How To Fix Black Sky In Atlas

#1

Posted 03 November 2020 - 06:36 AM

I've never used a Sky Atlas such as the The Interstellarum Deep Sky Atlas only I would like to larn. Is there a resource that will show someone how to use a Sky Atlas?

Waddensky likes this

Back to summit

#2 MP173

Posted 03 November 2020 - 06:51 AM

I really enjoy iDSA...it is a corking atlas which is nigh perfectly aligned with my iv" refractor. The atlas goes to 9.5 mag stars, I can normally pickup about 10.v - 11mag in my suburban setting.

Petersons Field Guide to the Stars and Planets if a wonderful smaller atlas which monthly charts of the unabridged sky and 52 charts showing sections of the heaven. It is a much smaller book. The atlas only shows to most sixth mag stars. I would recommend Petersons as an overview to the sky and using a sky atlas then using iDSA for more than specific particular. The monthly charts provide an overview of the entire heaven. If you are not familiar with the constellations, those charts allow you to learn to navigate with the naked eye. For instance now in the early autumn evening the summertime triangle of Vega, Deneb, and Altair boss overhead. Use the monthly to note the relationships of these stars and what they bespeak to. Notation the other stars in the constellations Lyra, Cygnus, and Aquilla. And so compare that to the iDSA which prove considerably more detail.

Y'all volition quickly pickup how to use the iDSA with experience.

justfred, Blueox4 and Waddensky like this

Back to elevation

#three esd726

Posted 03 November 2020 - 06:56 AM

Sort of exactly like using a road atlas. Detect where yous are (or want to start from) and where you want to get. Utilize "roads" (stars, asterisms, etc) that are in between to get yous to your destination.

I Honey using star atlases, I PROBABLY take way as well many......if that'due south fifty-fifty possible

PirateMike, Blueox4 and Waddensky like this

Back to meridian

#four Waddensky

Posted 03 November 2020 - 07:22 AM

It's non very complicated and a lot of fun to apply an atlas. You can either use the key maps in the first role of the atlas to notice the role of the sky yous'd like to observe ('wow I can meet the Big Dipper, let'south discover out some interesting objects over there'), or you can use alphabetize in the back to find the object you wish to run across ('I really need to encounter the Orion Nebula, let's find out where it is'). Both result in a page in the atlas, a part of the sky with both stars and deep-sky objects displayed.

Most atlases have a limiting stellar magnitude of around 9.5, so acceptable enough to see all the stars printed in the atlas in your finder telescopic. Then it's all about 'pattern matching', hop your way from a bright star to the object of your interest. If y'all've constitute the correct spot in your finder, switch to the eyepiece. Very rewarding if you succeed and spot a faint fuzz or a nice double star. Good luck!

Edited past Waddensky, 03 November 2020 - 07:24 AM.

Blueox4 likes this

Back to elevation

#5 PirateMike

Posted 03 Nov 2020 - 07:46 AM

I'm sure that yous will find it very helpful to turn the atlas in such a manner that north on the page is actually pointing to the north. That mode the direction you demand to move the scope becomes much more than intuitive.

Miguel eight-)

pugliano and Blueox4 similar this

Back to meridian

#half dozen spereira

Posted 03 November 2020 - 08:07 AM

Moving to Astro Art, Books, Websites & Other Media.

smp

Dorsum to tiptop

#7 MikeTahtib

Posted 03 November 2020 - 08:15 AM

My vote for a great beginning atlas is the Cambridge Star Atlas. It has the whole sky printed on 25 individual maps, with overlap to go from one page to the next. Information technology doesn't sho so many stars that you go lost. I only recently got the Interstellarum Deep Sky Atlas, and I would say if you're not familiar with the sky, and don't know the primary constellations, it volition exist a difficult book to use, because each page is zoomed in to a relatively small portion of the sky. Also, if you decide to buy the Deep Heaven Atlas, make certain you become the Atlas, not the Guide. The guide is more than of a ctalogue of deep sky objects, which is great if that'south what you want, merely if you lot want an atlas, and end upward with the guide (which I did in my excitement to make the large buy), you will not be happy.

