Welcome to

Astronomy
The Complete Manual
You don’t need letters after your surname, an encyclopaedic knowledge
of the skies or even a telescope to get into stargazing. That’s the beauty
of astronomy: armed with nothing more than your eyes and a basic
grasp of where to look in the night sky, you can embark on one of the
most rewarding hobbies in the world. Planets, stars, constellations,
nebulas, meteor showers and many other celestial objects can be
spotted using only the naked eye. And for those with telescopes, the
universe – with its myriad colours and awe-inspiring sights – is your
personal gallery of a trillion cosmic wonders. Our easy-to-follow guides
will furnish you with all the bare essentials, taking you on a journey
from stargazing hobbyist to becoming a fully equipped astronomy
enthusiast. With practical guidance, seasonal sky charts and pointers on
how to spot some of the sky’s most accessible sights, this new edition
will be your companion as you unravel the beauty of the night sky.
Astronomy The Complete Manual
Future Publishing Ltd
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Astronomy The Complete Manual

© 2016 Future Publishing Limited

Part of the

bookazine series
Contents
What you can ind inside the bookazine

Astronomy essentials Getting started

34 Using a sky chart

Find out how to use a basic
star chart

35 Navigate the night sky

Use celestial co-ordinates

36 Measuring magnitudes
Discover how bright an
object is

38 First night: what to do

What to look for on your
10 Introduction to astronomy 20 Dobsonian telescopes first night
Understanding the basics Discover the benefits of
of astronomy a Dobsonian 40 Ten tips for
light pollution
12 Four naked eye sights 22 Cassegrain telescopes Prevent excess light ruining
Discover what you can see Everything you need to know your view
without a telescope about these scopes
42 20 amateur discoveries
13 Essential equipment 24 Which is the right mount Be inspired by amateur
Important things to consider for me? success stories
before making a purchase Find out the best mounts
and why 48 Reporting
14 Choosing the a discovery
right telescope 26 Choosing an eyepiece See if you’ve discovered
Make sure you buy the best Different eyepieces explained something new
telescope for you
28 Selecting the 50 Best astronomy apps
16 Refractor telescopes right binoculars Let technology give you a
A guide to using Use binoculars as helping hand
refractor telescopes an alternative
52 Operate a telescope
18 Reflector telescopes 30 Spotting scope astronomy remotely
All you need to know about Get to know this Have a play with powerful
reflector telescopes cheaper alternative space-viewing toys
6
Seasonal guides

What to observe
82 How to view the Moon 102 Seeing double stars
Get a good look at Discover some
Earth’s satellite fantastic sights

56 Winter-Spring 84 How to view the Sun 104 Observing variable stars

Maps of the New Year sky Stay safe when observing From bright to light, gaze
the Sun at these wonders
64 Spring-Summer
A plethora of deep 86 Observe the Milky Way 106 Searching for
sky delights See what you can find in constellations
our galaxy Locate constellations
68 Summer-Autumn with ease
The must see sights in 88 How to see galaxies
the sky Take a closer look at what’s 108 Viewing The
out there Big Dipper
74 Autumn-Winter A recognisable pattern
The sights to see 90 Planets through in the sky
over Christmas a telescope
View these marvels from 110 Locate a supernova
your garden Learn how to watch out
for explosions
94 Viewing the
Galilean moons 112 Meteor shower viewing
Track Io, Callisto, Ganymede View these awe-
and Europa inspiring objects

96 Spot 20 famous stars 116 Comet hunting

Get a glimpse of these Find your very
iconic stars own comet

120 Your astronomy glossary

t
Learn some of the most common
© NASA

terms in astronomy

7
Astronomy essentials

Astronomy
essentials
Did you know you can see a galaxy 2½ million light-years away
with your unaided eyes? Craters on the Moon with simply a
pair of binoculars? Countless wonders await you on any clear
night. Learn the essentials to help you take the first step toward
a lifetime of cosmic exploration and enjoyment.

Includes…
- Essential equipment
- Selecting the right telescope
- Choosing an eyepiece
- Setting up your mount

8
 Astronomy essentials

9
Astronomy essentials Introduction to astronomy

Introduction
to astronomy
Ever wanted to explore the night sky but don’t know where to start? Our
beginners’ guide is here to help

10
 Introduction to astronomy Astronomy essentials

There’s a treasure trove of astronomical objects brimming from near enough

every degree of the 20,000 square degrees that make up the night sky above Measuring
your head at any one time. Standing under a vast number of twinkling stars, the skies
galaxies and planets, in the vast blackness on their orbit around Earth, we
1 o

are almost looking out of a great dome-shaped window as our planet orbits
around the Sun. This is known as the celestial sphere.
As the seasons change, so does the night sky and as you gain a
familiarity with the stars and planets you will notice new constellations and
astronomical objects from winter through to autumn. 1 degree
Extend your arm and hold
Stepping outdoors into a clear night you might not realise it, but your eyes out your little finger, you
are a wonderful device when it comes to taking in what nature has to offer. can measure the distance
and apparent size of an
object to 1°.
Understand the North celestial pole
5 o

The northern point in the sky about

celestial sphere which all of the stars seem to rotate
– around the North Star, or pole
star, Polaris
Celestial equator
A great circle on the celestial sphere which lies in the
same plane as the Earth’s terrestrial equator and is Ecliptic
tilted at roughly 23 degrees to the ecliptic The Sun’s path on the 5 degrees
celestial sphere as seen
if you were at a central
Stretch out your arm and
point on the hold up three fingers
Earth’s surface
to measure a distance
between objects and
apparent size equal to 5°.

10
o

10 degrees
Vernal If you can stretch out
equinox your arm and fit your fist
When the Sun between Jupiter and the
is at the point
in the northern Moon, they are 10° apart.
hemisphere Autumnal
where the
celestial equator
equinox 20 o

and ecliptic When the Sun is

intersect, it is the at the point in the
vernal point. southern hemisphere
where the celestial equator
and ecliptic intersect, it is called the
South autumnal point.

celestial pole
Only visible from the Right ascension (RA) Declination (Dec)
southern hemisphere, The celestial equivalent 20 degrees
Comparable to the geographical latitude of
Earth ©NASA

stars rotate around the of terrestrial longitude the Earth which is projected on to the celestial Hold your arm in front
dim south pole star, projected on to the sphere. Measured in degrees (°), minutes (’)
Sigma Octantis celestial sphere. of you and spread your
and seconds (”)
fingers, the distance is
approximately 20°.

11
Astronomy essentials Four naked eye sights

Four naked eye sights

Discover four space objects you can see without any equipment at all

There are plenty of objects to see and identify in the night sky with the
naked eye. Go outside on a clear night and you’ll probably already be
able to name some of the more famous constellations, but you might
not be aware there is so much more waiting to be observed with your
eyes alone. It’s not just stars, though. Planets, comets and galaxies are all
visible to an observer without any fancy equipment. Sometimes seeing
and identifying an object with just your eyes can be a more rewarding
experience than using a telescope to ind it. Below we’ve highlighted
four great sights you can see while out and about on a dark and clear
night. For things like the Milky Way, you’ll need to be in an area of low
light pollution, and then the night sky is there for you to behold.
© NASA

© NASA

Ursa Major The Quadrantid meteor shower

Constellation: Ursa Major Right ascension: 10.67h Constellation: Boötes Right ascension: 15h 28m
Declination: +55.38° Declination: +50°
Also known as the Great Bear, the Big Dipper or the Plough, Start the new year with the Quadrantids as they shoot
it can be seen from most of the northern hemisphere. The from their radiant in the constellation of Boötes during 1 to
middle star is actually a famous double star comprising Mizar 5 January. Up to 40 meteors per hour can be seen at the
and Alcor. Found in the northern night sky, and the outside shower’s peak on 3 through to 4 January. Best viewing is in
of the Big Dipper’s bowl also points towards Polaris, the the darker hours after midnight, in a dark spot away from
North Star, with the helpful ‘pointer stars’ Merak and Dubhe. light pollution.

12
 Four naked eye sights Astronomy essentials
© NASA

The Orion Nebula (M42)

Constellation: Orion Right ascension: 05h 35m 17.3s Declination: -05° 23’ 28”
The Orion Nebula is situated at a distance of around 1,340 light years away. To find the nebula, locate Orion’s Belt. From the left
star of Orion’s Belt (Alnitak), move south in the direction in which Orion’s sword points, hanging from his belt, with the nebula
visible clearly at the sword’s tip.
© NASA

Centre of the Milky Way Galaxy

Constellation: Towards Sagittarius Right ascension: 17h 25m 40.04s Declination: -29° 00’ 28.1”°
Our galaxy weaves through the night sky as a powdery band of light from billions of stars. Few have seen the splendid
view of the Milky Way because of light pollution. However, from a dark spot, the form of such a huge abundance of stars
becomes immediately apparent.

13
Astronomy essentials Choosing the right telescope

Choosing the right

telescope Reflectors and refractors
Get the best start in amateur Reflectors
Reflectors use mirrors to gather and focus light.
astronomy by buying the right The primary mirror is parabolic in order to focus
telescope for your needs incoming light rays, while the secondary mirror
reflects light into the eyepiece. Generally cheaper
than refractors but they are sensitive and can be
Choosing the right telescope can be a tricky
easily knocked out of alignment.
prospect, but the most important thing to be
aware of when buying any telescope is its
1. Corrector plate/meniscus
optical quality.
2. Secondary mirror
A Newtonian relector on a simple undriven 3. Primary mirror
altazimuth mount (known as a ‘Dobsonian’) ofers
the best value in terms of aperture. Dobsonians
collect lots of light and deliver knockout views. 03
Newtonians (and refractors) become much
more costly with an equatorial or computerised
01
mount. Computerised mounts come in several
forms – Dobsonian (push-to or go-to), single 02
tine-mounted (tracking or go-to) and German
Refractors
equatorial (go-to). A computerised push-to Refractors bend, or refract, light as it enters through
Dobsonian costs about twice as much as a the front, with an objective lens gathering and
manual one, while a high-end Newtonian on a focusing the light.
They are more resilient, keeping their alignment
driven German equatorial mount may cost ten even when knocked. However, refractors are usually
times more. longer than reflectors in order to minimise the
For ease of use a short focal length refractor of occasional visual impairment induced by refraction.
up to four inches in diameter or catadioptric up 1. Objective lens
02
to ive inches on a computerised mount may it 2. Dew cap
the bill. Both will show many deep-sky objects as 3. Tube
well as revealing detail on the Moon and planets.
Achromatic refractors of short focal length display
a degree of false colour around the edges of
01
bright objects. The best views, however, are to be
had through apochromatic refractors, which are
03
about four times more costly than an equivalent-
sized achromat.
14
 Astronomy essentials

Anatomy of a telescope
Finder
Find your way Attached to and aligned with the main
around your new telescope, the finder is a low-magnification
instrument used to point the instrument so
equipment that the desired object can be centred in the
telescopic field of view. Types of finder include
naked eye (red-dot or crosshair) reflex finders
and telescopic finders with crosshairs

Aperture Eyepiece
A telescope’s aperture The eyepiece magnifies the light focused
indicates the size of by the primary mirror or lens to produce
its primary mirror or an image. Eyepieces come in various
objective lens. Larger configurations (the Plössl is the most
apertures deliver sharper commonly used) with different focal lengths,
and more detailed apparent fields of view and tube diameter
images and reveal fainter (either 1.25-inch or 2-inch)
objects

Focuser
The eyepiece needs to be
moved in or out to achieve
sharp focus using the focuser.
There are various kinds,
including elementary push-pull
friction focusers, basic rack-
and-pinion and helical types to
more advanced Crayford and
electronic ones

“The power of any

given telescope
is directly relative
Mount
The telescope’s mount holds it steady
to the diameter
when viewing. The user can also freely
move the instrument – either by
or aperture of the
pushing the tube manually, by turning
clamps or via an electronic handset –
objective lens or
to keep an object centred or to move
to another object in the sky
primary mirror”
Astronomy essentials Refractor telescopes

Refractor telescopes
Refractors ofer fantastic views of the night sky

This instrument was turned on the sky, most images, they are ideal for observing the Moon
famously by Galileo Galilei who observed Jupiter and planets. Remember cheap refractors have
and its moons, the lunar surface and the Sun. poor quality lenses, so don’t be tempted to buy
Nowadays, the lenses have become bigger one of these.
and developments in optics introduced doublet Make sure that all the lenses are ‘fully multi-
or even triplet lenses. These compound lenses coated’ in the technical speciication. This helps
help to reduce ‘chromatic aberration’. A single to make sure that all the light is passed through
lens doesn’t focus all the colours of the spectrum the lens system and reduces lares and other
at the same point, but this can be corrected unwanted artefacts. Also ensure the focuser is
considerably, by using two lenses of diferent smooth and that it is supplied with a diagonal
shape and type of glass put close together. This mirror which makes viewing more comfortable. If
type of telescope lens is called an ‘achromatic eyepieces are supplied, check they are of decent
lens’, or just an achromat. These are found in just quality. If you are hoping to see stars and nebulas
about every type of refracting telescope made as well as planets, then go for an instrument of a
today. The efect of chromatic aberration is to moderate focal ratio. Finally, avoid purchasing a
make bright objects appear to have a coloured telescope which is too big, making it unwieldy.
halo around them. You’ll see more with a telescope that you can
Because refractors are particularly good at handle. Remember, quality nearly always costs a
giving highly magniied and high contrast little more, so be prepared for the price tag!
16
 Refractor telescopes Astronomy essentials

Lens
The refractor lens is the ‘eye’ of the
Anatomy of a
telescope. It gathers the light from refractor
objects and directs it down the tube telescope
to the eyepiece at the other end

Diagonal
Dew shield
Making viewing more easier as it turns
As the name suggests, this part of
the light coming through the telescope
the telescope tube extends beyond
through 90°. Made from a prism or a
the lens to prevent dew forming
flat mirror, mirrors absorb less light than
on it. Ideally this should protrude
prisms, important as starlight is faint
10-15cm (4-6in) in front of the lens

Focuser
This is the mechanism
which smoothly moves the
drawtube in and out to obtain
a good focus of the image.
Each eyepiece will have a
slightly different point of focus
and it’s important that the
focuser is smooth and does
not cause the drawtube to
wobble as it moves
QMany telescopes
feature go-to mounts
that guide you to
many sights
Eyepiece
The eyepiece is the lens which magnifies the
QRefractors offer image and puts the focused image where
great views of the your eye can see it. Telescopes are often sold
Moon and planets
with two or three eyepieces which are usually
interchangeable with other telescopes

“Remember, quality
nearly always costs a
little more”
17
Astronomy essentials Reflector telescopes elescopes

Reflector telescopes
The relector telescope is an amazing instrument. But how they work?

The great 17th Century scientist Sir Isaac Newton material called ‘speculum’, an alloy of copper and
is credited with the invention of the relector tin which can be highly polished, meant that they
telescope, although there were others who came did not become popular for nearly another 100
up with a similar idea for such a device at around years when the technology was improved such
the same time. that the mirrors could now be made of glass.
In 1668, Newton produced a small telescope It was quickly realised that relecting telescopes
which used a spherical mirror made of polished had many beneits including less optical
metal that bounced the light relected from it problems, known as aberrations, than refractors
up the tube to a much smaller lat mirror at an at the time. And, probably the greatest advantage
angle of 45 degrees. This in turn relected light of all, the fact that mirrors could be easily
through a small hole made in the side of the tube made much larger than lenses. As construction
where it could be focused and viewed through methods and technology improved, mirrors and
an eyepiece lens. This type of telescope soon therefore telescopes, became larger. This in turn
became known as the Newtonian relector and meant that fainter objects could be discerned
it is still very much in use today, although its size and detail, known as resolution, could be greater.
and method of construction has taken a great Because it is cheaper to manufacture mirrors of a
leap from Newton’s irst production. However, the given size than lenses of the same size, relectors
problem with making metal mirrors, made from a also have an advantage on a cost/performance
scale. Due to this and some of its inherent optical
advantages, Newtonian relectors are popular for
astronomers wanting to study deep sky objects
which are, by their nature, faint. Newtonian
relectors don’t hold all the aces, though. Due to
the secondary mirror efectively blocking some
of the light entering the tube, contrast in images
can be afected, although this is usually minimal.
It can be enough, though, to make a diference to
planetary and lunar studies where contrast and
detail can be critical.
The ‘compound’ telescopes now come in
many guises, but the Newtonian relector is
still ubiquitous, being used as an efective and
less expensive solution by both amateurs and
professionals the world over.
18
 Reflector telescopes Astronomy essentials

Secondary mirror Anatomy of a

Tilted at an angle of 45°, reflector telescope
this small, flat mirror has
an elliptical shape which
looks circular when Focuser
viewed through the open The focuser consists of a tube which
focuser tube can be adjusted towards and away
from the telescope tube to give a sharp
focus in the eyepiece of the objects
being viewed

Spider
The spider is the device which holds
the secondary mirror centrally over
the primary. The vanes have to be thin
so as not to block light coming down
the tube

Primary mirror
The primary mirror in a Newtonian reflector
should be of good quality and preferably
parabolic in shape, as this will give cleaner, crisper
images. The diameter governs how much you
will see

A versatile option
Newtonian reflectors are versatile so
can be used for viewing the Moon,
planets and deep sky objects. However,
they do take more maintenance than
QReflectors have other refractors. This can seem daunting
come a long way since
Newton’s time at first, providing the user is careful and
methodical it is usually straightforward
and with practice, quite quick. Because
the telescope tube is open to the sky,
mirrors can become tarnished and
dirty; they can be cleaned, or every few
Tube years re-coated. This is cheap and is like
The cylindrical tube which makes up the having a brand-new telescope once the
body of the telescope holds the mirrors, mirrors are reinstalled. Therefore the
the ‘spider’ and the focusing mount. Its first-time purchaser needs to consider
size is governed by the diameter of the carefully if this is the right kind of
primary mirror telescope for them.

