Questions tagged [amateur-observing]

Questions about the observation of celestial objects by non-professional astronomers.

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What radio frequency ranges are most beneficial for astronomy?

I cannot get the idea of citizen radio astronomy out of my head, and choosing an antenna (design) heavily depends on the desired frequency range. The Arecibo telescope as my gold standard operated 300 ...
B--rian's user avatar
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My local night sky is so bright that I can only see the Moon, so would a low-cost telescope be any use?

Light pollution is so bad near our home that we can't see anything other the Moon in the night sky. For instance there is a street light on all night right in our lane and there are many other housing ...
user2617804's user avatar
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Can I look at the sky and find the day of the week?

Suppose I wake up from a coma on a desert island in the 19th century (i.e. we already use the Gregorian calendar but have no satellites yet). I have a clear view of the sky and a couple of days to ...
questionguy's user avatar
7 votes
2 answers
214 views

How close are we to observing all of the sky all of the time?

I was musing on how amateur astronomy is still a heavy contributor to the overall field, and how on any given night there will be plenty of small telescopes pointing into the void and capturing the ...
Ingolifs's user avatar
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Stars in the sky

Are the stars we can see with the naked eye in the night sky only from our Milky Way galaxy or can we see stars from Andromeda? I am aware we can see other celestial objects like nebulas and the ...
NuWin's user avatar
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What kind of telescope do I need to see most of the Jupiter's moons?

I have a simple Newtonian reflector telescope. Using it, I am able to see the Galilean moons of Jupiter. However, Jupiter has much more moons than that (Wikipedia says 67 have been discovered this far)...
key's user avatar
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2 answers
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How will planets behave in the night sky as seen by Mars colonists?

Certainly among the first colonists on Mars there will be a few people interested in Astronomy enough to enjoy the night sky. For them, familliar Mars will be missing and there will be a new, ...
uhoh's user avatar
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Was that actually a shooting star during the supermoon eclipse on September 27th 2015?

During the super-moon total lunar eclipse on September 27th a meteor-like streak passed very close within view of the event. It appeared to happen at the very middle, the maximum eclipse. [...
R. Carbone's user avatar
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1 answer
214 views

Do stars twinkle when seen from Mars' surface?

Mars' average atmospheric pressure is 0.006 atm (0.088 psi). Is that enough to make fixed stars on Mars' night sky twinkle? Do we know an air pressure or density limit for that?
Greenhorn's user avatar
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How plausible is it for legends about the Pleiades to be this ancient?

There's a tangent at the beginning of this video on the Epic of Gilgamesh briefly talking about an oddity where most ancient cultures have stories about the Pleiades star cluster, often describing ...
redroid's user avatar
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What effect do aircraft have on night-time visibility?

I have something of an interest in astronomy. I also have a 5" reflector telescope, plus of course binoculars. With the recent coronavirus emergency, a large number of commercial aircraft were ...
John Duffield's user avatar
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3 answers
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Can you still see Polaris even if you are in the south pole?

I haven't been to south pole but can the Polaris still be viewed if the viewer is in the south pole? Or this question makes no sense at all?
JanLeeYu's user avatar
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Is the Object in this Photo Mars?

A little bit of context: I dabble in amateur astronomy, however only very lightly. I originally wanted to make some observations of Mars because I know it is supposed to be very close these days but ...
1muflon1's user avatar
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1 answer
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Stargazing (Tenerife) - different quality today and yesterday

I'm on the Tenerife island and (in the mountains above the clouds - 2300) the day before yesterday, I could clearly see the Milky Way and stars (1 am). So I went to the same place yesterday and the ...
Milano's user avatar
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Can the Milky Way be seen with the naked eye? Does this apply to any galaxy? If yes, then how and when?

I have seen different pictures in a different community to showcasing the Milky Way. I can never tell whether it's edited or it's the real picture. Actually, I can never see any galaxy as such by with ...
Demietra95's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
418 views

Pictures of a curious astronomical phenomenon

In a recent holiday, a friend made the following picture. It contains a curious green "thing" in the nightsky. The picture was made in Ladakh, India, 6weeks ago. The "thing" only appeared in one of ...
Mario Krenn's user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
246 views

Identifying Constellations from Sky Maps

In Such sky maps How to identify constellation in those blocks?The just seems to me like Random figures. Please suggest some good sources where I can study this?
Particle king's user avatar
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1 answer
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Which lens and magnification is best to see planets?

