There are many ways to take in the grandeur of the cosmos from the comfort of Earth, whether it’s recognizing planets with the naked eye or discovering galaxies using a telescope.

To begin with stargazing or amateur astronomy, you don’t need much experience or equipment, and you can do it practically anyplace. Whether you use an app, binoculars, a telescope, or just your eyes, there’s much to see.

Here are some astronomy suggestions for beginners and techniques to strengthen your connection to the cosmos.

Orienting yourself with the positions in the night sky

Determine where north, east, south, and west are from your viewpoint if you don’t already know.

The planets, like the Sun, rise in the east and set in the west. The Moon rises in the east and sets in the west; however, its location varies based on where you live and the time of year.

You may also learn some night sky shortcuts to help you estimate locations. The sky is generally measured in degrees, with 0 degrees representing the horizon and 90 degrees straight overhead. About 10 degrees of the sky is covered by the breadth of your outstretched fist held at arm’s length.

The sky is generally measured in degrees, with 0 degrees representing the horizon and 90 degrees straight overhead. About 10 degrees of the sky is covered by the breadth of your outstretched fist held at arm’s length. If Venus is 15 degrees from the Moon at a particular time, that translates to nearly one and a half-raised fist.

Identifying which bright stars and constellations are visible as the season’s change can also assist because planets and other objects are frequently defined concerning these criteria.

Planets shine brighter than most stars, so if you start gazing up, you’ll see them immediately away. Planets are generally visible even in big cities since they are brighter than most stars.

Choosing your stargazing spot

Some places are better for stargazing than others, but you can do it from almost anywhere—your window, balcony, backyard, neighborhood park, or somewhere more isolated.

It’s worth searching up the Bortle class for wherever you’re going to observe from. The Bortle scale is a measure of sky darkness named after its originator, amateur astronomer John E. Bortle. It ranges from Class 1 (darkest sky on the planet) to Class 9 (inner-city skies). Even in Class 9 sites, the night sky has a lot to offer. You may search up your location’s Bortle class using a website, which can help you figure out what sky objects you should be able to see.

Tips in buying equipment

Some prefer to observe the night sky with their naked eye, but others prefer to use the telescope. 

A quality smartphone application is the most helpful equipment for stargazing these days. These applications can tell you what’s visible and where to look from your location on a particular night. There are several to select from, and the finest are updated regularly by their creators to ensure that information is correct and current.

The next level up from naked-eye astronomy is binoculars. Although astronomy-grade binoculars are available, they are not required. Binoculars will assist you in viewing the craters on the Moon, the moons of Jupiter, and the reddish Mars. They’ll also let you see faraway planets like Neptune and Uranus, usually invisible to the human eye.

Many more night sky objects and beautiful planetary characteristics like Saturn’s rings and Jupiter’s stripes may be seen using a telescope. Beginners should start with smaller telescopes since they are easier to move and use. Once you’ve developed an interest in telescopic astronomy, you may begin looking for more extensive and better telescopes to utilize.

If you’re considering purchasing a telescope, read some reviews and tips regarding the model you’re interested in.

Navigating sky maps and guidebooks

You can have a lot of fun gazing at the Moon and surveying the Milky Way’s star fields, but it’ll become old soon. Binoculars, on the other hand, may keep you blissfully occupied for years if you’ve learned the constellations and got detailed sky charts.

Hundreds of star clusters, galaxies, and nebulae will be revealed. They’ll reveal the ever-changing locations of Jupiter’s moons and the crescent phases of Venus. On the Moon, there are dozens of craters, plains, and mountains to be found. You can divide dozens of fascinating double stars and track the fading and brightening of a large number of variable stars. You’ll know what to look for if you know what to look for.

Start or join a ‘Star Party’

There’s nothing like sharing a common passion with others as far as self-education goes. Hundreds of astronomy groups may be found all around the world. You can look for club listings, join Facebook groups, and so on. These gatherings, some of which attract hundreds of amateurs, could be a great way to test out different telescopes, understand what they can and can’t accomplish, get advice, learn new skills, and meet new people.

Astronomy clubs differ from small to large, from dormant to active, and from closed to open to newcomers. You’ll have to investigate them on your own. However, none of them would be advertising themselves in our directory if they didn’t expect you to call.

Another idea is to make stargazing a fun activity for the whole family! Find and observe the planets together, or watch a meteor shower early in the morning. We’ve compiled a list of fascinating projects where you may make your observation instruments. Step outdoors when you’ve finished making them and put them to use!

Keep an Astro-Journal

An excellent technique to keep track of your celestial sightings is to keep an astronomy diary. These recordings are crucial for noting and tracking changes in the appearance, location, coordinates, and behavior of heavenly bodies such as stars and planets.

Your meticulous astronomy records may also come in handy for verifying occurrences reported by other amateur or professional astronomers. You never know; you could one day join the ranks of legendary amateur astronomers who have produced significant discoveries.

Here are the crucial information you should always note.

• Date, time, and place. Be explicit about your location, right down to the coordinates (Latitude & Longitude).
• Details on the telescope These factors include telescope type and size, eyepiece focal length, magnification, and filter.
• This refers to the state of the atmosphere. To select the level of visibility, use the Antoniadi Scale.
• The name and kind of the thing you’re looking at.

Additional information will be related to what you’re looking at. Location, perceived magnitude, and phase are examples of these.

You’ll need to sketch out the present look of particular objects, such as planets, moons, and comets. 

Remember that you can photograph whatever you’re looking at. A camera and an adapter to attach it to your telescope are required. Including photographs in your articles can give more context and information.

Reasons why Amateur Astronomy is a terrific hobby

• Lose your ego- Astronomy teaches patience and humility, and you’d best be ready to pick up on those lessons. It is not always possible to get everything to work the first time. You’ll look for something unique in the depths and miss it, then look again and ignore it. This is very normal. But ultimately, with increased understanding, you will succeed.
• There are a variety of online resources for amateur astronomers, including the archives of different astronomy magazines that have a range of articles providing advice on how to get started as an amateur astronomer. Everything from studying the constellations to understanding the fundamentals of astrophotography may be found in these useful primers. It’s an astro-friends’ community that shouldn’t be missed.
• The opportunity to contribute to scientific knowledge- Just because something is called “amateur” doesn’t imply it can’t have a long-term influence! Stargazers may collaborate with professional astronomers on a wide range of important scientific projects, such as organizing data on planets in distant solar systems, recording the Sun’s corona during eclipses, photographing comets, and more.
• Sharing your knowledge- Once you’ve become familiar with items visible to the naked eye, you may begin pointing them out to others. It’s lovely to be able to confidently point to a brilliant dot in the night sky and declare, “That’s Jupiter!” You may also demonstrate how to utilize the instruments you’ve been using, such as stargazing apps, binoculars, or a telescope, to others.

Conclusion

For beginners, astronomy might be overwhelming – after all, there’s a whole universe out there! However, learning the fundamentals of stargazing does not have to be complicated.

Don’t be concerned if this appears to be too much to handle. This isn’t a life-or-death situation. You don’t have to dress up.

Take a walk outside, gaze up, and enjoy yourself. Open a drink in your garden and picture what life is like outside of Earth’s gravitational pull.