Reddit mentions: The best stargazing books

Get that book that davedubya indicated - "Turn left at Orion". It's very very useful for beginners and it teaches you the basic elements of finding and star hopping (more info below).

Another useful item might be a planisphere. It gives you the image of the whole sky at once, the high level view. Once you have that, it's easier to zoom in to more detailed views.

http://www.amazon.com/Guide-Stars-Ken-Graun/dp/1928771017/

A detailed paper-based map is the Pocket Sky Atlas:

http://www.amazon.com/Sky-Telescopes-Pocket-Atlas/dp/1931559317/

Electronic maps for smartphones - Stellarium (free) and SkySafari.

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Finding stuff with a Dobsonian is not hard. From a star map, or from the Turn Left book, locate the general area of the sky where the object might be located and turn the scope that way.

Once it's pointing in the general area of interest, look through the viewfinder. If you live in the city, a magnifying viewfinder like a 6x30 would be very useful, as it can pierce through light pollution and show you guide stars where the naked eye looking through a 1x finder (like a Telrad, or a red dot) will see nothing. Compare the stars you see in the finder with the ones on the map, and gently push the scope this way and that way, the goal being to center it on the desired object.

Then move your eye over to the eyepiece and enjoy the view.

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A 6" will show you lots of things. More aperture is better, sure, but with 6" you can do all the important stuff. Amazing detail on the Moon. Saturn's ring with the Cassini division (if the scope is well collimated and seeing is good). Jupiter's belts. The M13 globular cluster. The Dumbbell Nebula. The M31 galaxy. Lots of stuff.

The high detail targets, like the Moon and the big planets, do not care about light pollution. But they do care about scope collimation and atmospheric turbulence (seeing).

The low brightness targets, like nebulae and galaxies, do not care about seeing and collimation, but they do care a lot about light pollution. Observing from a place with a dark sky is beneficial in this case.

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In general, I advise against purchasing accessories, since most people just buy too much useless stuff. Accumulating knowledge is more important than purchasing random chunks of glass. But the XT6 is a bit under-equipped in terms of eyepieces - it only comes with a 25 mm Plossl IIRC.

In that case, if you get a 10 mm Plossl, and a 2x barlow, you're set. You could combine the 10 mm with the 2x barlow to obtain a 5 mm "equivalent" eyepiece. So then you'd have: 25 mm, 10 mm, and 5 mm. It's a good combo. (You could also combine the 25 mm with the 2x barlow to get a 12.5 mm equivalent, but that's very close to the plain 10 mm.)

Use the 5 mm for planets, or when seeing permits (when the air is calm). If seeing is turbulent, fall back to the 10 mm. Use the 25 mm for broad views, like the M31 galaxy and so on. In general, just try different eyepieces and see which one works best in each case.

After a while, maybe get a 15 mm Plossl, to fill the gaps between 25 and 10 (without barlow), and between 10 and 5 (with barlow). But don't worry about that in the beginning, the 25/10/5 combo will keep you entertained for a while.

Most people get all sorts of filters at first. Don't bother. Purchase glass only when you truly need it.

Learn as much as you can about collimation (it's a huge topic), and keep your scope collimated like it's a religious duty.

Here's some extra reading material:

http://www.reddit.com/r/Astronomy/comments/vpij0/thinking_about_buying_my_first_telescope/c56slut

There is a book out there that I bought but then immediately lent to a friend without reading called "The Cloud Spotter's Guide" ( http://www.amazon.com/Cloudspotters-Guide-Science-History-Culture/dp/0399533451/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1310001751&sr=1-1 ). It looked like a really good book, has good reviews and I'm trying to get it back from her real bad. Look it up!
Alternatively, I just bought a meteorology textbook off half.com for $8 with shipping. (Title was "Atmosphere," bought the second-to-latest edition.)

I think I would recommend that even more, just because as someone with an interest in meteorology that has come to realize it is MUCH more complex and complicated than it appears at the surface, is that you buy the text book, since you really gotta start with the basics of everything and work your way up to more complex ideas to be able to have a full, genuine grasp of what's going on. But as intimidating as reading a textbook sounds, it's a lot of fun because you can bounce from chapter to chapter, depending on what fits yer mood, and at the same time, you can always refer back to earlier chapters to explain concepts you don't understand.