19
Dobsonian telescopes
There is a lot of misunderstanding about Dobsonian telescopes; what
they are and what they can do. This should help clear it up…

The Dobsonian telescope is a Newtonian as mass-produced products of varying size and

relecting telescope on an altazimuth mount. quality, as well as in kit form.
It is the mount that distinguishes it from any Dobsonians are often known as ‘light buckets’
other type of Newtonian relector and this as they are an inexpensive way of owning a
was popularised in the Sixties by avid amateur relatively large aperture telescope - most of the
astronomer John Dobson. money you spend is put into the optics rather
It is their simplicity of design and cheap parts than the mount. One of the advantages of the It
that made these telescopes so popular. There is possible to have a 16-inch aperture telescope
were many difering variations on the theme, that its into the back of a small family car. You
some being very sophisticated and rather can travel to a dark sky site and take advantage of
getting away from the humble and inexpensive it with a large telescope. They are not suitable for
materials and design. The popularity was some forms of observing.
quickly appreciated by commercial telescope Dobsonian telescopes still make a great
manufacturers and so you can ind Dobsonians introductory telescope for observers on a budget.
20
 Dobsonian telescopes Astronomy essentials

Anatomy of a Dobsonian telescope

Focuser
The focuser consists of a tube which can
be adjusted towards and away from the
telescope tube to give a sharp focus in
the eyepiece of the objects being viewed

Rocker box
This can come in a variety
of designs. The rocker box
houses the altitude bearing
allowing the telescope
smooth up and down
movement and to point to
Tube
any part of the sky
This can be made from
‘construction tube’,
plywood or other suitable
material. The tube holds the
secondary mirror, the ‘spider’
support and the telescope’s
focuser and finder scope

Mirror box
The plywood box
which holds the main or
primary mirror is called
the ‘mirror box’. It can
Perfect for beginners
also be used to store Dobsonians offer good value for money
some of the other parts when it comes to aperture, so if you
of the telescope when like the idea of looking at faint fuzzy
not in use objects and are on a limited budget
they could be ideal for you. They are
usually very transportable too, although
the larger ones can get heavy. They
can be inexpensive as you can build
one yourself if you are a practical
person, plus you can buy optics and
Azimuth bearing cells commercially so you don’t have to
The bottom bearing worry about making your own mirrors!
of the telescope is the They are not good if doing
azimuth bearing, which astrophotography and you do need to
allows the telescope to know your way around the sky. Also,
rotate smoothly, often in when objects are near the horizon, you
the form of plywood or will need to bend over to view them,
MDF discs with Teflon for not so good if you have a bad back.
friction-free movement

21
Astronomy essentials Cassegrain telescopes

Cassegrain
telescopes
One of the most popular telescopes for the more serious amateur astronomer

The Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope is a hybrid of a rival scope to Celestron, but with similar
which is the merging of two designs of telescope features. This proved beneicial for the would-be
by a German optician (Schmidt) and a French purchaser as the competition prompted both
optician (Cassegrain). companies to innovate new ideas. This included
Designed in 1930 by Bernhard Schmidt to computerised ‘GoTo’ systems and various optical
produce a wide, lat ield of view. A photographic and mechanical additions to both the telescope
ilm was placed at the focal plane of a spherical and the mount. Various-sized apertures were
mirror as this design of telescope was never produced by both companies, eight-inch up to
meant for visual use. Because the mirror is 16-inch aperture for the Meade products.
spherical, it distorts the image and so the light Because of the various aperture sizes, the good
entering the telescope has to be altered in such a quality optics and the plethora of accessories for
way as to counteract this distortion introduced by these telescopes as well as the easy adaptability
the spherical mirror. of the scopes for both visual and imaging use,
The hybridised Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope the Schmidt-Cassegrain has become a byword in
was invented in 1940 by James Gilbert Baker and amateur astronomical
combines the spherical optics and corrector plate circles for versatility
of the Schmidt camera with the Cassegrain’s and afordability.
central hole in the primary mirror and the ield-
lattening efects of the secondary mirror to
produce a visual and photographic-capable
system that is compact and relatively
inexpensive to produce. This has proved
popular with amateur astronomers as it
ofers a telescope with a moderately
long focal length which is good for
lunar, planetary and much deep-sky
viewing and imaging, all in a
compact ‘package’.
The American optical company Meade quickly
realised this telescope design’s potential
and so it set up the manufacture
22
 Cassegrain telescopes Astronomy essentials

Anatomy of a Schmidt-
Cassegrain telescope

Secondary mirror
Visual back
This mirror reflects the light from
The hole at the back of
the primary mirror back down
the telescope is threaded
the tube to the focuser. Because
to accept a variety of
of this the telescope is effectively
accessories including the
‘concertinaed’ up, producing a
eyepiece. Cameras can also
relatively short, compact tube
be added using adaptors
made for the purpose

Spherical primary mirror

Focus knob Unlike a Newtonian telescope,
In most commercially the Schmidt-Cassegrain primary
made Schmidt- mirror is made to a spherical
Cassegrain telescopes curve. The aberration this
the focuser knob turns a produces can be easily corrected
screw which moves the to give a good image
primary mirror up and
down the tube to obtain
good focus

A great
advanced option
These are the choice of both
beginner and tend to be made
in larger apertures and usually
come with sophisticated
computerised ‘GoTo’ systems
allowing the observer to find
and easily track thousands of
different objects in the night
sky. Versatile, they provide a
long focal length telescope in
a compact tube. They do have
fairly large secondary mirrors,
which increases the obstruction
for the light in the aperture of
the telescope. This can reduce
contrast in the final image. All in
all, they make a good all-round
QSchmidt-Cassegrain telescopes often come with built-in telescope for beginners.
computerised ‘GoTo’ systems

23
Astronomy essentials Telescope mounts

Which is the right

mount for me?
Whether you’re a novice or experienced astronomer, the correct
mount makes all the difference

With a wide variety on the market, combined with the diferent types and brands of telescopes available
you can cut out the guesswork by considering the budget you have and the types of objects that you’re
planning to observe.
If you are looking for a quick and easy-to-use mount, then some form of alt-azimuth would probably
suit you best. However, if time is an issue for you, avoid the more sophisticated instruments with
computer drive systems, as these can take longer to set up.
Alt-azimuth mounts are mostly suited to simple shots of the Moon. To get the very best shots you’ll
need an equatorial mount, which follows the rotation of the sky. While these mounts tend to be larger,
heavier and require more efort to set up in comparison with an alt-azimuth mount, they can be used
for long-exposure astrophotography and even visual observing. With an equatorial mount you only
need to guide the telescope around the one polar axis, rather than in altitude and azimuth directions.

“To get the very best shots

you’ll need an equatorial
mount, which follows the
rotation of the sky”

24
 Telescope mounts Astronomy essentials

Alt-azimuth Dobsonian mount

fork mount The whole point of this
Where the telescope version of mount is to
pivots is the altitude axis provide astonomers with a
and the azimuth axis is cheap, stable platform for
provided by the rotating larger telescopes and to have very
base. These instruments smooth motion in both axes. This is
are usually provided with achieved by using frictionless Teflon
either electronic drives to bearings so that a user can nudge the
both axes or computer telescope without the object flying
systems, enabling the off out of the field of view. This is a
telescope to be set up to very popular mount due to it being
point at and track objects inexpensive and a good DIY project
in the night sky. for many amateurs.

German Fork
equatorial mount equatorial
Looking a little like the letter mount
T, the upright of the letter is The fork equatorial mount
the polar axis and is tilted to performs a similar function to the
become parallel to the Earth’s German equatorial mount, it enables
axis. It's only necessary to the telescope to be driven around the
track the telescope, which is polar axis. The polar axis is formed
positioned at the end of one by the fork itself. The tilt of the axis
of the arms of the T, around is created by an equatorial wedge,
this polar axis, to follow the usually added to an alt-azimuth fork
path of the stars as they rise mount as an accessory. Enabling
in the east and set in the long-exposure photography
west. Perfect for tracking a and imaging.
specific object in the sky.

Alt-azimuth mount Single-arm alt-

It has two axes of movement, the first is in altitude the azimuth mounts
second is in azimuth, which enables the observer to This mount suits smaller
move the telescope from side to side. This altitude is a refractor and catadioptric
circle describing 360 degrees around the horizon taking telescopes as the tube is
the north cardinal point as 0 degrees and south as attached to one arm as
180 degrees. The azimuth axis allows for movement opposed to being slung
around in a circle parallel to the ground. Most between the two. It's a type
camera tripods are alt-azimuth mounts, with of mount favoured by the
various types of alt-azimuth, their axes manufacturer Celestron for its
of movement smaller range of instruments.
are the same. These motorised mounts are
often supplied with a GoTo
computer tracking system,
making them versatile and
appealing as a family telescope.

25
Astronomy essentials Choosing an eyepiece

Choosing an eyepiece
You can’t look through a telescope without an eyepiece

Kellner Orthoscopic Plössl

An achromat lens, which is designed This design gives a near distortion- The design uses two sets of identical
to correct any false colours caused free image. It uses four elements of lenses and is sometimes known as
by refraction or bending of light in glass, three of which are cemented a symmetrical eyepiece. It gives a
the eyepiece. Relatively inexpensive, together. They make very good lenses reasonably large, flat field of view.
Kellners are often included with for observing planets, partly due to Varying in quality; but chances are
starter telescope kits. Varying in their clarity and relatively narrow field that you'll keep the best ones, even if
quality, they are still useful. of view. change your telescope.

26
Wide-Angle Long Eye Relief Nagler-style
This wide-angle telescope eyepiece Providing ‘long eye relief’, you can use With a superb 82° apparent field of
was a big hit, due to its outstanding these comfortably without having to view, this range is beloved of serious
quality and the impressive vistas it take off your glasses. They have quite deep-sky observers. These have a
offered. It's an excellent eyepiece for a wide field of view and the higher price you would expect of the very
low power, deep sky viewing. As you power eyepieces are good for lunar best. As optical technology moves on,
might expect, they are normally and planetary viewing; a great benefit there are even wider-field eyepieces
quite expensive. if you need to use your glasses. coming onto the market.

27
Astronomy essentials Selecting the right binoculars

QTelescopes are also available in a

binocular variety, as is the case with this
Vixen BT81S-A

Selecting the
right binoculars
Binoculars come in all shapes and sizes, so which ones are best for astronomy?

Binoculars are essentially two refractor telescopes of light entering your binoculars, in other words
bolted together. To make the tubes shorter, how faint and well resolved the objects you’ll
prisms are used internally to fold up the light look at will be. Any binoculars with an objective
path. There are two types of prisms which are lens diameter of less than 40mm will not show
used in binoculars; roof prisms, which mean that objects particularly well; much larger and they
the binoculars tend to have straight, short tubes, will be heavy and difficult to hand hold. Likewise,
and porro-prisms, used mostly in what are called too high a magniication will also make them
ield glasses. It’s normally the latter type which are difficult to hand hold and the image too faint.
best for astronomy, often because they are used For example, 16x50s will also magnify your
in instruments with larger objective lenses. handshake 16x! Ideally, we recommend that you
Binoculars are described by using two should use binoculars rated at 7x50 or 10x50 as
numbers, this is a type of shorthand. It’s this these will be the easiest to hand hold and give
number for the objective lens diameter that's you enough aperture to show you hundreds of
the most important, as this governs the amount objects in the night sky.
28
 Selecting the right binoculars Astronomy essentials

Right eye focus adjuster

This eyepiece has a mechanism to Binoculars explained
obtain sharp focus in the right eye. Use
the centre wheel focuser to get a sharp
image in the left eye first

Centre wheel focuser

This moves both eyepieces in and
out of the body of the binocular
to give a sharply focused image.
It should rotate smoothly and
slowly for best effect

Eyepieces
These are the lenses
which you look through.
They govern the
magnification of the
binocular and need to be
comfortable and give a
sharp image

Objective lenses
The front lenses which gathers
the light. Ideally around 50mm
in diameter, these should be
properly coated to allow maximum
transmission of light through the glass

Benefits of binoculars
Compact binoculars are often too small to be
useful for observing the night sky. Binoculars
using porro-prisms usually have larger objective
lenses. Using 7x50 or 10x50 binoculars will
normally give you the best results as these don’t
magnify your hand shake too much and give
you a reasonably wide field of view, important
when you are trying to find objects in the sky.
One of the many benefits of using binoculars
is the upright image, and because the lenses
QA good quality pair of binoculars can last a lifetime, so are so much bigger than your eyes you will see
keep those lenses capped and scratch-free when you're not thousands of objects that you can’t without them.
using them

29
Astronomy essentials Spotting scope astronomy

Spotting scope
astronomy Top tips for choosing a
These compact scopes ofer a cheap alternative to spotting scope
telescopes for basic astronomy
01: The larger the objective lens, the
better. If you are on a budget, then
Astronomers like to use spotting scopes for quick and easy you are best off buying a higher-
astronomy sessions. These compact scopes will get a surprisingly quality telescope with a smaller
objective lens.
good views of bright objects like the Moon, nearby planets and
open clusters. 02: Think about what you’ll use your
For night-sky observations, a power of at least 60x is a must, spotting scope for. If you are looking
to observe deep-sky objects and
however you have to be mindful of your spotting scope’s aperture. won’t use the spotting scope past
This is the diameter of your device’s objective lens – the bigger it is, astronomy, then you’re better off
the more light your instrument will be able to collect and the more buying a conventional telescope.
enriched your observing experience will be.
Most spotting scopes generally accept a variety of digital 03: You should always consider the
cameras that can be affixed using special adapters. Low brightness weight of a spotting scope. If you’re
looking for something suitable for
means that the shutter speed for your camera has to be quite slow travel, then the lighter the better.
and, as such, you must ensure that movement and vibrations are
kept to a minimum to obtain a clear picture. 04: There should be coating on the
Due to the fact that they are portable, have an ability to capture lenses to ensure there’s no light loss
clear images and that they are often cheaper than a standard and to reduce glare from reflection.
This usually means the scope will
telescope, the spotting scope has become an increasingly common produce brighter, clearer images.
presence on the astronomy scene.

05: If you wear glasses, then special

Eyepieces attention to eye relief is a must. This
The more-advanced spotting scopes come with a zoom is the distance between the eye lens
eyepiece that can often be removed and, combined with and the point where the pupil is
the scope’s focal length, will provide your magnification positioned over the full field of view.

06: Buy your spotting scope from a

reputable dealer – they will be able
to offer you advice in picking the
correct spotting scope for you.

QSpotting scopes are smaller

and so far easier to set up
than telescopes

30
 Spotting scope astronomy Astronomy essentials

The astronomer’s spotting scope

Bright targets
To get the brightest objects
Gathering light Water resistance in the night sky, such as the
A spotting scope has a large, Telescopes aren’t massively water- Moon, planets and open
multi-coated, objective lens, so it resistant because they’re used under clusters, you will need a
can gather much more light. This clear skies. However, spotting scopes magnification of at least 60x
makes the device especially useful are often used in the rain by nature-
in low-light conditions watchers, which means they must be
highly fog- and water-resistant

Angled or straight? Digiscoping

Straight spotting scopes are It’s possible to photograph
much easier for beginners the night sky by attaching
to use for terrestrial viewing. a digital camera, though
An angled scope (with an getting a decent image
eyepiece positioned at 45 or 90 takes much trial and error
degrees) is much better
for astronomy, as these can
be mounted and then easily
pointed skywards

Tripod
The beauty of a spotting scope is that it can be
used with or without a tripod. However, if you’re Short cool-down
using your scope for astronomical purposes, it’s Many astronomers complain
strongly recommend mounting the scope on a about the cool-down time
sturdy tripod of their telescopes. Since
spotting scopes are so
compact and lightweight,
they have a short cool-down
Olivon T650 spotting scope time, making them ready to
use almost immediately
Aperture: 65mm
Magnification: 16-48x zoom eyepiece (removable)
From: www.opticalhardware.co.uk
Cost: £240

31
Getting started

Getting started
Astronomy can be a fascinating pastime, whether you have a
substantial telescope, or are a beginner observing with the naked
eye. Discover the excitement of spotting planets, star clusters,
and nebulae with your own eyes.

Includes…
- Using sky charts
- How to minimise light pollution
- Reporting a discovery
- The best astronomy apps

32
 Getting started

33
 Getting started Using a sky chart

Using a sky chart

How to ind your way around a map of the stars

Compass
Use a compass to
orientate your star chart
with the night sky

Celestial poles
The night sky appears to
rotate around two poles in
each hemisphere

Ecliptic
The Sun, Moon and
planets will always be
found close to this line

Groups
Most stars can be found in
constellations or patterns
known as asterisms

01: Find your way 02: Track the sky 03: Star hopping
In the northern hemisphere hold You’ll be familiar with constellations Once you’ve mastered the basics, you
the chart above your head pointing after a few nights. To find planets, can use the star hopping technique
south, vice versa for the southern learn where the ecliptic line is. All to find more objects in the sky. Find
hemisphere. Orientate the chart with the planets, and the Moon, sit close a bright star and then use it as a
the compass points and use a red to this line, so you’ll be able to find reference to locate dimmer deep sky
light to view it. them here. objects nearby.

34
 Navigate the night sky Getting started

Navigate the night sky

Use celestial co-ordinates to ind your way around the night sky

Modern astronomy has made it much easier and arcseconds (60 in one arcminute, written as 60”).
has opened it up to a wider audience which is Polaris, for example, was found at a declination of
a great way to get more people involved in a +89° 19’8”.
fantastic hobby. Right ascension is measured in hours from 0
Astronomy revolves around the celestial to 24, with one hour corresponding to 15 degrees
co-ordinate system, devised millennia ago when of the circle that is the spherical night sky. It is
our understanding of the universe was much less broken down in units of time, rather than arcs
than it is now. This sphere appears to rotate daily, or degrees, and written as hours, minutes and
and so objects change their position. Depending seconds. So, for example, you may see an object
on your location on Earth, you will be standing written as having a right ascension of 18h
on a diferent declination line, sort of like latitude. 36m 56.3s.
At Earth’s equator you are at 0° declination, while The right ascension and declination are the
at the North Pole you are at a declination of +90° same for any observer anywhere on Earth, as
(vice versa for the South Pole). they use Earth’s north and south celestial poles as
Declination is broken down into arcminutes orientation. By using both, you will be able to ind
(there are 60 in one degree, denoted as 60’) and the location of most celestial objects.

What is a
planisphere?
A star chart that can
be rotated to show the
positions of stars at any
time and date of the
year. The whole sky is
not always available for
viewing, you can rotate
the viewable ‘window’
of a planisphere to a
particular time and QTo perform
astronomy without
date to show you what computerised
you can currently see equipment you’ll need
to use the celestial
in the night sky. They coordinate system
are a useful tool for
astronomers who want
to identify objects
quickly and easily. QA planisphere will give you the right ascension and declination for
objects in the night sky

35
 Getting started Measuring magnitudes

Measuring magnitudes
Celestial objects have varying levels of brightness – just how is it
measured, and what does it mean for you?

The Moon is the brightest object in the night sky,

with Venus the second brightest. This brightness,
doesn’t go far enough for serious study, which is
where the magnitude scale comes in. Allowing
for a more accurate reading of brightness, the
apparent magnitude of a star measures the
brightness of an object in the visible spectrum as
if there was no atmosphere.
The scale is not straightforward, though. Not -27
only does a lower number indicate a higher The Sun's apparent magnitude
is -26.8, absolute is +4.8
brightness, ive points on the scale is equivalent
to a diference of 100 times the brightness.
The Sun, for example, is measured at about -27
magnitudes, while the Moon is -13 when it’s full.
Venus, the brightest planet in the night sky, is
-4.9 at its most visible. Zero on the scale is usually
described as Vega, and most of the brightest stars
are around this number, with Sirius rated at -1.4 as
the brightest star in the sky.
All of which is very interesting, but how do the -13
magnitudes relate to you? Well, they can be used This magnitude is for
when the Moon is full
as a guide to igure out what kind of equipment
you’ll need to view them while star gazing. With
the naked eye, you can make out around 8,500
stars, with good eyes able to pick up stars with as
little as +6 magnitude. Between the range of +6
and +8, you’ll need to use binoculars to properly
make out Neptune, some nebula and brighter
deep sky objects. Going even further, amateur
telescopes will be able to pick up objects with a
minimum brightness of about +11, allowing for -4.9
Venus is at its brightest
better clarity of other deep sky objects, but just
during its crescent phase
not strong enough to pick up Pluto.
36
 Measuring magnitudes Getting started

“The apparent magnitude of a star measures the

brightness of an object in the visible spectrum as if
there was no atmosphere”

-2.9 +1 > +6
Jupiter at its brightest Altair and 8,500 other
and closest to the Earth naked-eye stars

-1.4 +6 > +8
Sirius, the brightest star in the Dark nebula and other bright
night sky visible from Earth deep-sky objects (binoculars)
All images ©NASA

0 > +1 +6 > +11

Canopus and the 14 Bright deep-sky objects
brightest stars in the sky (amateur telescopes)

37
 Getting started First night: what to do

First night: what to do

Top tips for your irst foray into the ield

On stepping from a well-lit room to your spot under the stars, you might notice that you can’t see much
at irst. The stars that you do see are the brightest and so your eyes do not need to adjust very much
to collect light from them. The faintest, on the other hand, stay hidden until your pupils adapt to night
vision. To get the best views possible, you need to take care where you place your telescope. A stable
surface is essential, so that rules out bumpy lawns. Concrete provides a stable surface but it also retains
heat that has built up during the day and, as a result, this warmth is emitted at night – this creates air
currents that can cause shimmering images through your telescope. Remember if kept indoors before
use, your telescope also needs a good half an hour to cool down to the ambient temperature outdoors.
Pick a spot with a good southern view. The 23-degree tilt of the Earth means that more can be seen
towards the south than the north from UK latitudes. It is always a good to have an idea of what you

More can be seen towards the

south in the UK latitudes

38
 First night: what to do Getting started

want to view before you go outside – doing this Use your peripheral vision
when observing dim objects
will help direct your evening’s observing.
Don’t expect too much from your irst night.
Forget notions of seeing things like what the
Hubble Space Telescope sees through your
telescope – there’s a reason why deep sky objects
like galaxies and nebulas are called faint fuzzies.
However, there are things you can do in order
to make these faint objects seem much more
visible. A clever tactic is to use something which
is called averted vision. In your eye, there are two
diferent types of receptor: the cone cells, which
are concentrated mostly in the middle of your
eye and give you colour vision, and rod cells,
which are on the periphery of your eye and are
more light sensitive than cones, providing you
with night vision. When looking at a faint object Experiment with the magniication and you
through the telescope's eyepiece, if you just will ind that diferent magniications work better
simply look of to one side of the object through on diferent objects. Try out diferent ilters: an
the eyepiece while keeping the object on the Oxygen III ilter is often called a ‘nebula ilter’ as it
periphery of your vision, it will appear brighter blocks out all the light except for that wavelength
because the rod cells around the outside of of light emitted by oxygen atoms. It can also
your eye are more sensitive to the dim light of double up as a light pollution ilter, blocking light
the object. you may encounter in an observing session!

