[Astronomy] Astronomy new years resolutions

[vincent]

1. Use the tools and the sky you?ve gotb>

Don?t wait for the perfect night, the perfect equipment, or the perfect frame of mind to go stargazing. If you do, you?ll never get outside. Use the scope and the sky you?ve got and get out at least once a week. Life is short and there?s a lot to see up there. And remember, you will get much more out of short bursts of stargazing 2. Plan your observing sessionssessions

Many beginners take the channel-surfing approach to stargazing, hopping from object to object until they run out of ideas. This gets boring after a while. On cloudy nights, or during the day, use a star map or astro-planning software to plan out your next observing session. Make lists of things you want to see that are visible from your observing site. Then work through your list methodically. You will see more, make better use of your time, and you?ll get a sense of accomplishment. Which brings me to the next re3. Set ?astro goals?astro goals?

What would you like to see this year? Perhaps the elusive galaxy M74? Or the ghostly Helix Nebula? Or all the Messier objects. Whatever your goal, write it down, plan it out, and make it happen. My goal is to see all the Caldwell objects visible from my latitude? and next year, see all the Caldwells from the southern hemisphere. What?s your astrono>4. Take a breab>4. Take a break

?Wait a second!?, you might say. ?Planning? Goal setting? I thought astronomy was supposed to be fun, not work!? Yes, yes, but lugging your scope and swatting bugs in the dark gets taxing after a while. And even the most pleasurable activity gets stale if you spend too much time at it. So to help maintain your enthusiasm, take a short break from astronomy if you need to. But not for too long. Set a date when you?re going to get to it again, and if possi>5. Get to dark sknd?

5. Get to dark sky

Because of a busy schedule, I do 90% of my observing from light-polluted city skies. But when I manage to set up under dark sky, I am awestruck by what I can see and how achingly beautiful many deep-sky objects appear against a coal-black background. If you regularly observe under clear dark sky, you are most fortunate. But if you?re an urban observer, make an effort to escape the city and get to dark sky as often as possible. It?s the difference between listening to a Mozart symphony on an old transistor radio versus a Bang and Olufsen sound system. But dark sky or not, you c>6. Share with othery if you?

6. Share with others

2009 is a special year: the International Year of Astronomy (IYA). That means there will be many opportunities and public events at which you can share your knowledge with others. Here in Canada, we have a goal to give 1 million people a ?Galileo moment?: a look through a telescope for the first time. And IYA organizers all over the world will hold ?100 Hours of Astronomy? from April 2-5 where astronomers will offers views of Saturn, the waxing Moon, and many other celestial wonders. Participate in IYA events if you can, and give someone a look through your telescope. It?s a>7. Learn a constellatior entire lives.

7. Learn a constellation

Here?s a good project for you this year: pick up a good guidebook like Burnham?s Celestial Handbook, and intimately learn the layout, location, history of at least one constellation. Find out as much as you can about the deep-sky objects in that constellation? all the double and variable stars, the star clusters, the nebulae, galaxies, and novae. Learn the constellation as you?ve learned the streets of your own neighborhood. You?ll amaze yourself at how much there is to see in a little patch of sky. And>8. Learn a little scienclearning, don?t forget to?

8. Learn a little science

The basics behind the science of astronomy are not terribly difficult. And when you know a little science, your observing experience becomes far more rewarding. Spend some time, especially on cloudy nights, to learn how stars live and die, about the shapes and structure of galaxies, and how nebulae give off their eerie glow. You?ll learn some science at 9. Read a good astronomy book[/b]?ll learn much more if you?

9. Read a good astronomy book.

There are many good astronomy books out there, and I?ve mentioned some of my favorites. But any books by Timothy Ferris, Chet Raymo, Carl Sagan, Patrick Moore, and Steven James O?Meara, and Terence Dickinson are good bets. Read on nights when it?s tob>10. Treat yoursefor stargazing. And finally, don?t forget to?

10. Treat yourself

If you can, get yourself a top-notch eyepiece. Or a dew heater to help extend your observing sessions. Or a light-pollution filter, if you don?t already have one. Maybe even a small second telescope for short observing sessions. You don?t have to go crazy. But if you have the right tools, astronomy will be more fun and far more rewarding.

Oneminuteastronomer.com

Some helpful tips for newbies :)

[Lezard]

Thank you very much for this highly informative post, I really appreciate it when people are advocating Astronomy. I love that Science... Nothing like it exists in this world!