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Introduction to Astronomy Beginnings • • • • Learning the Sky Observing Tools What you will see Advanced observing Learn the Sky • 88 Constellations – Only about half visible in the Northern Hemisphere • Bright stars – About 25-30 Stars How can you learn the sky? • Astronomy Clubs – www.hvaastronomy.com • Books • Star charts – Planispheres • Software Observing Tools - 1 • Eyes – Young eyes • ~0.3”-0.4” telescopes – Older Eyes • ~0.25”-0.3” • What if you wear glasses? Observing Tools - 2 Binoculars – What to know about • • • • • Roof Prisms Porro Prisms Coated/Uncoated BAK4, BAK7 Magnification Observing Tools - 3 • Telescopes – Refracting – Reflecting – Catadioptric What will you see? • Eyes - ~0.25” Telescopes – Stars to about magnitude 6-7 – A few none stellar objects • Andromeda Galaxy • Planets and the Moon • A few star clusters and nebula • But you want more! What will you see - 2 • Binoculars - ~2”-4” Telescopes – Same stuff as with naked eyes, but….. – You’ll be able to see objects 16-32 times more faint! – Galaxys, Globluar clusters, nebula, etc. What will you see - 3 • Telescopes - ~4”-20+” – Same stuff as with eyes and Binoculars, but…. – Now you will be able to see objects up to 100’s of times more faint – Ability to see fine detail (resolution) Galaxies Planets Nebula Comets Free Software • Virtual Moon • http://www.astrosurf.com/avl/UK_index.html • Planetarium – WinStars • http://site.voila.fr/winstars/english/index2.html – Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts) • http://www.stargazing.net/astropc/index.html Advanced Observing • • • • • • Cameras Variable Stars Meteors Asteroids Supernova Spectroscopy Meteor Showers Meteor Shower Dates Shower Best Dates Maximum Shower Activity Approximate Meteors/Hr RA/Dec: Notes Quadrantids Jan1-6 Jan.3 60 15h 30m +50.0 Medium speed; blue Corona Australids Mar 14-18 Mar.16 5 16h 24m -48.0 Lyrids Apr 19-25 Apr. 22 10 18h 10m +32.0 Swift Eta Aquarids May 1-10 May. 6 35 22h 23m -10.0 Very swift persistent train Ophiuchids Jun 17-26 Jun. 20 5 17h 23m -20.0 Capricornids Jul 10-Aug 15 Jul.25 5 21h 03m -15.0 Yellow; very slow Delta Aquarids Jul 15-Aug 15 Jul.29 20 22h 39m -17.0 Double radiant; rather Aug.7 10 23h 07m +02.0 faint meteors Piscis Australids Jul 15-Aug 20 Jul.31 5 22h 43m -30.0 Capricornids Jul 15-Aug 25 Aug. 2 5 20h 39m -10.0 Bright yellow; slow Aquarids Jul 15-Aug 25 Aug.6 8 22h 15m -15.0 Double radiant; faint 22h 07m -06.0 meteors Swift; excellent Perseids Jul 23-Aug 20 Aug.12 75 03h 08m +58.0 Giacobinids Oct 6-10 Oct.8 5 17h 25m +57.0 Orionids Oct 16-27 Oct.22 25 06h 27m +15.0 Very swift; with trains Taurids Oct 20-Nov30 Nov.4 10 03h 47m +14.0 Double radiant; very slow; 03h 47m +22.0 flat maximum 10h 11m +22.0 Very bright: Peak every Leonids Nov15-20 Nov.17 10 33 years; exceptional. Geminids Dec 7-15 Dec.13 75 07h 31m +32.0 Medium speed; Bright Ursids Dec 17-25 Dec.22 5 14h 27m +78.0 Usually weak Solar (Our Sun) Spectrum Questions? • Milky Way Galaxy – – – – – – Mass: 1012 solar masses Center: Direction: α = 17.8h, δ = -29° (Sagittarius) Distance: 29,000 lt. yrs. Diameter: 326,000 lt. yrs. Velocity: 370 miles/sec relative to 3°K background radiation toward α = 10h, δ = -20° (southeast Hydra) • Some Close Galaxies of the Local Group – – – – – – Large Magellanic Cloud Small Magellanic Cloud Leo I Leo II M31, M32 M33 163,000 lt. yrs. 196,000 lt. yrs. 750,000 lt. yrs. 750,000 lt. yrs. 2.3 million lt. yrs. 2.4 million lt. yrs. • Most Distant Object Readily Visible in an Amateur Telescope – 3C275 2 - 3 billion lt. yrs. – (quasar) (typically requires 10-in. or larger telescope)