39
 Getting started 10 tips to minimise light pollution

10 tips to minimise
light pollution
If you do live in or near a town or city you know the efects of stray light
dimming down and ruining your view of the stars. Here are some tips to help…

01: Get 02: Wait for the 03: Get out 04: Shade
into shadow right conditions of town your optics
If street lights shine High humidity or Pack up your If you can’t shield
into your garden, prolonged dry spells equipment and drive yourself from stray
getting into the when dust can be a few miles out of light, then you can
shadow of a brick thrown up into the your town or city to at least shield the
wall, tree or side of atmosphere makes find darker skies. You equipment you are
a building can help. stargazing difficult. will be amazed at the using. Dew shields
This can block your Check weather difference this makes, or flexible ‘wings’
view, so you may reports and also and you'll find that will help reduce stray
need to hunt around wait for stable it's definitely worth light entering your
for the best spot. wind conditions. the extra effort. eye from the side.
40
 10 tips to minimise light pollution Getting started

05: Cover 06: Be nice to

your head your neighbour Find a dark sky site
Covering your head If your neighbour’s You don’t have to travel to the Australian
with a dark cloth is security lights are outback to see the stars in all their glory.
surprisingly effective troublesome, then Very often there are fantastic,
in getting your eyes simply be polite and light-pollution free sites just hours
‘dark adapted’. In ask them to turn drive outside of town. In the
turn, this will help them off while you UK, the website www.
you to see those observe. You could darkskydiscovery.org.uk
faint stars and other also bring them over will allow you to finds sites
objects through to show them what near you.
your telescope. you are looking at.

©Science Photo Library

07: Use 08: Stay 09: Use 10: Take

coloured filters out late specialist filters up imaging
Coloured filters After midnight the City Light This is the most
only allow through amount of stray light Suppression (CLS) expensive option,
the wavelengths of around seems to be filters or Anti Light unless you already
light of the specific less. This is due to Pollution filters (ALP), own a DSLR camera.
colour of the filter. people going to bed are narrow band Because of the
This means that they and turning lights filters that ‘tune out’ sensitivity of these
block out the other off. Also some local the wavelengths cameras they can
colours, such as the authorities will turn of light emitted by ‘see’ more than the
orange/pink glow of street lighting down low-pressure sodium human eye in light-
street lights. or off completely. street lights. polluted conditions.
41
 Getting started 20 amazing amateur discoveries

20 amazing
amateur discoveries
Be inspired by some of the fantastic discoveries made by amateurs over time

Agencies like NASA are actually very enthusiastic about pro-am collaborations. As an amateur, you can
actually be involved in hunting for meteors, comets and even exoplanets.
This is because amateurs can ill in the gaps left by automated observatories and professionals who
concentrate on limited areas of study. Often the amateur can just get lucky and spot something.. As an
example, it took British amateur George Alcock six years looking for a comet, and then ive days later he
found another one. With modest equipment you have a greater chance of becoming an amateur space
pioneer than ever before. And if you need proof, check out these examples.

Jovian moons Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto

Discoverer: Galileo Galilei Discovered: January 1610
Using a telescope with a 20x magnification, Galileo noticed what looked like four stars near Jupiter. For two months, he
continued observing these objects and determined that they were satellites orbiting Jupiter. This discovery undermined the
Ptolemaic belief that the Earth is at the centre of the universe and showed the effectiveness of telescopic observations.

42
 20 amazing amateur discoveries Getting started

© NASA

© NASA

© ESO
The planet Uranus Sun spot cycle Nova Cygni 1920
Discoverer: William Hershel Discoverer: Heinrich Schwabe Discoverer: Will Denning
Discovered: March 1781 Discovered: 1843 Discovered: 20 August 1920
Using his equipment, he searched German amateur, Heinrich Schwabe, Denning spotted a bright new star
for double stars. Then he spotted a noticed a ten year cycle of sun spot in the Cygnus constellation. This was
planet orbiting beyond Saturn. activity, which was revised to 11 years. named Nova Cygni 1920 (V476 Cygni).

© NASA

43
 Getting started 20 amazing amateur discoveries
© ESO

© ESO

© ESO
Saturn’s white spot Lunar surface details Multiple variable stars
Discoverer: Will Hay Discoverer: Patrick Moore Discoverer: Michiel
Discovered: 3 August 1933 at 2 Discovered: 1945 onwards Daniel Overbeek
2:35 GMT His detailed maps were used by the Discovered: 1951 onwards
He spotted a large bright area in the Russians to check images captured by Viewing 250,000 variable stars, his
Equatorial region of Saturn. The huge Lunar 3 in 1959, and by NASA for the data was used to schedule observing
storm was visible for several months. Moon landing preparations. time for the Hubble Space Telescope.
© ESO

© ESO

Multiple supernovas OGLE-2005-BLG-071

Discoverer: Owen Robert Evans Discoverer: Grant Christie, Jennie McCormick
Discovered: 1955 onwards Discovered: April 2005
The proud discoverer of one comet and 40 supernovas. He With data supplied by these two New Zealand amateur
also succeeded in memorising the position of a staggering astronomers, a new exoplanet was confirmed. It was
1,500 galaxies, making it easy for him to scrutinise them. determined to be 3x the size of Jupiter.

44
 20 amazing amateur discoveries Getting started

“Agencies like
NASA are
actually very
enthusiastic
about pro-am
collaborations”
© NASA

Comet C/1959 Q1 (Alcock)

Discoverer: George Eric Deacon Alcock Discovered: 27 August 1959
Concentrating on comets and novas, he memorised the position of thousands
of stars to enable him to spot any new arrivals. Over 24 years, he discovered five
comets. In addition, he spotted four novas, the last being nova V838 Her, in 1991.

© NASA

Comet C/1995 O1
(Hale-Bopp)
© NASA

Discoverer: Thomas Hale,

Alan J. Bopp
Discovered: 23 July 1995
Saturn storm Two amateur astronomers in the USA
Discoverer: Erick Bondoux, Jean-Luc Dauvergne, Jim Phillips, Don Parker spotted one of the brightest comets
Discovered: 25 January 2006 to appear in the 20th Century. Alan
The two French men working together, and the two US amateurs working Hale saw the comet whilst at home.
independently, spotted a white patch on the surface of Saturn. NASA used this to On the same evening Thomas Bopp
confirm the presence of a storm detected by its Cassini space probe. saw it through a friend’s telescope.

45
 Getting started 20 amazing amateur discoveries

© Gemini Observatory/AURA
© NASA

Supernova SN2014J Kn 61 planetary nebula

Discoverer: UCL students Discoverer: Matthias Kronberger
Discovered: 21 January 2014 Discovered: January 2011
Found when Steve Fossey was showing four undergraduate Kronberger spotted this intriguing raspberry shaped
students how to use a small telescope. The supernova is nebula in the Cygnus constellation. It consists of an ionised
located in Messier 82, also known as 'the Cigar Galaxy'. shell of gas surrounding a blue coloured central star.
© NASA

© NASA

Jupiter asteroid collision NGC 4449 galaxy star streams

Discoverer: Anthony Wesley Discoverer: Robert Jay Gabany
Discovered: 19 July 2009 Discovered: April 2010
Using his 14.5 inch Newtonian telescope, he captured After working with the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy,
images of a spot moving over Jupiter. This turned out to be he contributed to the mapping and analysis of a stellar
an asteroid colliding with the planet, now nicknamed the stream in the halo of the nearby dwarf NGC 4449
Wesley Impact. starburst galaxy.

46
 20 amazing amateur discoveries Getting started

Exoplanets
Discoverer: Roy Jackson
Discovered: 2012 ongoing
As part of the Planet Hunters project,
these volunteers sifted through
data supplied by the NASA Kepler
Space Telescope, to discover the
existence of 42 potential exoplanets.
Fifteen were identified as being in
the habitable zone of its parent star,
indicating they could support life
forms. For this research, web browsers
are used instead of telescopes to find
exoplanets that had been missed
or overlooked by the professionals.
One volunteer was 71-year-old Roy
© NASA

Jackson, a retired police officer

in Gateshead.
© NASA

© NASA

© ESO

Comet C/2012 Comet Lovejoy

Asteroids
S1 (ISON) Discoverer: NASA volunteers (C/2011 W3)
Discoverer: Vitali Nevski, Discovered: April 2012 Discoverer: Terry Lovejoy
Artyom Novichonok NASA’s Target Asteroids! Discovered: 27 November 2011
Discovered: 21 September 2012 project is encouraging volunteers to Terry Lovejoy has discovered three
ISON was a comet to keep an eye on measure the position, brightness and comets. His rarest discovery so far
when discovered. It could potentially spectrum of the carbonaceous asteroid was of C/2011 W3, which is a Kreutz
be the ‘comet of the century’. (101955) Bennu. Sungrazing comet.

47
 Getting started Reporting a discovery

Reporting a discovery
Our universe is a vast treasure trove of new objects to be found. But what do
you do if you think you’ve made a discovery? We take you through the steps to
successfully report it

Astronomy is one of the few sciences that supernovae he found. The CBAT is also the
allows everyone and anyone to stake claim on organisation to report observations of novae and
a discovery. New asteroids, comets, novae and outbursts from unusual variable stars.
supernovae are all well within reach of amateur However, those who have located asteroids
astronomers to discover. or planets will ind that they must report to the
In 1993, Carolyn and Gene Shoemaker and Minor Planet Centre, while any new variable
David Levy scanned the starry skies to ind a stars should be made known to the American
comet orbiting Jupiter. The speeding chunk of Association of Variable Star Observers or
ice, named Shoemaker-Levy 9, smashed into the reported to the variable star section of the British
heavyweight gas giant. Astronomical Association.
The Shoemakers and Levy who found Last but not least, any ireballs and meteorites
comets, had to approach the Central Bureau that are discovered will need to be lagged up
for Astronomical Telegrams (CBAT) with their to the Fireball Data Center of the International
discovery as did Boles with his reports on the Meteor Organisation.

Think you’ve found

a new planet?
Planets around other stars are
too faint to be seen with back
garden telescopes – specialised
professional telescopes and
cameras in exotic locations such
as Hawaii, the Canary Islands,
or even space, are required.
However, these telescopes
produce so much data that
scientists need the public’s help
to search through it all.
Many enthusiastic amateurs
use the citizen science project –
Planet - Hunters – which forms
part of the Zooniverse project
and some have successfully
found an exoplanet around
another star by studying data
yielded from this project on their
computer. Could you be the next?

48
 Reporting a discovery Getting started

“Before you
report your
discovery, check
where your
object is located”

01: What type of object have Declination (Dec), you can then make use of a sky
you found? atlas such as WIKISKY or the Digitized Sky Survey
After you have checked that your inding is real, to check and make sure your object hasn't already
and you have conirmed your observation on a been catalogued.
second night and have multiple photographic
exposures, you’re now ready to look into what 04: What do I need to include in
type of object you’ve found. How does it move? If my report?
there’s deinite or small movement, of if it’s placed If you can’t ind your object on any of the
in a galaxy it could be a comet or minor planet. catalogues, then you are now ready to make an
If there doesn't seem to be any movement, then exciting step – reporting your discovery. Make
you might well have found a supernova or nova. sure that you have noted an accurate position
and time, written a description of you object
02: How bright is it? including its magnitude, your full name and
Your next task is to look at how bright your object contact details, information on your observing
is as this, combined with the object’s movement, location and the instrument you used to detect it
can give you some clues as to what your target as well as information on the sources you used to
could be. If the brightness changes, but you’re check that the object is new.
sure it’s not a nova or supernova, you might
have detected a variable star. You may have 05: Where do I report my
spotted the outburst of an unusual variable star, discovery to?
a cataclysmic variable or even one of the more Depending on what you’ve found, there are
familiar types of variable star. several organisations to report to. For comets,
supernovae, and outbursts of unusual variable
03: Consult a list or database of stars, contact the Central Bureau for Astronomical
known objects Telegrams (CBAT), for minor planets and asteroids
Before you can think about reporting your you should report to the Minor Planet Centre
discovery, you need to check where your and either the American Association of Variable
potentially new found object is located. As soon Star Observers should be contacted for the more
as you have noted the Right Ascension (RA) and routine or new variable stars.
49
 Getting started Best astronomy apps around

Best astronomy 2

apps around
Essential space-based mobile apps to inform you on the go

01: SkySafari Pro 02: NASA App 03: ISS Spotter

Cost: £27.99 ($39.99)/ Cost: Free Cost: Free
£22.99 ($36.99) Available for: iOS/Android Available for: iOS
Available for: iOS/Android For all things NASA-related this Never miss another ISS lyby again.
One of the most professional app is the way to go. It contains This app tracks the spacecraft
astronomy apps out there. It gets a multitude of information on and lets you know when you’re
the majority of its data from the all current missions plus other due another lyby by setting of
Hubble Guide Star catalog as well features. Watch NASA TV live an alarm. Easy to use, and does
as comets and asteroids. Use the when there’s a show or press exactly what it says on the tin.
app as a ‘GoTo’ device to control conference on air. The app can be While some planetarium apps
a full-sized telescope. It’s the size bland in places, but there’s plenty ofer a tracker for the Earth-
of data on ofer that sets SkySafari of nifty features, such as the orbiting habitat, the ISS Spotter
Pro apart from the rest. International Space Station locator. won't take up much space.

50
 Best astronomy apps around Getting started

3 4

04: Star Walk 05: Redshift 06: Mobile Observatory –

Cost: £1.99 ($2.99)/£1.79 ($2.99) Cost: £7.49 ($10.99) Astronomy
Available for: iOS/Android Available for: iOS Cost: £3.95 ($4.99)
Pinch and swipe to locate a A deinitive guide to the stars, Available for: Android
multitude of constellations in constellations and galaxies and The app also points out key
the night sky. Star Walk uses search functionality is impressive, events that are coming up,
augmented reality, so simply allowing users to ind objects by such as solar eclipses or meteor
point your phone at the sky and their name or browse through showers. Like Star Walk, this app
you’ll be able to locate objects diferent categories quickly also boasts incredible augmented
with the app's help. There's a ton and easily. Browse through the reality features, allowing you to
of information on ofer and is a universe, and if you need an app point your device at the sky and
great companion for amateur to help with amateur astronomy locate constellations, stars, planets
astronomers on the go. then you’ll want Redshift. and more.

51
 Getting started Operate a telescope remotely

Operate a
telescope remotely
Controlling a large telescope – as far out as Australia or Hawaii – from the
comfort of your very own home has never been easier

Due to modern technology, it is now possible at home or at a society meeting, controlling an

for amateurs to get involved simply through the observatory in another country or even another
touch of a computer keypad. Anyone with an hemisphere is completely mind-boggling in its
Internet connection can now escape cloudy skies own right. With a few simple clicks of a mouse,
to some of the clearest in the world. and very afordable rates per hour of observing
Not only can you skip through the skies of New time, you could be using a telescope under a
Mexico and Spain to Australia and elsewhere, pitch-black foreign sky, observing and imaging
you will also be using equipment that would deep-sky objects that you might never have
otherwise be out of inancial reach to many. seen before, in addition to distant comets and
While you don’t actually get the chance to look asteroids. Now the universe really does lie at your
through the eyepiece as you would if you were ingertips like never before.

Global Rent-A-Scope
www.global-rent-a-scope.com
Hailed as the best facility for the advanced
amateur astronomer, the Global Rent-A-Scope
(GRAS) operates a network of some ten
telescopes in three locations across both the
Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
So many telescopes means observers are
given a huge choice in camera and focal length
conigurations including a CCD that is aimed at
©NASA

The ultimate remote

near-infrared observations. telescope – Hubble is
operated by several
Time using the telescopes can be bought in space agencies
packages ranging from a starter trial at $19 up to a
larger sum of $289 per month supplying you with
11 hours observing time as well as the added
bonus of being able to schedule your telescope
time. Free time is also ofered to new users,
allowing you to try out the system.
52
 Operate a telescope remotely Getting started

Faulkes Telescope Project Slooh

www.faulkes-telescope.com www.events.slooh.com
The Faulkes Telescope Project provides free Slooh ofers membership to use its telescopes
access to its two-metre robotic telescopes at a free level. You have the option to be guided
situated in Hawaii and Australia. It provides through live imaging sessions by an astronomer.
training for anyone wanting to get the most out Simple to use, there are observing programs for
of amateur astronomy, either online or workshops the young astronomer – without parents having
across the UK as well as selected events in Europe. to worry about large bills!

LightBuckets Bradford Robotic Telescope

www.lightbuckets.com www.telescope.org
Free to join, but you need to purchase telescope Often used by schools and colleges, boasting
time to use the ive telescopes situated in France. over 75,000 registered users. Free to use, meaning
A simple setup that leads the user through that telescope-time is heavily over-subscribed.
choosing an observatory, a target as well as Completely automated, the system features
setting up an imaging run and retrieving data. multiple power backup and can cater for any
You also have the option of having complete teething troubles that it may encounter. The
observatory control as well as command of your telescope is high above cloud level and allows
imaging run. users to monitor local conditions.
53
Seasonal guides

Seasonal guides
One of the first steps is to make sure you are familiar with the night sky, and
how it changes through the night season by season. Follow our month-by-
month star charts and track what there is to see, and where you can see it.

Includes…
- Monthly guides
- Detailed star charts
- Uncover deep sky delights
- Get to know your constellations

54
 Seasonal guides

55
 Seasonal guides December-January

December-January
Here are a few of the amazing sights you’ll be able to see after dark…

Auriga Clusters Andromeda Galaxy

(M36, M37 & M38) The Andromeda Galaxy is the furthest
These three star clusters lay on a object which can be seen with the
rough diagonal line passing through naked eye. It lays 2.5 million light years
the southern part of the Auriga away from us. It is so faint, it takes
constellation. Between 3,500 and 4,500 long-exposure photographs to show
light years away from us they can be it up well. It can be tricky to find, so
found nestling in the Milky Way. the chart should help you pin it down.

