Getting started in the world of astronomy can be pretty daunting. The sky seems difficult to navigate, there are loads of different telescopes to choose from and its all done in the dark so I cannot see what I am doing! Do not panic, checkout my six simple steps to start and you will be hopping around the sky like a pro in no time at all.
Six Simple Steps to Start
Step One – Buy a Red Torch
It takes between 40 minutes and an hour for your eyes to become fully adapted to seeing in the dark but even astronomers need a little light sometimes to read a chart or attend to equipment. Any exposure to bright lights will instantly ruin this dark adaption, the solution is red light which won’t affect…
Step Two – Get Your Sky Guide
To learn your way around the night sky you can either download any one of the multitude of apps for your smartphone or if you prefer the manual method, then a planisphere is a great choice. These are very versatile star charts made of plastic that show you the night sky from your location, any time…
Step Three – Subscribe to a Magazine
There is no better way to keep up to date with whats going on in the world of Astronomy than subscribing to an astronomy magazine. Most countries have at least one or two good magazines dedicated to the subject. Inside the covers, you will find news, equipment reviews, classified adverts and even monthly sky charts….
Step Four – Join an Astronomy Club
Whether you intend to stick with casual stargazing or want to get more involved, a great and very enjoyable way to enhance your new hobby is to seek out your local astronomical society. These are excellent places to go for advice and help and eventually you will find that observing with your new found friends…
Step Five – Look Up!
Now its the most exciting bit.. and thats to get outside and start learning your way around the night sky. You will be amazed what you can see; those bright stars which aren’t on your planisphere are probably planets and on your first night under the stars you may have already spotted satellites, meteorites and…
Step Six – Buy Binoculars or a Telescope
Eventually you will want to make that all important purchase and buy yourself a pair of binoculars or even a telescope. The only words of advice here are to take your time and make sure you spend wisely. Binoculars are a great choice for the beginner but take a look at my section on Choosing…