Ideas For starters?

[Santiago]

Hello, I'am writting again just to see what SGL community comes up with. Has I lack a telescope and only have a 10x50 pair of binoculars i was wondering what are some good ideas for starters? By that i mean.. like different ways to get familiar with the skys, things to do without a telescope haha, and just about anything yall can come up with. Btw I live in houston texas so one can imagine the lights at night but luckly It can get pretty dark where i am has i dont live in downtown but a peaceful community. I dont get a good view of the sunset because The horizon is blocked by trees but i could always walk down to a little creek back all that, with the risk of getting mugged. So please have your imput, many thanks:confused:

[nightfisher]

if your likely to get mugged at the creek get a baseball bat!!!!

download stellarium software for free its a vital asset for stargazing.

on a dry night lay on the ground and use binoculars to pan the night sky, you will see a lot that way, merry xmas

[Santiago]

if your likely to get mugged at the creek get a baseball bat!!!!

download stellarium software for free its a vital asset for stargazing.

on a dry night lay on the ground and use binoculars to pan the night sky, you will see a lot that way, merry xmas

haha I should bring one, but i will download that, what is it? and merry xmas to you also

[brantuk]

Stellarium is a very good planetarium program that shows the movement of the skies at your location. Highly recommended.

Learn the constellations first, these are a good guide to the position of objects. Also learn where the ecliptic and the pole star is, the ecliptic is the path generally followed by most planets, and everything appears to revolve around the pole star (actually it's the earth that revolves).

It'll take a full year to see the how the sky changes over the seasons. Some objects remain in view all the time, others rise and set according to the season.

A pair of 10x50's and a sun lounger are a great idea

[Santiago]

Man I love how these forums are very active, i downloaded the program, pretty neat ive never seen one like it! Be cool if it could pick up the exact location like in my back patio haha but now the only thing i cant wait for is night!

[rowan46]

if you input your gps co-ordinates into stellarium it will give you the view from your back garden. if ypu don't have a gps find your house on the web. there is a uk site that helps you tune in your satellite dish. i am sure there is probably a usa version. try using this to find your house.

[iamjulian]

Sounds like you have a nice dark sky. Always a great start, even you binoculars may be giving you comparable views to many who have small telescopes in a polluted sky. Wrap up warm and get a sun lounger in your garden and use just your eyes to learn the constellation patterns. You can find something like M13, the globular cluster in Hercules on Stellarium, but if you cannot recognise Hercules in the sky, you aren't going to find the globular cluster any time soon. I don't think GoTo binoculars exist yet Learning the sky with the naked eye is always the best place to start. After than you could try your hand at the Messier list - if your sky is as dark as you suggest it might be, you should be able to do quite well with binoculars.