newbie. Any advice?

[VE]

greetings everyone,

i apologise if there is a similar thread elsewhere. i've been thinking of practicing some amateur astronomy in my spare time and would love to interact with others who are more experienced as a starting point.

i have no previous exposure to astronomy besides being an avid sci fi fan so i have an extremely limited understanding of where to begin. i've been told to purchase some binoculers and star charts, but i'm unsure of how to read star charts or what to look for. i am also unsure of the best places to go to get the best views and what times to do it (i live in victoria).

any advice would be greatly appreciated. should i just go out there and look around or should i study? or both? i've also been thinking of joining an astronomy club in my state but i'd like to have a little more understanding before i truly involve myself.

cheers

[torana68 (Roger)]

[QUOTE=VE;615208]greetings everyone,

i apologise if there is a similar thread elsewhere.

yep lots do a search and have a read. maybe update your location. Download stellarium, quick google should find it (slow old computer with limited video maybe not) it will show you where things are.
Roger

[seeker372011 (Narayan)]

join a club if you can

get hold of a good book-I personally like "Turn Left at Orion" even though it was written for Northern Hemisphere observers. Another often recommended is "Nightwatch"

you may be able to borrow these from your local library

browse this forum

as an avid SF fan-of course you will be hooked on astronomy- for example, don't you want to be able to find the location for classics such as the "Mote in God's eye" yourself?-hint- it's a naked eye object, you will have to go somewhere where you are far away from light pollution to see it though

or find all the nebulae in famous SF yourself

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nebulae_in_fiction?

(including the lagoon nebula referenced in Battlestar Galactia??)

or recognise all the astro-posters in the apartment of the main protagonists in Big Bang Theory?

resistance is futile

You have to become an amateur astronomer

[M54 (Molly)]

Hi VE,

to the forum.
You've certainly come to the right place.
I've been here about 18 months and the learning curve has been phenomenal.
I don't know where in Vic you are, so here are a list of Vic clubs to choose from...
http://www.quasarastronomy.com.au/society.htm

You don't need a little more understanding before joining a club, they cater to beginners in a wonderful way, and will explain how to get started. I joined www.asv.org.au (in Melbourne) and they have a New Astronomers Group for rank beginners. Other clubs will have similar groups.

Most clubs have public viewing nights and star parties that are open to the general public. You can look through many different telescopes and ask any kind of question, even if you think it's a silly question (as mine usually were).

Don't go buying a scope till you do plenty of research (on this forum and google) because there is some rubbish out there, especially department store telescopes.

Trawl through the beginners section of this forum for lots of info to get you started.

Welcome to the fold.

P.S. Keep asking questions, there are lots of people here just waiting to answer them.

[VE]

greetings,

i am SO grateful for the responses i've received on this post and i'm going to heed the sage advice you've given me.

i hope to frequent this forum as i progress.

thanks so much. <3

[erick (Eric)]

Hi VE

Where are you located so we can connect you to a suitable club/site

Eric

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Originally Posted by M54

Hi VE,

I don't know where in Vic you are, so here are a list of Vic clubs to choose from...
http://www.quasarastronomy.com.au/society.htm

Geez our club link and info are waaayyy out of date in that link
Atleast the postal address and the contact phone number are still correct.
And our new website is in my sig below.

VE, don't wait until you learn a bit before you go to a club for help. Go there to GET help
We get folks coming along who no absolutely nothing.

[erick (Eric)]

If you are North or west-side, VE, I'll put a plug in for the Snake Valley AA!

[goober (Doug)]

Step 1. Get a planisphere (star wheel), the Sky and Telescope Pocket Star Atlas, and a set of 7x50 binoculars (and a deck chair!).

Step 2. Sit outside at night for a couple of hours and work from the brightest stars and planets. Learn their names, and what's around them, and head out from there.

Step 3. If you're still at it after a couple of months, you can obviously take the cold, and should start thinking about a telescope.

Best of luck!

[Paddy (Patrick)]

Hi VE and welcome. Any star chart is a bit hard until you get a few constellations under the belt and I found the company of experienced astronomers to be the best head start and also the best way to find out about telescopes (and what to look at through binoculars). So you're on the right track to look for a club. Or you may find people on the forum happy to show you around the sky.

[Ric]

Hi VE and welcome to IIS

There's a lot of good advice in the preceding posts but above all enjoy yourself and take in the beauty of what's up there.

Cheers

[VE]

Eric,

That's wonderful. I'm in West Melbourne. I bought a little guide and poster star charts! It feels so nerdingly exciting! <3

[erick (Eric)]

Great, you are on the right side of the city to head for Snake Valley some time. Even if you come out to Bacchus Marsh where I am I can show you some things. See the thread on the Snake Valley Camp in November - there's an idea for you!