Reddit reviews Sky & Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas
We found 18 Reddit comments about Sky & Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Used Book in Good Condition
Bad seeing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronomical_seeing
Take a look at this site:
http://cleardarksky.com/csk/
Find a location nearest your place. Look at the third row in the diagram, the one called "Seeing". It's a seeing forecast. Try and look again at Antares when the little squares in that row are dark blue. Then it should look much better.
Also, pick another big star at the same elevation (distance to horizon) and compare it with Antares. It should be the same. Now look at a big star closer to horizon. It should look worse. That's just seeing.
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BTW, Antares is actually a double star. Its companion is very small and pretty close to the primary, but it could be seen in at least 6" of aperture in good seeing. It looks "faded green-ish" to most people, although that's probably just due to contrast with the red primary (there are no green stars). Try and locate the companion - if seeing is good enough you should be able to see it. Perhaps, part of what you're seeing is the ghost of the companion bouncing around the image of the primary in bad seeing (but most of it should be just the primary distorted by seeing).
If you can't see the companion in a 15" scope, seeing must be pretty bad, or there's some problem with the optics.
Make sure the telescope is well collimated. If collimation is a problem, the image distortion would be static, it would not bounce around, but it's always worth checking it, to make sure the scope is in top shape.
http://www.cloudynights.com/documents/primer.pdf
http://www.stark-labs.com/craig/llcc/llcc.html
http://legault.perso.sfr.fr/collim.html
A 15" reflector would certainly benefit from active cooling:
http://www.garyseronik.com/?q=node/55
http://www.garyseronik.com/?q=node/69
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To remove any doubt as to the location of Antares, perhaps you should get some paper-based charts. The electronic stuff is useful for quick and rough identification, but paper can actually be more precise. A simple planisphere would give you an instant confirmation for big objects like Antares:
http://www.amazon.com/Guide-Stars-Ken-Graun/dp/1928771017/
A more detailed atlas can be useful for smaller things:
http://www.amazon.com/Sky-Telescopes-Pocket-Atlas/dp/1931559317/
If you need some help, there's a planetarium program called Stellarium that shows you most objects in the night sky. You can put information like your telescope and eyepiece to simulate your field of view and magnification.
You can also buy a sky atlas, such as the Sky and Telescope's Pocket Atlas. I've used the Pocket Atlas to find the crab nebula and some small galaxies with my 10 inch dobsonian, so it really helps.
I would say that the best thing that you can probably do is to join a local astronomy club. They're more than likely going to have "star parties" where they all bring different telescopes and look at different things in the night sky. It should give you a good taste of what you can see, the pros and cons of different telescopes, and real world experience. You're also going to have a ton of experienced observers who you can ask questions and talk with.
Besides that, I would probably pick up a book called Turn Left at Orion and a star atlas (my personal favorite is Sky and telescope Pocket Sky Atlas). Turn Left at Orion is essentially a beginners guide to amateur astronomy. It tells you what the best things to observe are during different times of the year, descriptions of them, how to find them, and other things. A star atlas is essentially a map of the night sky. I would also look into Stellarium. It's a free program that shows you what your night sky looks like based on your date, time, and where you live. It's pretty much an interactive star atlas. Also, if you have any book money left over, you might consider getting RASC's 2017 Observer's Hand. It tells you, in detail, what important things are going to be going on above our heads in 2017. It also has some nice articles for beginning astronomers, a bunch of nice maps, and a lot of helpful charts. I wouldn't call it a necessity, but it's really nice to have.
I would also recommend joining an online astronomy forum. Cloudy Nights is my favorite. The folks there are all passionate about astronomy, very nice, and very knowledgeable.
Lastly, and this is the most important piece of advice I can give, is to just get out there and start observing. You don't need a telescope or even binoculars. Go out and try to find constellations or try to find where the planets currently are or see if you can see some of the brighter Deep Sky Objects (those are essentially anything that isn't a planet or the moon). The Pleiades and the Orion Nebula are great first things to look for, for instance. Just enjoy being out there under the stars. It's a great feeling.
Clear Skies!
A $50 first telescope is a great thing. You've got a minimal investment in it so you don't have to worry about messing things up.
You get to learn a bunch of things (e.g., how to balance the scope, how an equatorial mount works, how to collimate a Newtonian telescope, etc.) This guy has lots of great helpful video. Some are more advanced but he covers balancing a scope and cleaning mirrors. He even covers making a finder scope. Here's an excellent tutorial for beginners and those new to equatorial mounts.
The scope is 900mm focal length and 114mm in diameter. This means, if it were a camera lens, it would be about f/7.9 (900/114=7.895). This is a pretty standard f-ratio for a Newtonian.
The bottom most adjustment should have degrees listed for latitude. You say you're in central AL, so you'll set it to something close to 33 degrees (Birmingham, AL). You can then roughly polar align the mount and then you'll be moving in right ascension and declination somewhat accurately.
