http://www.stellarium.org/ – a FREE piece of software (runs on almost anything, windows+mac) that does a great job rendering exactly what you see when you look up. My favorite part is how you can turn on the “pictures” of what the constellations were originally thought to look like. (I know, they are really asterisms).
Also: Found this great wikipedia article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constellation
M@
~ John Lee ~ setting my sights lower so I can set them higher
I just ordered a large constellation poster to go over my monitor, actually over the vision board that is over the monitor. After seeing the night sky day in day out I should start to commit some of the star charts to memory.
~ John Lee ~ setting my sights lower so I can set them higher
So the super cold weather is gone and it’s finally warmer, problem is that it is now overcast and raining – maybe this whole thing about there acually being stars in the night sky is a myth.
~ John Lee ~ setting my sights lower so I can set them higher
...but it’s too darn cold to go out and do this. Hopefully it will warm up without clouding up soon.
~ John Lee ~ setting my sights lower so I can set them higher
One of my favourite places in the United States is Grand Central Station in New York City. It is one of the best examples of American Classicism. The ceiling is painted with constellation of the October sky, BUT, the artist painted them in reverse. (hardly anyone knows this). The only way to see the “night sky” properly in Grand Central is to place a mirror parallel with the floor so it reflects the ceiling and view it that way.
I wonder if this was intential…
I bought my friend a star chart as a gift. The only problem is that I intended it to be used a little further north of here, but since we’re learning how to use it, it’ll get us in the right part of the sky for now.
And I’m still sad about the light pollution here. :( It’s very hard to make out details in Orion or anything else.
~ John Lee ~ setting my sights lower so I can set them higher
I’ve been studying my star chart to become familiar with what I will look for in the night sky. The chart is designed to be held up so that it will mimic the night sky, I actually study the chart by being on my back on bed looking up.
~ John Lee ~ setting my sights lower so I can set them higher
I successfully identified Orion without even trying last evening. It was just there – plain as day.
~ John Lee ~ setting my sights lower so I can set them higher
I just ordered a star chart to help with this process.
Sure I can look things up on the internet but I can’t bring my computer outside with me. Besides, the chart is a bit cooler – AND – I can hang it over my monitor so that I have a regular reminder about this goal.
