observation checklist

[boborange]

HI,

Im just starting to check off a few planets and messiers and wondered if there is a check list of sorts that you can update once you have observed them and also to give new astronomers like myself targets to go for rather than just the obvious planets etc.

thanks

[Demonperformer]

It very much depends on what your equipment is, the conditions in which you are observing (esp LP) and (probably most important) where your interest lies.

A couple of thoughts for the week ahead:

28th 0305-0340: Jupiter, GRS visible with Io transit and shadow transit

30th-2nd: Mars passes through M44

OK, they are both 'planet' suggestions, but I would call them 'planet+'. With some details of your interests and facilities, could probably be a bit more helpful.

HTH

[Ian123]

Grab yourself the pocket sky atlas and that will give you plenty of object's to look for and observe and you could print out one of these to keep a record of your observations.

[boborange]

thanks for your replies, im bit of a beginner so the sort of checklist your were recommending demonperformer is a bit beyond me and my capabilities and probably my scope.

At the moment i happy just to find the object i want to find which is harder than it looks sometimes and to get it in focus let alone transits etc.

Im really just looking for a list of planets, messiers DSO etc either that i can print or even better can fill out on my laptop as i always have it when viewing as i use stellarium.

cheers

[Moonshane]

this is a good site with maps for all the Messier list objects.

Messier Maps

[umadog]

Demon's suggestions are will within your abilities, I would think. Just point the scope at Jupiter at the right time and "Bingo!"--shadow transit. Similar for Mars. No big deal.

I think the best thing you could do is get hold of a copy of Turn Left at Orion.

For software, I use SkyTools3. It may be over-kill if you've just started, though.

[Demonperformer]

OK. This site will allow you to input your location, date and time you want to observe, and type of object you are interested in, together with how difficult you want it to be.

Tonight's Sky Main Page

Have a play and if you have any questions about any type of object listed, a quick question on here will give you the answer.

FWIW, I would suggest that, as a beginner living in london, you start with things like Planets, Double stars, star groups and open clusters - all of which tend to be easier to see than galaxies and nebulae. Finding asteroids can be fun, but you need a star map to know that you have found them. There is also a comet (Elenin) that is predicted to get quite bright (for a comet!) in the morning sky in October.

HTH