Now that you're polar aligned, you will be able to find objects listed in various star charts. I highly recommend Sky & Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas. It's about $15 and everybody (beginner through advanced) I met at a recent star party had one in their kit.
Most important, have fun and enjoy. As I mentioned initially, you've only got $50 invested so don't be afraid to experiment a bit. Soon enough you'll be prepared to drop $500 on a new scope/mount!
I think Sky and Telescope's pocket atlas is a good resource.
Great choice! You won't be disappointed. Have a look at this site to get a primer on how to use your scope: http://eyesonthesky.com/Blog/tabid/80/EntryId/179/The-Ultimate-Beginners-Guide-to-Telescopes-and-Amateur-Astronomy.aspx
You'll most likely want to get yourself a star chart too, I recommend the Pocket Sky Atlas: http://www.amazon.com/Sky-Telescopes-Pocket-Atlas/dp/1931559317
And finally, here's a couple articles I wrote about getting the most out of your telescope, both for high-power (planetary) and deep-space observing (there are different techniques for each):
To follow up on my earlier comment: in the atlas I referenced, a 5-degree FOV is nearly identical to the diameter of a quarter - so if you go this route, use a quarter to form your circle of wire.
Also -- from my suburban neighborhood (orange according to your map, but probably more likely yellow at the small scale), last year I was able to barely see the Leo Triplet with my 8" Dob so it is possible under your conditions. Just don't expect more than a fuzzy blip for the non-Messier member.
Astrophotography is a hobby in its own right.
For the budget you have listed, you would most likely end up buying a mount that is not up to the task.
I would suggest a nice pair of 10x50 binoculars and this book first.
If you are committed to getting a scope, then this is my suggestion assuming the $1000 budget is all inclusive meaning scope, accessories, and books.
2)The skywatcher comes with 2 eyepieces (25mm and 10mm IRC) THe light bridge comes with one. In either case I would invest in a NICE barlow like this one Barlows are an inexpensive way to improve your options. A 24 mm EP in a 2x barlow becomes a 12mm a 10mm becomes a 5mm. Its not as great as discrete eps in those sizes, but it is an economical way to get more versatility out of your existing eyepieces. I also can't talk enough about the Televue Panoptic EPs. They are affordable and incredibly nice. Eyepieces are something that will last through many scopes. I have 10 or so but only ever use about 3 of them.
Get a Telrad or a Rigel finder. The Skywatcher has a finderscope, the meade has a red dot finder. Personally I hate red dot finders. I think they are complete junk. Telrad is the defacto standard for zero magnification finders, I prefer the rigel for its smaller size and built in pulse circuit. They are both about the same price. You will need to collimate your scope, a cheshire works great, or a laser collimator will do as well. Many folks use a combination of both. I have gone both ways, cheshire is fine, laser is fine, a combination of both is also fine. Accessories can go on forever, the only other must have that I can think of is a redlight flashlight. This is a good one or you can add red film to an existing flashlight you have or you can do what myself and many others have done and get an LED headlamp and replace the white LEDs with red ones.
I would start with the backyard astronomers guide. Buy that first before you buy anything. It has some very good sections on scopes and observing that can help you answer some questions.
Lastly I always say go with a dobsonian scope. They are easy to setup and use and they force you to learn the sky. Once you are comfortable operating a scope and moving around the night sky, then I would think about investing in an equatorial mount and scope for astrophotography use.
Good luck and Clear Skies!
By far my favorite area of the sky to explore with binoculars is Sagittarius, as another commenter said below.
Buy yourself a good sky atlas (the de facto standard for my club is http://www.amazon.com/Sky-Telescopes-Pocket-Atlas/dp/1931559317) and get to know how the charts map to the sky. That book is good because it holds up to the elements, is spiral-bound, and if you hold it at arm's length, the distance scale should be about the same as what you see in the sky.
Cruise around the sky and find some of the easier objects and that will give you a good feel for star-hopping and what you can expect to see from your equipment.
Clear skies!
Others have already mentioned it but join an astronomy club and download Stellarium. Here's a couple book suggestions:
Turn Left at Orion will get you familiar with some of the more interesting objects to look at in the night's sky. This is definitely a good place to start. You also want to pick up a star atlas to help you navigate the sky and find some of the dimmer objects in the sky. A favorite is Sky and Telescope's Pocket Star Atlas. Another favorite for new astronomers is Nightwatch which will educate you a bit more about astronomical bodies and the night sky.
Sky & Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas is great if you're just looking to identify constellations. Turn Left at Orion is geared towards people with/wanting telescopes but is great for showing you how to navigate your way around the night sky.
I can indeed. I did the experiment myself a few months ago as a part of my course so I have the activity handbook. I'll go back and read it again tomorrow my time to refresh my memory and post some details at some point tomorrow. If you don't have one, try to get a star atlas. Stellarium is useful but I find using a book easier.
I use this one:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sky-Telescopes-Pocket-Atlas/dp/1931559317/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1520534912&sr=8-2&keywords=pocket+star+atlas
Will post details of the experiment tomorrow. Am just going out for dinner.
