Beginners skills

Contents
Planning a Session
Star Hopping
Observing Logs

PREPARING FOR AN OBSERVING SESSION

1. Dress appropriately.
Comfort is everything in backyard astronomy. If you're not warm enough, standing out there under a star-filled sky in no fun at all. Common sense, folks. I prefer to bring along several layers of clothing (e.g. warm longjons, sweatsuit pants, jeans) and wear as needed.

2. Snack food
Food is an essential part of any observing kit. My favourite is filter coffee and rusks. A good sandwich is most welcome after a few hour's observing. And sweets like winegums last a l o n g time, although the eternal mastication they induce can unsteady your view at the eyepiece!

3. Bug repellant
Mossies. Bane of the deepsky observer. Nothing is more ominous than the high-pitched whine of these blood-sucking pests. Bug spray or lotion neatly solves the problem, although I regularly carry a tube of skin lotion, just in case one of them get a bite in first.

4. Torches
Besides your trusty red torch for observing, make sure you have enough batteries just in case. Since your observing light should be extremely faint, pack in a normal (unfiltered) torch that you can use to pack up with, or check if you've left anything behind. And don't forget the batteries.

5. Observing notebook
Don't forget your notebook. Even if you use a dictaphone, one often needs to make notes. And of course you should be sketching. . .

6. Accessory table
You'll need somewhere to put all the stuff you've packed in. I carry all my maps, books, notebooks and "stuff" in several milk-crates, each measuring 29 x 35 x 53cm. These stack securely one on the other, making a handy table. Sometimes, an extra chair is also handy as a make-shift table. See the section on "Chart Tables" below for more ideas.

7. Comfortable chair
It's likely that you'll be sitting for a long while behind your eyepiece. Make sure the chair you pack in is comfortable and sturdy. Some deck chairs simply don't work well with tripod-mounted binoculars, since their wide, splayed legs often get in the way. I enjoy moving around while observing at the telescope's eyepiece, so I rarely sit down while observing. But the periods of standing are regulary interrupted by moments of sitting down, making notes, planning, and just enjoying the night sky.

8. Protect starmaps from dew
The best way to protect your staratlas from dew is to keep it indoors. I make photocopies of each map I use at the eyepiece. I like scribbling notes in the margin of the maps, and refuse to do so on the original book. The loose-leaf photocopied A4 pages fit well in plastic sleeves. For complex regions requiring several maps, I suggest you use the 20-page plastic sleeve files, which will hold 40 maps back-to-back. Also, a stack of maps, held in place on a clipboard, is well protected if a plastic sheet tops off the pile.

9. Zap the dew on your optics
Having your eyepieces dew up can unexpectedly end your observing session. A blast of hot air for a few seconds will defog the dampest eyepieces, mirrors or lenses. Commercially available 'dew zappers' are basically modified electric hair dryers. See the section "Coping with Dew" for more references.

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OBSERVING TIPS FROM Eric Greene

Experienced observer Eric Greene has the following observing tips to offer:
1. Keep observing. You will get better with practice. Your brain learns to see more as you do more observing.
2. Sometimes if you are very tired you won't see as much. Some drugs can make seeing dim objects more difficult.
3. Try to observe in a comfortable position. It really helps if you aren't straining your neck (or anything else) when you are trying to observe.
4. If you will be looking at very dim objects try to keep your eyes protected from bright light the day before you observe.
5. Try looking a little off to the side of the object.
6. Try tapping the scope so that the image will move a little in the field. Some objects are very large (M31) so you may need to move the scope just to see the whole thing.
7. Try different magnifications. Sometimes using more power when looking at a galaxy will make it easier to see.
8. When looking at emission enbulae try using a narrow band or line filter nebula filter.
9. Make sure your telescopes optics are clean and well collimated. Make sure your eyepieces are clean. Try different eyepieces -- some work better than others.
10. Some nights are better than others. Seeing and transparency can change a lot even on the same night. Try to find the darkest site possible.
11. Try a bigger scope. ;-) Really, if you're at a star party and you can look through a larger scope it can help give you a better idea what the object looks like and then it can be easier to see in your smaller telescope. If you know were to look when trying to see structure in a DSO it can be a big help. If you don't have access to a larger telescope find a photo of the object. Just remember the detail will be much more subtle through the eyepiece.

Visit Eric’s home page for more details.

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STAR HOPPING

Clark (1990) feels strongly about this basic technique, as do I: "Star hopping should be learned by all amateur astronomers. It is the method of starting at a known naked-eye star and using a chart to move carefully from star to star until the desired object is reached."