Open cluster (M41)

Frequently overlooked as it is
to be found fairly low to the
southern horizon. If you drop
an imaginary line directly south The Great
from Sirius, the brightest star Orion Nebula (M42)
in the sky, binoculars will easily This is one of the most viewed and
pick up the small group of stars most sought-after objects in the
which creates this cluster. It night sky, full of colour and detail
looks like an irregular patch of and part of a much larger region
light, but a telescope will show of nebulosity that surrounds
NORTHERN
it to be full of stars. almost the entire constellation.
HEMISPHERE
56
LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD ETA CARINAE

Canopus
Eta Carinae and the Keyhole
Canopus is the second brightest
Nebula (NGC 3372)
star in the night sky and can be
Scan up from the horizon along
found high in the south through
the Milky Way and soon after the
the winter months. It is a variable
constellation of the Southern Cross
star in the constellation of Carina
you’ll find the star Eta Carinae You
the Keel. It is the brightest star
will notice a dark hole in the brighter
within 700 light years of Earth.
nebula, known as the Keyhole.

The Large 47 Tucanae (NGC 104)

Magellanic Cloud (LMC) The second brightest of globuar star
Scan through this area and you clusters and through binoculars is
will see clouds of misty light simply breathtaking! It is 16,700 light
interspersed with bright patches years from Earth and spans an area
and darker channels mixed in with of space 120 light years across. It lies
stunning star clusters. It is a satellite not far from the Small Magellanic
SOUTHERN Cloud, a smaller sibling of the LMC.
galaxy of our own Milky Way.
HEMISPHERE
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 Seasonal guides January-February

January-February
Start your new year viewing with this selection of fantastic night sky sights
Open cluster M67 The Crab Nebula (M1)
Messier 67 is a faint but fascinating open The Crab Nebula is the first object in the
cluster of stars in the constellation of French astronomer Charles Messier’s
Cancer the Crab. It shows up as a misty catalogue. The Crab Nebula is a supernova
patch in binoculars, but a telescope will remnant, the remains of a star which
resolve most of the stars. What is especially blew itself apart and was seen by people
interesting about this object is that it in 1054 AD even in the daylight as it was
contains over 100 stars similar to that of so bright. It is quite dim now and can be
our Sun and of around the same age. The tricky to find, but if you have a telescope
M67 star cluster lies between 2,600 and of around three-inch aperture, see if you
2,900 light years away, making it one of can spot this misty patch of light.
the nearest old open star clusters to us.

Open cluster M47

This is an attractive open cluster of
stars in the constellation of Puppis.
This is part of the now defunct Christmas Tree Cluster (NGC 2264)
constellation of Argo Navis. The This is a lovely cluster of stars which is
cluster lays quite near the star associated with a nebula. The nebula
Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, is called the ‘Cone’ and the Christmas
and contains around 50 stars. It Tree Cluster is seen above it so the
can be seen using by using either ‘tree’ is upside down in most pictures.
binoculars or a small telescope The star cluster is quite bright, but
which is at low magnification. It is the Cone nebula is much harder to
thought that the cluster is about see. You’ll be able to see the cluster in
78 million years old and is around binoculars and it looks great in small
NORTHERN
1,600 light years distance. telescopes at low power.
HEMISPHERE
58
JEWEL BOX CLUSTER PAVO GLOBULAR CLUSTER

Jewel Box cluster (NGC 4755) Southern Pleiades (IC 2602)

This is arguably one of the finest star The Southern Pleiades is one of the
clusters in the southern skies. It lays in the brightest star clusters in the southern
constellation of Crux (the Southern Cross), hemisphere skies, although it is fainter
the iconic star pattern which appears on than its northern cousin. It covers a
the flags of Australia and New Zealand. It large area of the sky and is best seen
is one of the youngest star clusters at only in binoculars. Like ‘The Pleiades’ it is
14 million years and has around 100 stars. a young cluster, at around 50 million
It is visible with the naked eye and looks years old. The stars in the group are
magnificent in binoculars or a telescope. bright blue in colour and distinctive.
The bright orange star is Kappa Crucis The cluster lies in the constellation of
and is a very large red supergiant. Carina and is nestled in the band of
light that is the Milky Way, part of the
spiral arm of our own galaxy.

Alpha Centauri (Rigil Kent)

Alpha Centauri is very
interesting. This star system
lies just over four light years
away. Alpha Centauri now
is it has been discovered that Pavo globular cluster (NGC 6752)
it has an Earth-sized planet NGC 6752 is the third brightest globular
orbiting around the second cluster in the sky. It can be found in
star in the system, making it the constellation of Pavo the Peacock
the closest planet outside of and can be made out as a faint fuzzy
our own Solar System. Alpha star with the naked eye and binoculars
Centauri appears as just one will show it as a misty patch. It looks
star to the naked eye and is magnificent in a small telescope, which
among the brightest stars in SOUTHERN will resolve many of the outer stars in
the entire sky. the cluster. It lays 13,000 light years away.
HEMISPHERE
59
 Seasonal guides February-March

February-March
At the first hints of spring, take a look at the views you can enjoy in the crisp night air…

Galaxies M81 and M82 Kemble’s Cascade

M81 and M82 are two very different This beautiful chain of stars is not a star
galaxies which lie quite close together in cluster in the true sense, but an asterism,
the sky. M81 is a glorious tightly wound a pattern of unrelated stars which isn’t a
spiral galaxy laying about 12 million proper constellation. Lying in the rather
light years away. The spiral structure is faint constellation of Camelopardalis, you
difficult to make out in a small telescope, need binoculars or a small telescope to
but the bright core is obvious. M82, at see it. It looks rather like a line of colourful
a similar distance to M81, is an irregular, stars, almost as if they were falling over
‘starburst’ galaxy, which means that stars a cliff and tumbling towards a lovely
are being born in M82 at a rate ten times open cluster known as NGC 1502, which
faster than in our own Milky Way galaxy. appears as a small bright knot of stars.

Galaxy M95
M95 is a gorgeous barred spiral
galaxy in the constellation of Galaxy M96
Leo. Quite faint, it shows up At 31 million light years away, M96
well in photographs, showing is the centre of a group of galaxies,
a circle of stars in a ring around including M95 and M105. It is classed
the nucleus, which is a star- as a double barred, intermediate spiral
forming region. This stellar galaxy. Like its neighbour M95 it is
circle is bisected by the central quite faint and needs a medium-sized
‘bar’ of stars, which makes it telescope to view it well. It shows up
look a little like an eye. It was nicely in long-exposure photographs
home to a supernova, which where you can see its rather
was seen to blow itself to asymmetrical spiral arms. Like M95, it
pieces in March 2012. It is part played host to a supernova explosion
of a group of galaxies, centred in 1998. This galaxy is thought to
NORTHERN
on the brighter galaxy M96. contain a supermassive black hole.
HEMISPHERE
60
Globular Cluster Omega Centauri Open Cluster NGC 2516
Omega Centauri is the brightest globular The constellation of Carina plays host
cluster in our skies and is easily visible to the stunning open cluster known
with the naked eye as a fuzzy star. It is as NGC 2516 or the Diamond Cluster.
the biggest known globular cluster to be It is easily visible with the naked
orbiting our Milky Way galaxy and was eye from a dark sky site. It contains
listed in Ptolemy’s catalogue 2,000 years two lovely red giant stars and three
ago as a star. sets of double stars. You will need a
telescope to to detect these: It lies
1,300 light years away from Earth
and is 135 million years old.

Open Cluster IC 2391

IC 2391 is not a very arresting name for
this lovely naked eye star cluster, but it
is also known as the Omicron Velorum
Globular Cluster NGC 6397 Cluster. It contains around 30 stars in an
Globular clusters are balls of stars area of sky just a little larger than the
bound together by gravity. NGC full Moon and it lies in a region of the
6397 is one of the nearest to us, Milky Way which was once part of the
containing around 400,000 stars. largest constellation called Argo Navis,
It has undergone a ‘core collapse’, the ship of Jason and the Argonauts,
which means that the centre of that has now been broken up into
the cluster has contracted to a SOUTHERN more manageable parts. The cluster lies
dense agglomeration. around 500 light years from Earth.
HEMISPHERE
61
 Seasonal guides March-April

March-April
See what this season of rebirth means for what the skies have to offer…

The Whirlpool Galaxy (M51) The Beehive Cluster (M44)

This is possibly one of the most famous This lovely cluster was recorded by
galaxies. The reason for this is the beautiful ancient Chinese astronomers. It is full
photograph taken by the Hubble Space of red giant and white dwarf stars and
Telescope. As you can see in the picture, is around 550 light years away. It also
the larger galaxy is pulling material from goes by the name of Praesepe, the
the smaller – an act of celestial vandalism. Latin word for ‘manger’. It is also known
by its catalogue number of Messier 44.

The Sombrero
Galaxy (M104) Galaxies M65, M66 and
There are lots of features that NGC 3628
make this an interesting galaxy, These three galaxies have become
including its bright nucleus known as the Leo Triplet. They are
and large central bulge and all spiral galaxies but M65 and M66
more specifically the dark dust are at oblique angles so we can
lane running around the edge see the spiral structure, whereas
NORTHERN
of this beautiful object. NGC 3628 is edge on to us.
HEMISPHERE
62
Omega Centauri The Coal Sack
The Omega Centauri is the brightest Part of one of the spiral arms of our
and largest known globular cluster galaxy, it is a dense region of gas and
associated with our galaxy. Easily dust which is obscuring the light from
visible with the naked eye, the view the stars behind it. It’s the largest such
of this object through binoculars or ‘dark’ nebula in the night sky. Visible
a small telescope is magnificent. It’s with the naked eye on a clear night.
around the size of the full Moon,
about 15,800 light years from Earth.

47 Tucanae (NGC 104)

Blue Planetary Nebula It can be seen with the naked eye
(NGC 3918) and appears roughly the size of the
Easily visible in a small telescope and full Moon. It is a magnificent sight
has a bluish tinge making it look a in binoculars or a small telescope.
little like Neptune. Interestingly, the Globular clusters are enigmatic
faint central star at the heart of the objects, as they contain some of the
SOUTHERN
nebula is invisible to visual observers. oldest stars in the known universe.
HEMISPHERE
63
 Seasonal guides April-May

April-May
The constellations of spring are now on show with a myriad of deep-sky delights

Globular Cluster M3 Black Eye Galaxy M64

Orbiting the Milky Way and around It's thought that this galaxy is the result
33,900 light years away, it is thought to of a merger of two star systems as the
be around 8 billion years old. It contains dark dust in the outer region is rotating
about 500,000 stars, it lies on an imaginary in the opposite direction to the stars and
line halfway between the stars Arcturus in dust in the inner. Thought to of occurred
Boötes and Cor Caroli or ‘Charles’s Heart’. over a billion years ago, it lies at a
distance of around 24 million light years.

Globular Cluster M53

It’s around 58,000 light years
away from our Solar System
and is thought to be over 12
billion years old! Again, like Galaxy M49
many others, this globular M49 is an elliptical galaxy. X-rays
cluster contains around half streaming out from the core of
a billion stars. It will show this object suggest it contains a
up in binoculars as a small supermassive black hole and maybe
misty patch of light; a small even two! M49 was the first member
telescope will reveal its true NORTHERN of the ‘Virgo Cluster’ of galaxies
nature though. discovered in 1771.
HEMISPHERE
64
Open Star Cluster NGC 6231 Globular Cluster NGC 5986
A bright and attractive star cluster, NGC This globular cluster, a tight ball of stars
6231 lies relatively close to us at a distance of orbiting our galaxy, contains stars as old as
just 5,900 light years. It’s also only 3.2 million 12 billion years! That makes them some of
years old. It can be easily seen in binoculars the oldest stars in the known universe. You’ll
and shows up well in a small telescope. need a telescope to see this object well.

Running Chicken Nebula

Small Magellanic Cloud An interesting feature of this nebula
The smaller of the two is a dwarf is the inclusion of a type of object
galaxy containing many hundreds of called Bok globules. These are dark
millions of stars. It is one of the nearest patches which are known to be star-
neighbours to our own Milky Way forming regions. Unusually, there
Galaxy, it is one of the most distant has been no such star formation
objects to be seen with the naked eye. SOUTHERN
detected within this nebula.
HEMISPHERE
65
 Seasonal guides May-June

May-June
The constellations of late spring bring us a range of wonders to enjoy on balmy evenings

Sunflower Galaxy M63 Galaxy M83

Consisting of a central disc surrounded Quite low to the horizon for viewers in
by several short spiral arms. It belongs mid-northern latitudes, but it's worth
to the M51 Group of galaxies which also attempting to see it. Around 15 million
includes the Whirlpool Galaxy. In 1971, light years distant from Earth, it has a
a star blew itself apart in this galaxy as a central ‘bar’ of stars similar to the Milky
supernova explosion. You can see M63 Way. It is also a face-on spiral galaxy,
best in a medium-sized telescope. so we can see its structure quite easily.

GGlobular
Cluster M5
Around 13 billion years old, it lies
in the constellation of Serpens.
A medium to large telescope The Great
should be able to resolve many Orion Nebula (M42)
of the outer stars. It is also one This is one of the most viewed and
of the larger globular clusters most sought-after objects in the
at some 165 light years in night sky. It is part of a much larger
diameter. It is 24,500 light years region of nebulosity that surrounds
NORTHERN almost the entire constellation.
away from Earth.
HEMISPHERE
66
Globular Cluster M4 Globular Cluster M62
This globular star cluster is easy to spot, M62 sits on the borders of the
being only 1.3 degrees west of the bright constellations of Scorpius and
star Antares in Scorpius. A larger telescope Ophiuchus. This cluster resides about
will resolve the object as a tight, granular ball 22,500 light years away from Earth, and
of stars. M4 is around 7,200 light years away. is thought to be around 11.8 billion years
old. It is dimmer than its neighbour M4.

Globular Cluster
NGC 362 Open Cluster M7
Another globular cluster to view You can find it near the ‘stinger’ in the
this month is NGC 362. This tail of Scorpius the Scorpion. It contains
conglomeration of stars is often around 80 stars in the group and spans a
overlooked. You can find it south field of view of 1.3 degrees. M7 is around
of 47 Tuc, it sits on the border of SOUTHERN 980 light years away. It is thought to be
the Small Magellanic Cloud. about 200 million years old.
HEMISPHERE
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 Seasonal guides July

July
The height of summer offers some fantastic night-sky sights. Here are some of the
month’s must-sees

Deneb Planetary Nebula M57

Deneb is around 2,600 light years away! So M57 is one of the brightest planetary
in order to appear almost as bright as Vega, it nebulas in the sky. The term planetary
must be colossally bright. If Deneb was around nebula is the bubbles of gases which
25 light years from us, it would drown out are puffed off the outer shell of a star
practically all the other stars in the sky. similar to our Sun as it collapses into a
white dwarf star. This will happen to
the Sun in around 4 billion years’ time.

Open Cluster M39

M39 is a very loose open
cluster in the constellation
of Cygnus. It’s thought to be
some 800 light years away
from us. Its age is uncertain, Open Cluster M11
probably being between 200 Through a telescope the stars appear
and 300 million years. Through compact, almost like a globular cluster.
a small telescope it looks like a This is in fact one of the richest and
collection of bright stars when most compact star clusters known. It
observed in the field of view contains approximately 2,900 stars and
of a low-power eyepiece.
NORTHERN
is thought to be 220 million years old.
HEMISPHERE
68
Formalhaut Globular Cluster M55
Formalhaut is the third brightest known Easily seen using a small to medium-
star to have a planetary system. Formalhaut sized telescope it lies a little too far
is nearly twice as massive as the Sun and south from Paris for easy viewing but
younger, being at the most 400 million years from the southern hemisphere it is
in age. It is 25 light years away from Earth. high in the sky and a great target. It
resides 17,600 light years from Earth.

Galaxy NGC 6744 Globular Cluster

It ‘flocculent’ or fluffy arms and NGC 6723
an elongated central core. It At a distance of 28,400 light
shows up well in long-exposure years, it is thought to be
astrophotography and is thought almost as old as the known
to be 31 million light years from us. universe! It is very bright and
Difficult to spot in small telescopes, SOUTHERN looks bes through a small to
due to its low surface brightness. medium-sized telescope.
HEMISPHERE
69
 Seasonal guides August-September

August-September
Late summer/autumn night skies are full of riches and wonders…
The Andromeda Galaxy Open Cluster M39
The most famous galaxy in the night sky. Thought to be between 200 and 300
Binoculars will show the bright central million years old. There are about 30 stars
core and a small telescope will give you in this group and all contained in a volume
an impression of just how large this object of space about seven light years across. It’s
is. It lies 2.5 million light years from us and just visible to the naked eye from a dark
contains around 1 trillion stars, twice that of sky site and binoculars will show it up well.
the Milky Way Galaxy.

The Triangulum Galaxy M33

Notoriously difficult to find
and observe due to its
low surface brightness. It Elephant’s Trunk Nebula IC 1396
does show up well in long- Sitting within a larger region of
exposure images, though. interstellar gas and dust, found in
Through a small telescope you the constellation of Cepheus and
can pick it up as a faint, misty lies 2,400 ly away. The nebula is not
patch of light. It lies about visible to the naked eye, but shows
NORTHERN
three million light years away. up well in long-exposure images.
HEMISPHERE
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Globular Cluster Globular Cluster M2
NGC 1261 is a faint example at eighth This is one of the largest globular star
magnitude, but is visible in binoculars clusters known, being some 175 light
and small telescopes. It’s thought this years across. It is estimated to contain
cluster is around 12 billion years old, around 150,000 stars and is around 13
making the stars some of the oldest in billion years old. Catalogued in 1760,
the universe. this cluster lies 33,000 light years away.

Open Cluster NGC 3532

NGC 3532 ontains 150 stars of seventh
magnitude or fainter. It was the first
object to be observed by the
Hubble Space Telescope in 1990.
John Herschel considered it one of
the finest irregular clusters in the
night sky.

Emission Nebula NGC 6188

Associated with the star cluster NGC
6193 and is a star-forming nebula. The
cluster is visible to the naked eye, but
the nebula only shows up in long-
exposure astrophotography. It can
SOUTHERN be found 4,000 light years away
from Earth.
HEMISPHERE
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 Seasonal guides September-October

September-October
The skies are darker for longer, so there’s more time to view those deep-sky objects…

Star Cluster NGC 752 Galaxy M74

This star cluster lies in the constellation You can see the spiral arms in long-
of Andromeda and a telescope will exposure photographs. It can be found
show around 60 stars in the cluster but in the constellation Pisces near the star
they are all quite faint. Long-exposure Eta Piscium, it played host to a recent
photography will show this group in bright supernova and for a brief period
its true glory. It’s thought these stars was brighter than the rest of the galaxy.
are around 1,300 light years from Earth.

