Scorpio Constellation

Scorpio Constellation Outline

Like its nearby neighbor Sagittarius, the constellation Scorpio never rises far above the southern horizon of skygazer in the Northern Hemisphere. The Scorpio constellation is located near the center of our Milky Way galaxy. Within the constellation are ten stars with known planets.

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Read the rest of Scorpio Constellation, The Scorpion (390 words)

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Sagittarius Constellation

Sagittarius Constellation Outline

Teapot Asterism in Constellation Sagittarius

Sagittarius is the ninth sign of the zodiac. Because this constellation is located low in the sky, it is best viewed where there is a clear southern horizon during the summer months. It has a very distinctive shape; some call it a teapot because of the outline found in the middle area of the constellation, as shown in image on your right.

Sagittarius has plenty of interesting viewable objects that will draw the interest of any backyard astronomer. (...)
Read the rest of Sagittarius Constellation, The Archer (584 words)

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Bootes Constellation

Bootes Constellation Outline

The constellation Bootes is easily visible. Simply look down from the tail of the Big Dipper. Bootes looks like a giant kite with a bright red star at the narrow end. Bootes is also known as the Bear Driver because it leads the Great Bear as it revolves around the North Star. Bootes is usually visualized as a herdsman holding a staff and two dogs on a leash, chasing Ursa Major around the pole.

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Read the rest of Bootes Constellation, The Herdsman or Plowman (407 words)

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Virgo Constellation

Virgo Constellation Outline

Virgo is a constellation in the southern hemisphere. It is the second largest constellation in the sky, smaller only than Hydra. Virgo is an open equatorial constellation with its brighter stars well distributed, occupying the ecliptic between Leo and Libra. Virgo appears as a few strings of dim stars strung out over a large area of the southern sky. As such, a definable pattern is sometimes difficult to make out.

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Read the rest of Facts about Constellation Virgo, The Virgin (374 words)

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Andromeda Constellation

Andromeda Constellation Outline

The constellation Andromeda is attached to one of the four corners of the great square of Pegasus. As such, both the Andromeda and Pegasus constellations share one bright star. Officially, the star belongs to the Andromeda constellation and is named alpha Andromedae.

The constellation appears as two lines of stars coming out of a common point and forming an acute angle. Essentially, it looks like a curved “V” as depicted on the image to the right. One of the lines is made up of much brighter stars than the other, so that Andromeda sometimes appears simply as a single line of four stars stretching forth from Pegasus.

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Constellation Leo

Constellation Leo Outline

Leo is one of the larger constellations in the northern hemisphere and it does resemble a crouching lion, hence the absence of legs. Leo is made up of a fair number of bright stars. The part of the constellation that forms Leo’s mane is called, the “Sickle”. Leo’s backside and tail are represented by a triangle.

Mythology of Constellation Leo

The ancient Egyptians venerated Leo the Lion. It is even believed that the Sphynx consists of Virgo’s head and Leo’s body. (...)
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Gemini Constellation

Gemini Constellation Outline

Gemini is the third sign of the zodiac. The Gemini constellation is easy to see because its stars form an almost perfectly symmetric image in which one side mirrors the other.

Gemini Mythology

The Greeks believed that Gemini represented twin brothers, thanks to the mirror image effect of this unique constellation. (...)
Read the rest of Gemini Constellation Facts, The Twins (326 words)

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Canis Major Constellation

Canis Major Constellation with Outline

Constellation Canis Major, The Great Dog

The constellation of the Great Dog is better known by its Latin name Canis Major. Ths constellation isn’t difficult to spot since it is dominated by Sirius (or alpha Canis Major), which is the brightest star in the sky with an apparent magnitude of –1.4. Sirius is a white star and only 8.7 light-years from the Earth. It has a small companion that can only be seen through a large telescope. Sirius will appear over the horizon about half an hour after the constellation Orion has risen.

