Where would start

[Teddy]

I am going out tonight (if no clouds) for the first time to learn to read the sky. I have a skymap and the naked eye.

So can anybody suggest which contellations I should start to learn. And or any other objects. I have seen jupitor but that's all.

I can not wait as I have spent 4-6 weeks reading books so that I can be prepared. I really want to stick with this hobby as it seems endless.

Cheers

Teddy

[ashenlight]

Hi Teddy,

You seem to be on the right track so far. Just relax outside with the star map and pick out the shapes. Take your time, it can be frustrating at first as you struggle picking out the right star but with a bit of practice it'll be like second nature.

Using your star map, I'd suggest you start off finding the following constellations and asterisms

Ursa Major (look out for the shape of the Plough)

Cassiopeia

the Summer Triangle with the three constellations that make it up - Lyra, Cygnus and Altair.

Great Square of Pegasus

Andromeda

They are fairly bright and noticeable and will be great starting points from which you can starhop to fainter constellations and asterisms.

Make sure you spend some time getting dark adapted, it'll help loads

Are you thinking about getting a pair of binoculars in the future, or just going to stick with the naked eye?

[TheThing]

A good test of light pollution is to see how many stars you can see with Pegasus, once you've found it. For me it's none!

Don't forget to have a quick look at the moon too. Even with the naked eye you should be able to make out the dark Mares.

[ashenlight]

the Moon looked so beautiful last night, especially with Jupiter close by, great suggestions TheThing:)

[Teddy]

Hey thanks for that.

Ashenlight , I have a pair a cheap bino's that will do till the 14th as I am gettin money for my birthday so will be gettin some 10x50 bino's. Is that the best and which do u think

Thanks

I will have look at the moon as it would be rude not to

[ashenlight]

No problem 10x50s are an excellent set of binos to start with - that's the size I use. They are light enough to hold up for an extended period of time and, because of this, they won't shake so much, which distorts your views. My binos were cheap, only about £30 (originally bought for bird watching) and they do the job brilliantly. So many more targets will be visible to you with that little bit more power from the binos.

With looking at the moon, save it for last. The glare from the Moon (particularly as the nights go on and it approaches full) will affect your night vision. I often find this degrades views of star clusters, as you can't pick out those fainter stars that make the view so awe inspiring. Get all your targets in, have a sweep of the Milky Way, then take in the Moon

[kniclander]

Teddy, if you want to learn about the night sky, IMHO the best place to start is a book called "TURN LEFT AT ORION". If you search the forums you will find that hundreds of us started off with it and/or recommended it (although for completeness I would point out that one person found it " simple and a little patronising":p).

good luck and enjoy this great hobby.

[themos]

You'll need to find Polaris. Find the two stars of the Plough furthest away from the 3-star handle and imagine a line through them going upwards ( at this time of year, the Plough is horizontal and low in the NW. The first bright star you come to is Polaris.

[Teddy]

That's great help from u all so cheers

Let's hope there is no clouds as I have been waiting three notes now

and I can't wait any longer lol

[ashenlight]

Hope you get some clear skies Teddy don't forget to keep an eye out for passing satellites, the ISS, meteors and iridium flares when you're out. They really are great things to spot when you're just soaking up the stars

[Teddy]

Aaaarrrrggggghhhhh it was cloudy all nite. Never got to go out.

Gutted

[TheThing]

Oh that is a shame. I was looking at Jupiter and the moon wondering how you were getting on. Finger's crossed for tonight!

[Rusty Strings]

Hi Teddy

Make sure you have a comfy reclining chair, you spend a lot of time looking up and your neck will ache very quickly, a reclining posture means you will stick at it for a lot longer.

I still spend more time just looking at the stars than through an eyepiece just to learn more constellation shapes, some of them can occupy quite large areas of sky.

[Teddy]

Cheers thing , I am still gutted cos I felt so ready to learn. Nevermind might get a good chance tonight, not the best a the moment though. Where do u live as u got a good clear nite I take it. I will let u know how my first proper nite goes. Nice of u to have kept me in mind.

