Some basic help please

[Ray02]

Hey everyone, im totally new here and i got interested in stargazing. I read some things about how to start but could anyone advice me what i should do at first? That would be great. Thanks

Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

[Littlelegs]

Hi like you I am new to stargazing , have had a lot of help on the welcome page with what to read but like you where do you actually start!!

Best wishes

[Ray02]

Yep i have no idea.

Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

[Stu]

Well one place to start would be by joining a local astronomy society or going along to one of the many outreach events that clubs put on.

You could also use a pair of binoculars and a planisphere to start learning the sky before deciding to invest in a telescope.

There are plenty of planetarium apps around for tablets and smartphones too, plus you can download Stellarium free onto your PC to help you find your way around up there.

[Ray02]

I will check for societies here but im not sure if there will be any, so i thought ill come here for some help

Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

[Ray02]

So the first thing i should do is study about stars, their names and etc?

Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

[happy-kat]

Perhaps with a pair of 8x42 or 10x50 binoculars ( I went for the lighter former) and a planispere. Learning the constellations will set you up for looking deeper later with a telescope.

Book I like Turn Left at Orion and monthly newsletter from Binocularsky delivered via email.

I need to Carry on learning the constellations as it really helps find stuff or even use a computerised mount.

[Stu]

I will check for societies here but im not sure if there will be any, so i thought ill come here for some help

Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

Absolutely Ray, there is plenty of help available on SGL. Perhaps you can be a little more specific about what you would like to do? Are you at a stage where you would like to buy a scope? What are your interests likely to be, visual astronomy or would you like to take images?

Whereabouts are you? Perhaps someone will be able to point you towards a club nearby.

Keep asking questions though

[Phil Fargaze]

Get to know the constellations, the characters they depict and the myths.

The night sky is a wonderful tapestry. Then you can start to look a little deeper.

[Ray02]

Well now I live in Lithuania, I study here. And my interests would be more likely visual astronomy if its about studying the stars and etc. Big thanks though

Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

[Ray02]

By the way I've checked some planispheres but could you recommend something specific what would be better for me aa a beginner? I wont buy a telescope yet. I have a pair of binoculars but i will need to check how far you can see with them. I also read that i need to read some books or newsletters to get to now the sky, would you have any recommendations as well? Sorry for so many questions, im very interested

Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

[Dave In Vermont]

Hello! I'll help you find Stellarium which is a very large planetarium software-program. You set it to your location in Lithuania, and it will show you a very realistic picture of your sky. Daytime and nighttime - or show it dark as night all day. You can easily program this program to show you what you like - such as stars, planets, galaxies, etc. Or more advanced features such as satellites crossing your sky. It's an excellent program that will give you star-charts of your sky tonight - or in 1,000 years from now! Anything you want. Equivalent programs can cost upwards of £200 - and this is all yours for FREE.

Here you go:

http://www.stellarium.org/

 

And there is a user's manual on-line (follow the directions on the download site). As well as one you can download and read at your own pace:

 
http://barry.sarcasmogerdes.com/stellarium/stellarium_user_guide-new.pdf

 

The on-line manual is here:

 

http://www.stellarium.org/wiki/index.php/Stellarium_User_Guide

And we are honoured to have one of the developers here as a member.

So this should get you started in learning your way, and so much more!

Enjoy & May your skies be clear,

Dave

[Ray02]

Ok I will thanks

Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

[Stu]

Ok. Have a look at this thread. It seems we have a few members in Lithunia. You could try a pm to them to see if they have any local knowledge that's helpful. The link is in the first post.

http://stargazerslounge.com/index.php?/topic/71580-Where-are-we-all%3F

https://www.zeemaps.com/map?group=810658

In terms of planispheres, the best known one is the Phillips one which should be fine.

http://www.philipsastronomy.com

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/1849071888/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1444026456&sr=8-1π=SY200_QL40&keywords=philips+planisphere&dpPl=1&dpID=61QFPIFqI0L&ref=plSrch

A pair of 7x50 or 8x42 binoculars will show you plenty. You won't see planets as anything other than small disks or dots, but under a dark sky they will show you open clusters, globular clusters, star asterisms (basically interesting patterns of stars) and the brighter galaxies such as M31 (The Andromeda Galaxy) and several more such as M81 and 82. You will also see the Great Orion Nebula M42 when it starts to rise earlier.Under a very dark sky the North American Nebula is quite possible.

Plenty to see with Binos.

This is also a very useful reference site:

http://www.binocularsky.com

Cheers,

Stu

[Ray02]

Thanks a lot for the help!!! I will check everything out but what books should i read about stars and etc?

Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

[brantuk]

Stars are very interesting - google the "life cycle of a star" and you can learn a lot of basics about them. But to look at they are just points of light in the sky and hold little fascination for an observer unless caught in a specific configuration (eg open or globular clusters).

There's a lot of other things up there that are more fun to find and observe (eg galaxies, nebulae, clusters, double stars, star nurseries, etc). Check out the "Messier Objects" list for a start - the Nasa Apod site is great for this: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/messier.html- you get a picture of the object and a good description of it (distance from Earth, how it was formed, what it does, which constellation it's in, etc).

As mentioned above - download Stellarium and configure it for your location. Then you are set for finding out where all the interesting objects are. They're usually within a particular constellation so memorise the constellation shape, go outside with your bins, and see if you can see it and spot objects that interest you - or at least spot where they are found.

Be prepared for a little frustration at first - finding stuff is a skill that takes time to learn and is significantly affected by weather. Learn about "the seeing", the ecliptic (for path of planets), the meridian, the pole star (and  how to find it), celestial coordinates, right ascension and declination, the spin of the Earth, and movement of the night sky as Earth spins.

After a few sessions with the bins you'll be ready to start thinking about equipment and scopes and should have a first  idea of what you want to do with astronomy. Then come back here and ask any questions that arise naturally. Hth

[Ray02]

So i just installed the stellarium. I think I know how to use it: how to change the location, time, different modes and etc. But theres one question. So basically if i go to one place to look at stars everyday they wont change their positions? But if i would go to an other would it change?

Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

[Ray02]

By the way i dont have a good laptop or a pc that i can turn it or take wherever i want to, so how should i check on stars? Should i mark them on a sheet of paper and build the whole sky that i see? Or should i find a paper stellarium?

Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

[happy-kat]

I use stellarium to see what I might look at that night for the location I will be at, such as my home, to get a feeling of what the sky pattern will be. Or I might use it on a cloudy night.

I don't take a laptop outside.

Yes if you were at a different location then the stars you see could be different, you might be on holiday in a different region so the distance away from home could be big.

[Stu]

So i just installed the stellarium. I think I know how to use it: how to change the location, time, different modes and etc. But theres one question. So basically if i go to one place to look at stars everyday they wont change their positions? But if i would go to an other would it change?

Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

The stars remain in the same position relative to each other but do slowly change their position over the course of a year. The planetarium will show you this, as will Stellarium if you change the time and date

[Ray02]

Hey guys, i was reading about the life cycle of a star and it was loads of new things to me. Its interesting but could anyone explain more if someone wants to

Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

[happy-kat]

There is an excellent short course on the Open Univeristy online courses called Orion, it was free.

https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/orion

[Ray02]

Thanks for your help buddy

Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

[BeanerSA]

Here is a YouTube playlist for a really good documentary called the Seven Ages Of Starlight

[Charic]

Seven Ages Of Starlight..........Fascinating, but still mind boggling as to how it all works?