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Re: (meteorobs) Skywatching...

Philipp,

Welcome to the meteorobs list! There is very much astronomy to be done
with just a pair of binoculars ! However, to make life much much easier,
I recommend you get one of the computer based starmaps or planetarium
programs, to use as a guide for finding objects in the sky. The one I
use is called Skymap, and you can download an evaluation version of it
from www.skymap.com

It is infinitely better than a paper map. You can use the cursor to
identify objects on the map, and the clestial coordinates (R.A and
Decl.) will be shown at the cursor point, so you can just move the
cursor around until the coordinates match up with the nova, for example.

Then, when you have the exact position located, you can reference that
to nearby bright stars or star patterns, and use them as a guide for
locating the object.

Have fun!
Mike Linnolt


Philipp Schmid wrote:
> 
> Hi everyone!
> 
> I hope you can help me. I'm a really new one in astronomy. I have got a map,
> a good pair of binaculairs and some other books. The only problem I have is,
> that I know (more theoratical) where the big and the little dipper are.
> Sometimes I find them, but that's all. I can watch the sky and compare it
> with the map, but mostly I think, that I'm wrong. Could someone tell me the
> best ways to watch the sky and find the things you are looking for (for
> example: the super nova, where exactly do I find it?) I really don't know
> how to work with all the numbers (the exact location). If I have got now
> something like: R.A. = 19h 23m 05s.38   Decl.= +04 57' 20".1    (Equinox
> 2000.0). What´is the meaning and how do I work with them while watching the
> sky? I hope someone can help me, thank you.
> 
> Philipp Schmid
>   Vienna, Austria
> 
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