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How to find things?

peter12

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peter12

peter12

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Ok so never done astronomy and I know no constellations ( being honest lol) but my son is interested and at 4 too young to read up.

I'm busy so have little time to read. So what I'm asking is.. is there an app or available easy to use map that will enable those of us short of time for research, to look in the right direction??

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peter12

peter12

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I use, amongst other things, the google sky app. Also use sky chart. Neither are particularly great but I get what I need.

Both free and available on apple and android.

Same app name on both stores?

The online map sounds good too ty guys

Are these options better than a little hard copy map?

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C7tsj

C7tsj

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I find the phone apps pretty poor if I am honest and would definitely prefer a hard copy. The good thing about the phone apps, at least, is you can turn on the night time function and scan the sky.

Think they have the same name in each store but the more I think about it perhaps the google app is not available from iTunes? You know what Google and apple are like with competition these days.

Mark

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Steve91

Steve91

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When I first started getting interested in astronomy I was advised to download stellarium. There really couldn't of been a more helpful tool for me, I spent hours in the evenings just looking around and zooming in and out looking at the names of things and shapes etc, then going out into the garden and locating them, was a great feeling :)

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peter12

peter12

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Stellar i'm is for the pc? My pic screen is right by my garden windows so could spin screen around and use my wireless mouse from garden :)

Idea of an app seems good tho as it will tell me what I'm looking at right by pointing camera at it?

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Steve91

Steve91

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Stellar i'm is for the pc? My pic screen is right by my garden windows so could spin screen around and use my wireless mouse from garden :)

Idea of an app seems good tho as it will tell me what I'm looking at right by pointing camera at it?

Yes Stellarium is for the PC, and good idea with the mouse :p

I've used a few apps for phones now, don't get me wrong they do work but I find them very hard to translate into real terms when looking upwards. I find them useful if for example I see a bright star in the sky and wonder what it is, but for learning the constellations, planets, nebula and overall location of things in the sky there's no better tool than Stellarium. I found it to be simple enough for beginners but very concise and useful no matter what level you are at.

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Steve91

Steve91

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It's definitely worth a try, I just find it translates very well to what I can see from my back garden. I mean there is obviously sky charts and various other more complicated programs out there but when your just a beginner trying to learn what is what you cant beat it.

Good luck :)

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Langy

Langy

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Stellarium is ideal on the PC as you can use this during the daytime too, just change the viewing time and see what is in the sky when it is dark.

A phone app can be handy as if you are unsure of something when you are out, you can point the phone to the sky, often freeze the screen and tap on the object to see what it is.

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Tiny Small

Tiny Small

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Same app name on both stores?

The online map sounds good too ty guys

Are these options better than a little hard copy map?

The problem with a hard copy map is that the sky not only moves, but changes day by day, week by week and month by month. It is also MASSIVE. Star charts are useful (I use them all the time) but they only deal with a small area of the sky so you need lots of charts. You can buy planetariums that will do what you want in a hard copy, but Stellarium does take a lot of beating. Especially considering its free. You can also get it fro the ipad though you have to pay for the app and it's nowhere near as good as the pc program.

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guiseppe

guiseppe

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As others have said, Stellarium is a superb piece of software and it's 100% free. Other than that, I use Google Sky Map, which is helpful but a bit wonky when you move it around. Still, it's hard to argue with a price of nothing.

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ronin

ronin

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Get a nice easy to read book and go out and learn the assorted constellations.

You do not need that many, I suppose I know around the 15 mark but it is a lot easier then picking up and switching on a phone and going through all the motions.

It is a strange world, many will say don't use a goto you don't learn the sky, but then say get an app to do it for you.

The Plough (asterism) and Casseiopia are easy, they lead you to Andromeda, Perseus, Little Plough and Leo, At present Orion is sort of obvious. There is 5 already.

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peter12

peter12

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I suppose the issue is I do enjoy planets but it's really for my son. I would do almost anything to nurture his interests but I am busy so difficult when it comes to research.

8 think best option is the stellarium

Maybe a book when he's older he can read through

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Tinker1947

Tinker1947

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Books are fine for when your inside, i have recollections of getting all kitted up to keep warm then having to take my gloves off to open a book, turn over a page in a plastic wallet, youngsters learn very fast, Stellarium on the inside and he will be picking up constellations, Stars ect on the outside just from memory..... 

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cotterless45

cotterless45

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Best start off recognising each constellation and where it is in regards to others. Then you'll note new ones that appear as old friends disappear.

Each constellation will then give the star names and locations and a few of the brighter Messiers.

Then you can delve a bit deeper into the hidden dark sky.

I started off with a red torchlight and the centre of S@N . This will set you up and you should soon get a grip of it all with patience.

I've been to star parties where folks have spent too much on GOTO gear, but were unable to recognise constellations by eye.

It's like swimming, just paddle around in the shallows, before you jump in at the deep end,

Nick.

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