Garfinkle (1995) notes: "Getting there is half the fun, they say. This is certainly true when travelling between the stars in search of star clusters, nebulae, galaxies and such. Using a technique called star-hopping, you step your way across the heavens until you arrive at your ultimate destination. Its easy, its fun, and its a great way to learn the landscape of the night sky. Star hopping is like crossing a wide stream on stepping stones. To get from point A to point B, you step, or hop, from star to star using a finder scope's (or eyepiece's) field of view as a guide. Your hops often lead to a wonderful object while taking you past a multitude of interesting sights along the way.

MacRobert (1988) offers the following star-hopping tips:
1. "Double- and triple-check directions in the eyepiece. Always think in terms of celestial north, south, east and west, never up, down, left or right. If you have an equatorial mount, polar align it at least roughly. Now the mounts motions follow the four cardinal directions. Turn the finder's eyepiece to make its crosshairs line up with these directions too."
2. "Remember that a map is not exactly like the sky." The magnitude-symbols used to show the stars do not accurately reflect the way we perceive stellar brightness, so don't be caught by brightness discrepancies when using a starchart.
3. "Pay particular attention to star's positions. Look for patterns of at least three stars that fix the point you're after: little triangle, rectangles, kite shapes, and so forth. Triangles are the most basic units of star-hops. Pay close attention to their shapes."
4. "Know your scale." Figure out how big your finder's field of view is on the chart, and also for the eyepieces you use to star-hop with.

Veteran Steve Coe described his technique to the IAAC mailing list (Date: 1998-02-18; To: [email protected]) as follows:
"I have a method of star-hopping that I use for faint or difficult to find objects. It involves the fact that I have four aids that allow me to easily and confidently move to fairly exact location in the sky. Those four things are: Telrad, University 11X80 finder with an Amici prism, Bright Star Atlas and Uranometria 2000 star atlas. I get the general idea of where I want to go in the sky with the Telrad and Bright Star Atlas. Using these together I can with certainty point the scope at a "jump off star", generally naked eye, to star from. The Bright Star Atlas lets me answer the question "OK, which one of you guys is Sigma" or whatever. Now that I am on the starting location I am ready to move up to a deeper magnitude."
"I turn to the page in Uranometria that has the bright star on it, and hopefully it also has the deep sky object I seek. Then I note an asterism that is directy north, south, east or west of the object I am looking to find. This works because I have a Bigfoot Mount, which is essentially a German Equatorial. Then once I am directly even with the object in a cardinal direction, I move the scope to the oject, moving in only one direction at a time. I have found two helpful things: the large finder shows all the stars marked on Uranometria and the Amici Prism will show the sky in the same orientation as the charts."
"I used to spend a lot of time looking for a faint object, not certain if I just wasn't seeing it, or am I in the wrong location. This method allows me to be quite certain that I am at the location marked on the chart. Now I can move to the right spot and if the object isn't there, it isn't there and I can move on."

Lew Gramer, IAAC listowner, wrote:
"By the way, it may be worth mentioning something else about star-hopping: the hopping techniques you use probably will depend on your sky conditions! For instance, under extremely bright skies (or with a smaller scope), I find that "aiming" the scope with a Telrad (i.e., a "gun-sight" pointer), then doing wide-field eyepiece sweeps usually picks up any star pattern I'm trying to hop to, But under darker skies (and/or larger apertures), having a finder as well as the Telrad and Panoptic eyepiece can be very handy!"
"In the end, I guess I use a combination of finder, Telrad, and eyepiece hopping techniques with my dobsonian - and a completely different set of techniques (involving distinct north-south and east-west motions) when I'm using an equatorial mount!"

"one tends to 'discover' a lot of interesting things while star-hopping"

One of the first accomplished star-hoppers: Sir James South claimed that William Herschel was able, from a cold start, to find any object in the sky in under five minutes with the 20-foot telescope.

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OBSERVING LOGS

"Anyone who observes the sky should keep a logbook," is the emphatic opinion of Roger Clark. David Levy (1989) writes: ""If the hours we spend under the stars are precious, an observing log helps us remember them. Relying on memory alone just isn't good enough; as years pass, details fade away until events might as well not have happened ... So many people have told me that they would like to start an observing log but haven't gotten around to it. Yet it's easy and fun to do, and our observations will mean so much more when they're recorded accurately."

"The format of your log is not important; the content is. So any system that works is fine. Some observers prefer to draw in their logs, while others would rather compute. Some keep a diary. And some prefer the discipline of forms. Although forms make sure that you remember what to put down, I find them confining. Blank paper lets you record the unexpected. ... The free-form approach leaves unlimited room for variable star estimates, planetary drawing, times for photographic exposures and notes from other observers."