Planetary Nebula NGC 246

When planetary nebula's were
discovered it was thought The Sculptor
they looked a little like ghostly Galaxy NGC 253
planets. NGC 246 is named the You need a good clear horizon to
Skull Nebula and the Pac-Man see this object from the northern
Nebula. It's the remains of a star hemisphere. You will need a large
that has ejected its outer layers aperture telescope to see its spiral
of gas, forming a bubble around structure, but it shows up well in long-
NORTHERN
it and is expanding into space. exposure photographs.
HEMISPHERE
72
 NGC 2070 STAR
GALAXY NGC 1300 CLUSTER WITH NEBULOSITY

Globular Cluster M79) Galaxy NGC 1300

An attractive globular cluster of stars The Hubble Space Telescope took an
which shows up as a misty patch of light in amazing picture of this galaxy clearly
binoculars, while a small telescope will start showing the spiral arms, the ‘bar’ and
to resolve some of its stars. It's 42,000 ly away the dust and gas within it. It’s 110,000
and is believed to be one of the clusters ly across. You’ll need quite a large
that have been captured by the Milky telescope to see it well, but binoculars
Way rather than being a native to it. will show it as a faint smudge of light.

NGC 2070 Star Cluster

Globular Cluster with Nebulosity
NGC 1851 This region of gas and dust resides
Around 40,000 light years away from in the Large Magellanic Cloud which
us, globular clusters are tight balls of glows brightly, receiving its energy from
stars which orbit around the plane of the cluster, and must be very active
our galaxy, the Milky Way. Found in because it is easily visible despite lying
the constellation of Columba.
SOUTHERN
around 160,000 light years away from us.
HEMISPHERE
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 Seasonal guides October-November

October-November
Here are eight of the best for you to discover for yourself

Andromeda Galaxy (M31)) Veil Nebula

Our nearest neighbouring galaxy is ideally The Veil Nebula glows as it collides with
positioned high in the north for northern interstellar gas and dust, and is clearly visible
hemisphere observers in the autumn. in binoculars and telescopes. Start from
We can clearly see its central ‘bulge’ in Epsilon Cygni and sweep approximately
binoculars or a small telescope. With a four degrees south to the star 52 Cygni.
large telescope, M31’s major dust lane can This bright star appears connected to the
be seen. To find this monster, first locate Western Veil – nicknamed the Witch’s
Beta Andromedae (Mirach). From here, Broom – which appears like a silver
sweep to Mu Andromedae and then blade. The larger Eastern Veil is just a
continue for the same distance again. couple of degrees to the east.

M74
A stunning spiral galaxy widely
regarded as one of the best
targets for those wishing to see
the eponymous spiral structure.
M74 resides in the constellation M2
of Pisces (the fishes), but it’s M2 is theoretically manageable
helpful to use the two brightest with the unaided eye in the darkest
stars in the neighbouring Aries skies, and delightfully prominent
(the golden ram). From Hamal in binoculars and small telescopes.
(Alpha) sweep to Sheratan Its unmistakable non-stellar
(Beta) and continue for about appearance makes it a snap to
twice the distance to Eta find. Simply find the double star
Piscium. M74 lies about one NORTHERN Beta Aquarii and from here sweep
degree south of this line. about five degrees northward.
HEMISPHERE
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VEIL NEBULA M74

The Orionids M79

This meteor shower is a regular Research within the last decades supports
occurrence and this year it will be best the idea that it may have been gently
viewed just before dawn. If you trace the persuaded by the gravitational pull of the
meteors backwards you will find that Milky Way galaxy. Therefore, it’s unusually
they seem to originate from the club of placed for a globular, in Lepus. Find Beta
the constellation Orion (the hunter). Lepus (Nihal) and sweep four degrees
southward at low power to see it.

Mercury Skull Nebula (NGC 246))

Not visible on our star charts, Bearing a striking resemblance to a
Mercury's position in its orbit at this ghastly skeletal head, it grins at us from
time makes it easy to locate in the 1,600 light years away. In Cetus, locate
night sky. Just look just above the the stars Phi-1 and Phi-2 (between Eta
western horizon as twilight ends but and Iota Ceti). Bisect the line between
bear in mind that to the unaided eye SOUTHERN them, and from the centre sweep
that Mercury looks just like a star. directly south about one degree.
HEMISPHERE
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 Seasonal guides November-December

November-December
Whether you’re using the naked eye, binoculars or a telescope, there’s plenty to see. Here
are some of the season’s highlights…

NGC 663 Blinking Nebula

This young cluster is found between (NGC 6826)
the stars Ruchbach and Segin, and it’s a Why does this little nebula blink when seen
compelling sight via your binoculars or a through a telescope? It’s an illusion caused
small telescope. Use a large telescope and by the bright central star overwhelming
be absorbed by a rich, uniformly bright the pale gas and dust around it. Find it in
field of lights like a swarm of fireflies. near the star Theta Cygni.

Owl Nebula
(M97 or NGC 3587) NGC 752)
You’ll need a large telescope to A lot of cluster-fans refer to this as
understand the name, but even Hodierna’s cluster, because we think
a small telescope will reveal a Giovanni Hodierna was the first to
hint of this popular planetary discover it back in the 17th century.
nebula in Ursa Major. Its big Then for over 100 years it was lost or
eyes gaze at us from over 2,500 forgotten, only to be rediscovered by
light years away, but studies none other than Caroline Herschel
show it’s been watching for less in 1783. Look for it in Andromeda,
than 6,000 years. This is a young around five degrees south-west
nebula. It sits within a couple of NORTHERN of the star Almaak in the direction
degrees from Merak. of Triangulum.
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Regor (Gamma Velorum) M41
Famously named by Apollo astronaut One of the greatest open clusters of all,
Gus Grissom for his friend Roger, this and another discovered by Hodierna, M41
beautiful system of at least six stars glitters in the constellation of Canis Major
appears as a tiny open cluster at the about four degrees south of Sirius, the
eyepiece, and its most prominent pair are brightest star in the whole sky. Even though
readily split with just binoculars. Regor is they vary wildly in apparent brightness, a
the star adjoining Vela to Carina, the great significant number of the cluster’s 100 or so
ship once known as Jason’s Argo Navis. stars can be teased out with a rich-
field telescope.

NGC 1300
We know the Milky Way's not just
NGC 2808 a spiral, but a ‘barred’ spiral like
Visible to the unaided eye in dark skies, NGC 1300, a spectacular galaxy first
this fine globular cluster is buried within discovered almost two centuries ago
the hull of the great ship Carina. It's by John Herschel. 61 million light years
easiest to find by sweeping a couple of away in the constellation of Eridanus
degrees north-east from the star Alpha (the river), NGC 1300 is also similar in
in the neighbouring constellation of size to our home galaxy, and can
Volans (the flying fish). In binoculars or a be seen with a large telescope.
telescope, some of its 1 million stars SOUTHERN Look just over two degrees north
can be individually resolved. of 16 Eridani.
HEMISPHERE
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 Seasonal guides December

December
As the year comes to an end, many of us will celebrate another year of accomplishments.
Why not celebrate the wonder of the sky, too?

Bode’s Nebulae (M81 & M82) Auriga Clusters

This pair of galaxies is an awesome sight. (M36, M37 & M38)y
M81 is a near face-on spiral, whereas Auriga hosts many star clusters, but the
M82 appears like a cosmic cigar. The two greatest must be the three catalogued by
are physically interacting and are close Charles Messier. Found in the southern half
enough together to be nicely framed with of the constellation, the trio are individually
good detail. Locate them by sweeping very interesting, but just unmissable when
about ten degrees northwest of Dubhe. framed together at low power. Open
clusters are common in the plane
of the galaxy, where Auriga lies, and
remind us that the Milky Way is a spiral.

Castor
The heavenly twins of Gemini
soar high in the sky this season. Orion Nebula (M42)
Castor isn’t quite as bright as An must-see for the season, the
Pollux, but is known as Alpha. Great Orion Nebula lives up to its
In a telescope, Castor is split name. The young stellar nursery
as a beautiful close binary star, glows from the heat produced by
and each is known to be a powerful infant stars at its core.
spectroscopic binary. The two In binoculars or a telescope, it 'sa
visible stars orbit each other distinct ‘bow’ shape, and can be
about once every 470 years.
NORTHERN
found in the middle of Orion’s sword.
HEMISPHERE
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Eight-Burst Nebula M47 (NGC 2422)
(NGC 3132) The frequently overlooked constellation
Sitting in the constellation Vela, the Sail, of Puppis (the Poop Deck) actually runs
the Eight-Burst Nebula is a fine sight in through the Milky Way, and contains a large
a larger telescope at high power. The number of open clusters. One of the finest
dim central star at the centre is really a is M47, lying some 1,600 light years distant. It
double, with the fainter of the two being harbours around 50-100 stars, and can be
the white dwarf responsible for the found by sweeping about five degrees
nebulosity, sometimes also known as east-northeast of Sirius. With binoculars
the Southern Ring Nebula. Find it just you may spot M46 in the same field.
northwest of the star Velorum.

Tarantula Nebula
Southern Pleaides (NGC 2070)
(IC 2602) A long way away in the orbiting Large
This young cluster of stars no more Magellanic Cloud dwarf galaxy, the
than 50 million years old spans a wide Tarantula Nebula is one of the largest
area of the southern sky, and its name and most active star-forming regions
is hardly surprising. In binoculars or in the Local Group. If we put it in
a widefield telescope, the cluster place of the Orion Nebula, it would
appears just as magnificent as the cast shadows at night. This colossal
Taurean, ‘northern’ Pleiades. It can cloud looks remarkable, showing
be seen with the unaided eye, and SOUTHERN plenty of detail and structure. Try
found by locating Theta Carinae. finding it with the unaided eye!
HEMISPHERE
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What to observe

What to
observe
The sky is always changing. Planets come and go, stars explode
as supernovae, and new comets grace our skies. Here we bring
together all the astronomy tips and resources you’ll need to
observe the glories that light up the heavens.

Includes…
- Stay safe when viewing the Sun
- Track the Galilean moons
- Get a glimpse of the most iconic stars
- Locate the Big Dipper

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 What to observe

81
 What to observe Discover how to view the Moon

©NASA
Discover how to view
the Moon
Find out how to get the best out of your views of the Moon whether using your
eyes, binoculars or a telescope…
The Moon is an object with which we are all familiar; however there are ways to observe it that will
make your time spent looking at it more worthwhile.
The starting point for the cycle of the Moon’s phases is when it’s ‘new’. It’s fun to try to see the Moon
when it is only a few hours old, just after the Sun has set below the horizon. Once the Moon is one
day old it is easier to see and over the next few evenings you’ll notice another phenomenon called
‘Earthshine'. If you’ve got binoculars or a small telescope turn them on to the Moon and notice darker
and lighter areas and you will see some craters.
As the Moon phase increases you will be able to see more of the surface and the so-called ‘seas’,
properly termed Mare, stand out as darker regions of the surface. Run your gaze around the edge of
the Moon and you’ll spot it isn’t smooth but broken up with the jagged edges of mountains. Take
a look at the terminator line, this is where you can see the longest shadows and some of the most
interesting lighting effects. Crater walls cast long shadows where peaks can catch the sunlight.
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 Discover how to view the Moon What to observe

01: Align your finderscope 02: Improve your disc viewing

Make sure the finderscope on your telescope is aligned Use a low-power eyepiece to start with for your
with the main scope. This will help you more easily find observations. This will help you see the whole disc and
the Moon in the eyepiece and also ‘zero in’ on interesting orientate yourself with the view. You can increase the
parts of the surface. magnification later.

03: Reduce glare 04: Use your motor drive

A Moon filter is really helpful to dim down the If your telescope has a motor drive, make sure to
brightness of the Moon, especially when it is near ‘full’. remember that you have it switched on. The Moon
This is a grey (neutral density) filter which screws into will appear to move swiftly across the field of view and
the telescope’s eyepiece. especially at higher magnifications.

05: Find the terminator 06: Locate the lunar highlands

Direct your scope on to the ‘terminator’, the line dividing Another very interesting area to explore with your
the light and dark areas of the Moon. This is the most telescope is the ‘highlands’, especially in the northern
interesting place to look. Look out for sunlight catching and southern regions, as they show up well due to
crater rims and mountains. shadows, even near full Moon.

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 What to observe Learn to view the sun

Learn to
view the Sun
By looking at the Sun, our nearest star, you can see amazing processes

©NASA
going on all the time, but remember, you need to be very, very careful…

If you are in the slightest bit doubtful about what you are doing,
then don’t do it. If you are careful and follow these guidelines,
observing the Sun is fascinating.
The safest way to see the surface of the Sun is to project the disc
using a small telescope and two cardboard squares. You point the
scope at the Sun by watching the shadow cast by the ’scope; when
Safety first! the shadow is smallest is when the telescope should be pointing in
The Sun is incredibly bright the right direction. Never attempt to look through the telescope!
and can easily damage You can get special solar ilters to use with your telescope, which
a human eye if you were it over the front aperture of your telescope, or a ‘hydrogen-alpha
to look directly at it and
will certainly destroy your ilter’, designed to block out dangerous radiation such as ultraviolet.
eyesight if concentrated Always check such ilters before each and every use. If your
through binoculars, telescope comes with a small ilter for the eyepiece, do not use it!
telescope or even a camera
lens even for an instant. Only These are very dangerous as they can shatter in the heat thereby
use proper solar filters to exposing your eye to the full force of the Sun’s energy.
view the Sun and then only All in all, the Sun is an amazing, dynamic object and well worth
in strict accordance with the
manufacturer’s instructions. your time as long as you make sure that you’re extremely careful.
After all, it’s astronomy in the warm!
84
 Learn to view the sun What to observe

01: Get prepared 02: Cast a shadow

First of all you will need to get a sheet of white card or You will also need another piece of card around the
poster board on to which we are going to project the telescope tube to cast a shadow so you can see the
Sun’s image. projected image.

03: Beware of overheating 04: Use a low-power eyepiece

The best telescope to use to view the Sun is a small Make sure that you are using a low power eyepiece in order to
inexpensive refractor. However, beware of heat building get the best results. Again, check regularly to make sure that it
up in the telescope tube. is not getting too hot.

05: Focus your telescope 06: Enjoy the results

You will need to focus the telescope so that you get a The telescope will reflect light from the Sun on to your
sharp, clear image of sunspots and other features on the sheet of white card or poster board, giving you a fascinating
Sun’s surface. and safe view of our star.

85
 What to observe Observe the Milky Way

Observe the Milky Way

Discover the astronomical sights awaiting you in the galaxy we call home

Our galaxy is replete with iconic historical monuments, relatively young creations, and some
quirky curiosities. Naturally we consider a handful of these to be the absolute best for observers
and photographers, just as we do with the Colosseum, Forum and St Peter’s in Rome, for which
holidaymakers have plenty of information available to get clued up on before they travel.
There’s an entire industry surrounding the research and sale of travel guides for Earth, but what if
intergalactic tourism was viable? Suppose we astronomers could tour the universe and sample diferent
skies. If travel-writers visited us from another galaxy, say the neighbouring Andromeda spiral, what might
they pick for their absolute must-see objects? Unfortunately our perspective on the galaxy is limited,
some of it is completely hidden from us but if we were Andromedans backpacking through the Solar
System, these popular gems would most likely be on our bucket list… and we think they should be on
yours too!

© ESO

Orion Nebula (M42) Jewel Box Cluster (NGC 4755)

Equipment: Binoculars / telescope Equipment: Binoculars / telescope
This cosmic cloud of gas and dust is a majestic “A casket of variously coloured precious stones,”
reminder of the ongoing process of star birth, as wrote John Herschel about this cluster. This
it surrounds a bright young stellar nursery 1,500 object is unremarkable, but train a large aperture
light years from Earth. The blazing infant stars have instrument on it and the colours of those ‘stones’
carved out an intricately decorated bowl with a leap out of the eyepiece to produce a very ine
very distinctive shape. Notable is the ‘Trapezium’ sight, which Herschel likened to “a superb piece
of four bright stars in the cluster. of fancy jewellery.”
86
 Observe the Milky Way What to observe

Omega Centauri Double Cluster (NGC Ring Nebula (M57)

(NGC 5139) 869 & NGC 884) Equipment: Telescope
Equipment: Binoculars / telescope Equipment: Binoculars / telescope You’ll need a telescope of at
It’s not quite in the Milky Way, These two clusters are least 3” aperture and at least a
but this tightly bound swarm of beautifully framed and have low-medium magniication to
millions of stars is the largest of a unique appearance. Each resolve the ring shape. It's really
its kind near the Milky Way, and contain hundreds of young just a cross-section of a rugby
it’s an unforgettable sight – like stars – just a few million years ball-shaped gas cloud gently
an explosion of stars with many old! – and, they cruise the Milky shrugged of by a dying star
individually resolved. Way together at a similar pace. not dissimilar to our Sun.

Veil Nebula Carina Nebula NPleiades Star

Equipment: Binoculars / telescope Equipment: Binoculars / telescope Cluster (M45)
Thousands of years ago, a big A sprawling complex of Equipment: Naked eye /
star exploded, scattering its gaseous structures, containing binoculars / telescope
atmospheric material into the one of the most striking stars Resembling a group of irelies
galaxy. You’d never gauge the in the galaxy: Eta Carinae. that are caught in a web, this
© All images NASA

violence of this blast today This unstable hypergiant is thousand-strong, young star
when looking at the peaceful about four million times more cluster has been admired
Veil Nebula it created. luminous than the Sun! since antiquity.
87
 What to observe Viewing galaxies

Viewing galaxies
Hundreds of billions of island universes drift through
space and, with a little practice, you can see some
from your garden

On the grandest of scales, these glowing lights form a delicate,

web-like structure of wispy tendrils, punctuated with enormous
cavities and, since they appear to permeate the universe as we
know it, we suppose that the view would be equally serene from
M87 anywhere we could imagine. It’s nice to know we’re not missing
Constellation:
out! The galaxies sing to us from the distant past. Their signals are
Virgo
not dissimilar, in the eyes of astronomers, to fossils as studied by
How to find it:
M87 (sometimes denoted the enthusiastic naturalist. Each individual galaxy we see is, from
‘Virgo A’) is nestled among our perspective in space and time, a snapshot of the history of
the myriad galaxies of the
Virgo Supercluster, about the universe, and some are so distant, they shine in our night sky
halfway between Denebola
(Beta Leonis) and Vindemiatrix tonight as they did not long after the Big Bang. Of course, at such
(Epsilon Virginis). It’s slightly immense distances, these are too faint for the amateur observer,
closer to the latter.
but many more lay near enough to our Milky Way to be glimpsed
– a small few even by the naked eye. However, a reasonable pair of
binoculars, or a rich-ield telescope, is certainly the best way to start.
Here are some targets for the budding intergalactic voyager.

M31
Constellation:
Andromeda
How to find it:
All space photos ©NASA

Find the star Mirach (Beta

Andromedae) and from
there sweep towards Mu
Andromedae. Continue along
this trajectory for almost the
same distance again, and there
you have the magnificent M31.

88
 Viewing galaxies What to observe

Peripheral vision

One of the best ways to get started is by allowing our eyes to

become adapted to low illumination. When our pupils dilate, our
eyes can harvest more of the incident light and the image appears
brighter to us. Also, our colour vision virtually switches of as a more
sensitive, monochromatic system begins to warm up. This second
adaptation presents us with a problem, as each eye introduces a
blind spot. However, with practice, you can teach yourself a new
skill: ‘averted vision’. By moving the blind spot of the object, you
can use your peripheral vision to really ‘see’ what you’re trying to
see! Observers report best results when looking away from their
own nose.
M81 & M82
Observing something without looking directly at it is a fine art Constellation:
that requires patience and determination. With perseverance it’ll Ursa Major
become second nature to use averted vision to your advantage. How to find it:
You’ll be amazed how often a friend will fail to see the galaxy To locate this pair sweep from
Phad (Gamma Ursae Majoris) to
you’re trying to show them, while declaring that they’re looking Dubhe (Alpha) and continue for
the same distance again. M81
right where they should be! Well, now you know why. is the more conspicuous of the
two, which are separated by
less than one degree.