Things I would study in particular: high and low air pressure systems (because these are the things that determine good and bad weather, more or less), what air/ocean currents affect where you live, as well as cloud types (for which I would recommend the first book I mentioned the most, the textbook I have does talk about them, but not in a lot of detail that would best satisfy somebody who's outside looking at cloud types.), what affects temperature, and the role of water vapor/humidity/etc on weather. Meteorology is the SHIT, I hope you find it as interesting as I do!

Also I know this is 10 days late and you're probably done painting your house, but I hope you're still interested in learning about these things!

Youtube is loaded with videos on the subject:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Map+and+Compass+Skills


Also: http://www.amazon.com/Staying-Found-Complete-Compass-Handbook/dp/0898867851

http://www.amazon.com/Wilderness-Navigation-Finding-Altimeter-Mountaineers/dp/1594859450/ref

http://www.amazon.com/Expert-Map-Compass-Bjorn-Kjellstrom/dp/0470407654/ref


One great practice to get into is to use your more advanced navigational aids primarily to confirm or correct what you have already determined by more basic methods.


For instance, get used to reflexively observing your surroundings (Especially stopping every 100 paces or so to look at and study your back trail). Practice estimating the distances/direction that you have walked and the times elapsed. Become aware of the position of the sun or the prevailing winds (Observing the effect that these winds have over time on local vegetation).


Even jets flying overhead can provide clues as to general directions. In my area of Upstate NY, the vast majority of jets flying at altitude maintain a roughly east/west flight path. Even on a cloudy night when the stars and the moon are totally hidden, I can often see the lights of jets blinking through the cloud cover, giving me a clue as to whether or not I have begun traveling in a circle in the dark.


A GREAT read: http://www.naturalnavigator.com/tristan-gooley

http://www.amazon.com/Natural-Navigator-Rediscovered-Letting-Nature/dp/1615190465/ref


Several times a day, without looking at your map estimate your location and heading direction/distance to your starting point and your destination. Once you have done this, take out your map and confirm your estimates. If you have a good vantage point, take several bearings with your compass on significant features (Focusing on contour features on your topo map) and then triangulate to determine your location.


The most important practice is to primarily rely on your GPS as a means of confirming and correcting your earlier navigational estimates. As you get more accomplished and as your confidence levels rise, you will find that observational navigation will become second nature to you.

I'm biased, but I created a website called What's This Cloud which was created for this purpose. It's sort of a library of cloud types and subtypes.

WMO's cloud atlas is another site you might check out too! I've learned a lot from browsing their site.

There are some books out there as well, but to be honest, a lot of them are old and outdated. Though a good read as The Cloudspotter's Guide written by the fellow that started the Cloud Appreciation Society. Might not quite be what you're looking for, but a fun read none-the-less.

This post and this picture of Andromeda remind me of a book I read recently called "The End of Night" by Paul Bogard.

It's not nearly as good as Carl Sagan's writing (what is?) but it is a pretty neat little book about light pollution and the many effects it is having on our planet and its inhabitants. The author traveled all over the world to find various degrees of dark sky ranging from the Luxor in Las Vegas to dark sky parks in Italy and everywhere in between. It seems like a book about astronomy but it's really much more than that. The book really changes your perspective of the night sky and makes you start to appreciate things like being able to see the trillion (!!!) stars of Andromeda with your own eyes.

If you don't already have one, everyone needs a planisphere! Particularly if you are interested in astronomy. I think wall art of galaxies, nebula, etc... would also be great. One of my favorites is the orion nebula. Also, books by Neil deGrasse Tyson are pretty good. And Carl Sagan's "Cosmos". Everyone needs a copy of Cosmos. As well as Hawking's A Brief History of Time..

I really really want it!

> is anyone here a member of the Cloud Appreciation Society?

Yep! I am.

If you haven't yet discovered the Cloud Appreciation Society founder's book, The Cloudspotter's Handbook, it's really the bee's knees. Well worth checking out.

If anybody's interested in the finer details of clouds/sub-categories, I would totally recommend The Cloudspotter's Guide, written by Gavin Pretor-Pinney, founder of the Cloud Appreciation Society. Full disclosure, I am a member.

