First time in dark sky

[staffop]

Went to Brecons on weekend for first time with my first ever scope.  Even with naked eye the sky was amazing, but maybe toooo amazing. I realised that apart from the Plough i couldn't really recognise any of the other constellations due to the plethora of stars. I had Turn Left at Orion and had hoped to see Albireo but couldn't make out the summer triangle to help triangulate. Is there an easy way to buff up my recognition skills?

Also, and this is equally due to being a  doofus, i had the July sky map that is included with Sky at Night which i thought could be helpful. However i realised it's meant to be used by holding it above ones head which proved difficult. I wanted to use it on a table with a red torch so i could work out where i was but doing it this way meant the constellations were flipped on the page and east/west wasn't right - any hints on how to address this would be much appreciated!

Thanks all

[brantuk]

When you are looking/facing due south, then east is on the left and west on your right. North is immediately behind you. So in the magazine - keep south at the bottom of the page then when you lift it over your head everything will be correct. Just ensure you are facing south when you do so. Hth

[staffop]

Thanks Brantuk, it was as much the fact i think i'd prefer to use the space map on a table - are flipped versions available, or am i just being daft?

Also, is there a simple (child's?) book for learning how to spot/name constellations?

[brantuk]

I've not seen flipped versions of the sky map - but that doesn't mean they don't exist. I wouldn't know any kids books but sure they are out there.

Have you downloaded Stellarium yet? It's free planetarium software that is indispensable for finding constellations, the ecliptic, meridian, planets, and any other object you care to look for. You can input your home coordinates and see the sky over your area in real time 24x7x52. It's a must have and dead useful for constellation spotting.

If you learn the sky at your location just taking in one or two constellations per week over a year - you'll have no problem in the field and won't need a book or map (which is only going to get dewed up and wet anyway lol). I say a year cos that helps you to recognise the seasonal orientation and movement of constellations in the sky. Don't forget to always start your session facing south.

Otherwise I'd say google images of any constellation then pop outside and see if you can spot it.

[scarp15]

Do you have a planisphere? If so learn to use and set this at home and study the constellations at a given time of the month. Then perhaps get to the dark site and sit down, orientate yourself to face South with the planisphere and take time to absorb what you are seeing. The constellations will click into place, being under a dark sky is always very exciting if a little confusing.

[faulksy]

the first time i went to brecon area, which was elan to be exact i couldnt believe the difference it was like thousands or jupiters everywhere

some great advise above

[gnomus]

...

Have you downloaded Stellarium yet? It's free planetarium software that is indispensable ....

Agreed ... Or Sky Safari for your iPad -which unfortunately isn't free, but is excellent.

[staffop]

I've not seen flipped versions of the sky map - but that doesn't mean they don't exist. I wouldn't know any kids books but sure they are out there.

Have you downloaded Stellarium yet? It's free planetarium software that is indispensable for finding constellations, the ecliptic, meridian, planets, and any other object you care to look for. You can input your home coordinates and see the sky over your area in real time 24x7x52. It's a must have and dead useful for constellation spotting.

If you learn the sky at your location just taking in one or two constellations per week over a year - you'll have no problem in the field and won't need a book or map (which is only going to get dewed up and wet anyway lol). I say a year cos that helps you to recognise the seasonal orientation and movement of constellations in the sky. Don't forget to always start your session facing south.

Otherwise I'd say google images of any constellation then pop outside and see if you can spot it.

Thanks Brantuk, Stellarium sounds like a good plan. Why face south - my back garden is pretty much restricted to west!?

[staffop]

Agreed ... Or Sky Safari for your iPad -which unfortunately isn't free, but is excellent.

I thought of something like this whilst out but thought it might affect my vision so tried to keep to red light and book. I think i might sacrifice some vision for a bit and try it though as at least i'll know what i'm looking at!

[Ruud]

... I couldn't really recognise any of the other constellations due to the plethora of stars. I had Turn Left at Orion and had hoped to see Albireo but couldn't make out the summer triangle to help triangulate. Is there an easy way to buff up my recognition skills?

You could try sunglasses to bring down the number of stars you can see. Any patterns in the brighter stars would become more obvious then.

[gnomus]

I thought of something like this whilst out but thought it might affect my vision so tried to keep to red light and book. I think i might sacrifice some vision for a bit and try it though as at least i'll know what i'm looking at!

Sky Safari has a night sky mode that should avoid destruction of night vision.

[brantuk]

If you start your sessions facing south you'll see the natural motion of the stars from east (left) to west (right). It's not actually the stars rising and setting but rather the Earth rotating beneath them.

Also - the planets move along the ecliptic from east to west and as soon as a couple of them are up you will be able to trace an imaginary line in the sky right in front of and above you from east to west. You get the longest time viewing objects to the east as they rise, traverse the zenith, and set in the west.