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Taurus Constellation

Taurus Constellation Outline

At the core of the constellation Taurus is a small “V” formed by five stars. One unique feature of these stars is that four of are travelling at the same speed in the same direction. This is unusual because over time, the major constellations change shape because the stars that form them travel at different speed and in different directions. However, most of the central “V” in the Taurus constellation will remain intact over time. Tens of thousands of years from now other constellations will have been drastically altered yet these four stars of Taurus will still form the exact same pattern in the sky as they do now.

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Read the rest of Taurus Constellation Facts – The Bull (410 words)

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Orion Constellation

Orion Constellation Outline

The constellation Orion is of particular interest to many backyard astronomers. The constellation includes some of the sky’s brightest stars and because Orion is positioned astride the celestial equator, it can be seen from almost any place on Earth. The three bright stars appearing in a short line in the center of Orion are known as the hunter’s belt, or Orion’s belt.

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Read the rest of Orion Constellation, The Hunter (371 words)

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Aquila Constellation

Aquila Constellation Outline

Aquila is a bird of the sky, just like his neighboring Cygnus constellation. While the Aquila constellation is similar to Cygnus, it is easier to spot because its stars are brighter. The constellation pattern is also simpler, where clear straight lines can be visualized. The constellation Aquila has three of its brighter stars in a short and very straight line. The middle of these three stars is called alpha Aquilae or Altair, which means bird in Arabic.

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Read the rest of Aquila Constellation, The Eagle (81 words)

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Pegasus Constellation

Pegasus Constellation Outline

Pegasus’ shape can be discerned with ease. The more prominent feature of the Pegasus constellation is the great square of Pegasus which consists of four widely separated stars forming an almost perfect square. The Great Square of Pegasus is actually an asterisms, meaning it is a pattern formed with a portion of the full constellation. Without binoculars, about 30 dim stars can be seen inside the square of Pegasus. One of the square’s stars belongs to the Andromeda Constellation.

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Read the rest of Pegasus Constellation, The Winged Horse (194 words)

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Lyra Constellation

Lyra Constellation Outline

The constellation Lyra depicts the musical instrument (a Lyre) that was crafted by the god Hermes and offered to Orpheus, the musician of the Argonauts. Lyra’s music would help nearby Hercules pass the time away.

Lyra contains an extremely bright star called Vega, also known as alpha Lyrae. Vega is very bright because is two and a half times as large as our Sun and it is also located close to Earth. (...)
Read the rest of Lyra Constellation, The Lyre (203 words)

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Cygnus Constellation

Cygnus Constellation Outline

The constellation Cygnus is known as the swan. The Arabs call it the Flying Eagle. The brighter stars of the constellation make it appear as a large cross because the wings are completed by some dimmer stars. This is the reason why Cygnus is also known as the “Northern Cross” to distinguish it from the smaller and much brighter Southern Cross, which can be seen from south of the equator.

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Cepheus Constellation

Cepheus Constellation Outline

If you ever spotted what looks like a simple dog house in the sky, you may have been staring at the Cepheus constellation. Picture a square with a peaked roof and this is the general shape of Cepheus. You can find the apex of the roof near to Polaris. Unlike the other major constellations, Cepehus is a bit more difficult to see initially because it has no really bright stars to help us locate it. Look for it between Cyrgnus (an autumn constellation) and the Polaris star.

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Perseus Constellation

Perseus Constellation Outline

Near Cassiopeia is the constellation of Perseus, which has a “V” shape and is formed by closely packed stars. Like its neighbor Cassiopeia, Perseus is also located in the Milky Way.

In Greek mythology, Perseus is the son of Zeus and Danae. When Perseus was a child, he was placed in a box and tossed into the sea by a cruel grandfather, then was rescued by some fisherman. (...)
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Cassiopeia Constellation

Cassiopeia Constellation with Outline

The Cassiopeia constellation is visible in the northern sky and looks like a giant “W” or “M”. It’s stars are bright and it is very easy to spot. It sits at the opposite end of the Big Dipper in relation to Polaris. If you were looking at the Big Dipper and made your way to Polaris (the Pole Star) and kept looking further past Polaris approximately the same distance, you will see Cassiopeia. In other words, if you formed a straight line between the Big Dipper and Cassiopeia, Polaris would be located in the center of this line.