In terms of how to use information technology, I think most beginner guides come with some introductory instructions. The Cambridge Star Atlas does, along with some maps showing the sky at different times of the twelvemonth. Generally, yous demand to find something equally a starting indicate. If y'all can notice the Big Dipper, Orion, and Cassiopeia (the Big W), then you will take a great start. Find one of them on the map, then find it in the sky. Wait around the sky for some brilliant stars, then try to identify them on the map. You can work your way around the heaven this mode. In the winter, you tin can go from Orion, straight upwardly to Gemini (kind of a long box of brilliant stars), to the right is Taurus (a dense pointer) , and then up a bit to Auriga (a pentagon).

On the other hand, if y'all already know the sky and are wondering how to use an atlas to observe DSOs, that's a dissimilar question.

Beak Jensen, Blueox4 and Hobiemark like this

Back to peak

#8 Tony Flanders

Posted 03 November 2020 - 08:xix AM

1 of the best resources available on the cyberspace is Alan MacRober'south article How to Apply a Star Chart at the Telescope.

Before using a star atlas at the telescope, it'south useful (almost essential, in fact) to larn how to use a star map for naked-eye observing. Sky & Telescope'due south Getting Started in Astronomy brochure is i good identify to start.

On the whole, I would recommend starting with a simpler atlas such every bit the Pocket Sky Atlas before progressing to the Interstellarum Deep-Sky Atlas. I ain both, and I always use the Pocket Sky Atlas in cases where information technology'due south sufficient, which it often is.

ArizonaScott, Bill Jensen, PirateMike and 3 others similar this

Back to height

#nine JOEinCO

Posted 03 November 2020 - 08:31 AM

My vote for a swell offset atlas is the Cambridge Star Atlas. Information technology has the whole heaven printed on 25 individual maps, with overlap to get from one page to the next. Information technology doesn't show so many stars that you get lost.....

I was going to make the aforementioned verbal annotate, but Mike beat me to it.

Pick upward a used copy on eBay for $7-$8....

https://www.ebay.com...LUAAOSwmNFfeMgu

#10 Blueox4

Posted 03 November 2020 - 08:50 AM

Wow! Thank you all very much! I really desire to acquire how to properly use a good Atlas. I recall it volition help me to learn the Sky more than and assistance me to plan more productive viewing sessions. I'll exist going over these resource!

NightSkyGuy likes this

#xi obrazell

Posted 03 November 2020 - x:56 AM

You lot may even detect an former fashioned planisphere will help you become orientated on the sky.

Owen

BoriSpider, Blueox4 and Steve Cox similar this

Back to height

#12 spkerer

Posted 03 November 2020 - xi:52 AM

An of import thing to detect is how the view through your eyepiece corresponds to what you run into on a sky atlas. It may be mirror reversed, inverted and such. Pointing your scope to a known, easily identifiable object (a bright star), y'all can then compare what your sky atlas shows in the area around that star to what you lot're seeing in the eyepiece looking at and around that star. That volition give you the two central things you need to know to effectively use your sky atlas.

1) How is what yous see through the eyepiece oriented compared to the printed atlas? Reversed, inverted, etc.

2) Through your eyepiece, what field of view are yous seeing? Information technology is half a degree? two degrees?

Both of the in a higher place can be pre-caculated using the parameters of your scope and eyepieces. But seeing them with your ain eyes is invaluable.

Blueox4 likes this

Dorsum to summit

#13 Blueox4

Posted 03 Nov 2020 - 12:27 PM

Aye, I want to be able to brand something like those wire eyepiece view simulators that prove what to expect to see in the eyepiece as you move it beyond the Atlas.

#14 MikeTahtib

Posted 03 November 2020 - 06:16 PM

I notice that using an atlas to plot my way around the sky is half the fun.

esd726 and clearwaterdave like this

Dorsum to height

#fifteen clearwaterdave

Posted 03 November 2020 - 08:01 PM

Have you seen the Deepmap 600 from Orion.,It shows the whole sky.,except the circumpolar is on the back.,I like my atlases and retrieve this is a skilful one to start with.

