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Updated:
 May 04, 2004

How do I find this Stuff

 
Many beginners give up astronomy after looking at the moon and perhaps a planet or two with their telescope. It can soon become a daunting task to find anything at all. The problem is, many beginners simply do not know where to begin. Indeed, planning for a night's observing is an integral part of astronomy, a part that many neophytes overlook. Ask yourself, "do I plan what to look at, or do I just go out in the hopes of finding something?" 

If you're the type that has just been setting up without planning ahead, you're in the majority. How do you intend to find anything without knowing what to look for, right? Well, here are the basic steps that will carry you into the deep-sky: 

  1. Get yourself a planisphere. These are rotating charts that show you what's visible when and where. You will also find some of the brighter deep-sky objects and phenomena on one of these gizmos. The night you're going to go out, check your planisphere for what will be up that night. By using a planisphere, you can recognize the major constellations and deep-sky objects in relation to them. Find a bright star near what you want to find, and just "star-hop" to it!
      
  2. Once you've successfully found a couple of the brighter objects out there, you may want to buy a star atlas. These maps of the sky depict constellations and deep-sky objects on a finer scale, much like a Thomas Guide. These maps will show you many new things you might not have known were there, and they make it easier to "star-hop" to them because they plot more stars than a planisphere.
      
  3. Use your planisphere to see what constellations will be out and when, then look at those constellations in your sky atlas. Make a list of the deep-sky objects that sound interesting to you, and then try to find them at night. That's all the planning you really need to do!
      
  4. If all else fails, purchase a book on star-hopping, or a kit such as the one by First Light, which includes just about everything you'll need to get started. If this doesn't work for you, try to find an astronomy club or a veteran observer near you. You can ask about them at the dealer you bought your telescope from, or check Astronomy magazine's club listings. There is no substitute for actually being helped by someone who knows the sky well!
      
  5. If of course you're observing in the middle of a light-polluted city, it may simply be impossible to see the things you're looking for. Get to the dark sky-- it makes all the difference!