Blind spot
Faint galaxies can look like
they’ve disappeared when
you look directly at them

Averted vision
The most effective way to
M104
see a faint object is to look
Constellation:
slightly off to the side
Virgo
How to find it:
Like M87, M104 occupies the
Virgo Supercluster of galaxies.
It’s easiest to find by sweeping
about three degrees northeast
of Algorab (Delta Corvi) roughly
in the direction of the bright
star Porrima (Gamma Virginis).

89
 What to observe View planets through a telescope

View planets
through a
telescope
What do the planets of our galaxy look like through
a telescope?
QYou’ll need the right
conditions to get the most- Would you like to see another world with your own eyes? These
impressive views of the planets pictures will help to give you some idea of what to look for. To the
eye, however, the view is quite diferent. Details are more subtle at
the eyepiece, and your view depends which telescope you’re using,
and how favourable the atmospheric conditions are. Don’t lose
heart though, because to see the other planets – worlds as real as
ours – with your own eyes, is an unforgettable experience.

Mercury
Telescope: Astro-Physics
Stowaway f5
In close-up, the smallest
planet in our Solar System
looks strikingly similar to
the dark-side of our Moon,
albeit almost twice as large.
Unfortunately, we never
get such a close-up from
Earth, but large aperture
instruments at high power
will show Mercury’s phases
at the eyepiece. Make
sure the Sun has set
completely before trying
to observe Mercury, as
it will be obscured in
its glare. It does rotate –
however a Mercurian day As seen through a
lasts about 132 days! telescope

90
 View planets through a telescope What to observe

Venus
Telescope: Astro-Physics
Stowaway f5
Since the launch of the
International Space Station,
Venus is the third brightest
object in the sky. Though
peaceful in appearance, it is
not the kind of place you’d
want to go on holiday, with
ridiculously high pressures,
clouds of sulphuric acid, and a
surface temperature of 735°K.
Fortunately, we are able to
stay at home and enjoy its
beautiful set of ‘moon-like’
phases through a telescope,
retracing the landmark
observations of Galileo,
which would provide strong
evidence that the planets
revolved around the Sun.

Mars
Telescope: Astro-Physics
Stowaway f5
Larger planet images ©NASA; Circled planet images ©Tom Kerss

Mar is our closest neighbour

and current home of
Curiosity. The Red Planet
shows a striking colour in
any instrument thanks to its
iron-rich soil that has literally
rusted. Larger apertures will
reveal the subtle shades of
the major surface features,
such as the dark and rocky
Syrtis Major Planum, and
even small telescopes
can bring out the brilliant
ice-covered polar caps.
Mars looks small, though, so
you’ll need steady skies, and
you won’t see Curiosity either.

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 What to observe View planets through a telescope

Jupiter
Telescope: Astro-Physics
Stowaway f5
Jupiter is the largest
planet in the Solar
System, and despite
being around 11
times wider than the
Earth, it rotates once
every ten hours! Hurricane
winds craft intricate, swirling
cloud formations in its upper
atmosphere. You can see these
different coloured layers of
cloud that surround it through a
reasonably powerful telescope,
as well as the famous Red Spot
super-hurricane. Also visible
are the four stunning Galilean
moons, Io, Europa, Ganymede,
Callisto, each larger than our
own Moon. Sadly, Jupiter’s rings
are too faint to observe though.

Saturn
Telescope: Celestron C6
With the naked eye, you can
sometimes mistake Mars for
Saturn. As almost everyone’s Larger planet images ©NASA; Circled planet images ©Tom Kerss
favourite planet – the ‘wow’
factor of Saturn’s gorgeous
rings lights up the faces of
many first-time planet-gazers.
It’s hardly surprising! The
rings gradually tilt to and
fro, periodically revealing
the Cassini Division, a major
gap. Saturn hosts many
moons. The largest, Titan,
is clearly visible in small
telescopes. Some of
the cloud layers will
be a touch fuzzier than
Jupiter’s, as they are not
as pronounced anyway.

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View planets through a telescope What to observe

Uranus
Telescope: Meade LX200 12”
Uranus is one of the two
planets in the solar system
that are not visible to the
naked eye. At first believed
to be a star, and later a
comet, Uranus became the
first planet to be discovered
using a telescope, with William
Herschel taking the credit.
Uranus is known to observers
for its distinct greenish hue,
and clouds have been spotted
on rare occasions. Its moons,
while large, are not nearly large
enough to be easily noticed –
however there are 27 of them.

Neptune
Telescope: Meade LX200 12”
The farthest outlying planet
in the solar system, Neptune
is a remote, cold world. It’s
roughly the same size as Uranus,
however it’s 50 per cent more
distant than its light-blue cousin.
Despite its size, almost four
times wider than the Earth, it
was not seen until 1846, and
has only just completed one
orbit since its discovery! It’s
great to see the gorgeous
blue colour, while knowing
you are looking over 4.2
billion kilometres (2.6 billion
miles) away.

93
 WhatAstronomy
to observe Viewing
Telescope
the
mounts
Galilean moons

Viewing the
Galilean moons
Named after their discoverer Galileo Galilei, the four moons which orbit around
Jupiter are easily seen in binoculars and small telescopes
The moons of Jupiter are some of the most fascinating things to observe in the night sky. First
recorded in 1610 by the Italian astronomer Galileo, the moons of Jupiter have proved to be an endless
source of fascination for astronomers ever since. Jupiter has dozens of moons orbiting around it, but
the four largest are the only ones visible using ground-based telescopes. Among the most interesting
things to observe with respect to these moons are the ways they move almost on an hourly basis.
They can change their position from two moons each side of the planet to all being in a row on just
one side as well as various other combinations. Even more interesting are the occultations and transits.
An occultation is where the moons pass behind the planet, so for a short time being obscured to us
here on Earth, whereas when they pass in front of the disc of Jupiter, it is known as a transit.

Callisto Ganymede Europa Jupiter

The third largest Not only is Ganymede a The smallest moon of Jupiter, Jupiter was one
moon in the Solar moon of Jupiter, it is also the Europa has a very tenuous of the first objects
System, Callisto largest moon in the Solar oxygen atmosphere and it’s that Galileo viewed
is slightly smaller System and is slightly larger thought that it may have through his new
than Mercury. It’s than the planet Mercury! It an ocean of water under its telescope. When he
‘tidally locked’ also has the largest mass of surface ice. It is also thought saw the four moons
to Jupiter, and any planetary satellite, being that this ocean may possibly travelling around
therefore it always a little over twice the mass of harbour extraterrestrial life Jupiter he realised
presents the same our own Moon the Earth could not
face to the planet. be at the centre of
It’s made up from Io the Solar System
rock and ice and Io is the innermost of the four moons. It‘s being continually
may even contain kneaded by Jupiter’s gravitational pull and so has a molten
liquid water core. It’s the most geologically active object in the Solar System
and has active volcanoes producing plumes of sulphur
edtrawets©

94
 Viewing the Galilean moons What to observe
All images on page ©NASA

Io Which telescope?
Diameter: 3,642km (2,263 miles)
Orbiting Jupiter every 1.8 days, it has In order to see them well,
over 400 active volcanoes which
were only discovered during a flyby you’ll need at least a three-
of Jupiter by the Voyager probes. inch aperture (75mm)
Its surface is covered in sulphur and refractor telescope or a
sulphur dioxide and is composed of
silicate rock surrounding a molten iron six-inch (150mm) reflector. A
core, the heat being produced by the reasonable magnification of
gravitational effect of Jupiter. around 120x or even more
is also required, as is a good
Callisto quality eyepiece. Here, the
Diameter: 4,800km (2,985 miles) Plössl design of eyepiece is
Callisto is the second largest moon good as it provides a nice
of Jupiter and the third largest in the
Solar System. It is made up from equal
wide and flat field of view
amounts of rock and ice and we know with minimal distortions.
that the surface is covered mostly in Longer focal length
water ice, carbon dioxide and silicates
with some organic compounds,
telescopes are better for
although this isn’t the same as planetary viewing, so this is
having life. where refracting telescopes
also have an advantage, but
again reflectors can also give
Ganymede you splendid views of the
Diameter: 5,268mm (3,273 miles) giant planet and its moons.
Ganymede is the largest moon in
the Solar System. With a molten iron
core it has a magnetosphere. It also
has a very thin atmosphere consisting
mostly of oxygen. It’s heavily cratered
due to asteroid impacts, but mostly
only on its darker regions, suggesting
that the lighter areas are or have
been renewed.

Europa
Diameter: 3,100km (1,900 miles)
Its icy surface seems to be scored
with dark lines, but little cratering is
evident, suggesting that there may
be an ocean of liquid water under
the surface, which could be warm
enough to sustain life. Due to its
potential habitability, Europa is now
the focus of ideas for missions to
explore its ocean in the search for life.

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 What to observe Spot 20 famous stars

Spot 20 famous stars

Discover how to locate and view the 20 most famous stars in the sky, and for a
lot you don’t even need a telescope

There’s a reason we consider our most celebrated performers to be ‘stars’. Both brilliant and beautiful,
the real stars have been revered since the dawn of humanity, often worshipped as avatars of the gods,
or admired as tranquil windows to heaven. But there are celebrities in the sky, too. Some of the stars
in the night sky have become so well known that they pervade popular culture, whether by their
value for navigation, or their sheer brightness in the sky, and you can admire many of them without a
telescope. Join us as we take a look at ive of the biggest highlights of the night sky. From the fabulous
red supergiant Betelgeuse, which can be found in the Orion constellation, to the brightest star in the
sky, Sirius, which is situated in the Canis Major constellation; these are the stars among the stars. Get out
there and track them down.

“Some of the stars

in the night sky
have become so
well known that
they pervade
popular culture”
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 Spot 20 famous stars What to observe

Vega (Alpha
Lyrae)
Constellation: Lyra (Harp)
Right ascension:
18h, 36m, 56s
Declination:
+38 deg, 47’, 01”
Distance: 25 ly
The fifth brightest star in
the sky. Chosen as the
benchmark by which
Polaris (Alpha Ursae Minoris) astronomers would judge
Constellation: Ursa Minor (Little Bear) the brightness of all other
Right ascension: 02h, 31m, 49s objects in the night sky. It is
Declination : +89 deg, 15’, 51” an incredibly stable star.
Distance: ~430 ly
Many a nomad has found his way home thanks to
the Polaris. It sits very close to the north celestial Betelgeuse
pole. Throughout the age of sail and the ensuing (Alpha Orionis)
globalisation, Polaris was relied upon for navigation, Constellation: Orion
and today aids astronomers in the northern (Hunter)
hemisphere to correctly align their equatorial Right ascension:
mounts for accurate tracking of the celestial sphere. 05h, 55m, 10s
Polaris is the most useful North Star in human Declination:
history. It marks the tip of the tail of the Little Bear. +07 deg, 24’, 25”
Distance: ~700 ly
A huge red supergiant
star nearing the end of
its life, expected to die in
a spectacular supernova
explosion, which might
happen within the next
million years.

Rigel Kentaurus
(Alpha Centauri)
Constellation:
Centaurus (Centaur)
Sirius (Alpha Canis Majoris) Right ascension:
Constellation: Canis Major (Big Dog) 14h, 39m, 36s
Right ascension: 06h, 45m, 09s Declination:
Declination: -16 deg, 42’, 58” -60 deg, 50’, 02”
Distance: 8.6 ly Distance: 4.3 ly
Scorching, searing, glowing – all words that spring Alpha Centauri hosts
to mind when we think of Sirius, the brightest two very Sun-like stars, of
star in the sky. Sirius is actually a binary star with which one is now known
a tiny white-dwarf companion. From northern to harbour an Earth-sized
temperate latitudes, Sirius often spends much of planet. Could it be that a
its apparition in the atmospheric soup, flashing habitable Earth-like world
almost every colour of the rainbow. It joins Procyon has co-habited our little
and Betelgeuse in the Winter Triangle asterism. corner of the Milky Way?

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 What to observe Spot 20 famous stars

©NASA
Barnard’s Star Proxima Centauri
Constellation: Ophiucus Constellation: Centaurus
Right ascension: 17h, 57m, 48s Right ascension: 14h, 29m, 42s
Declination: +04° 41’ 36” Declination: -62° 40’ 46”
Distance: 6 ly Distance: 4.2 ly
The closest star to Earth after the Alpha Centauri system, Proxima Centauri is the closest star to Earth other than the
and also a low mass red-dwarf. Although it is too dim to see Sun. It’s also a red dwarf, making it the closest red dwarf to
with the naked eye, but fine to see with a telescope. It’s also Earth. It can only be seen through a telescope, although it
extremely bright in infrared compared to visible light. undergoes random increases in brightness.
©NASA

©ESO

Antares Procyon
Constellation: Scorpius Constellation: Canis Minor
Right ascension: 16h, 29m, 24s Right ascension: 07h, 39m, 18s
Declination: -26° 25’ 55” Declination: +05° 13’ 30”
Distance: 550 ly Distance: 11.5 ly
The brightest star in the Scorpius constellation, and a red The brightest star in Canis Minor, and the eighth brightest
supergiant star. It’s one of the brightest stars in the night sky, star in the night sky. It’s actually a binary star, and much like
and its apparent magnitude is just below +1. Even at such a Sirius has a small white dwarf companion. It’s part of the
great distance, it’s much more visible than nearer red stars. winter triangle comprised of Betelgeuse and Sirius.

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 Spot 20 famous stars What to observe
©ESO

©NASA
Arcturus Canopus
Constellation: Bootes Constellation: Carina
Right ascension: 14h, 15m, 39s Right ascension: 06h, 23m, 57s
Declination: +19° 10’ 56” Declination: -52° 41’ 44”
Distance: ~36.7 ly Distance: ~310 ly
The brightest star in the northern celestial hemisphere, and The brightest star in the Southern sky, and the second
very close to zero magnitude. Believed to have exhausted all brightest star in the night sky. It’s also a supergiant star,
its hydrogen and now fusing helium. It will likely end its life and looks very white to the naked eye. It’s best seen in the
by becoming a white-dwarf inside of a nebula. southern hemisphere in the summer.

Sigma Octantis
©ESO

Constellation: Octans
Right ascension:
21h, 08m, 46s
Declination: -88° 57’ 23”
Distance: 270 ly
If Polaris is considered the
North Star, then Sigma
Octanis is currently the
closest thing we have
to being the South
Star. Its magnitude isn’t
particularly good though,
so unfortunately it doesn’t
command the same
prominence as Polaris does
in the north.

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 What to observe Spot 20 famous stars

Capella
©ESO

Constellation: Auriga
Right ascension: 05h,
16m, 41s
Declination: +45° 59’ 52”
Distance: ~42.2 ly
Capella is another bright
northern star, although this
one is special as it’s not just
one star, actually made up
of four stars in two binary
pairs. The first pair are giant
stars with a radius ten times
greater than the Sun’s. The
other two are red dwarfs.

”It’s actually
made up of
four stars”
©NASA

©NASA

©ESO

Altair Kapteyn’s Star Tau Ceti

Constellation: Aquila Constellation: Constellation: Cetus
Right ascension: 19h, 50m, 46s Right ascension: 05h, 11m, 40s Right ascension: 01h, 44m, 04s
Declination: +08° 52’ 06” Declination: -45° 01’ 06” Declination: -15° 56’ 14”
Distance: ~16.7 ly Distance: ~12.8 ly Distance: 11.9 ly
The name Altair comes from an Named after noted Dutch astronomer It’s the nearest solitary star like our
Arabic phrase that means the flying Jacobus Kapteyn, who discovered Sun. Originally believed there were
eagle, very apt for a star in an eagle galactic rotation. It’s a red dwarf star no planets orbiting it, evidence now
constellation. Altair actually spins that was named after him when suggests that there are five planets in
incredibly fast, causing its poles he noticed that it had a very high the system, and one possibly being
to flatten due to this, making it proper motion, moving across the sky habitable. Are we catching a glimpse
non-spherical. noticeably every year. of our first exosolar colony?

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 Spot 20 famous stars What to observe
©NASA

©NASA
Pollux Aldebaran
Constellation: Gemini Constellation: Taurus
Right ascension: 07h, 45m, 18s Right ascension: 04h, 35m, 55s
Declination: +28° 01’ 34” Declination: +16° 30’ 33”
Distance: ~33.8 ly Distance: ~65 ly
Pollux is an evolved giant star, with a distinct orange hue, Another red giant star, and the brightest star in the Taurus
and is the brightest star in the Gemini constellation. This constellation. Its name means the follower, as it seems to
star is important as its spectrum is used as a reference to follow the Pleiades in the night sky. It has about 44 times
classify other stars. It has an exosolar planet orbiting it. the radius of our Sun, but isn’t even quite twice as heavy.
©NASA

©NASA

Rigel Alnilam
Constellation: Orion Constellation: Orion
Right ascension: 05h, 14m, 32s Right ascension: 05h, 36m, 12s
Declination: -08° 12’ 06” Declination: -01° 12’ 06”
Distance: ~860 ly Distance: ~1300 ly
Made famous by Star Trek, Rigel is a blue-white supergiant The brightest star in Orion’s Belt is a blue supergiant. It’s the
star and the brightest star in Orion. It’s almost 20 times middle star of the trio, along with Alnitak and Mintaka. It is
heavier than our Sun, and has 74 times the radius. Even at one of the 57 stars used in celestial navigation, and
such a vast distance from Earth, it outshines smaller, much is another star whose spectrum is used as a reference
closer stars. for others.

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 What to observe Seeing double stars

Seeing double stars

It’s a little known fact that around 50 per cent of all the stars in the night sky are
double or multiple stars…

Double stars can either be stars which look very close to each other due to a line of sight efect for us
here on Earth, or they can actually be bound to each other through gravitation – in other words, they
orbit around their common centre of gravity. These are arguably the most interesting as their position
relative to each other can change over time.
There are a couple of ‘naked eye’ double stars we can see from Earth, but for most you will need a
telescope. The rule of thumb here is that bigger is better, so the larger your telescope, the more double
stars you are likely to be able to resolve as two distinct stars, otherwise known as ‘splitting’. Some
doubles are so close that, even with the largest telescopes on Earth, you can never discern them as
individual stars. Sometimes the stars can look like a single egg-shaped star as they are apparently very
close to each other. Others are relatively easy to split and often can be of difering brightness or colours.
For close doubles, you’ll need to use a fairly high magniication if you can, around 100x or so.

©Alamy

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 Seeing double stars What to observe

©SPL

©SPL

©SPL
Mizar and Alcor Winnecke 4 Epsilon Lyrae
How to find it: How to find it: How to find it:
Mizar and Alcor make up You will Winnecke 4 resting Epsilon Lyrae can be found
the ‘star’ in the middle of the just above the star Megrez close to the bright star Vega
handle of the famous ‘Plough’ which connects the handle of in the constellation of Lyra
or Big Dipper asterism. Look the ‘Dipper’ to the ‘Bowl’. It is the Lyre. It can be viewed just
closely and you will be able to approximately 510 light years above the ‘square’ of the main
see that it’s actually two stars. from Earth. part of the constellation.

