Stars

[vyvyanx]

I'm currently studying a short OU Astronomy course. Amongst the materials they provide is a planisphere - a very splendid device to help you identify the stars and planets visible in the night sky from this latitude. Since tonight was nice and clear, I decided to attempt some star-spotting by leaning out my bathroom window. This gives me a view of the south-western part of the sky. When I started, the sun had recently set, and the crescent moon was descending fast towards the horizon.
At first I thought it was impossible. Stars were scattered higgledy-piggledy across the sky, and I didn't know where to begin. Having oriented the planisphere in what seemed roughly the right direction, it didn't obviously seem to correspond to what I was seeing. I wondered whether my eyesight was too crap to spot constellations properly.
Then I focussed on the two brightest stars to the west. Considering their angle, I decided they might correspond to Altair and Vega on my chart. This then fitted in with the small star just above and to the right of Altair. Looking above them, on the planisphere, I saw Cygnus. To my delight, I was able to identify (most of) Cygnus in the sky above me. (It didn't look much like a swan, but then I couldn't make out the tail-star.)
Moving then to look more directly south, I noticed a vast slightly distorted square of stars. This corresponded to the Square of Pegasus on my planisphere! The lower right-hand corner was apparently Markab (aka the doomed race in B5 :-) However, somewhat below the Square was a very bright star which didn't seem to be marked on my planisphere. I wondered whether it might be a planet. The chart on the back of the planisphere enabled me to work out where the four brightest planets ought to be at this date, and I discovered to my delight that the bright star was actually Mars. It didn't look very red to me, but G said it had a reddish tinge when I got him to look at it later.
Andromeda has been moving into view over the course of the evening; however, squint as I will, I cannot make out M31, our neighbour spiral galaxy. I really wanted to see that.
Hopefully, around midnight, Orion should come into view over the roof. I'm limited to what I can see out the back window; the front of the flat looks over Mill Road and the streetlights are too bright to see any stars at all...

Comments

[ewx.livejournal.com]

IME, M31 is visible through binoculars as a reasonably distinctively shaped patch of faint light from rural France, but I've not managed to see it from Cambridge.

[emperor]

Come to Girton! We have less light pollution (and I reckon a fair bit of sky from the rec ground)

[aiwendel.livejournal.com]

ooo exciting! :)
xxxx

[mobbsy.livejournal.com]

The sky has been wonderfully clear for the past couple of nights. It always seems unfair that the best times for stargazing are clear winter nights when it's bitterly cold.

Getting out of central Cambridge certainly helps, looking west from my flat, I'm shielded from Cambridge by the building, and there isn't that much to the west of me, so the view is quite good.

[robinbloke.livejournal.com]

I'll give you a lift out of town one evening if you want to go star gazing; Binoculars would be an idea however, as well as a thermos and a warm coat :)

[kaet.livejournal.com]

Seeing Orion always reminds me of autumn and winter. No that's the wrong word. I always think of it as a symobl of autumn and winter. If you were to ask me to draw a picture of them, one of the things I'd put in early on is Orion. It seems to be prominent this time of year.

Galaxies are much easier with binoculars, I think. And elsewhere than Mill Road is probably a plan, :). I've noticed that the Coton footpath is quite good.