Visual Astronomy

Visual  = Live = Analogue = Retina Busting

What is the most impressive place you have ever visited? Maybe a waterfall or a monument? Do you remember everyone around you glued to their phones, taking lots of pictures? A lot of those photos were viewed once and then forgotten. But you still remember that view, don’t you? That’s visual, live and analogue.

However, a lot of people get into digital so if you are unconvinced, astrophotography appeals to you and you have the budget, here is a good guide that may help.

What is the best live music event you’ve ever been to? Would you have swapped going to that event for a recording?

When you look at the Andromeda Galaxy on a dark night; the only thing between it and the lens of your eye is the Earth’s atmosphere. When you look through a reflecting telescope, you can add a couple of mirrors and a bit of glass, two bits of glass for a refractor or three bits of glass with a pair of binoculars. It is still live though.

A digital image has never come close to being hit in my retina by the sheer, live, almost 3D brightness of seeing something like the trapezium, M13 or the Castor double through an eyepiece.

And here is the best bit. When you see the Trapezium through an eyepiece, the brightness of those distant, blue stars will knock you for six. M13 has a 3D appearance that cannot be replicated on a screen. Those live views will be far better and more impressive than any photograph can attempt to replicate.

Would you prefer a holiday to somewhere exotic or a few pictures?

The naked eye is the best bit of hardware you will ever own so always start with that

First of all, your eyes need to become dark adapted so allow at least half an hour in complete darkness before you try and observe. An eyepatch over one eye will work indoors. Dear moonless nights are needed for observing dim objects like galaxies.

Get to know the night sky. Find and learn to recognise the shapes (asterisms) and constellations (saucepan = Plough, cross =  Cygnus, bow-tie = Orion, w = Cassiopeia, backward question mark = Leo ).

Sometimes the journey can be just as rewarding as the destination

Once you can recognise the shapes in the sky, learn how to use them as pointers or sign-posts to the brightest stars – Polaris (North Star), Rigel, Arcturus, Sirius, Aldebaran, Spica, Capella, Vega, Altair, Procyon, Castor and Pollux.

The best decision you can make might be to not buy a telescope (yet)

Download Stellarium* on your PC and install the app on your phone.

As well as white ones, learn to recognise orange, red, and blue stars.

Learn how to tell planets from stars and be able to identify Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. Find out why planets don’t twinkle.

Then find the Orion Nebula and the Pleiades Cluster and if it is really dark the Andromeda Galaxy.

Find out how far away these objects are, how big and how hot they are.

Apart from meteors, this is a slow hobby. Don’t expect quick results but patience will reward you.

Take a look at the other pages on this site (use the link above) if and when you decide to get further into this wonderful hobby.

Find out more

Lots of reading and research will pay dividends. Look through the other pages of this site by following the link above if visual astronomy appeals to you.

Sky at Night, Sky & Telescope websites plus Skywatchers Lounge and Cloudy Nights forums are recommended.

Recommended sky map for download Sky Maps – The Night Sky

Astronomy for Beginners – How to get started

Essential- Stellarium application and for desktop and mobile 

Recommended iPad apps – Star Chart (free), SkySafari (paid for)

Recommended Android app – SkEye

Cartes du Ciel also gets good reviews

How to use a telescope