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Ursa Major Constellation or the Big Dipper

The Big Dipper Outline

The Big Dipper is the most recognizable constellations in the northern sky. The Big dipper is easy to spot, and it is well known because it points towards the star Polaris which was used for centuries by navigators to find true North. The Big Dipper’s shape looks like a giant cooking pot. It has the shape of a square scoop with a long handle which stand out clearly because of the brightness of its stars.
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Are you looking for a telescope that has all the bells and whistles for less than $800? Look no more because you just found it! The 6″ Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope is one of the best selling Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes on the market today. Backyard astronomers are attracted to it because if offers quality optics and state of the art computerized controls while keeping the price tag within their reach.

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Read the rest of Celestron NexStar 6SE GoTo Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope (424 words)

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Astronomy Gifts and Gadgets

There’s something for everyone! If you knwo someone who’s pationate about astronomy and you’re not sure what to get them for Christmas, any of these items is sure to please.

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Looking for a different Christmas gift?
Check out the astronomy gifts for Christmas page.
GLOBES – ACCESSORIES – DVDS – BOOKS and more…

Telescope Buying Advice

Buying a telescope can be intimidating. The simple way to tackle it is to start by setting a budget. The cost of a telescope varies greatly and setting a price limit reduces your range of options. Next, determine what you’ll use the telescope for. For an all around great performer, we recommend reflector telescopes. They are also the most affordable types of telescopes.

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Read the rest of Telescope Recommendations for Christmas (571 words)

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Supernova

A new exploding star was recently discovered a few days ago. The sight the latest super nova star is a mere 21 million light years away which is equivalent to approximately 124 trillion miles. While this seems like quite a long way from home it is actually pretty close, relatively speaking. Located in galaxy M101, also known as the Pinwheel Galaxy, this type 1a supernova can be observed with just binoculars under dark skies.

Generally speaking, Supernovae are extremely luminous and cause a burst of radiation that often briefly outshines an entire galaxy, before fading from view over several weeks or months. During this short interval a supernova can radiate as much energy as the Sun is expected to emit over its entire life span. The expanding shell of ejected gas, called supernova remnant, may be visible telescopically for several years.

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Read the rest of Supernova Happening in the Big Dipper Constellation (335 words)

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Orion Mini Autoguider Package

The latest autoguider package from Orion is making a lot of noise in the backyard astronomer communities. Orion’s new kit is just right. It features a very capable system designed for precise astrophotographic guiding. The mini autoguider package is not only precise, but lightweight and competitively priced.

Astrophotography and Autoguider Solutions

If you want to take astonishing photographs of nebulas, planets, star clusters and other celestial wonders, you’ll need a few things including a telescope and telescope mount suited for astrophptography as well as an autoguiding solution. The autoguider acts as a secondary telescope that has one goal only: Keep the primary telescope, the one talking the picture, on target. In other words, you have two telescopes looking at the same thing. One is taking a long exposure image while the other is sending commands to the telescope mount motor to make sure it remains precisely fixed on its target. (...)
Read the rest of The Affordable Mini Autoguider Package from Orion Telescopes (247 words)

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Did someone say HUGE? How about HUGE and AFFORDABLE? That’s what you get with the SkyQuest XT10 Classic telescope. The XT10 is one of the world’s most popular telescopes because it features a big 10″ aperture and a small price tag. As far as reflector telescopes go, this bad boy is worth every penny.

Did you know that in terms of viewing capability, the aperture size is the most important specification to consider when buying a reflector telescope? The bigger the better because it means the telescope can gather more light and produce a crisper higher resolution image.

XT10 Telescope Light Gathering Comparison

Below is a table that shows how much more light gathering power (in percentage) the XT10 telescope as compared to smaller scopes in the same family.

