for observing the Moon and planets, others are better for seeing faint galaxies and nebulae. After this short lesson you will know how to tell the difference between the two. This will help you plan your stargazing sessions, use your time more efficientl...

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