Stargazing

Beginnings

• Learning the Sky

• Observing Tools

• What you will see

Learn the Sky

• 88

Constellations

– Only about half

visible in the

Northern

Hemisphere

• Bright stars

– About 25-30

Stars

How can you learn the sky?

• Astronomy Clubs

• Books

• Star charts

• Software

Observing Tools – Eyes

• Eyes

– Young eyes

• ~0.3”-0.4” telescopes

– Older Eyes

• ~0.25”-0.3”

There are two types of Telescopes

Refractor telescopes

They use glass lenses

Reflector telescopes

They use mirrors and lenses

Parts of a Telescope

Tube - a long tube, made of metal, plastic, or wood

Objective Lens (in refractors) or Primary Mirror (in reflector) - collects lots of light from a distant object and concentrates it to a point or focus.

Eyepiece - takes the bright light from the focus of the

objective lens or primary mirror and "spreads it out" (magnifies it) to take up a large portion of the retina.

More Telescope Parts…

1. Finderscope 2. Focuser 3. Eyepiece 4. Release Control For Mount 5. Mount Base or Mounting Plate 6. Outer Tripod Leg 7. Tripod Leg Extension 8. Tripod Support Brace 9. Accessory Tray 10. Tripod Leg Clamp 11. Mount Axis 12. Mount 13.Mirror Cell – Primary 14. Telescope Tube 15. Slow Motion Control Lock 16. Finderscope Eyepiece 17. Finderscope Bracket

Observing Tools - Telescopes

• Telescopes

– Refracting

– Reflecting

– Catadioptric

What will you see?

• Eyes

– Stars to about magnitude 6-7

– A few non-stellar objects

• Andromeda Galaxy

• Planets and the Moon

• A few star clusters and nebula

What will you see - 2

• Binoculars

– You’ll be able to see

objects 16-32 times

more faint!

– Galaxys, Globluar

clusters, nebula, etc.

What will you see - 3

• Telescopes

– Now you will be able

to see objects up to

100’s of times more

faint

– Ability to see fine

detail (resolution)

Galaxies

Planets

Nebula

Comets