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Read the rest of Orion SkyQuest XT10 Dobsonian Telescopes (697 words)

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International Space Station

The International Space Station can actually be seen with the naked eye. Nominally, its visual magnitude from the ground can make it appear as bright as the planets Jupiter and Venus. It will appear as a bright star traveling in a straight line. Unlike a plane, the light will not blink. It can take about 4 minutes for the International Space Station to cross the entire sky. The station does about 15 orbits of the Earth in a 24 hour period meaning that it will pass over head about every hour and a half.

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Read the rest of How to See the Space Station with a Telescope (598 words)

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It sounds like a page from an old science fiction novel from years ago. An array of solar panels circling the Moon beaming back power to the entire Earth. Sound far fetched? Maybe, but it will happen. In fact, they’re working on it now!

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Read the rest of An Idea That is Sheer Lunacy! (284 words)

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As far as observer’s chairs go, the Orion Deluxe Quick-Adjust Observer’s Chair is top of the line stuff. Priced at just under $200, it’s not cheap. Why should you spend money on a good observing chair at all? That’s a good question, and if you read on you’ll find your answer!

There’s one thing that all passionate backyard astronomers have in common. We’re all going to be spending a heck of a lot of time outside in the course of a lifetime. We’re obsessed with getting the best telescopes and equipment we can afford, we’ll drop $100 on a single eyepiece filter even if we might just use it once a month. We’ll break our piggy banks and scrape all the coins we can find to save up for a good eyepiece. Yet we overlook the important long term investment of buying comfort!

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Read the rest of Orion Observer Chairs: The Overlooked Investment of Comfort (739 words)

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There’s a broad range of filters that you can use for your telescope and they have different applications. For example, a moon filter cuts down the brightness of the moon significantly. Looking directly at the moon in a telescope without a moon filter is hard on the eye! You won’t go blind, but it’s just not comfortable. But filters aren’t just used to reduce light intensity. They can filter out colors or specific bands of light which allows you to see things you normally don’t see without the filter, or at least not as clearly.

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Read the rest of Telescope Eyepiece Filters (316 words)

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Images found in telescope ads are professionally created by individuals who are experienced in astrophotography. The process involves long term exposure photography techniques which allows to gather light over multiple seconds in order to generate a picture that’s, well, out of this world!

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Read the rest of What you see Through a Telescope (459 words)

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The Maksutov or ‘Mak’ is a catadioptric telescope design that employs a full diameter positive meniscus lens (commonly called a “corrector plate”) to correct the problems of off-axis aberrations such as coma found in reflector telescopes while also correcting chromatic aberration. (...)
Read the rest of Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescopes (137 words)

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The Schmidt-Cassegrain was invented in 1940 by James Gilbert Baker as a modification of Bernhard Schmidt’s 1931 Schmidt camera. As in the Schmidt camera this design uses a spherical primary mirror and a Schmidt corrector plate to correct for spherical aberration.(...)
Read the rest of Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope (153 words)

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A reflector telescope uses a mirror to bounce the light back towards the eyepiece. The most popular design is a newtonian reflector, invented by Newton himself. It uses two mirrors. A large primary mirror located at the bottom end of an opened tube and bounces back the light upwards on a small mirror located near the top end of the tube (the end pointing to the sky).(...)
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A refractor telescope, also called refracting telescope uses a simple straightforward design that is virtually mainenance and adjustement free. The telescope uses a lens as its objective to form an image.

Think of a typical spyglass you see in pirate movies. That’s essentially what a refractor telescope looks like. (...)
Read the rest of Refractor Telescopes (215 words)

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Planets move around and as such, planet locations vary over time. The planets listed below can actually be seen with the naked eye. These tables serve as guides to help you pinpoint which section of the sky you need to scan to find a specific planet.

You can also download a free software on your mobile device that will allow you to find planets and other celestial objects. Follow this link to learn more about sky map on your phone.

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A basic layout of the major constellations can be seen in the constellation map below. Here is a link to print the constellation map.