Rusty , cheers for the advice. At the mo I have a sun lounged. That is adjustable so will see how I go wit that.

Flask and wooly hat ready for later so fingers crossed.

Teddy

[TheThing]

I'm in Epsom on the edge of London. Had some whispy cloud and the usual LP!

[hoobz]

I'm Ipswich.. pretty cloudy, then when it aint its still fairly 'hazy'.. sucks lol

[Teddy]

cool , i live in manchester but on the outskirts. so when no cloud it is quite clear.

clouds out at the moment but it looks like it might clear soon

[Teddy]

Hey the thing

I went out tonight and I took my skymap and tempary bino's (7x25 I know!). I had a couple half decent breaks in the cloud( not enough to really look for constelations I guess) and it was ace. Loved it could not get over how many stars I could see after my eyes adjusted.

had a peek of jupitor too

I finished by a good luck at the moon( as per ashen lights advice) and it was first class.

So thanks to you both and everyone else as I reckon I am now hooked. Did not learn any names but it's a start. Clear mites here we come

bring on the 10x50's

Teddy

[Ant]

A good test of light pollution is to see how many stars you can see with Pegasus, once you've found it.

There are stars within the square of Pegasus ???

Hi Teddy,

The moon is always a good place to start with Bino's, you should also be able to see Jupiter's moons in them as well. The fun thing is that they move around ad even with an hour of twos time you can see them change position...

To learn the constellations you only really need your eye's, binos will give a too small field of View.

There are a couple of things that will look great in Binos, M31 the Andromeda galaxy and the double cluster in Perseus.

Cheers

Ant

[blinkity-blonk]

I don't know how much stuff you already know but I found this site helpful when I was a total newbie. Learn: Identify constellations, stars, planets and how to navigate at night

It seems simple to me now but it was where I started to learn the sky from... don't expect to be done learning any time soon though its a big old sky!

[Teddy]

Thanks Ant and BB

will have a look at that sight before i go out next clear nite

i know little through reading book and internet sites. also read a few "how to start" books . i have jnust not yet a clear enough nite put it into practice

Teddy

[Steve922]

I bought several books to learn the night sky but wouldn't really recommend any of them. Download the free Stellarium program - its miles ahead.

Right now, I'd recommend a study of the Summer Triangle (Vega, Deneb, Altair) and there constellations; also Cassiopea. This bunch are very high in the sky early evening, very easy and convenient .

With the naked eye, I found it profitable to look for interesting groups of stars and sketch them for identification later - in my warm bedroom! I made the drawings as accurate and detailed as I could and was amazed at just how accurate my drawings turned out to be. I rapidly learned my way around much of the sky like that.

Good hunting.

Steve

[Steve922]

I see you're also up late tonight (this morning !) According to the weather forcast, the sky should be starting to clear now. If you're not tired and can lie in Sunday you might have a good time by about 4 a.m.

Unfortunately, the moon will be trashing your view of Pegasus and Andromeda (esp. the galaxy) and the Summer Triangle has gone to bed hours ago. I'd suggest Cassiopea, Orion and Gemini for this morning.

BTW, while you're identifying Castor and Pollux, you'll see a third star about the same distance but below them both. This is Mars, shining more brightly than the twins.

Have a good ferret around Orion - its one of the best things in the sky and you'll use it loads for other reasons in the coming months.

Steve

[TheThing]

There are stars within the square of Pegasus ???

Ant

It may just be an urban myth!

[ashenlight]

Really pleased you got out there Teddy, now you've got the bug take ant's advice, just use your eyes to learn the sky. So much more will become apparent when you stay out there long enough just looking. Enjoy yourself and let us know how you get on.

As Steve said, just remember that when the Moon is full it will wash out fainter stars around it (and any galaxies or other deep sky objects in that area and usually the whole sky!) so don't be surprised if there's a full, or approaching full, Moon and you just can't make out much of a constellation or asterism.

Good luck and stick with it