Interacting stars
There are binary stars, two
stars that orbit around their
common centre of gravity,
that can interact with each
other physically. Through this
interaction the stars will vary in
brightness as the matter from
the ‘ordinary’ star crashes on
to the white dwarf causing it
to flare up often at irregular
©Alamy

intervals due to nuclear fusion

©SPL

reactions converting hydrogen

to helium at a very fast rate.
These stars have intense and
Almach Albireo complex magnetic fields
How to find it: How to find it: surrounding them and often
Almach is the left-hand star at Albireo is the star marking form the basis of ‘novas’, stars
which will suddenly increase in
the end of the ‘Y’ shape of the the head of Cygnus in the brightness many hundredfold.
Andromeda constellation. You constellation of the Swan. Best If the stars are big enough
will ind that It is best seen in seen in the summer when it then such interactions can
trigger a supernova explosion.
the autumn months. rides high in the night sky.
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 What to observe Observing variable stars

Observing variable stars

It's not very well known that more than half the stars in the night sky
vary in brightness…

It is strange to think that so many stars vary in brightness, but most only vary by a small amount. Even
our own Sun is a variable star over its 11-year cycle. As the number of sunspots increase and decrease so
does the light output. However, there are some stars which actually have a huge change in brightness,
going from a moderately bright star to only being detectable in medium to large telescopes.
What causes this odd behaviour? There are several reasons for this and there are also several types of
variable star. Some stars actually vary in size, they pulsate like a balloon being illed with air and then let
down again. Most well known of this type are the Cepheid variables. Variable stars can be put into two
basic groups, short period and long period, with a third group of irregular and semi-regular variables,
which have no pattern to the variation of their light output. One type of star in this category is the
‘Mira Variable’. Another type of variable star is the ‘Gamma Cassiopeiae’ class, which luctuate their light
output due to it throwing of material around its equator because they rotate very quickly.
These are just a selection of the diferent types of stars whose apparent brightness as seen from Earth
can vary. Observing variable stars is a fascinating and very popular area for those interested in stargazing.
©NASA

©SPL

Mira Delta Cephei

How to find it: How to find it:
Follow a line of stars from Aldebaran in Taurus Delta Cephei is actually relatively easy to ind if
into Cetus. A star chart will help you pin it down. you know where to look. You can ind it at the
It lies roughly midway between eta Eridanus and lower easternmost corner of the constellation
alpha Pisces. of Cepheus.
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 Observing variable stars What to observe

Algol
How to find it: Possibly the
most famous out of all the
eclipsing binary stars. Algol
can be found by drawing
an imaginary line between
the star called Aldebaran
in the Taurus constellation
and the star called Shedir
or alpha Cassiopeia. After
you have done this then
you will notice that Algol
©SPL

actually lies halfway along

this line.

“As the number of sunspots increase and

decrease, so does the Sun’s light output”

©ESO
©SPL

Gamma Cassiopeiae Betelgeuse

How to find it: How to find it:
Just remember that Cassiopeia looks like a letter Orion is actually extremely easy to ind, especially
‘W’ or ‘M’ in the night sky low down in the north during the winter in the northern hemisphere.
during February, making it easy to spot. The Betelgeuse is the star above and to the left of
middle star is ‘gamma’. Orion’s ‘belt’.
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 What to observe Searching for constellations

Searching for
constellations
Locate the constellations in the sky, and when’s the best time to see them

In the past, every culture had its own way of seeing patterns in the stars. These patterns, or
constellations, were connected with stories and folk legends. These patterns fall inside a deined box
or area and divide up the whole of the night sky. Depending on where you live you may be able to see
many but probably not all of them. In the northern hemisphere, for example, you probably won’t be
able to see constellations such as Octans the Octant or Pavo the Peacock.
You can use a whole constellation, part of it or even just a couple of known stars to point yourself to
another, perhaps less familiar pattern. Some star patterns aren’t constellations in the strict definition of
the word and are known as asterisms, but are very useful. The Plough, or Big Dipper, in the Ursa Major
constellation is an asterism which can be used to navigate to other constellations.

Carina
Southern hemisphere
January is the best time to view the
constellation of Carina the Keel with its
bright star Canopus high in the south.
Nearby you’ll find Puppis the Poop Deck and
Vela the Sail, once part of this huge but now
disassembled constellation. Canopus itself is
©SPL

the second brightest star in the night sky.

Centaurus
Southern hemisphere
May is a great time of year to view
the constellation of Centaurus
the Centaur. It is quite a large
constellation and contains many
deep sky wonders such as
Omega Centauri, the largest and
brightest globular star cluster
associated with our Milky Way
galaxy. This constellation is also
home to the star system of Alpha
Centauri the closest star system to
©SPL

our own star the Sun, at just over

four light years away.

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 Searching for constellations What to observe

©Mouser
©SPL
Cygnus Orion
Northern hemisphere Northern hemisphere
Sometimes known as the Northern Cross, Cygnus the Swan is a very ancient Orion the Hunter is an easily
constellation with several stories attached to it. It rides high in the summer skies in recognised constellations thanks to the
the northern hemisphere and sitting as it does in the band of the Milky Way is full three stars of the Hunter’s belt from
of star clusters and nebulas. The star Albireo, marking the head of the Swan, is a which hangs his sword. The bright
double star. You’ll need a telescope to see this star as a pair, but it is worthwhile as orange supergiant star Betelguese
it’s one of the most beautiful doubles in the whole of the night sky, being a lovely marks the Hunter’s shoulder and the
contrasting orange and blue. bright white star Rigel, in the opposite
corner, his knee.
Ursa Major
Northern hemisphere
Ursa Major is the
constellation in which
you can find the famous
Plough or Big Dipper. The
seven stars that make up
©Naskies

this asterism are actually

the brightest and most
easily recognised out of
the whole constellation Crux
and possibly out of the Southern hemisphere
entire night sky. The second You’ll find the Southern Cross riding
star in the handle of the high in the south in June, the four stars
Dipper is actually a naked describing a diamond or cross shape in
eye double star. If you the sky. The brightest star, Alpha Crucis
look closely you should be or Acrux, marks the bottom of the cross
©A. Fujii

able to see that it actually and is 320 light years away from us.
consists of two stars that Crux lies in the band of the Milky Way
are very close together. and is surrounded by star clusters.

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 What to observe Viewing the Big Dipper

Viewing the Big Dipper

Let’s take a closer look at one of the most easily recognisable patterns of stars in
the northern hemisphere

The Big Dipper goes by several diferent names, Merak and the other, at the top of the ‘bowl’,
including the ‘Plough’ and the ‘Saucepan’. It is, is called Dubhe. This is the brightest star in the
though, very recognisable with its bowl-shaped group. Ursa Major plays host to several amazing
pattern of four stars connected to a ‘handle’ of deep sky objects including several galaxies.
three more. This is a group of stars which has You can use the stars of the Big Dipper to find
been recognised from time immemorial and by a couple of them. If you draw an imaginary line
nearly all cultures around the world. from the bottom left star in the bowl through
For anyone who happens to be living north of the top right one (Dubhe) and keep going for
the latitude of southern Spain, the Big Dipper is roughly the same distance again, you will come
circumpolar. This means that from these latitudes across a beautiful pair of galaxies known as M81
it never appears to set or disappear below the and M82. If you form an equilateral triangle with
horizon. It rotates around the north celestial pole the two end stars of the handle, Mizar/Alcor
but because it resides near the pole it can always and Alkaid as the base, at the other point of the
be found in the night sky. triangle you will find the galaxy M101.
All the seven stars in the Big Dipper have You should now be able to see what an
names. The two stars of the pointers are called amazing group of stars the Big Dipper really is.

The stars of the Big Dipper shine

through the Northern Lights. The auroral
©Alamy

light is translucent which allows the faint

starlight to shine through it

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 Viewing the Big Dipper What to observe

The stars that make

up the Big Dipper

7 8

3 1

01: Dubhe 04: Megrez 07: Alkaid

The second brightest star in the Big This is the dimmest of the seven stars The last star in the handle of the Big
Dipper and is one of the pointers to in the Big Dipper. For all that, Megrez Dipper is the third brightest in the
the pole star, Polaris. It is a giant star is still 63% larger than the Sun and 14 asterism and one of the brightest in
which lays approximately 123 light times as bright! the entire night sky. It is around 10
years distant. million years old.
05: Alioth
02: Merak The brightest star in the Big Dipper 08: Polaris
Beta Ursae Majoris is the other star in and the 31st brightest star in the sky, Although the pole star isn’t a
the ‘pointers’ to the pole. It’s 2.7 times Alioth is 82 light years away from Earth. member of the Plough or Big Dipper
more massive than our Sun and lays constellations, the pointers
79.7 light years away. 06: Mizar/Alcor show the way to this
Consisting of the four-star system of important star
03: Phad Mizar and the double-star system of around which all
Also known as Phecda, Gamma Ursae Alcor, this amazing six-star grouping others seem
Majoris is 83.2 light years from us. It is actually an extremely good test of to revolve.
was one of the original stars that was vision. This is because only the two
used to classify the spectra or light brightest stars are actually visible with
signature of other stars. the naked eye.

109
 What to observe Locate a supernova

Locate a supernova
At the end of their life, some massive stars explode with such ferocity that they
outshine the rest of their galaxy’s stars combined…

Stars are exploding all the time, but most of these events happen in distant galaxies where we need
large telescopes to detect them. Just occasionally, though, a massive star will end its life in a cataclysmic
explosion, known as a supernova, in our own Milky Way Galaxy and when it does it can lead to the
sudden appearance of a star so bright it can be seen in broad daylight. This can last for several weeks
until the remains of the star fade away.
This is a very rare event, though, and may happen only once in several centuries. Although none are
visible now, we can never tell which stars are going to explode and stars are coming to the end of their
life and could ‘blow’ at any time. There are plenty of potential supernova candidates, however, and
astronomers monitor these regularly. None of the stars near to the Earth are big enough to become
supernovas, so we are quite safe.

Kepler’s supernova The Veil Nebula

How to find it: How to find it:
Kepler’s supernova remnant lays near the The Veil Nebula lays to the southwest of the star
easternmost foot of Ophiuchus the Serpent Gienah, the bright star in the southern wing of
Bearer, about halfway between Sagittarius and the Swan. It is faint, though, and in order to locate
Scorpius. It is best seen in the summer months for it you may ind that you will need to be using a
mid-northern latitude observers. telescope with an Ultra High Contrast ilter.
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 Locate a supernova What to observe
©NASA

Tycho’s supernova Vela supernova

How to find it: How to find it:
Although this remnant is beyond the reach of The Vela supernova remnant lays to the southeast
amateur telescopes, it actually lies to the north of the bright star Suhail in the Vela constellation.
of the right-hand ‘v’ of the ‘w’ shape of the It is very faint and requires photography to show
Cassiopeia constellation. it up well.

The next supernova

It really is difficult to predict when
and where the next supernova will
explode in our galaxy. There are
some candidates, however, which
we know are large stars that are
reaching the end of their lives. One
of the most well known of these
candidates is Betelgeuse in the
Orion constellation.
It is a red supergiant star and
lays about 630 light years from us,
so when it does finally blow it will
be one of the most spectacular
sights to ever be seen in the
©NASA

heavens. It might not happen for

another million years, or it could
happen next week. When it does
eventually blow it will be easily seen
The Crab Nebula in daylight, probably for several
How to fiind it: weeks. It will then fade away and
will radically alter the look of the
You will need a telescope to see it now as a faint misty smudge of constellation. All we can do is watch
light just north of the star Zeta Taurii, the tip of the left hand horn and wait.
of the Bull. Known as the Crab Nebula due to its shape.
111
 What to observe Meteor shower viewing

Meteor shower viewing

Speeding through the atmosphere at thousands of kph, meteor showers are
always a thrill
If you enjoy gazing up at the stars on a clear night, you might have seen what is known as a meteor
shower. Meteors are made when a piece of space debris called a meteoroid, micrometeoroid or space
dust burns up in Earth’s atmosphere. A streak of light can be seen when this happens, due to the glow
of the fragmenting object and the trail of burning particles that it leaves in its wake. Meteors can be
seen racing across a clear sky during any time of the night and from any location. A single meteor is
unpredictable, so to spot one often creates a wave of excitement. During certain times of the year,
meteors can appear in huge groups, raining one after the other through our atmosphere in their
hundreds, in what are known as meteor showers.
These events occur roughly during the same time every year, as Earth periodically moves through
the dusty trail left behind by an active or extinct comet. These showers also originate from the same

112
 Meteor shower viewing What to observe

point in the sky, a radiant located within or near a constellation that earns the meteor shower its name.
Head out in chilly November to catch the Leonids racing from the constellation Leo or, if you prefer the
warmer nights, the Perseids will ofer good views in August, hailing from constellation Perseus.
Many astronomers take great interest in recording meteor shower numbers, so you might like to
report your observations – including details of their brightness, speed and colour – to official bodies
such as the International Meteor Organization (IMO) and International Astronomy Union (IAU). To truly
get the beneit of meteor-watching, you will need dark-adapted vision as well as a clear Moonless night
to catch even the faintest streaks of light. However, that’s not to say you won’t see any meteors while
the Moon is out.
There are also the exceedingly bright meteors, often hitting magnitudes greater than those of the
planets. If these ireballs are brighter than magnitude -14, they are known as bolides or superbolides.
When you picture a meteor shower, you may wrongly think of many meteors bursting out of a single
point. Viewing a meteor shower requires a degree of patience, so hunting for these lashes of light turns
into a waiting game. The Zenithal Hourly Rate (ZHR) indicates the number of meteors that will appear,
with some showers ranging anywhere from ive to 100 per hour. When a shower reaches its peak,
you might ind the amount you see varies – not knowing what you’ll get until you begin hunting for
meteors is part of the fun.

113
 What to observe Meteor shower viewing

Meteor-hunting Catch a meteor

toolbox

Vega

Deck chair
Meteor hunting means a lot of Rho
looking up. A deck chair will keep you
at an inclined position for maximum
comfort – without hurting your neck!
Eta
Arcturus

3/4
ry 22/23
Janua April

Quadrantids Lyrids
Constellation: Boötes Constellation: Lyra
Warm clothing ZHR: 80 per hour ZHR: 20 per hour
Some showers are only observable Parent asteroid: 2003 EH1 Parent comet: C/1861 G1 (Thatcher)
during winter, so make sure you keep
warm. Thick coat are essential for long
periods of observing – maybe even a
sleeping bag.

Hot drink
On cold nights it’s also
a good idea to keep
warm by drinking hot
liquids. Coffee and tea
are often a popular
way to keep awake
after midnight. If you
can, have a nap before
heading out.

20/21er
Red flashlight Octob
If you are using a night-sky map
or need to see in the dark, Orionids
then you should use a red Constellation: Orion (The Hunter)
torch since the light will ZHR: 20 per hour
not ruin your vision. Parent comet: Halley

114
 Meteor shower viewing What to observe

6/7 28/29 12/13 t

May July Augus

Eta Aquarids Southern Perseids

Constellation: Aquarius
ZHR: 45 per hour
Delta Aquarids Constellation: Perseus
Constellation: Aquarius ZHR: 100 per hour
Parent comet: Halley Parent comet: Swift-Tuttle
ZHR: 20 per hour
Parent comet: Unknown

Hyades
Aldebaran

v
Nov
11/12 H 4/5 No) 16/17
b er
13/14ber
(N ) (SH Novem D e cem

Taurids Leonids Geminids

Constellation: Taurus (The Bull) Constellation: Leo (The Lion) Constellation: Gemini (The Twins)
ZHR: 5 per hour ZHR: 15 ZHR: 120 per hour
Parent comet: 2P/Encke Parent comet: Tempel-Tuttle Parent asteroid: 3200 Phaethon

115
 What to observe Comet hunting

Comet hunting
Want to find your very own comet?
Follow our guide and you could make
a rare discovery
Comets have fascinated and frightened humans
in equal measure for thousands of years. They
are icy relics from the formation of our Solar
System. Occasionally they plummet in towards
the inner Solar System and many astronomers
believe that comets impacting the Earth were
responsible for delivering much of the water our
planet has today. What’s certain is that they are
responsible for the spectacular meteor showers
that we are treated to every year.
The most famous of these repeat visitors is
Halley’s comet, which is also responsible for the
Orionid meteor shower. An orbiting ball of ice
and dust, it has been recorded by humans since
at least 240 BC and even appears in the famous

116
 Comet hunting What to observe

The famous Halley’s comet Equipment

visits Earth only once every 80
years or so The more light you can
grasp, the better, so
it’s recommended you
use a minimum of a 4”
refractor. Reflectors can
also be used, and it’s
even possible to hunt
down comets with
nothing more than
a pair of binoculars.
Legendary British
amateur astronomer
George Alcock was
able to discover five
comets this way.
It pays to attach a
CCD camera to your
telescope, as it enables
you to use image-
processing software
to get the most out
of your observations.
There are also free
Bayeux tapestry. The last time it came by was in 1986, when the European pieces of software
Space Agency dispatched the Giotto probe to study its nucleus. It won't which are invaluable
to the comet hunter.
return again until 2061. They can take your
One such comet, Lovejoy, is among the most famous and spectacular observation data and
comets of recent years. It streaked past the Earth back in 2011 and was compute the likely
orbit of the comet,
discovered by Australian amateur astronomer Terry Lovejoy from his home which is crucial if you’re
in Queensland. He was using an amateur telescope costing around £750 to submit your find for
($1,250). Nevertheless, his ind was later photographed by NASA’s Solar and consideration by the
Minor Planet Center.
Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) as it grazed past the Sun, as well as by the
crew of the International Space Station. So, just how can you get in on the
comet-hunting act too?
First you need to get to know the sky. Comets become visible when they
reach approximately the same distance from us as Jupiter. So if you know
exactly where everything should be, it’s easier to tell when a new object
suddenly appears. The best place to look is along the ecliptic plane – the
area of the sky traced out by the 12 famous signs of the zodiac. This area is
roughly aligned with the lat disc of our Solar System, so you are more likely
to ind comets close to this region. Another simple tip is to avoid nights with
a bright or full Moon.
Although some amateurs have discovered comets using just binoculars,
it’s best to use a medium-sized telescope. You're after a wide ield of view
117
 What to observe Comet hunting

If a comet does enter our Solar

System, SOHO can track its path
around the Sun

so that you can sweep around large parts of the Pleiades (M45). His list is an invaluable tool if you
sky. This means selecting a wide eyepiece to give don’t want to be led up the garden path.
you low magniication. Many comet hunters Another key property to look out for is
also invest in a suitable CCD camera that can movement. Objects outside our Solar System
be attached to their telescope. By taking long- – like stars and nebulae – will remain in a ixed
exposure photographs, you should be able to location relative to the constellations. These
pick up objects that it would be hard to spot with constellations will also move throughout the
your eyes alone. It also means you can record night as the Earth rotates, but everything beyond
your ind and use computer software to help you the Solar System will appear to move along with
submit it to the proper authorities. them at the same rate. Objects close to home
What you’re looking for is something fuzzy can move at high speeds – comets can reach
that doesn’t seem to belong. Be careful, however, hundreds of miles per second.
as it is possible to be fooled by other fuzzy
The obscuring circle in the
objects in the sky that can be easily mistaken for middle is a coronagraph, which
comets but they are not comets. In the late 18th blocks out the glare from the Sun
Century, renowned French comet hunter Charles
Messier was faced with the same problem.
He was continually stumbling across potential
comets, only to ind they were distant galaxies,
star clusters or nebulae instead. He assembled a
list of these objects to help other comet hunters.
This Messier catalogue is still widely used today
by professional and amateur astronomers.
Some famous night-sky objects appear in the
list, including the Orion nebula (M42) and the
118
 Comet hunting What to observe

Armchair comet spotting

It’s possible to find your very own comet
without setting foot out of the house. So far
NASA’s Solar and Heliospheric Observatory
(SOHO) has picked up more than 2,700
comets in the last two decades. As the objects
approach close to the Sun, they inadvertently
appear in solar images. There are far too
many images for professional astronomers
to sift through, so almost all of these Sun-
grazing comets were discovered by amateurs
looking through the publicly available archive
images on the NASA website. A new comet is
discovered on average every three days and
almost half of all known comets have been
found this way. Around 70 people from 18
nations have so far struck gold. To find out
more, visit http://sungrazer.nrl.navy.mil and
read its official guide to comet hunting.

