observational astronomy basics
DESCRIPTION
Observational Astronomy Basics. Palm Coast Astronomy Club September 29, 2008. Visit Club’s Website. http://whittsearthscience.tripod.com/astronomy.htm. Helpful Items. Sky Map/Chart - http://www.skymaps.com/ Compass Red Light-flashlight w/red plastic wrap or red lens - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
![Page 1: Observational Astronomy Basics](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022051518/56816016550346895dcf1926/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Observational Astronomy Basics
Palm Coast Astronomy ClubSeptember 29, 2008
![Page 2: Observational Astronomy Basics](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022051518/56816016550346895dcf1926/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Visit Club’s Website• http://whittsearthscience.tripod.com/astrono
my.htm
![Page 3: Observational Astronomy Basics](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022051518/56816016550346895dcf1926/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
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
![Page 4: Observational Astronomy Basics](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022051518/56816016550346895dcf1926/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Things to Do• Find a suitable location– Avoid city lights=light pollution– Join International Dark Sky Association (IDA)
![Page 5: Observational Astronomy Basics](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022051518/56816016550346895dcf1926/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
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
![Page 6: Observational Astronomy Basics](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022051518/56816016550346895dcf1926/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Plan for Comfort
• Folding Chair• Drink• Bug Spray • Light Jacket
![Page 7: Observational Astronomy Basics](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022051518/56816016550346895dcf1926/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
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
![Page 8: Observational Astronomy Basics](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022051518/56816016550346895dcf1926/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
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
![Page 9: Observational Astronomy Basics](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022051518/56816016550346895dcf1926/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
Orion, The HunterShape of hourglass with 3 bright stars on the belt
![Page 10: Observational Astronomy Basics](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022051518/56816016550346895dcf1926/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Big DipperPointer Stars-draw an imaginary line from 2
stars that make up the edge of the bowl to find Polaris.
![Page 11: Observational Astronomy Basics](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022051518/56816016550346895dcf1926/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
Cassiopeia
Five Bright Stars•Looks like “W” in the spring•Looks like “M” in the fall•Across the pole from Big Dipper
![Page 12: Observational Astronomy Basics](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022051518/56816016550346895dcf1926/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
M45-Pleiades-Seven Sisters
![Page 13: Observational Astronomy Basics](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022051518/56816016550346895dcf1926/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
Little Dipper & Polaris
![Page 14: Observational Astronomy Basics](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022051518/56816016550346895dcf1926/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
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
![Page 15: Observational Astronomy Basics](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022051518/56816016550346895dcf1926/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
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 Go
http://astronomy.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=373572
– Listen to October Tour-AOLhttp://aolradio.podcast.aol.com/nightsky/
nightsky_podcast071001.mp3 – Sky & Telescope
Podcast-http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/highligh ts
![Page 16: Observational Astronomy Basics](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022051518/56816016550346895dcf1926/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
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/
![Page 17: Observational Astronomy Basics](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022051518/56816016550346895dcf1926/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
Terms to Know
• Apparent Magnitude-how bright the object appears to us from Earth
• The lower the number, the brighter the star
![Page 18: Observational Astronomy Basics](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022051518/56816016550346895dcf1926/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
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.
![Page 19: Observational Astronomy Basics](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022051518/56816016550346895dcf1926/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
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
![Page 20: Observational Astronomy Basics](https://reader033.vdocuments.mx/reader033/viewer/2022051518/56816016550346895dcf1926/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
Go Outside & Look Up!!