Thread: How to be an amateur astronomer without a telescope ⬇️⬇️
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I got a lot of positive responses on twitter and instagram when I tweeted on Venus and the moon and the app Sky map. So, to all the stargazers out there who wanna take it up a level, read on…
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I got a lot of positive responses on twitter and instagram when I tweeted on Venus and the moon and the app Sky map. So, to all the stargazers out there who wanna take it up a level, read on…
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First things first - download an app like sky map, stellarium, star walk, sky portal. They’re designed to use your GPS location and phone’s orientation to show what stars are in the sky in your area.
First things first - download an app like sky map, stellarium, star walk, sky portal. They’re designed to use your GPS location and phone’s orientation to show what stars are in the sky in your area.
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When you spot a star, open the app and point your phone at the star and you’ll see it’s details on the screen - like its name, the constellation it’s a part of etc. Some apps even provide details of the star like its size, brightness, distance from earth and more.
When you spot a star, open the app and point your phone at the star and you’ll see it’s details on the screen - like its name, the constellation it’s a part of etc. Some apps even provide details of the star like its size, brightness, distance from earth and more.
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You can do this with planets, constellations and even artificial satellites in the sky. I like sky map for its minimalism. You might like Stellarium - it’s more graphical. Try them all and see what you like. Next time you look up at the night sky, you’ll be more fascinated.
You can do this with planets, constellations and even artificial satellites in the sky. I like sky map for its minimalism. You might like Stellarium - it’s more graphical. Try them all and see what you like. Next time you look up at the night sky, you’ll be more fascinated.
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These apps even work for the daytime sky - they’ll show you what stars you would have seen if the Sun weren’t there.
These apps even work for the daytime sky - they’ll show you what stars you would have seen if the Sun weren’t there.
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For those of you that are looking for more: Try to go outside cities. Because city lights make it harder to see faint stars. But this light pollution is absent in more rural areas. If you get a chance, do go outside the city for stargazing.
For those of you that are looking for more: Try to go outside cities. Because city lights make it harder to see faint stars. But this light pollution is absent in more rural areas. If you get a chance, do go outside the city for stargazing.
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Another thing you could do is invest in binoculars. And depending on how powerful they are, you can see features like the large moons of Jupiter, the phases of Venus, the rings of Saturn, surface features of the moon etc.
Another thing you could do is invest in binoculars. And depending on how powerful they are, you can see features like the large moons of Jupiter, the phases of Venus, the rings of Saturn, surface features of the moon etc.
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These are some pics captured using just a phone and 10x50 binoculars -
Jupiter and its large moons
These are some pics captured using just a phone and 10x50 binoculars -
Jupiter and its large moons
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These are some pics captured using just a phone and 10x50 binoculars -
The Pleaides Cluster
These are some pics captured using just a phone and 10x50 binoculars -
The Pleaides Cluster
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Things you can spot in the sky as you gaze:
Try spotting the bright planets - Venus, Jupiter, Mercury, Saturn and Mars. Try figuring out how to tell the planets apart from stars.
Things you can spot in the sky as you gaze:
Try spotting the bright planets - Venus, Jupiter, Mercury, Saturn and Mars. Try figuring out how to tell the planets apart from stars.
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There are bright constellations like Orion, Big Dipper, Cygnus, Gemini etc. which are bright enough to be seen even from the heart of a city.
There are bright constellations like Orion, Big Dipper, Cygnus, Gemini etc. which are bright enough to be seen even from the heart of a city.
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Try spotting Sirius - the brightest star in the sky. And Canopus - the next brightest star. They are both less brighter than most planets! Notice how the star Polaris(pole star) always stays in the North. This helped sailors navigate the seas before there were compasses.
Try spotting Sirius - the brightest star in the sky. And Canopus - the next brightest star. They are both less brighter than most planets! Notice how the star Polaris(pole star) always stays in the North. This helped sailors navigate the seas before there were compasses.
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Have fun! Let’s get this to a 50 RT’s and I’ll do more astronomy threads!
This thread was made with help from @SohamMukherje11. Those pics were taken by him!
Have fun! Let’s get this to a 50 RT’s and I’ll do more astronomy threads!
This thread was made with help from @SohamMukherje11. Those pics were taken by him!
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