In anything, we do in life we all have to start at the beginning and astronomy is no different in that respect. However, where astronomy differs from other things we do, is that astronomy is a hobby where you are always at the beginning.
What equipment do I need to go Stargazing?
Astronomy can be as cheap or as expensive as one want to make it. Star gazing can be as cheap as using your own eyes or as expensive as paying out thousands of pounds on state-of-the-art equipment.
As we are at the beginning of our astronomy/stargazing hobby we can start with our own eyes. Learning the constellations and our way around the sky is very important skill to learn, as this will hold us in good stead throughout your journey in astronomy.
Philips Planisphere
To help you find your way around the sky find a good book or better still get a planisphere. This has two plastic circles which move around each other. One of which has the constellation and the months and days on it. The outer one has time graduation marks on it. It also has a large oval showing the constellations. To operate match the date graduation to your current time, hold it up, face south with it above your head and the constellations that are show for that time and time of year will be visible to you to make out.
One of the things budding Astronomers should get are some further books on astronomy. These can either be technical or ones that give you a gentle ease into the hobby of Astronomy These may range from books on constellation finding or how to look at the Sun or Moon, or, if you have your own telescope, books on using your telescope and becoming a successful practical astronomer. I have found the Phillips set of books on astronomy very useful, not only for the beginner, but also those who wish to have a ‘go to’ reference and can easily be stored in a backpack when going out on a night of observation. I can thoroughly recommend this set of books. They come with a book describing the constellations, a book about the moon, a map of the moon and a planisphere. It also describes in detail how to use the planisphere. You can never have enough books on astronomy. You will find that you can’t remember everything about the hobby so a good home library would be a must. You don’t have to rush out and buy every book. Just a few starter books, the Philips set is extremely useful for this. But as your hobby grows and the years pass you will find yourself accumulating a number of books that will lean towards your niche that you find yourself following in astronomy, like double star observation, meteors or comets, to name just three.
Where can I go to Stargaze?
The best place to start is in your back garden, but if you live in a brightly lit area you will not see very much and learn even less. If you know of a dark site then head there. I would suggest going to these places with another person and tell others when you expect to be back. Parks can be a good place to start learning but bright street lights can also block out all the stars except the brighter ones. If you can, get out into the country away from towns and cities, all the better. Always take a flask of tea or coffee, a rain jacket and a torch. If, you can get a torch that can alternate between a red light and white light is even better. If can, also bring a collapsible seat, it can get very uncomfortable and cold sitting on hard damp ground.
What should I do when I get there?
When you get to your site find a place that you feel comfortable and set up your chair and get everything you need to hand. Then just sit there and let your eyes adapt to the dark. As your eyes adapt you will start to see fainter objects. You might even see a meteor or two. When you feel that your eyes have adapted enough just take a moment and look around at the sky. Take it in and wonder. This feeling you have will last and you will have it every time you look up at the stars
What equipment do I need to go further in stargazing?
If, find that after you have had a number of nights out that you want to go further then the next step would be to invest in a pair of binoculars. A good starter pair would be 10 x 50’s. These have a 10x magnification and a 50mm lens. Other types include 10 x 30 or 10 x 42. It doesn’t what size you use it’s just what your pocket can afford. With these you will be able to open up whole new vistas. Nebulae, star clusters, galaxies and the moon will bring a whole new set of wonders to you. If, have learnt your constellations and the asterisms that go with them you will be able to easily find all these new objects. If, want to go further and get a telescope you will need advice from those who have one and know how to use one. You can find advice about buying a telescope elsewhere on this site. Buying your first telescope
So you have come to the point where you you know the constellations and are enjoying your stargazing. What can I do next, you are saying. Join a local astronomical society would help you further with your hobby. These societies are made up of members of varying degrees of experience who will be happy to pass on their experience and help you buy a telescope. These societies often have monthly meetings where a member, or guest speaker, will give a talk on a particular topic. Some societies also have star gazing nights where the members bring their telescopes, binoculars and ‘eyes’ to a dark site and observe the sky. Here you will be able to look through the telescopes of others and see things that you could not see with your own eyes. Experiencing these nights and looking at other members telescopes will give you a good idea of what you should buy as your first telescope.
When you settle on the type of telescope you want, whether it’s a refractor or reflector, get prices from various companies. All the companies that sell astronomy gear will send you a catalogue of the equipment they sell. All the companies listed on this site I have personally used and can vouch for their integrity. Decide on a couple of instruments that you feel you want to buy, then go to your society and ask some more experienced members on which one you should buy. They may give you a definitive answer, they may suggest a different type of telescope for what you want to do. Some telescopes, like refractors, are very good at looking at the moon and planets, reflectors are best for deep sky observing. But that doesn’t mean you an only use one type for the Moon and Planets and another for Deep Sky Objects. Both can still give you great views.
One final thing. Make up your mind what you want to see and do in astronomy You can get advice from other amateur astronomers and buy accordingly. Advice also can be found at either your local Astronomy Society or a Astronomy outlet.
WARNING. NEVER, EVER LOOK AT THE SUN DIRECTLY WITH THE NAKED EYE, THROUGH A TELESCOPE OR BINOCULARS. IT COULD SERIOUSLY DAMAGE YOUR EYES OR BLIND YOU PERMANENTLY.
IF YOU WANT TO VIEW THE SUN THEN SEEK INSTRUCTION FROM YOUR LOCAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY.
Contact Me
If you have any questions, or comments, about the subject on this page please feel to contact me in the comments below.
Clear Sky’s
Dave