Edit: Looks like they have an online supplement to the book here.

That's roughly right. The Milky Way is huge and is up most of the night now. Around now, it is roughly at its highest around midnight in the USA. In a month, it'll be at its highest around 10pm. But anytime from 10pm - 2am should be fine during the summer.

Look for a spot with a good view to the south, especially, and with as few lights in that direction as possible. Go on a night when the moon isn't up (i.e., the moon is new, or sets before it gets dark.) Get a nice planisphere so you can oriented yourself. However, using a flashlight or even your phone will wreck your night vision, so resist the temptation. Use a very dim red light if you need a light at all. The MW will be way better after you've dark-adapted for a little while.

Binoculars will really add to the view, too.

Keep filling your head with that information. Once you get a good grasp on foraging plants & fungi, you might be interested in picking up these books too:

What the Robin Knows

Reading Nature's Signs

How to Read Water

After you've gone through those, you go out into the woods.....

You know the scene in Superman, where he's a kid at school and locks himself in the closet because he's totally overwhelmed with sensory information? That's what going into the woods is like. Everywhere you look, more information coming in than you can possibly process.

Try this book out: [The Natural Navigator](
https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Navigator-Rediscovered-Letting-Nature/dp/1615190465/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468796010&sr=8-1&keywords=gooley+natural+navigator) by Travis Gooley.

It's a fun, practical guide to what you see in the world, and how to reckon your way around it. You'll want to read it and go try these things out, or read it on the go, so it's almost impossible to fall asleep during it. =)

It's not that bad, really, although yeah - deep sky objects are going to be damned tough.

Swing over to /r/astronomy and look at the advice there. My firm recommendation is to get some good binoculars (10x50 or so - don't get zoom binocs and make sure the diameter is at least 5x the magnification), a planisphere, a dim red flashlight, a comfy reclining lawn chair, and most important of all, a copy of [Terrence Dickinson]s Nightwatch](https://www.amazon.ca/NightWatch-Practical-Guide-Viewing-Universe/dp/155209300X). Maybe add a tripod and binocular adaptor if you want, and a phone 'finder' app.

That really should get most neophytes through a solid year of astronomy. Some people never leave their binoculars.

The Cloudspotter's Guide. It's smart; it's funny; it's everything you'll need, good buddy.

> Most people have lived in cities their entire lives and have no idea how dark a moonless (and Venus-less) night can be at a dark sky site.

The book [The End of Night: Searching for Natural Darkness in an Age of Artificial Light] (http://www.amazon.com/The-End-Night-Searching-Artificial/dp/0316182907/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top) touches on this subject matter. I've yet to read it, but I really want to get the book and see what it has to say. As someone who has been lucky enough to have parents live in a more rural area and seeing a dark night sky and noticing the Milky Way, I can only imagine what it must look like when your dozens of miles away from the nearest town or city.

If nobody has mentioned it yet, order a copy of the book "Turn Left at Orion." It has great directions for finding the best objects. And the illustrations are all sketches from a small telescope, not glorious Hubble images that might leave you with, well, unrealistic expectations.

A decent starmap is also very helpful for learning the constellations, and finding your way around the sky. Here's a nice large one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1928771017/

And this may not be for everybody, but when I was learning this spring, I put a glow-in-the-dark poster of the constellations on my wall, for those cloudy nights: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OB8RCA8/

It's pretty crazy.

One great book I'd recommend to anyone who loves truly dark skies like those found in the National Parks is The End of Night.

Each chapter is focused on certain areas of specific levels of darkness; chapter one focuses on areas that are bortle class 9, the worst quality of darkness possible, and chapter nine focuses on areas that are bortle class 1, the darkest skies on Earth. Naturally he visits many national parks as the book progresses. The wikipedia page on the bortle classes, specifically its description of bortle class 1 skies, makes me wanna hop on a plane right now and get to a national park asap.

This isn't quite what you are after, but a great book.

The Cloudspotter's Guide

Hi!

I have tons of pictures of her! I'll upload an album of them later, but for now, here she is at 11 weeks.

Stellarium is a great program to help you learn some constellations. I also suggest this book and this book. I use all three of these quite often.

Edit: wrong age, my bad :)