Nightwatch is a pretty good book for beginner level that I find is better for those that don't have a telescope or binoculars. Helps give you the basics.
Turn Left At Orion is another good book for beginners, but it is better if you have a telescope or pair of binoculars to get the full use out of this book. It is probably the most detailed beginner book IMO.
Sky and Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas is a very good star map to use, though it is only that.......star maps. So it is good to use once you learned the basics.
Wow, I have no idea what that scope is, but it seems like a great deal for $50. Grats!
Definitely collimate it while at home. You'll have to recollimate at your destinations, but hopefully it will be minor, and you don't want to waste precious dark sky time learning how to do it or realizing there's a problem.
As far as gear goes, ergonomics are important! You'll need a good chair, preferably one with some height adjustment. Also, I personally like to use an eye patch for extended viewing sessions. Just pick up a cheap one at a dug store.
Print out a sky map for the month you will travel.
http://www.skymaps.com/downloads.html
Google sky is good, but you should also get a good sky atlas. It's a good investment. Sinnot's Pocket Sky Atlas is excellent:
http://www.amazon.com/Sky-Telescopes-Pocket-Atlas/dp/1931559317
Check the weather report and what the moon will be doing during your trip. And one thing about the desert is that high winds can ruin your viewing (vibrates your scope), so you might want to choose a sheltered camping/viewing spot.
As far as the actual viewing, planets are pretty easy targets in general, even in light polluted places, so I would take advantages of those dark skies to see some DSOs. Then again, it all depends on what the skies will be showing during your trip.
Good luck and have fun!
Getting your first scope is so exciting! I'm very much an amateur and casual observer myself, but my dad and I have been into astronomy for about four years now.
First, I recommend looking into some space/astro societies in your area, there's Tacoma Astronomical Society and Rose City Astronomers in my area for example! Each club has different resources, but they can be super helpful. You can meet locals and see if they have resources you can rent- like telescopes, or books and whatnot. It's saved me a dime or two. Sometimes they have online forums too. I also highly recommend going to star parties, it's where I've learned the most! You can see other people's set ups, ask loads of questions, and get a better sense for what you might want. We did this for about 6 months before getting our first scope, and before that we nabbed a pair of nice binoculars .
Now, you have to consider, when you get a scope you aren't just getting a scope. You're probably getting filters, eye pieces, protective gear, batteries, red lights, etc. etc. and then probably a tool box to carry all of this- which you might want to customize with foam or something to keep everything safe and tidy. It's an Investment. Now, looking at jupiter and saturn won't require much, but eventually you might want to look at the moon (needs filters), or special eyepieces that let have more magnification, or there's even filters that let you see some colors, etc!
I, personally, would highly recommend getting a manual (specifically, Dobsonian *) scope for your first one- not computerized. Learning the sky and it's constellations is part of astronomy, and having to find stuff yourself is really helpful- and rewarding! Plus, computerized scopes require pretty hardy batteries, especially if you want to take it out to darker skies which usually means more rural aka no plugs. They also require certain stars to be be visible to be able to calibrate. Manual scopes require no plugs, no consistent power source, and no learning computer programs-NexStar can be a pain imo, some reading required (plus Jupiter and Saturn are pretty easy to spot with the naked eye anyways). Plus it's fun being able to point out stuff to friends just by knowing where a few stars are. We only got a computerized equatorial mount (meaning it tracks objects) when we wanted to try out long exposure astro- photography. This 8in dob was our first scope, and I still love it- it's the go-to (Craigslist, amazon used, and other shops are worth a gander too).
*I'm 99% sure dobsonian and newtonian telescopes are the same, except for the mounts they're on (newtonian is tripod, dobsonian is a base that can move up down and in a circle)
Also, I consider Sinnott's Sky Atlas a must!
Lmk if you have any questions!
(Edit: sorry if this is repetitive- reddit says there are four comments, but isn't letting see me them atm.)
GoTo mounts (counterintuitively) aren't useful until you're somewhat familiar with the sky, but they are absolutely fantastic when trying to share your views with a group.
I'll second the book recommendations above (I own TLAO, and borrowed Night watch). In my opinion, Nightwatch did a better job explaining the hardware, though they're both great.
After going out a few nights, if you enjoy it, I emplore you (and everyone else here for that matter) to pick up Sky and Telescope's Pocket Sky Atlas. When you outgrow the beginner books, and get fed up picking random objects from the GoTo, this thing is absolutely brilliant.
I have the same scope and I use the Telrad as well as the 8x50 included with the scope.
If you can't see any constellations with the naked eye, and you don't plan on doing to darker sites, then the Telrad won't be very useful to you. If the constellations are visible but you can't make out what ones they are, the best advice I can give you is to purchase a star chart like this and use it in conjunction with monthly star charts you can print off. those will help you identify the major constellations visible to you on that particular night and the Telrad can help you move from star to star until you find what you need.