Find positions of objects to look at

[Alonsos]

Ime learning where to find objects to look at by eye on my dob 200p (if the rain ever stops that is)

But have now fitted setting circle & a Wixey (alt-azi) but now want a source of settings to find objects,

ie perhaps Andromeda (I know roughly where that is now by finding Cassiopeia etc)

But if I need to find other less well known objects and want to use setting circles and Wixey

Where is the best place to find actual alt- azi settings for objects ? App on iPad ? I've found a few ie stellarium and the like

What is the best and easiest to use ,any ideas

Take care you lot & happy new year from Devon U.K.

[ronin]

In Alt/Az terms there will not be a list, at least in paper or book form. The Alt/Az position changes minute to minute as the earth rotates.

Every hour the earths rotation adds 15 degrees to the Az component., so Andromeda at 10:00 is different to Andromeda at 11:00 by 15 degrees.

RA is given as fixed but there is still the need to alter your location in terms of time so really that is "changing" also.

You answer would be something like Stellarium or one of the other planetarium packages that take your location and time, the objects location ans recalculates the Alt/Az for the object that interests you. You do however need then to take the box of electronics with you to consult.

If you have Stellarium on your PC now just start it up, click sort of anywhere on the background and it will select something or other and in the upper left there is a block of data. You will see the Alt and Az values altering continuously.

[Alonsos]

Thanks for your reply

That's what I came to , re see on laptop what it is I want to look at scribble down Alt/Az nip out to scope transfer settings to setting circle & Wixey & check to see if my new addition to dob (circles & Wixey )work as planned.

Regards and thanks again

[brantuk]

The way you're doing it with a Wixey and Azimuth setting circle is surprisingly accurate. It get's you very near in the first place and only minor adjustment is needed to hone in on your target.

The other way is to learn the main constellations and choose a star hopping path from one of the known bright, constellation stars to your target. You'll find that comes easier with time spent out in the field. And you can use Stellarium or CduC for both methods.

[Stu]

I would use a smartphone with something like SkySafari or Stellarium on it. These will show you the Alt/Az position in real time, exactly what you need for your system and no need to drag a laptop outside.

[Alonsos]

Just looked at Stellarium & sky safari , put in a search for random object ( Vega ) sky safari gave location of 277 deg

Stellarium gave 291 deg ?

A little discrepancy of 14 deg somewhere me thinks

[Stu]

Were the locations set correctly for both? Also timing, I think Stellarium often fast forwards to darkness so may be different to SkySafari?

[Alonsos]

I love this site ,when I was working I was amongst 200 + people and I had 3-4 Astronomy buffs /mates, now ime retired 18 months I've no one to run anything past , but now I have Stargazers lounge and there's always an answer to verify what ime thinking (Brilliant)

Thanks !