The Solar and Heliospheric

Observatory (SOHO) was in
a prime position to capture
images of comet ISON as it
orbited the Sun

If you're lucky enough to spot a brand-new

comet, and it gets ratiied by the Minor Planet
Center, then you get to name the comet. So, just
how hard is it to learn the skills required to be a
good comet hunter? In truth, it’s just like learning
to play the violin – you can play a tune in a few
weeks, but it takes years to become an expert.
More information on the technical aspects of What to do when you think
comet hunting can be found by reading the you’ve found a comet
Minor Planet Center's Guide to Minor Body Any and all potential comet discoveries should be
Astrometry, which can be easily found at most reported directly to the International Astronomical
Union's Minor Planet Center. Guidelines for
bookstores, as well as many online stores.
submissions can be found online at www.
So, comet hunting means that it is possible that minorplanetcenter.net. It requires that you submit
you could be the irst human to set your eyes on the details of the potential comet in a very specific
format. This can be created by using computer
an ancient lump of celestial ice that has been
software such as Astrometrica. The Minor Planet
tumbling unobserved around the Solar System Center’s computers can then calculate if the object is
for billions of years. That comet could forever indeed newly discovered by you. If it is successfully
validated, then it appears on their NEO confirmation
bear your name, or a name of your choice, as
page and you get naming rights!
its discoverer.
119
 Glossary

Your astronomy
glossary There will be a lot of new terms to learn as
you delve into astronomy. Here are some of
the most common ones…

A equator, there are objects that have

no apparition, but are always visible.
Astronomical Unit
This refers to the average distance
Accretion disk For everything else, there is a date at that lays between both the Earth
A circular disk of stellar matter that which it begins to appear and a date and the Sun, defined as just under
has been captured by a large celestial after which it can no longer be seen 150 billion km.
body, such as a sun or black hole. in the evening.
Aurora
Accretion disk Asteroid Sometimes charged particles from
Asteroids are minor planets that are the Sun will meet a planet’s magnetic
not defined as comets. They’re field. When this happens, they
mainly located in the inner Solar automatically get funnelled along the
System, and orbit the Sun. magnetic field lines at the planet’s
poles. Once they hit the upper
Asteroid belt atmosphere they cause it to fluoresce.
This refers to the region of space The product of this reaction is called
between Mars and Jupiter an Aurora.
containing millions of asteroids that
Achromatic orbits the Sun with low-eccentricity. Azimuth
A lens that receives light without This refers to the angular
splitting it into its constituent colours. Astronomical horizon measurement of an object that is
The opposite is apochromatic, which The imaginary horizon that lies along the horizon of the observer,
splits light into red, blue and green.. perpendicular to the direction which is relative to the direction of
of gravity. true north.
Altazimuth
This refers to a telescope mount that Aurora
moves both vertically (azimuth) and
All photos, unless stated otherwise, ©NASA

horizontally (altitude).

Aperture
The diameter of a telescope’s front
lens or main mirror, usually stated in
inches or mm.

Apparition
For any given object in the night
sky, the annual window in which it’s
visible is known as the apparition.
For latitude sufficiently far from the

120
 Glossary

B Celestial pole
Like the celestial equator, the celestial
Colour index
A term to represent a value to
Binary stars pole is an imaginary line from the measure the brightness of a star on
The term binary star refers to the stars poles that signifies the axis on which different frequency bands of the
which orbit around their common the Earth rotates. electromagnetic spectrum.
centre of gravity.
Cepheid variables Craters
Blue moon These stars pulsate and so the Once thought to be volcanic in
A blue moon is the second full amount of light they put out changes origin, the Moon’s craters are now
moon in a single calendar month. along with this pulsation. It was found known to have been caused by
The term can also be used to that the rate of change of this type of impacts from asteroids and meteors.
describe the blue-ish tint that is visible star was proportional to how brightly There is no atmosphere on the
on the moon, which is caused by they seemed to shine. Because of this, Moon and so no wind or rain to
volcanic activity. it is possible to work out how far away destroy the remains of the impacts
they are by measuring how bright which occurred in the early history
Blueshift they appear to be and then by timing of the Moon.
As an object moves towards you, their pulsations.
the wavelengths of light it gives off
will shift towards blue in the
visible spectrum.
Chromatic aberration
If a telescope has only one lens or has
D
a poorly constructed doublet lens, Doppler effect
then it might cause bright objects The change in a frequency of a wave
C to have a red or blueish halo around
them. Even the very best doublet lens
for an observer moving relative to its
source. This results in a redshift
Catadioptric can, however, show a little of this, but or blueshift.
This is a telescope that uses both it is usually barely noticeable if they
refraction and reflection techniques are of good quality. Doublet
to form an image. This refers to the lens consisting of
Cloud belts two pieces of glass is known as a
Celestial equator Saturn does not have a solid surface. ‘doublet’. Each lens in the system is
The Celestial equator is an imaginary It is made of gases, some of them made to a different shape, one being
line splitting the north and southern frozen and these gases rotate around convex (curving outward) and the
hemispheres, and runs along the the planet as it spins on its axis. This other concave (curving inward). This
Earth's actual equator. rotation causes the gases to form into helps to bring the light from the red
‘belts’, which we can see as having and blue ends of the spectrum to the
Comet slightly different colours. same focal point.

Doppler effect

121
 Glossary

Dwarf planet GEM

The official definition is a body in F A term that is short for German
direct orbit of the Sun, large enough Equatorial Mount, this type of
for its shape to be controlled by Field galaxy mounting was first invented by
gravity, but has not cleared its orbital A galaxy that does not belong to Joseph von Fraunhofer. Using
region. Dwarf star. These are small a larger cluster of galaxies, but is a simple T-joint this mount is
main sequence stars much like our gravitationally alone. ridiculously easy to make, as well
Sun, contrasting giant stars such as being incredibly versatile and
as Betelgeuse. Field star accurate. It is also portable enough
A star that is in the line of sight of to pack for easier astroimaging at a
associated stars under study, and is remote site. However, it does need
E not only unrelated, but may tamper
with a study’s results.
a counterweight.

Eclipsing binary Globular cluster

Two stars in orbit around their Focuser The collection of stars that orbits a
common centre of gravity can pass In order to see the image from the galaxy’s centre as satellites, tightly
in front or behind one another. When mirrors properly and to be able bound by gravity.
this happens they are in ‘eclipse’ and to magnify it, you need to view it
the usual combined light of the stars through an eyepiece. This is placed in
will be dimmed. a moveable tube called the focuser
which can be adjusted using the
Ecliptic focusing knobs to give the observer a
An imaginary line that traces a sharp, clear view.
great circle around the sky. It passes
through each of the 12 constellations
of the zodiac, and a 13th constellation,
Ophiuchus. The ecliptic represents
G
the path of the Sun as it appears on Galilean moons Goto
the sky throughout the year. The Galilean moons are the four Computers that will ‘goto’ any object
largest of Jupiter's moons as in its database.
Epoch discovered by Galileo Galilei. These are
This refers to the moment in Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto. Gravitational lens
time used as a reference point for The effect where light is bent due to
co-ordinates or orbital elements of a Galilean the gravitational forces exerted on it
celestial body. moon between the source and the observer.
.
Equinox
The Equinox is the position of a
celestial body defined by where it lies
H
from the celestial equator. Halo
An optical phenomenon caused by
Exoplanet ice crystals in the atmosphere that
This refers to a planet that is exosolar results in a ring of light around the
– outside of the solar system, and Sun or Moon.
orbiting other stars.
Gas giant Heliocentric
Extinction Refers to a large planet that is Where as geocentric is revolving
How dust and gas can absorb and primarily composed of rock. An around the Earth, heliocentric objects
scatter electromagnetic radiation example would be the four outer orbit around a central star, such as
between the object and the observer planets in our solar system. our Sun.

122
 Glossary

Heliopause
The boundary of the heliosphere,
where the solar winds stop and the
L M
interstellar medium begins. Magnitude
The perceived brightness of a
Heliosphere celestial object is called its apparent
The bubble of charged particles magnitude. The brightest star, Sirius, is
created by our Sun or another star, magnitude -1.4, while the faintest stars
protecting the planets from the visible with the unaided eye under a
harsher radiation in space. dark sky are around magnitude +6.0.
A pair of 10x50 binoculars will show
objects down to magnitude +11.0.
I Mascon
Interstellar clouds This is basically shortening for
A denser-than-average region of mass concentration, it is referring
space comprising of plasma and dust, specifically to a region of a planet
very similar to a nebula. or moon’s crust that contains
Light year (ly) gravitational anomalies.
Interstellar star Astronomers gauge cosmic distances
in terms of the time it takes for their Messier object
light – travelling at 300,000km per A list of astronomical objects
second (186,000 miles per second) – described by Charles Messier in the
to reach us. One light year measures 1700s, bodies are designated M1, M2,
about ten trillion (ten million million) M3 and so on.
kilometres – just a quarter of the
Interstellar medium distance to the nearest star. Our home Meteoroid
The region of space that is between galaxy, the Milky Way, is 100,000 light Refers to a small rocky or metallic
stars, outside of a years across. The nearest big galaxy object travelling through space.
star’s heliopause. is the Andromeda Galaxy, 2.6 million Meteoroids are much smaller than
light years away. an asteroid.
Inverted image
Finder scopes and many telescopes Local group Meteorite
will make the image appear upside Our group of galaxies, including the If a meteoroid survives atmospheric
down and back to front. Milky Way. A total of 54 galaxies make entry and impacts with the surface,
up the local group. what remains is known as a meteorite.
Irregular variables
These stars will vary in brightness at Local/Virgo Morning width
random intervals unlike many variable Also know as the rise width, this is the
stars which still happen to follow a Supercluster horizontal angular distance between
regular pattern to their variations. This refers to the supercluster than the rise azimuth of a celestial body
contains both the Virgo Cluster and and the East direction.
Local Group, which in themselves
K contain the Milky Way and
Andromeda galaxies.
Meteor
Kuiper belt
A trans-Neptunian region comprised Luminosity
of asteroids and other small bodies This is the measurement of brightness,
that is 20 times larger than the specifically the total amount of energy
asteroid belt. emitted by a celestial body.

123
 Glossary

Multicoated optics Nutation Periapsis

Glass is naturally quite reflective and The gravitational attraction of other This refers to the point at which an
in good quality lenses, each surface bodies in the Solar System causes object is at its closest to the body it’s
should be coated with a special changes to a planet’s rotation or orbit. orbiting around.
chemical which helps it transmit all
the light falling on to it through the Phase
glass. This is then described as ‘fully
multicoated’. In a doublet lens only
O The Moon and planets go through
specific phases as they travel through
the front of the first lens and the back OB Association space as seen from Earth, full, half,
of the second are coated. A group of massive stars that loosely new, etc.
move through space together
without being gravitationally bound.
N Observable universe
Natural satellite The amount of the universe that can
A naturally occurring body that orbits be seen because its light has had
a planet. enough time since the Big Bang to
travel to us.
Nebula
An interstellar cloud consisting of Open cluster
dust, hydrogen, helium and other A group of up to a few thousand stars
ionized gases. Stars and planets can that were formed in the same cloud
form within them. at the same time.

Neutron star
Remnants of a dead star that
are composed almost entirely of
P Pole star
This refers to the star Polaris which
neutrons. They are very hot. Parsec (pc) currently resides almost exactly over
A parsec is a measurement of cosmic the rotational axis of Earth at the
Nova distance based on parallax. Parallax North Pole. If you extend the North
A nova is a cataclysmic nuclear is the change in an object’s apparent Pole point out into space you get
explosion in a white dwarf due position with respect to more distant the north celestial pole. From the
to it pulling in material from a objects caused when the viewing northern hemisphere all of the stars
neighbouring star, characterised by a angle changes. Although the stars in the sky seem to rotate around
sudden brightening. are at incredible distances, the Earth’s this point.
orbit around the Sun is almost 300
million kilometres (186 million miles) Power
in diameter, so nearby stars exhibit a In astronomy, the term power is
small but measurable parallax against interchangeable with magnification.
the celestial sphere during the course This means that lower powers, like
of half a year (from one side of the those given by binoculars, afford a
orbit to the other). Since we know the relatively wide field of view, while
size of our baseline, the distance of telescope power can be adjusted by
stars displaying a measurable parallax changing the eyepiece. Traditionally,
can be ascertained. One parsec is the term applied only to the
the distance from the Sun to an magnifying ability of an element in
object with a parallax angle of one an optical system but now it is often
arcsecond, and is equal to 3.262 light understood to mean the system as
Nebula years. Proxima Centauri, the nearest a whole, including the objective
star, is 1.29 parsecs away. and ocular.

124
 Glossary

Precession Refraction
Precession causes different stars
to assume the roles of the pole
R As light passes through a different
medium, like glass, it bends or – to
stars. As the Earth spins, it wobbles Radial velocity use an alternative term – is refracted.
slowly, like a spinning top. The axis This is referring to an object’s velocity It was discovered that by controlling
running from pole to pole also then along the direct line of sight of the the shape of the glass (lens) it was
rotates, a complete cycle taking observer, with a positive value for possible to vary the point where the
about 26,000 years. During this time receding objects. image is formed behind the lens. This
the Sun’s position at the equinoxes is known as the focal length of the
drifts westward through the various Radiant lens and has a direct bearing on how
zodiacal constellations. According to astronomers, shooting much the lens can magnify.
stars in a meteor shower appear
Protostar to originate from a common point
The beginnings of a star, as mass unique to that shower, and this that
forms from the contraction of an is known as the radiant. Since the
interstellar cloud. meteors spread out from the radiant
none are observed to pass through it,
Pulsar unless they’re sporadic.
A type of Neutron star that is highly
magnetised and rotating. It emits a Ray system
beam of EM radiation that, due to the The radial streaks caused by an
rotation, seems to pulse. impact crater, caused by the fine
material thrown off the object that
impacted the surface.
Q Red giant
Rille
A rille is a narrow groove in the lunar
Quasar A star which has used up most of its surface with the appearance of a
Extremely luminous celestial objects fuel and has expanded and cooled channel or river. They may be the
that are distant and with a highly down giving it a distinctive orange/ result of ancient lava tube collapses.
energetic galactic core, surrounding a red tint. These are some of the largest
supermassive blackhole. stars in the universe. Roche limit
The distance from an object where
Quasar the tidal forces match the orbiting
bodies self-attraction, resulting in it
dispersing and forming a ring.

S
Semi-major axis
All circles have a fixed radius, where as
an ellipse does not. The semi-major
axis is basically the maximum length
that the radius of that specific ellipse
©ESO/M. Kornmesser

can be.

Semi-minor axis
The shortest distance to the edge of
an elliptical orbit from the centre, the
opposite of the semi-major axis.

125
 Glossary

Semi-regular variables Supermoon Synodic period

These are giant or super giant stars A supermoon is the term used to The time take for one object to
that normally follow a set pattern of refer to a full moon or new moon that complete its orbit around another.
change in their brightness but which occurs when the Moon is at its closest This is calculated as compared to
can sometimes be interrupted. to Earth. relevant background stars.

Shadow transit Supermassive

This refers to when the moon of a
planet casts a shadow on the surface
black hole
A type of black hole thought to reside
T
of the planet, it slowly moves across in the centre of most (or all) galaxies, Terminator
the disc as it orbits. This is known as a and is thousands or billions of times As the sunlight moves across the
‘shadow transit’. larger than our Sun. face of the Moon we see the dividing
line between night and day on
Solar mass Sunspots the surface. This is known as the
This is a unit of mass based around These are regions of complex terminator and is a great place to view
the mass of our Sun, used to weigh magnetism on the Sun. They appear through a telescope wherever it is
astronomical objects. It’s 2 x 1030 kg. as dark blotches with a dark centre on the lunar surface due to shadows
and lighter outer either by projecting throwing features into relief.
Solar wind the image through a telescope or
This refers to the charged particles using a ‘white light’ filter as described
that are blown out by the Sun. These in this article. The reason sunspots
particles consist entirely of electrons are darker than the rest of the Sun
and protons, which then causes is because they are cooler. They
auroras in our atmosphere, which travel across the disc of the Sun as it
protects the Solar system from rotates, growing and shrinking as the
cosmic rays. magnetic fields change.

Tidal acceleration
The effect of tidal forces from an
orbiting moon, causing the moon’s
rotation to initially stop, and the
planet’s rotation to slow.

Tidal locking
Due to tidal acceleration, most moons
are tidally locked to their planet –
they rotate at the same speed they
orbit, meaning we only see one side
of the Moon.

Transit
The opposite of an occultation –
when a smaller body passes in front
of a larger body. An example would
Q Charles Messier discovered what is now known as be when a planet passes in front of
Messier Objects in the 1700s the Sun.

126
 Glossary

W
Waning moon
This refers to the part of the Moon’s
phases where it’s completely
disappears from sight after there has
been a full Moon.
Q Stars and planets can form within a nebula
Waxing moon
This term is refering to when a
Trinary stars Visual back Moon is approaching a full Moon,
This refers to a system of three stars This is the hole at the rear of the which is described by astronomers as
orbiting each other, much like a telescope through which the light a waxing moon.
binary star. is brought to a focus. It consists
of a threaded ring which can White dwarf
True horizon accept all manner of accessories This refers to a star which has neared
The actual horizon of the planet Earth, including diagonal prisms to enable the end of its life and collapsed down
as opposed to one that is defined by comfortable viewing through an to a small hot ball of gas perhaps
gravity experienced by the observer. eyepiece and also cameras for only the size of the Earth but with the
recording what you see. same mass as our Sun.
True North
The classical North Pole, the point at Visual binary
which the Earth rotates around. This is
used in relation to the celestial pole.
A binary star which we know exists
because we can see it, rather than
Z
need evidence from other parts of the Zenith
em spectrum. This refers to the direction vertical
U Vortex
above a location with respect to
gravity, the opposite of nadir.
Umbra A powerful spin set up in a gas or fluid
Parts of the shadow caused when around an axis, rather like the effect Zone of avoidance
a body is in front of a light source. when stirring a cup of tea! A hurricane The area of the night sky obscured by
The umbra is specifically the darkest is a type of vortex where clouds swirl the Milky Way, limiting the amount
shadow cast behind the body. around the ‘eye’ of the storm. we can observe in its direction.

V Zenith

Variable star Astronomical Horizon

At first glance all stars seem to shine
with a steady brightness, however,
the light output of many will vary,
increasing or decreasing brightness. n
r izo
Ho
Variation period u e
The amount of time it takes for a star Tr Nadir
to change from its maximum to its
minimum brightness and back again.
For some this can be a matter of days
or hours, for others it can be years.

127
 TRY
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 Master
your
telescope
today

Astronomy The Complete Manual

Astronomy essentials What to observe
Discover all the basics, from what telescope to Look up at the night sky and spot amazing sights,
choose and how to set up from the Big Dipper to planets and their moons

Getting started Seasonal guides

Uncover amazing sights and the key skills to Learn how to utilise star charts to master the night
help you view them sky no matter what season