Best way to search sky in a new location?

[Basementboy]

Hi – I'm travelling for two weeks to Arizona and Utah. What's the best way to identify good observing objects in a new location like this?

"Turn Left at Orion" separates the sky into northern and southern hemispheres, but AZ+UT are quite a bit closer to the equator than the UK, so the book is less useful there.

I have Stellarium which will show me the skies, but just lists everything – it isn't very good at identifying objects I'm actually likely to see (I'll have a 6" reflector and a pair of binoculars). Is the paid version more useful at identifying "good/easy" objects?

Apologies if there's already a thread on this but I couldn't find one by searching.

Thanks!

Chris

[Elp]

You can adjust the magnitude or sky condition in Stellarium so it shows the likely amount of stars you'll see for example.

[RT65CB-SWL]

Have you had look at Sky Safari [iOS and Android OS]?

It has a ‘Tonight’ feature so can can see what is available from your location.

Also, the iOS version includes augmented reality. It uses the iPhone or iPad camera and projects the app into/onto that. To activate it, click AR... simples!

[Elp]

Sky Safari Plus also works reasonably well with an azgti.

[Basementboy]

Thanks both. I elected to bring an AZ5 rather than a Go-To mount and have to deal with battery packs etc.

Seems Sky Safari 7 costs £47?

I can't find the magnitude or sky condition settings in Stellarium. Is that a paid feature?

Cheers for your help,

C.

[Elp]

I'm using an older version of Stellarium because the newer one isn't as simple to use (I prefer the older one just showing everything in the sky at once), here's a screenshot of the setting adjustment:

Sky Safari is often on sale multiple times a year so if you can wait... As for which version, I went with Plus as it's got a huge catalogue and it's the minimum version needed to sync to telescope mount control, Pro has a humongous database which I don't think I'd ever need.

[Basementboy]

OK great. Thanks. Looks like I need to pay for advanced Stellarium. Will try that in the first instance and take a look at Sky Safari later.

I wonder if there's a good, easy to use website that lists (for eg) the brightest objects in descending order for a particular place+time?

[Zermelo]

11 minutes ago, Basementboy said:

I wonder if there's a good, easy to use website that lists (for eg) the brightest objects in descending order for a particular place+time?

Have you tried this:

https://telescopius.com/

[Zermelo]

18 hours ago, Basementboy said:

Seems Sky Safari 7 costs £47?

That would be for the 'Pro' version. The other versions are cheaper, and they do have half-price sales now and again.

Even the 'Basic' version includes the "Tonight at a Glance" facility mentioned by @RT65CB-SWL, which may meet your needs: "quickly find tonight's Moon & Sun info, calendar curations, events and the best positioned deep sky and solar system objects".

If you think you will use it to control the scope, I think it's worth paying the extra. There's a comparison of the features in each version here:

https://skysafariastronomy.com/skysafari-7-comparison-chart.html

 

Edited May 4, 2023 by Zermelo
changed reference to user whose account name has changed