I just bought a Celestron Travel Scope 70 and it comes with a 20mm and a 10mm eyepiece. I get a good view of the Moon but I am not able to see Jupiter, Saturn or Mars as expected. I read about the ...
Harshita's user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
2k views

Would alcohol wiping damage multi-coated eyepiece coating? How else can I take COVID precautions on the eyepiece?

My small group of friends will be wearing masks. But could COVID-19 be spread by eyes/eyelashes touching the eyepiece? If so, what precautions should I take? I have a small Starblast scope with an ...
HaoQi Li's user avatar
6 votes
3 answers
2k views

Astronomical telescope making

I am thinking about making a telescope. I have a 100cm focal length lens which I can use as objective lens in my telescope. So which is the best focal length I can use as eyepiece in my astronomical ...
user213892's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
2k views

Betelgeuse appears in a rainbow of colors through a Newtonian telescope

My husband and I are complete amateurs. Tonight was only our second night using our new Orion XT6 Dobsonian telescope. Betelgeuse looked very clear, bright red. However, when we pointed the telescope ...
Dhara's user avatar
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How do I calculate my desired distance of mirror from screen?

I plan on using flat mirror projection, among other methods, to view Tuesday's partial eclipse. How do I calculate the distance my flat mirror has to be from my screen in order for it to cast a sharp, ...
איתי מרלוב's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
511 views

Requirements to resolve position of Jovian Whistlers up to magnitude of Red Spot with amateur radio equipment?

Can I sense a bright star pointing an eight foot antenna towards it? is a while ago, but the discussion about this question I found very interesting. Please forgive me that I am not an expert in ...
B--rian's user avatar
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Can it be assumed that every star in an amateur astrophotograph has been cataloged?

While I was looking at a wide-angle photograph of the Milky Way I wondered: Is it possible that some of the stars in the image have yet to be identified and/or cataloged? My answer to this is no, but ...
Jim's user avatar
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198 views

Which citizen science occultation experiences were done in the late 80's in the US? With what results?

The news story "A star eclipsed by an asteroid in France this week-end: how and why scientists ask you to observe it" (in French) relates how people were are asked to look at the occultation ...
Jean-Marie Prival's user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
919 views

How do you clean a foggy or dirty eyepiece of a telescope?

I'm wondering what the procedure would be to clean the eyepiece of a telescope when it looks foggy or there's dirt either on the outside or inside it. I can get rid of loose dirt with a camel hair ...
299792458's user avatar
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6 votes
1 answer
119 views

Looking for methods to preserve night vision

Does anyone have a method to preserve night vision so that a car or other passing light source does not ruin it? I have a dark location to observe the sky; however, it is near a rarely used dirt road. ...
Bookaholic's user avatar
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6 votes
1 answer
372 views

Watching the Mercury transit with improvised devices

I have learned that it is not possible to watch the upcoming Mercury transit with the plain eye (using special filter glasses). Is it possible to watch the transit with improvised devices (like a ...
Sir Cornflakes's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
540 views

Would people on opposite sides of the earth see different details of the moon, if so are there actual photos demonstrating this?

I am aware of phases and the fact that opposite sides will see the moon flipped relative to the other but what I’m asking specifically is would the almost 8000 mile difference between the two ...
Beans's user avatar
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What is the minimum meteor size to see a falling star?

When a meteor is going through our atmosphere you will see a light beam made by the gas the meteor compressed. But what is the minimum size to see a 'falling star'? Is a 1 mm3 meteor visible?
Marijn 's user avatar
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6 votes
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How were the orbits of planets first mapped out?

I'd like to know how the orbits of planets were first 'mapped out' and to understand the maths behind it. e.g. How do we know what position in space a planet will be at certain time so that spacecraft ...
Ross's user avatar
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6 votes
3 answers
139 views

International Space Station

Recently, I have been going out to observe the ISS when it is within sight of my location. I have noticed that the ISS, based on the time that I have to observe the space station during any given ...
user8061's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
8k views

How to measure the altitude and azimuth of a star?

Given that the star is crossing the local meridian line in a certain location, I've tried calculating the altitude of a star by finding the difference between the declination of the star and the ...
Ken's user avatar
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6 votes
1 answer
96 views

How can I observe the Orionid Meteor Shower?

I would like to see the orionids sometime this week (October 20-26, 2013). What is the best way for me to observe them by naked eye? Also, would I be benefitted by trying to look at them with a ...
called2voyage's user avatar
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6 votes
1 answer
276 views

Can I see comet ISON from Saudi Arabia?