I use a magnifying glass for my ep view.,the whole drinking glass is 4*.,the circle in the middle is 2*.,,good luck.,

Attached Thumbnails

BrentKnight and Blueox4 like this

Back to acme

#sixteen Blueox4

Posted 07 November 2020 - 02:14 PM

Can someone educate me on how to read this snippet from The Night Sky Observers Guide? What do the circled items represent? And delight alibi my ignorance. I have just started trying to learn how to use this data in Atlas, printed class equally opposed to just using Nexus DSC. I don't know what these things hateful. Cheers!

Attached Thumbnails

Dorsum to top

#17 Starman1

Posted 07 November 2020 - 02:48 PM

Culmination is the moment the object crosses the Due north-S meridian.

The time of nighttime an object crosses the acme will alter every night, which is why an object crosses the meridian at different times of night at different times of the year.

Why culmination is so of import is because that is when the object is highest in the sky, uttermost from the horizon.

That results in less extinction (a term referring to the dimming past the thickness of the atmosphere) for the object than anywhere else in the heaven.

At the zenith, the atmosphere is about x miles thick. At 30° from the horizon, it'south about 20 miles thick--twice as much air movement, twice the water vapor, smog, dust, etc.

At the horizon, an object looks through 100-120 miles of air, which is why the heaven sees to gray out and faint stars seem to disappear in that location.

Information technology is almost always best to wait at objects near the pinnacle unless you lot happen to have a lot more light pollution in one direction that makes the object easier to see when it is away from the meridian.

As for the data accompanying the multiple star, the spectral types are given (you lot can read virtually them in Wikipedia), the magnitudes of the components, the separation angle

(past definition, 0° is due Northward and increases clockwise to ninety° due eastward, 180° due due south, etc.) each star being different, the estimate Correct Ascension (east-due west coordinates) and Declination (Northward-S coordinates)

Blueox4 likes this

#xviii Blueox4

Posted 07 Nov 2020 - 02:53 PM

Thanks for breaking it downward for me Don! When yous let the figurer practise information technology all for y'all these things never came into play for me.

Dorsum to top

#19 Starman1

Posted 07 November 2020 - 03:03 PM

In the Nexus DSC, for any object yous view, yous can hit the right arrow and see the detailed information for the object(including the time of culmination).

Hit the correct arrow again, and if there are any Gottlieb observing notes for the object, they will show up .

Hit the right pointer again and you'll see a graph showing the distance of the object as it crosses the heaven, with the horizon marked.

It's a graphical presentation of culmination.

Hit the right arrow to get back to the search screen.

Edited by Starman1, 07 November 2020 - 03:04 PM.

Blueox4 likes this

#xx Steve Cox

Posted 07 November 2020 - 07:04 PM

You may fifty-fifty observe an onetime fashioned planisphere will aid you get orientated on the sky.

Owen

This. If I'g using paper I always start with my S&T planisphere. I'd recommend looking for one that's 12" diameter, and skip those with the "glow in the nighttime" stars. Since my favorite South&T is out of impress at present, I'd suggest this one.

Blueox4 likes this

#21 Starman1

Posted 07 November 2020 - 09:39 PM

This. If I'm using paper I always start with my S&T planisphere. I'd recommend looking for one that'southward 12" diameter, and skip those with the "glow in the dark" stars. Since my favorite S&T is out of print now, I'd suggest this i.

Too much distortion. I recommend the two-sided ones from David Chandler

Back to meridian

#22 faackanders2

Posted 07 November 2020 - eleven:20 PM

Merely employ information technology! Start like shooting fish in a barrel. Decide what constellation y'all want to expect at. Determine what object are doable with your equipment. Look and study during the day, and reference it at night. Mentally star hop to your object.

P.S. Know whether to hold chart right side up or upside down (mirror image). 1 mental transformation is easier than two.

Blueox4 likes this

#23 faackanders2

Posted 07 November 2020 - 11:22 PM

Too much baloney. I recommend the ii-sided ones from David Chandler

There is a Messier Planesphere with all the Messier Objects (and some brighter Caldwell objects).

Blueox4 likes this