Plain english viewing guide for beginners?

[Jebreen]

I was wondering if you could direct me to a plain english viewing guide to enable me to find some interesting objects. I have purchased the published guides but have found them extremely difficult to understand especially in relation to finding planets at any particular time and I'm not a complete dudd. I am home in the evening with the kids and can't make it to club viewings.

Can anyone point me in the right direction to at least find all of the currently visible planets from Brisbane.

Thanks in advance for any help. I have a small scope mak cas 102 and have found and enjoyed watching saturn last month great experience. I'm just not having any luck with the others.

Regards
Eddie

[GazzMeister]

Try downloading stellarium. I found it really user friendly, containing next to no jargon. The first time I ever saw Saturn was through using this program. I'ts not technically as good as some of the other programs out there, but it's free and shows you pretty much what you'll see out there.

Good Luck

Gareth

[Jeff]

Yep, Stellarium is good for helping to locate stuff if you're learning the sky and don't have a goto scope or setting circles.
http://www.stellarium.org/

Jupiter and its moons are a great sight also ... rising in the East, they should be at about 15deg elevation by 11pm, 26deg above horizon by midnight, etc. At mag -2.4 it's very bright so hard to miss.

Having some popular/recommedned viewing targets for the month and a basic sky may from might be handy. Easy to get from skymaps.com.

Have attached the download for May:

Cheers,
Jeff

[Jeff]

Below are a couple of popular non planetary targets which should look good in your scope:
NGC 4755 (Jewel Box) size=10 min, mag=4 beautiful open cluster near Southern Cross
NGC 5139 (Omega Centauri) 36 min, mag3, best Globolar cluster
NGC 104 (47 Tucane) 30 min, mag=4, another great Globolar cluster
NGC 3372 (Eta Carina Nebula) 2deg, mag=3, best Nebula in rich star field
Messier 42 (Orion Nebula) 1.1deg, mag=4, another bright nebula

Cheers.

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

The easiest way to find your way around the sky is to have someone show you. We have regular dark moon gatherings of IIS members (and others) at Cambroon up in the Sunshine Coast hinterland each months. The last one was last weekend so keep an eye out in the Observing Sessions and Star Parties Forum for a heads up when the next one is on. (Probably around the start of June)

[rmcpb (Rob)]

Welcome to IIS Eddie

My best tip would be to get a plansiphere (large Chandler is the best I think) and a red torch and spend time outside getting to know your way around the sky.

Another brilliant free program is Cartes du Ciel

Cheers

[lesbehrens (Les)]

hi. i have found that using a star map like star charts http://www.austskyandtel.com.au/books.htm (you can also buy from york optical) was a easier way for me to find some deep space objects. i found that this map give you a better idea of where an object is. also i used the skyandtelescopes interactive star chart to give me an idea of when and where the planets and consolations are. http://www.skyandtelescope.com/s?action=login . this helped me get started so i hope this helps.
les.

[markus.a.bergh]

For a good time, look at Jupiter in the East after 11pm. It's the biggest and brightest thing in the sky, you cant miss it. It's an amazing sight.

[Jebreen]

Thankyou heaps everyone,
I was impressed with the level of support my request has recieved and I will follow up on as much of it as I can.
I agree the best way to learn would be have some experienced people show me. I had considered taking everyone to the planetarium during the day as apparently they run an intro of the current night sky before every show.

Has anyone been to the planetarium and if so is there anything or any show in particular that you would recommend viewing?

Many thanks again.
Eddie J

[Jebreen]

Thanks for the tips guys. Jeff the non planet items were great although I wasn't able to see orion due to twilight and light pollutioin and I was a little late but the clusters near the southern cross and jupiter were all great. I had to wait for some low level cloud to dissipate last night and given my location Jupiter wasn't visible until after midnight but it was worth it. Thanks for the tips.
I also took some pictures with my DSLR which were very handy in helping me find my targets since they were able to display objects that I juct couldnt see with the naked eye.
The stellarium software is also very handy in actually planning a viewing session, identifying targets and working out a plan on how to find them and it also displays an image of what you are actually looking for once you do find it.

Best advice I've recieved since entering the game.
Thanks
Ed