Books or resouces for someone who live in the equator

[ZerOne01]

Hi, I'm a total beginner in stargazing and would like to survey proper books or any stargazing resources for beginner. Quite a lot of Internet resources and books are directed towards people who live in northern or southern hemisphere. Is there any resources that specifically directed towards people who live near the equator, or I need to just get used of the differences of star position and just use any resources available?

Thanks!

[billyharris72]

Hi ZerOne01! In many ways you're lucky, since you can get to see basically everything! I don't know if there are monthly sky guides available for your area, but software like Stellarium is a great help for planning sessions. As for a guidebook, you should be able to use almost anything, since you get pretty much the whole sky. There's a book called 1,001 celestial wonders to see before you die that I think covers both hemispheres and might be useful; though it contains quite a few more difficult objects there are plenty suitable for all levels, with photos to help with identification.

Best of luck! Billy.

 

 

 

 

[Putaendo Patrick]

Billyharris is right, to an extent you get the best of both worlds so to speak. Skymaps do a monthly start chart with observing information which you can print out on your computer: download the Equatorial version.

http://www.skymaps.com/downloads.html

With the free Stellarium planetarium program, you can configure it to show you the sky from anywhere on Earth. Either enter your coordinates or select a city near you.

http://www.stellarium.org/

 

[ZerOne01]

On 17/2/2016 at 06:26, billyharris72 said:

Hi ZerOne01! In many ways you're lucky, since you can get to see basically everything! I don't know if there are monthly sky guides available for your area, but software like Stellarium is a great help for planning sessions. As for a guidebook, you should be able to use almost anything, since you get pretty much the whole sky. There's a book called 1,001 celestial wonders to see before you die that I think covers both hemispheres and might be useful; though it contains quite a few more difficult objects there are plenty suitable for all levels, with photos to help with identification.

Best of luck! Billy.

Hi Billy, thanks for recommending the book. I will take a look at it later. I've installed Stellarium and set it up to my place, and about the books I shouldn't be worried about slight differences in constellation shapes right? Since it will look different from different places. Anyway thanks again!

On 17/2/2016 at 06:38, Putaendo Patrick said:

Billyharris is right, to an extent you get the best of both worlds so to speak. Skymaps do a monthly start chart with observing information which you can print out on your computer: download the Equatorial version.

http://www.skymaps.com/downloads.html

With the free Stellarium planetarium program, you can configure it to show you the sky from anywhere on Earth. Either enter your coordinates or select a city near you.

http://www.stellarium.org/

 

Hi Patrick, I have downloaded February star chart for equatorial edition and ready to use it. I believe I have to learn much more since the sky chart is only useful around 8~9 pm. This chart can be used any time but I can't seem to grasp the basics on how to read that yet. Too bad planisphere doesn't exist for my region, although I think I saw only one website sell the quite intelligent design of equatorial edition planisphere. Thanks!

I do have bino but I think I have to get familiar with navigating and hopping around the stars first I think.