When you’re looking up at the night sky, you might notice some stars stand out as brighter and different in color from others. Most stars in space are ‘main sequence’ types, like our Sun. But, the standouts we see are the ‘giants’. Stars are celestial bodies that emit light and radiation. How many different types … Read more
Traditional peoples all over the world have developed their own stories and beliefs about the stars and the cosmos. They were guided in many ways by the night sky. Many early cultures used astronomy to understand their place in the world and the cosmos. The position of stars, star groups, and clusters helped them mark … Read more
If you’re looking to get away from the light pollution there are several dark sky places to enjoy the ultimate stargazing experience. Here are some fantastic options for you to experience the best night sky viewing if you want to include it in your travels. Where are the darkest places on Earth to stargaze? The … Read more
How does stellar magnitude relate to your night sky viewing experience? As a newbie, I found terms like this a little confusing. So here I explore star magnitude along with brightness and luminosity for newbie backyard astronomers. Why this is important: When looking to buy a telescope or astronomy binoculars, you might come across the … Read more
Why target variable stars? It helps to improve your ability to distinguish faint objects when out stargazing. Variable stars are high on the scale of star magnitude and practicing to observe these increases your eye’s sensitivity for detecting brightness differences. John Percy authored “Understanding Variable Stars”. The multitude of types makes them interesting. Using your … Read more
Using angular distance to pinpoint an object in the night sky can mean zilch when you’re a newbie. The units mightn’t make sense. As a backyard astronomer the following handy guide is all about acquainting yourself and making it simple to understand… …rather than use an app or astronomy book… you can use your hand … Read more
You’ve probably seen the ‘evening star’ or the ‘morning star’. This is Venus. But what else can you see of the planets or stars in the daytime? I did some research and it might surprise you to know what can be seen in the daytime sky. But seeing them is not easy. There’s a bunch … Read more
Did you know planets are bright enough for night sky city viewing? And, observing planets through a telescope won’t be much different in the city from that at a dark rural location. Here’s how to see stars in the city (as well as planets). It includes steps and tips for urban astronomy — how to … Read more
One thing you can do as a backyard astronomer is check out the surface of the Sun for sunspots, for Mercury passing by, or when there’s a solar eclipse. Here I cover the ins and outs of looking at the sun with a telescope and how to do it safely as a backyard astronomy enthusiast. … Read more
If you have astronomy binoculars, you may be wondering what you can see with them. The following lists celestial objects you can see in the night sky with binoculars. It includes both northern and southern sky objects that you can target. Discovering the night sky through binoculars You can find and view many celestial objects … Read more