Where to start...

Darkwing Duck

Hi guys,

I'm looking for any sort of info I can find for newbies like myself starting out in astronomy, got a scope for Christmas but haven't put it to any use yet, so I'm wondering if you have any tips, practical messages for beginners?

Basically i'm looking for info along the lines of being able to take a proper peek at the sky and understand just what I'm seeing.

Any help is appreciated,

Cheers

Orion

Hi,

I'm a newbie myself. If you go to the irishastronomy.org site they have some observing challenges handbooks which I've found to be a great place to start. Direct Link

At the moment Jupiter is viewable most of the night and Saturn til about 1.30am - That's what I've been concentrating on at the moment. Next step is to do some star hopping. Using a planisphere you can find a star then use that to hop to another object.

Astronomy Now reviewed a piece of free software which might help you as well - HNSky. I downloaded it last night and it's alright. Not quite as user friendly as Starry Night Pro but hey - it's free You can print out star maps for whatever night/time you're viewing.

Have fun and clear skies.

Orion

btw - what scope did you get?

Seanie M

...and where abouts are you? You know there are loads of people out there that are members of amateur clubs across Ireland, barely charge a penny for membership, and get out observing a lot? Where ever you are, there's bound to be some one.

Actually, try that irishastronomy dot org site. There's about 450 amateurs like us on it already, healping out newbies like you!

(and its free!)

Darkwing Duck

Ah one of the most wonderful words in the Enlgish language - free!!

I'm in Dublin 22 if that helps at all, that irishastronomy site is very helpful, looks like I might actually be able to start doing something useful with this exceptionally large and awkwardly shaped paper weight!
Whats the best sort of thing to start on observing, assuming the telescope your using is absolutely bog standard Argos Saturday night special no frills to get started in case I destroy anything more expensive?

Orion

Where's Dublin 22? That around the Clondalkin area? I'm in Maynooth so I'd be happy to go viewing with you. Like I said I'm a beginner myself so I wouldn't be able to teach you very much but we could learn together I'm sure there are some others in your area as well who might be closer to you.

I'm starting on the Moon and planets myself and some of the more recognisable deepsky objects. The moon has just started it's new phase so it's a good time to start viewing it. Smaller area in view means that I can pay attention to little features rather than trying to take it all in at once.

The plan is to start finding some of the Messier objects now that the weather is improving. That'll be challenging enough as well.

Seanie M

Macros42 wrote:

Where's Dublin 22? That around the Clondalkin area? I'm in Maynooth so I'd be happy to go viewing with you.

I used to live in Maynooth for years, was a founding member of Astro2 there! awh, the nostalgia...

Anyway, IF you check on irishastronomy.org, there's a chap there by the name of Dave McDonald. He lives in Celbridge, and has some fine scopes. If Duck gets to meet up with Macros, then maybe you can get in touch with Dave on a clear night. That guy is always out with his toys taking pictures of objects in the heavens!

Duck,
you asked about where to start. Well, where do you want to start? Get a handy little star atlas, and, by constellation searching according to season and time of year, look for the constellations with the brightest deep sky objects (nebulae, star clusters, and even galaxies), and you shouldn't be disappointed!

Seanie.

Orion

We could do that. I was over in Dave's last Saturday. I just didn't want to speak for anyone else

Dave has some set up alright and was quite happy to let me set up my 8" on EQ5 and show me how to polar align it and use the mount properly.