Simple star identifying tool

[Tom K]

I am looking for a simple star gazing accessory that I once owned.  It looks like a rubber playground ball with no air in it – a collapsed semi sphere.  You can slide it around to get the current night sky that is above you.  Do any of you know about this and where I could get one?  Thank you!

UPDATE: Tenor Viol suggested it was a planisphere, so I did some searching on that & found the product.  Here is a website describing it: https://www.universalworkshop.com/2017/01/22/devices-1-star-hat/

Does anyone know if someone has started selling it again?  Or perhaps someone has one they would sell to me?  Thank you!

Edited August 15, 2020 by Tom K

[Tenor Viol]

Sounds like a planisphere

[Gfamily]

Ok, what you've found isn't a classic planisphere, but I don't know where you would find one. You can get inflatable sky globes, and I guess you could use it in the same way

 

As for planispheres, they're generally available, in the UK often coming with a guide to the night sky.

They vary by the latitude range, so make sure you get the one that's best for you.

I like the Philips ones, but my advice would be to avoid the 'glow in the dark' ones as they don't have much detail, and you're better off using a red-light torch to read them anyway.

Edited August 16, 2020 by Gfamily

[andrew s]

Planispheres are available on the FLO site under books (see link at top of page)

Regards Andrew 

Edited August 16, 2020 by andrew s

[wookie1965]

Found these https://justglobes.uk/stars-inflatable-globe.html

https://www.notonthehighstreet.com/luckies/product/glow-in-the-dark-star-globe?DGMKT=FID__TID_pla-341166093066_PID_624649_CRI_341166093066&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2py887Cf6wIVCbTtCh1gRgNGEAQYAyABEgKkL_D_BwE