Click image for larger view

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If you buy a Newtonian telescope you’ll need to perform a telescope collimation. What is telescope collimation? It’s a simple process used to adjust the angle of your telescope mirrors so that you have the best possible image your telescope can generate. This is something you’ll need to do periodically. If you’ve never done it, you’re probably intimidated by this process, perhaps even reluctant to buy a Newtonian telescope because of this adjustment. Don’t worry! It’s easy!

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Ah! The question on everyone’s mind… How powerful is your telescope? You would think this is a simple question to answer. Telescope power is just magnification right? Not exactly. It’s a bit more complexe than that.

Focal Length

Let’s look at some telescope math. (...)
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For your benefit, we compiled a list of “frequently asked questions” to cover some common concerns.

Q: What should I consider when buying a telescope?

A: First and foremost, do not buy a telescope from large department store because what they sell is crap. Second, don’t buy a telescope based on its magnification as this can be very misleading. Magnification is actually not that important since observing is typically done at 250x or less. What matters the most of the aperture size of a telescope. Learn more about all of these factors on the best telescope page.

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Read the rest of Telescope FAQ (600 words)

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Google Sky Map is a must have mobile application for any backyard astronomer. Sky Map on your phone is a free application that you download into your mobile device. With Sky Map, you point your phone at the sky and see constellations and other astral objects in your phone. If you’re looking for something specific, like the planet Mars for example, Sky Map will tell you where to point your phone until you are actually pointing directly at Mars.

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Telescopes are precision instruments that gather light to form an image. As such, an important feature of telescopes is the “aperture” which is the size of the openning at the end of the telescope that points ot the sky. It is measured in millimeters or inches and the bigger the aperture, the more light you can capture. In other words, bigger aperture is better but more expensive. There are many types of telescopes, but the most common types are listed below. Keep in mind that buying a telescope is just one piece of the puzzle. Some accessories, particularly telescope eyepieces, will greatly enhance the overall experience and allow you to get the most out of your telescope.

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Read the rest of Types of Telescopes (691 words)

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You don’t have to be Galileo to appreciate or have an interest in telescopes. Hans Lippershey is credited with inventing the first working telescope in 1608. Even before then, the heavens and the stars have provided endless fascination for humans.

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In the world of amateur astronomy a “GoTo” is a reference to a kind of telescope mount and the related software used to automatically point the telescope to specific astronomical objects selected by the user.

A GoTo mount is simply a motorized mount that is controlle by a software. GoTo mounts have build in databases of thousands of celestial objects with each one having a unique code attached to it. Simply key in the ocde for the object you want to see and the telescope will position itself automatically. However, before this can work you must position the telescope correctly before each use.

How A GoTo Mount Works

The two axes of a GoTo mount controlled by a motor which itself is controlled with a microprocessor in an integrated controller. A personal computer can also serve the same purpose. (...)
Read the rest of Properly Aligning a Goto Telescope (445 words)

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Viewing the night sky can be a rewarding experience with an infinite number of stars and galaxies, each submitting its own breathtaking wonder. However, if your telescope is not in good working order, it can make the experience a disappointment.

One common problem afflicting many stargazers is dew on the lenses, affecting the clarity of viewing. Dew is condensation on the glass caused when the temperature is significantly colder than the surrounding air. The exact difference can vary depending on the overall temperature as well as the humidity in the air. This can make the image blurry or give it an odd halo-like aura, making it difficult to see smaller details.(...)
Read the rest of Dealing with Fog and Dew (396 words)

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Mount

In many cases the type of tripod that one chooses for their orion telescope is just as important as the telescope itself. No matter how powerful or modern the telescope is, a substandard or incorrect tripod will hamper the abilities of the scope. As well, different uses for the telescope will dictate the style tripod that becomes necessary. Uses, stability and cost all become factors in the decision making process behind choosing the proper tripod for the telescope in question.