All this is good orientation and you soon realise how time is working on Earth. For example the best views of objects are when they're high in the sky away from the horizon. So you can estimate what time they're coming up to the meridian (the highest point). You can of course look anywhere in the sky - and it's always good to find the pole star in the north - the meridian goes through it.

[brrttpaul]

Where in brecon did you go I was up there on Friday night?  there is an excellent place comfortable viewing and relatively safe just above the brecon visitor centre. have added a pic this is looking NE ish towards Brecon

[Paul73]

Great report. It sounds. Bit odd to hear stargazers complaining about too many stars. We've all been there. It takes a while to get used to. Herculese is the one that I still have to think about when it is good and dark. The distinctive square seems to disappear.

I'm another Sky Safari Pro fan. £15 well spent. Stelarium is good (and free or vertually free), but Sky Safari is Better. Use them like massively detailed zoomable maps.

Paul

[brrttpaul]

I have never had much luck with phone apps except for polar finder, I think its because its a windows phone, I tried a sky map on it spent the night waving the phone around in the air , anyone that saw me must have thought i was nuts

[PHIL53]

Maybe you could try and start with a little map I had drawn for absolute beginners.

Still it requires you are able to recognize the Plough in Ursa Major...

It is all a question of linking constellations to one another...

ALLINEAMENTI GRAN CARRO.pdf

[bingevader]

Do you have a planisphere?

These are fab.

Cheap on Astroboot too!

Much better than all this techno, electrical gizmo stuff.

No batteries, no windows/apple/android apps.

Totally compatible with all 'scopes, goto or otherwise!

You do use it above your head, but is meant to be used that way, same as all the apps, like all things, it gets easier the more you use it.

[acey]

I've been observing for years and I can't recognise all the constellations. I don't need to - I can read a map. But I can recognise a lot from having gradually got used to the sky over time. Trying to learn the whole lot at once sounds a bit like London taxi drivers doing the "knowledge", learning ever street by going round on scooters (do they still do that? I guess they use GPS now).

Most people (99 per cent) manage fine with a planisphere, star map or app, showing the sky as it would look if you held the map over your head. If you find that impossible and need the map to be left-right reversed you could try using a mirror. But if you just concentrate on the part of sky towards the southern horizon you only need to hold the map in front of you, and over the course of a year you'll see nearly all of the constellations above your horizon. For the remaining part you just spend a bit of time looking towards Polaris and learning the circumpolar constellations.

But ask me to identify Lynx and Camelopardalis without a map and I'll be scratching my head. Nice if you can do it, but not essential.

[staffop]

If you start your sessions facing south you'll see the natural motion of the stars from east (left) to west (right). It's not actually the stars rising and setting but rather the Earth rotating beneath them.

Also - the planets move along the ecliptic from east to west and as soon as a couple of them are up you will be able to trace an imaginary line in the sky right in front of and above you from east to west. You get the longest time viewing objects to the east as they rise, traverse the zenith, and set in the west.

All this is good orientation and you soon realise how time is working on Earth. For example the best views of objects are when they're high in the sky away from the horizon. So you can estimate what time they're coming up to the meridian (the highest point). You can of course look anywhere in the sky - and it's always good to find the pole star in the north - the meridian goes through it.

Thanks Brantuk. all great advice

[staffop]

Where in brecon did you go I was up there on Friday night?  there is an excellent place comfortable viewing and relatively safe just above the brecon visitor centre. have added a pic this is looking NE ish towards Brecon

Great pic! I was at Llanthony Priory which is just on the edge of the Brecons. I realised it wasn't ideal as it was in a small valley which obscured the north and south horizons (though it did have a pub which was nice!)

[staffop]

Maybe you could try and start with a little map I had drawn for absolute beginners.

Still it requires you are able to recognize the Plough in Ursa Major...

It is all a question of linking constellations to one another...

Many thanks - plough i can do !

[Garethr]

I love it when we complain about LP and then too many stars.

I have the same problem when we go to devon for our annual Holliday stargazing. I look up and don't have a clue which direction I'm looking in and can't pick any constellations for love nor money. Thank goodness for goto. .

Gareth.

[staffop]

Thank god it's not just me! Not got a goto but appreciate how useful it could be now!

[LukeSkywatcher]

My 1st trip to a dark sky location was the very same as the OP. There were so many stars visible that i found it impossible to navigate my way round. Every star looked like a planet.

I was seriously overwhelmed by the view. I was so out of my comfort zone that it wasnt even funny. The added pressure of a family member asking me where the "Dog Star" was did not help. How was i to know he meant Sirius. 

[ronin]

Yes under a dark sky quite a lot of the constellations "disappear". :eek:

The nice usually obvious Cassiopeia is swallowed up, forget trying to find Cygnus, Lyra is on the edge but really only Vega is bright enough to stand out the rest of Vega gets lost and Aquila with Altair is another in the galactic plane.

As you said The Plough is the one that is still fairly easy to locate (eventually) as it is outside the galactic plane.

Light pollution does have advantages. :grin: :grin: