Resources for planning an observing session

Post topics on how to set up, EP selection, cold/wet weather outings, gear transportation, target selection etc.
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Chich Canada
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Resources for planning an observing session

#1

Post by Chich »


Here are a few resources I've used for planning a session.

TELESCOPIUS at https://telescopius.com/. You can customize your objects of interest and keep track. You can also set up to recieve emails about a week before a new moon.

Subscribe to the Binocular sky newletter which is devoted to the use of binoculars for astronomy:
https://binocularsky.com/newsletter_archive.php

Stellarium: If you don't have this program you really should check it out.
https://stellarium.org/
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Razz United States of America
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Re: Resources for planning an observing session

#2

Post by Razz »


I have and use Stellarium but didn't know about the other 2. I'll check them out. Thanks.
Telescopes: SvBony SV503 80mm, Apertura AD10, Daystar SS60DS,Bresser AR-127s, 6" GSO Ritchey-Chretien Astrograph
Mounts: Skywatcher AZ-GTe, EQ6-R Pro
EPs: Baader Q turret with 32mm Classic Plossl and 18mm, 10mm, 6mm Classic Orthos and Q Turret barlow 2.25x
Baader Hyperion Mark IV 8-24mm zoom, Hyperion zoom barlow 2.25x
Filters: Celestron Variable Polarizing, SvBony F9131A UHC, Baader O III 10nm, Classic Lumicon O III, homemade solar filter with Baader OD 5.0 film, Optolong UV/IR cut
Cameras: Canon EOS Rebel T3i, ASI 224 mc
Guiding: iOptron iGuider 30mm scope/camera
Binoculars: Celestron Upclose G2 10x50

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Re: Resources for planning an observing session

#3

Post by messier 111 »


thx .
I LOVE REFRACTORS , :Astronomer1: :sprefac:

REFRACTOR , TS-Optics Doublet SD-APO 125 mm f/7.8 . Lunt 80mm MT Ha Doublet Refractor .

EYEPIECES, Delos , Delite and 26mm Nagler t5 , 2 zoom Svbony 7-21 , Orion Premium Linear BinoViewer .

FILTER , Nebustar 2 tele vue . Apm solar wedge . contrast booster 2 inches .

Mounts , berno mack 3 with telepod , cg-4 motorized , eq6 pro belt drive .

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Re: Resources for planning an observing session

#4

Post by Lady Fraktor »


Another really good planetarium program is Cartes du Ciel: https://www.ap-i.net/skychart/en/start
For lunatics there is also the excellent program Virtual Moon Atlas: https://sourceforge.net/projects/virtualmoon/
See Far Sticks: Antares Elita 103/1575, AOM FLT 105/1000, Bresser BV 127/1200, Nočný stopár 152/1200, Vyrobené doma 70/700, Stellarvue NHNG DX 80/552, TAL RS100/1000, Vixen SD115s/885
EQ: TAL MT-1, Vixen SXP, AXJ, AXD
Az/Alt: AYO Digi II/ Argo Navis, Stellarvue M2C/ Argo Navis
Tripods: Berlebach Planet (2), Uni 28 Astro, Report 372, TAL factory maple, Vixen ASG-CB90, Vixen AXD-TR102
Diagonals: Astro-Physics, Baader Amici, Baader Herschel, iStar Blue, Stellarvue DX, Takahashi prism, TAL, Vixen flip mirror
Eyepieces: Antares to Zeiss
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Re: Resources for planning an observing session

#5

Post by kt4hx »


Some other sources that might be of interest for both planning and research. Hopefully some of this will prove useful:


Steve Gottlieb's Observing Notes (NGC/IC/UGC): https://www.astronomy-mall.com/Adventur ... ve.ngc.htm


Prof. Courtney Seligman's website, particularly the "Celestial Atlas" section: https://cseligman.com/text/atlas.htm


Deep Sky Observer's Companion database (older site): http://www.docdb.net/


For those that still like printed atlases (like myself) here are some you can download and either use electronically or print out:


The Night Sky Maps: http://www.olle-eriksson.com/night-sky-maps/


Deep Sky Hunter Atlas: http://www.deepskywatch.com/deep-sky-hunter-atlas.html


Tri-Atlas Project: https://allans-stuff.com/triatlas/


Free Charts: https://freestarcharts.com/


For planning, weather sites are always useful. Just a few (not nearly all) other than weather.com:


https://www.astrospheric.com/


https://www.cleardarksky.com/csk/


https://clearoutside.com/


https://www.ventusky.com/
Alan

Scopes: Astro Sky 17.5 f/4.5 Dob || Apertura AD12 f/5 Dob || Zhumell Z10 f/4.9 Dob ||
ES AR127 f/6.5 || ES ED80 f/6 || Apertura 6" f/5 Newtonian
Mounts: ES Twilight-II and Twilight-I
EPs: AT 82° 28mm UWA || TV Ethos 100° 21mm and 13mm || Vixen LVW 65° 22mm ||
ES 82° 18mm || Pentax XW 70° 10mm, 7mm and 5mm || barlows
Filters (2 inch): DGM NPB || Orion Ultra Block, O-III and Sky Glow || Baader HaB
Primary Field Atlases: Uranometria All-Sky Edition and Interstellarum Deep Sky Atlas
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"Astronomers, we look into the past to see our future." (me)
"Seeing is in some respect an art, which must be learnt." (William Herschel)
"What we know is a drop, what we don't know is an ocean." (Sir Isaac Newton)
"No good deed goes unpunished." (various)
Some people without brains do an awful lot of talking, don't you think?” (Scarecrow, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz)
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Re: Resources for planning an observing session