I live in western Saudi Arabia, I am trying to see the comet ISON, reading here and there tells that I can see it by naked eye somewhere next to the constellation leo, I used an app to tells me where ...
user avatar
6 votes
0 answers
153 views

Angular resolution of naked eye at night; type of vision used

It appears that most sources quote the angular resolution of the eye as 1', regardless of day and night. For instance, Naked eye Seconds of Arc and the Unaided Eye However, the following websites give ...
Cheng's user avatar
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6 votes
0 answers
69 views

Recreating Observer Ecliptic Lat/Lon from JPL Horizons using SPICE toolkit

I apologise if this is the wrong place to ask. I am trying to recreate part of the calculations by the JPL Horizons system using SPICE. Specifically the Observer Ecliptic Latitude and Longitudes. I'd ...
FridgeMagnet's user avatar
6 votes
0 answers
331 views

What would go into the design of a simple sky quality meter, used to measure night sky brightness?

@MCG's answer mentions several methods to classify night sky quality or brightness, and goes on to say: Additionally, you could always purchase a SQM (Sky quality meter) which is a small, portable ...
uhoh's user avatar
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6 votes
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239 views

Viewing "Diamond Fuji"

Diamond Fuji is a phenomenon in which the (typically) setting sun is positioned directly atop Mt Fuji. Some relatively detailed predictions for viewing times at a nearby park are available here. I ...
kyle's user avatar
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5 votes
3 answers
4k views

Why do photos of Earth always have a black background?

if we are in the milky way, and people are able to take photographs from Earth that look like this: Then how come almost all of Earth's photos look like this? In the first photo, we are seeing what ...
K Split X's user avatar
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5 votes
2 answers
1k views

Is there a webpage that shows the night sky but can filter out dim stars?

This webpage is very good for viewing the night sky and learning the names of the stars Timeanddate - Astronomy However, it shows too many stars. Because I live in the city, I can only see about 50 ...
bobsmith76's user avatar
5 votes
4 answers
1k views

How can I work out longitude and latitude through my telescope?

We purchased a Celestron Astromaster 90EQ Refractor Telescope and a Celestron Powerseeker Accessory Kit about four years ago but have not used it much for many reasons. As such my husband and I are ...
Sue Davis's user avatar
5 votes
3 answers
630 views

What is it about the layout of the three gratings in a Bahtinov mask that makes its indicate focus in this way?

The question Lucky imaging with Celestron 14 - is this result reasonable? includes a beautiful example of a focus test using a Bahtinov mask and the image below from Deep Sky Watch's Home Made ...
uhoh's user avatar
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5 votes
2 answers
556 views

Brightest Stars (by its Apparent Magnitude) List beyond 300

I've been observing the stars and I have found some lists on internet that sort them by its apparent magnitude (m), so you end up with lists of brightest-stars like this one: https://www.star-facts....
Nau's user avatar
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5 votes
3 answers
271 views

Pinhole Projector: Can I use a specific solar optical eye piece to focus the Transit of Mercury?

The title pretty much explains this one. Can I use a specific solar optical eye piece, or other optical device, in conjunction with the pinhole projector method to focus the Transit of Mercury? ...
MichaelJRoberts's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
165 views

What are the objects that are visible from a city?

I live in a light polluted city of the northern hemisphere and I would like to know what I can see with my Skywatcher BK 707AZ2. I have already seen Jupiter (and its moons), Saturn, Mars, M45, the ...
Archa's user avatar
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5 votes
2 answers
2k views

Can someone in a deep well see the stars in daytime?

I am wondering whether it is possible for a guy in a deep well to see the stars in the daytime. Now the background is dark. So might the stars be visible?
San's user avatar
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5 votes
1 answer
806 views

Have I just observed a supernova?

First of all, I'm from Syria. In Syria we have 70% of the night without electricity. So I love hanging out at this period of time in the night, looking up just as Prof. Stephen Hawking said to the sky,...
user3779823's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
374 views

Why would someone choose a lower resolution grating over a higher one when performing spectroscopy?

The higher spectral resolution grating would reduce the spectral range. Besides that, would a higher resolution grating reduce the signal per pixel? I thought I heard someone mentioned this to me a ...
Astroturf's user avatar
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5 votes
2 answers
882 views

What can I see with different apertures?

I'm looking to buy a telescope, and every mainstream website says that aperture is the most important factor, and buy the largest telescope your budget can afford. However, a website I found offering ...
Rafael's user avatar
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