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Read the rest of Quality Mounts Make a Different (487 words)

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Andromeda

Every telescope owner, or telescope user has found themselves wondering at least once, what’s up there? Beyond what you can see with the naked eye, and even with your basis telescope, what’s out there in the Milkyway and beyond? The search for Deep Sky Objects, known commonly as DSO’s is one of the first quests most new telescope owners embark on.(...)
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Orion Finder Scope

A finder scope is used to help a new, or experienced astronomer achieve a generalized alignment with what they’re are wanting to get a better look at.

Most finder scopes have crosshairs inside the scope that will help you line things you’re trying to see up better. It is a lot easier to get your first general alignment using a finder scope than it is trying to guess where the object is while using the telescope itself to look around.

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Light Pollution

Anyone that has ever gone camping high up in the mountains, knows what light pollution is, and how it affects the night sky. In the city you’re surrounded by all of the lights and you’re lucky if you can even see the constellations. When you are out in nature the sky seems to be so full of stars that it is almost overwhelming, even to the naked eye. This is the effect of light pollution. The lights of the city you live in keep you from seeing the proverbial “forest for the trees” or, in this case, the Milky Way for the stars.(...)
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Star Trails

Astrophotography is, “the process of producing images of objects on photosensitive surfaces.” One of the most breathtaking activities that you can do for a hobby and as a profession is capturing the spectacular events in the night sky. Trying to master the beauty of the cosmos can be quite the challenge, but with patience and practice, sooner than you might think, you will be amazed at how astonishing the objects from your digital “astro-imaging” pictures have turned out.(...)
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EQ Mount

Both Telescopes and satellite dishes, often rely on equatorial mounts to remain focused on an object in the sky with a diurnal motion. In fact, many photographers also use equatorial mounts as well. The alternative is the tedium of re-locating the target every time the instrument is used.

This involves two axes: equatorial (right ascension) and perpendicular (declination). Right ascension corresponds to the polar axis; declination refers to how far off the celestial equator an object is. The Pole star is nearly 90 degrees declination, which is why it’s commonly used for orientation.

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Decisions

One of the most essential elements of using and enjoying your orion telescope is having the right mount. Both legs of a telescope and the part that points and holds the telescope are known as the mount. Not only are mounts simple mechanical devices, but now with today’s technology they have become what some people refer to as intelligent. Computer guidance systems can be found in some mounts that are accompanied with a built in astronomical database. Since there are so many different ways to use and mount a telescope it is very important to take all things into consideration when choosing and/or purchasing a telescope mount.

Almost any mount that will hold up a telescope will perform sufficiently if a person’s only aim is to look at planets and stars. Along with holding up a telescope it is recommended that the mount also enables easy aiming, provides comfortable use and steady viewing.

ALTAZIMUTH MOUNTS

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How to use a Telescope

Where you setup your telescope is important. The best location will of course be the least obstructed. Choose a location that’s not obstructed by trees or power lines, or anything else that you can’t control. Additionally, you’re going to want to set your telescope up in a nice dark place, so the corner of your home right next to the street light is a bad idea, although, some very determined astrologers have convinced their city, or local government to actually move the street light.

Another thing to keep in mind is the temperature difference between where you intend to actually use the telescope, and where you’ll be storing it. If you intend to use the telescope outside in the winter in Colorado for instance, while storing it inside, the lens is going to fog up when you first move it out, therefore, you’re going to have to provide for de-fogging time, or provide the telescope with what’s known commonly as a ‘cool down period’.

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Much of the process of buying your first telescope really start with your budget. However, there are some things you may want to keep in mind when making your first telescope purchase. A major factor to consider when buying a telescope is what part of astronomy you intend to pursue. Just what is it you intend to see when you look through that scope?

Telescopes are available in a variety of types, sizes, styles, and in a vast range of prices. For those buying a first telescope, narrowing down the options can be a particularly daunting task.

Overview of three basic telescope types

• Refractor Telescopes
• Reflector Telescopes
• Catadioptric (aka Compound) Telescopes (CATs) such as the Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope and the Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescopes

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