First Light and Beyond: Making a Success of Astronomical Observing

310 Pages·2015·19.44 MB·English

by  D. A. Jenkins (auth.)

D. A. Jenkins
First Light
and Beyond
Making a Success of
Astronomical Observing
The Patrick Moore
The Patrick Moore Practical Astronomy Series
More information about this series at h ttp://www.springer.com/series/3192

First Light
and Beyond
Making a Success
of Astronomical Observing
D. A. Jenkins
D. A. Jenkins
Spring , TX , USA
ISSN 1431-9756 ISSN 2197-6562 (electronic)
The Patrick Moore Practical Astronomy Series
ISBN 978-3-319-18850-8 ISBN 978-3-319-18851-5 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-18851-5
Library of Congress Control Number: 2015052629
Springer Cham Heidelberg New York Dordrecht London
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Cover illustration: The Trifi d Nebula, courtesy of ESO
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Pref ace
Y ou own a telescope because you want to see the universe with your own eyes.
Anyone can look up pictures of the universe on the Internet, but you want to person-
ally connect with these beautiful celestial treasures and gain a deeper understanding
of what you see. There is something very special about visual observing. Real-time
observations at the eyepiece can give us such an ethereal, yet visceral feeling that
connects us with our universe in very unique ways. After acquiring their telescope,
many have wondered, “Now what?” Time for first light! First light is the moment
you turn your telescope optics toward the heavens and take in that first celestial
sight through the eyepiece. But then after this moment more questions begin to
arise. How can I make the best use of my telescope? What can I see with it? How
can I get the most out of my instrument? This book will show the beginner how to
make a success of astronomical observing.
Beginners today are privileged to live in a time when so many great professional
and amateur astronomers have already paved the way for us and provided a fantas-
tic context within which to begin a journey into visual astronomy. There are many
texts available for either those who know absolutely nothing about astronomy or for
the experienced who are ready to find very challenging objects with little or no
assistance. One of the goals here is to fill in the gap between those two stages of
development.
I n this text we will assume that you have already acquired your first telescope,
although if you have not yet done so you will still find information here to be
extremely helpful. Amateur astronomy has come a long way over the last 30 years
in terms of availability and lower cost; therefore most readers will no doubt have at
least a 6-in. (152 mm) scope or even larger. Although many objects covered in this
book will have that aperture in mind, many of the objects will still be visible in a
v
vi Preface
4-in. scope. This book is not intended to provide exhaustive coverage of the various
types of telescopes and how they function. On the other hand this book is not sim-
ply a database of hard to find objects. Instead what you will find here is a bridge
for the newcomer between both of these areas, as progress is made toward becom-
ing a seasoned observer. You will find that this book is easy to understand if you are
a beginner, providing step-by-step guidance on how to navigate your way through-
out the constellations to many deep sky objects. In view of this, certain concepts or
suggestions are repeated throughout the book. There is a wise saying that says,
“repetition is the mother of retention.” This should help you to remember these
important points and to put them within the current context they are used in, as this
book helps you to progressively build on those key ideas.
F urther, this book will teach you how to make a success of each time you go out
under the night sky, regardless of what you planned to observe. It will help you to
develop and maintain enthusiasm for observing celestial wonders. You will gain a
better understanding of what constitutes successful observing and be more moti-
vated to get out under the stars to create your own memorable visual observing
experiences. Several examples are provided in Chaps. 4 , 5 , and 6 of how to find
objects that you will want to see. Star charts are included with most of the featured
objects to help you see exactly how to find them. Some charts have notations or
drawings that have been added by the author to make the path to an object more
apparent. These stellar treks will show you how to hunt down deep sky objects by
developing your ability to recognize star patterns (asterisms) such as the Big
Dipper, beginning with the easiest steps. This book also uncovers the nature of the
objects you are viewing, and how best to locate, recall, and record your observa-
tions. It also provides planning tips on making a trip to dark skies, public observa-
tories, and much more.
First Light and Beyond—Making a Success of Astronomical Observing is not
simply a collection of facts. It is a journey of amateur astronomy, from the backyard
all the way to where the road meets dark rural skies. In this book are practical sug-
gestions presented by someone who has a passion for observing, amid a back-
ground of what it is really like to observe with modest amateur telescopes. You do
not have to own a computer targeting system or CCD camera to enjoy this book.
You will see how you can have successful observing sessions, using equipment and
tools that you already own, or that are easy to obtain.
Spring, TX D. A. Jenkins
March 2015
Acknowledgements
After completing this rewarding project, I am moved to express my immense grati-
tude to several people. First, this book is dedicated to my father, who fed my pas-
sion for astronomy by giving me my first telescope. And to my mother, who is the
most positive person I know. And to my wife for her loving support of this project.
And to my brother, whose creative genius continues to inspire me. It is also dedi-
cated in memory of Ingrid Jonsson, my middle school librarian, who always set
aside the latest issue of S ky & Telescope magazine for me.
S pecial thanks goes to Kathie Coil, the Public Affairs Sr. Program Coordinator
for the NOAO Office of Education and Public Outreach, and to the National Optical
Astronomy Observatory for permitting use of their outstanding images. I am also
very appreciative of the insight received from both Dr. Walker (Associate Scientist
& Senior Education Specialist at the NOAO) and John Goss, the current president
of the Astronomical League. Special thanks also goes to Greg Crinklaw of
Skyhound, the creator of S ky Tools 3 , for granting the use of his astronomy software
to create the charts used in this publication.
I am also extremely grateful to John Watson for being the first to believe in my
vision of this book and for his ongoing encouragement. I also appreciate and am
grateful for the patience and support of Senior Editor Maury Solomon, Assistant
Editor Nora Rawn, and to the entire Production Team at Springer Publishing that
had a role in making this book’s publication possible.
vii

Contents
1 Planetary Discovery and the Seven Sisters,
or How We Fell in Love with the Universe ........................................... 1
Distance, Direction, and Motion ............................................................... 4
Distance ................................................................................................. 4
Direction ............................................................................................... 9
Motion ................................................................................................... 15
Star Patterns .............................................................................................. 16
Magnitude ............................................................................................. 16
Star Designations .................................................................................. 19
Asterisms ............................................................................................... 20
Constellations ........................................................................................ 21
How Objects Will Appear in the Telescope .............................................. 25
Magnifi cation ........................................................................................ 26
Field of View and Distance in the Eyepiece ......................................... 26
Direction in the Eyepiece ...................................................................... 28
Position Angles ..................................................................................... 31
What You Will See ................................................................................ 32
Proper Setup of Your Telescope ................................................................ 33
Collimation ........................................................................................... 33
Cleaning the Telescope ......................................................................... 35
Polar Alignment .................................................................................... 36
Alignment of the Finderscope with the Telescope ................................ 37
Summary ................................................................................................... 38
2 The Best Viewing: Where, When, and How ......................................... 45
Where to View the Sky Close to Home .................................................... 47
When Is the Best Time to Observe? .......................................................... 50
ix