#6

Post by helicon »


I like Sky & Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas. It's small and easily used in the field with a red light. The knock against it, if there is one - is that it lists just a smattering of NGC objects, leaving out many bright galaxies of both Spring and Fall.

Another one I use is Interstellarum, which is far more comprehensive. It's slightly on the large size for field use, but a couple of tricks I practice are marking NGC objects from Interstellarum on the PSA in pencil, or drawing a star field with NGC objects on a piece of 8.5" x 11" paper which I then can use to star hop.

For online resources, telescopius is unsurpassed as it has pictures of each object and it is easy to locate other nearby objects of similar ilk. For example, it is useful in finding Stephan's Quartet and the Deerlick Group for those with medium to large apertures and dark skies, or for instance, the plethora of galaxies in the "bowl" of the big dipper asterism in Ursa Major.
-Michael
Refractors: ES AR152 f/6.5 Achromat on Twilight II, Celestron 102mm XLT f/9.8 on Celestron Heavy Duty Alt Az mount, KOWA 90mm spotting scope
Binoculars: Celestron SkyMaster 15x70, Bushnell 10x50
Eyepieces: Various, GSO Superview, 9mm Plossl, Celestron 25mm Plossl
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Re: Resources for planning an observing session

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Post by kt4hx »


helicon wrote: Fri Dec 09, 2022 3:20 pm I like Sky & Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas. It's small and easily used in the field with a red light. The knock against it, if there is one - is that it lists just a smattering of NGC objects, leaving out many bright galaxies of both Spring and Fall.

Another one I use is Interstellarum, which is far more comprehensive. It's slightly on the large size for field use, but a couple of tricks I practice are marking NGC objects from Interstellarum on the PSA in pencil, or drawing a star field with NGC objects on a piece of 8.5" x 11" paper which I then can use to star hop.

For online resources, telescopius is unsurpassed as it has pictures of each object and it is easy to locate other nearby objects of similar ilk. For example, it is useful in finding Stephan's Quartet and the Deerlick Group for those with medium to large apertures and dark skies, or for instance, the plethora of galaxies in the "bowl" of the big dipper asterism in Ursa Major.

I have always liked the PSA for its compactness and wider plotting. It makes locating areas within the sky easier. As for objects, I view it more as a an atlas for binoculars or small to medium sized scopes mostly because it does lack the stellar and DSO depth of other atlases. Nonetheless, I still have a copy of it at our dark site house that I reference periodically and highly recommend it for anyone.

As for the IDSA, it served as my primary field atlas for a few years, and it still is taken into the field each session. While its depth is not the same as Uranometria, which is now my primary field atlas, it has more than enough objects to keep people busy for a long, long time. It is also a pretty atlas to page through. For some time I used a music stand for the IDSA so I could place it next to my observing chair. That way I merely had to turn in my chair to consult the atlas while I was still seated. I kept my notebook under the atlas so I could make my observing notes on the music stand as well.

Both it and Uranometria are a bit bulky for the field, but are manageable. Particularly if one uses a table, which is something I do. Even a small card table is useful to put one's eyepieces and atlases on.
Alan

Scopes: Astro Sky 17.5 f/4.5 Dob || Apertura AD12 f/5 Dob || Zhumell Z10 f/4.9 Dob ||
ES AR127 f/6.5 || ES ED80 f/6 || Apertura 6" f/5 Newtonian
Mounts: ES Twilight-II and Twilight-I
EPs: AT 82° 28mm UWA || TV Ethos 100° 21mm and 13mm || Vixen LVW 65° 22mm ||
ES 82° 18mm || Pentax XW 70° 10mm, 7mm and 5mm || barlows
Filters (2 inch): DGM NPB || Orion Ultra Block, O-III and Sky Glow || Baader HaB
Primary Field Atlases: Uranometria All-Sky Edition and Interstellarum Deep Sky Atlas
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Astronomers, we look into the past to see our future." (me)
"Seeing is in some respect an art, which must be learnt." (William Herschel)
"What we know is a drop, what we don't know is an ocean." (Sir Isaac Newton)
"No good deed goes unpunished." (various)
Some people without brains do an awful lot of talking, don't you think?” (Scarecrow, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz)
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