Stellarium

[Greg48(newbe)]

On Stellarium,in the location window, if you look for your city/area it will tell you the latitude you'd be looking for to set the latitude on your scope,,but you all probably know that it will be handy for newbies who what to know what to set their latitude too,,just taught i'd post this if it helps any1,,, Greg:blob8:

[Probablynot]

If you've got a 1:25000 Ordnance Survey map of your area, it's easy. They indicate latitude very clearly and precisely down each side of the map. You just locate yourself on the map, and calculate your own latitude from it.

For example, suppose your house is located a third of the way across the map, counting from the left. And the map shows 52°28'20"N (at your latitude) down the left side, and 52°08'32"N down the right side. Your latitude is 52°08'24"N. Give or take a second.

Most scales of OS maps carry the same information, though obviously the larger scale maps are less precise.

[Tinker1947]

Google Maps show Long/Latitude when you click on the satellite image of you home.

[Probablynot]

You're right, Tinker, but it took me ages to find it!

What you have to do is - zoom in on the Google map until you can see your house (or other location where you want to set up your scope.

Then RIGHT-click over that location. And from the options you get, you select 'what's here'.

A green pointy-down arrow appears, pointing at your selected location.

And when you put your cursor on that arrow, it gives you your precise latitude and longitude.

HTH

[Islander]

Once you've picked up the decimal Long/Lat from Google maps, you can convert it into DMS Long/Lat using this site:

GPS Coordinate Converter, Maps and Info

[brantuk]

I use this site. Just put the end of the pointer line anywhere in the world and it will give you a read out in both decimal and degrees, mins, secs. Very accurate and you can zoom right in to your back yard with it:

Lat - Long Finder: This page helps you find Latitude and Longitude

(It's combined with google)

[DaveBolton]

If you have an iPhone you probably have the free compass app which came bundled when you bought the phone. That also shows the latitude and longitude along the bottom line. This will be very useful if out in the field somewhere. I've just checked this information against brantuks LatLong finder, above, and they both give the same information. There must be similar app's for android devices too.

[rory]

all in all, stellarium has been as important to me as a novice as my telrad ,as my sky atlas and turn left at orion. and it was FREE ! such a brilliant bit of kit.