"If you observe certain types of objects systematically, you might consider keeping separate observing logs ... Why not take rough notes in the field and then transfer the data to files on your home computer?"

Clark points out that even the most casual celestial sight-seeing becomes more meaningful is a few notes are jotted down in a permanent record. Thorpe (1988) says that "keeping a notebook makes a more satisfied observer. It will remind you of all the things you've seen, the way you felt while observing, and the frustration and successes you've had with the hobby. And, most importantly, it will prompt you to observe more carefully and to see more when you observe.

"A notebook is your private record of the universe. Although at first you may have to adjust to updating it, the notebook will eventually contain unique records of your journey through the universe. Astronomy offers great personal satisfaction. It would be a shame if all those wonderful memories of your involvement with astronomy simply faded away with time."

Clark laments the fact that he did not always keep good notes; reading through his recollections, I am much reminded of my own early attempts at note-taking: "Back then I also made many drawing a half inch to two inches wide, but rarely included field stars. Thus there is no way to tell the scale of a drawng or the size of what was seen. Is that fuzzy patch the full extent of a galaxy including the spiral arms, or only the bright central region?"

Chinese proverb: "The palest ink is clearer than the best memory"

References

Planning A Session
Polakis, T. (1995) "Deep-sky on Four a Day" [Is there life after observing the Messier objects? Try the Herschel 400 in 100 nights like I did from Arizona] Astronomy, June, 65.
Dodd, L. (1994) "Under the Southern Sky: Part 2" Astronomy, December, 78.
Barclay, J. (1994) "Under the Southern Sky" Astronomy, October, 72.
Harrington, P. (1994) "Running a Celestial Marathon" [One night, 110 deep-sky wonders. Observe them all and you've comleted the grueling Messier Marathon] Astronomy, March, 61.
Spevak, J. (1993) "Night of the Deep-Sky Observer" [Follow a lone sky watcher through a night of viewing springtime clusters, nebulae, and galaxies] Astronomy, March, 62.
Nagler, A. (1991) "Choosing Your Telescope's Magnification" Sky & Telescope, May, 553.
Forrest, S. (1989) "Forum: Tricks of an Observer's Trade" Astronomy, August, 98.
Eicher, D. J. (1989) "Don't Forget the Bug Spray" [Be prepared for anything under the stars with these ten essential items. Don't leave home without them!] Astronomy, August, 67.
MacRobert, A. M. (1987) "Backyard Astronomy: The art of planetary observing - II." Sky & Telescope 74(6, December), 603.
Cain, L. (1986) "Observer's Page: Visual astronomy rediscovered." Sky & Telescope, 72(6, December), 662
Rabalais, M. (1986) "How to Conquer the Messier Objects" Astronomy, December, 88
Eicher, D. (1985) "Stars of the Circumpolar South" [double-page map] Astronomy, March, 34.
MacRobert, A. (1985) "Backyard astronomy: Secrets of deep-sky observing" Sky & Telescope, 70(3, September), 204.
Houston, Walter Scott (1980) "Observing the deep sky." Sky & Telescope, 60(6, December), 476.

Star Hopping
Garfinkle, R. (1995) "See you at the hop" Astronomy, 23, 8, 74. "Learn this easy technique and step your way to deep-sky objects anywhere in the sky."
Kramer, J. (1994) "Focal Point: In Praise of Star-Hopping" Sky & Telescope, November, 6.
MacRobert, A. M. (1988) "Backyard Astronomy: A summer evening star-hop" Sky & Telescope, 75(6, June), 603.

Observing Logs
Zentz, G. L. (1992) "A Personal and Permanent Journey through the Universe" [Time spent beneath the stars with a journal will richly reward astronomical memories] Astronomy, February, 80.
Levy, D. H. (1989) Star Trails, Sky & Telescope, 77(6, June), 659.
Eicher, D. J. (1989) "Don't Forget the Bug Spray" [Be prepared for anything under the stars with these ten essential items. Don't leave home without them!] Astronomy, August, 67.
Thorpe, A. M. (1988) "Should You Keep an Astronomical Notebook?" Astronomy, January, 50.

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"Deepsky Observers Companion" (http://www.global.co.za/~auke) Copyright 1998 Auke Slotegraaf ([email protected]). All rights reserved. Uranometria 2000.0 copyright (c) 1987-1996 Willmann-Bell, Inc. Page last updated 1998 February 02. My opinions may have changed, but not the fact that I am right.