Star atlas or software

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Date: 26 Sep 2006 18:14:14
From:
Subject: Star atlas or software

Hi all, I'm a beginner and was wondering if I should purchase a star
atlas or a software program like Starry night. I have several beginner
type astronomy books but none really have detailed star maps. I would
like to begin to practice star hopping to objects. I figure with the
software I can just print out maps and customize them to my needs. Plus
all the other features of the software would be helpful to. Is there
any advantage to having a atlas in book form?

Thanks
Mike Wagner

Meade ETX90 EC
12x50 Binoculars

Date: 26 Sep 2006 21:26:05
From: Pippen
Subject: Re: Star atlas or software

<mwnospam@verizon.net > wrote in message
news:1159319654.169660.233880@d34g2000cwd.googlegroups.com...
> Hi all, I'm a beginner and was wondering if I should purchase a star
> atlas or a software program like Starry night. I have several beginner
> type astronomy books but none really have detailed star maps. I would
> like to begin to practice star hopping to objects. I figure with the
> software I can just print out maps and customize them to my needs. Plus
> all the other features of the software would be helpful to. Is there
> any advantage to having a atlas in book form?
>
> Thanks
> Mike Wagner
>
> Meade ETX90 EC
> 12x50 Binoculars
>

The only advantage that I can think of is that a star atlas may be red light
readable. I guess if you had a color printer and the right software you
could print a red light readable atlas. Not sure what your budget is but an
atlas as someone has already pointed out is fairly cheap. Why not get an
atlas and software. I have Starry Night 5.8 and find it very educational for
a beginner such as myself.

Hope this helps,

-p

Date: 27 Sep 2006 02:04:04
From: Florian
Subject: Re: Star atlas or software

Hi Mike,

You sort of want both. For use outside with your scope/binos i'd suggest =
the Bright Star Atlas. Amazon has it for $8.96. (I've no idea why the =
online review at Amazon rated it so poorly.) It's a great star atlas for =
binoculars and small scopes. For a bit more detail i'd suggest the =
Pocket Sky Atlas. Also an Amazon for $13.59. Get them both if you can! =
As for a planetarium program i'd suggest starting with HNSky available =
here...

http://www.hnsky.org/software.htm

And it's free! Software is great for planning sessions and just seeing =
what's in the sky at any time or date. Also to show you where the =
planets are. But a "real" printed book of charts is hard to beat outside =
in the dark.

.Florian

Date: 27 Sep 2006 01:59:23
From: Sam Wormley
Subject: Re: Star atlas or software

Date: 27 Sep 2006 09:47:21
From: Willie R. Meghar
Subject: Re: Star atlas or software

mwnospam@verizon.net wrote:

>Hi all, I'm a beginner and was wondering if I should purchase a star
>atlas or a software program like Starry night. I have several beginner
>type astronomy books but none really have detailed star maps. I would
>like to begin to practice star hopping to objects. I figure with the
>software I can just print out maps and customize them to my needs. Plus
>all the other features of the software would be helpful to. Is there
>any advantage to having a atlas in book form?

The short answer is: "Yes!"

For a longer answer:

In the event of a computer problem, printer problem, or a power outage
you would be kind of S.O.L. without a printed atlas.

I love star atlases! I have a couple of software packages with
charting capabilities; but more often than not I use a commercially
printed atlas for under-the-night-sky observing sessions.

With a commercially printed atlas you have immediate access to the
entire sky, on paper, at a constant scale, in a dim, red light (dark
adaptation friendly) readable format. A printed atlas allows you
great flexibility. You're free to observe any objects anywhere you
wish in your night sky -- without having to bring along your computer
and power supply.

Sky Atlas 2000 is one of the better compromises amongst printed
atlases -- if you're only going to get *one*. That being said, my
copy of Sky Atlas 2000 rarely gets used (though its predecessor, the
Becvar Atlas of the Heavens, was once my most used atlas). I have
over a dozen commercially printed atlases (accumulated over many
years). My most used printed atlases are (at the current time) the
Millennium Star Atlas, the Uranometria, and Norton's; but for a
*first* atlas I wouldn't recommend either of the first two.

The specific atlas I take out with me (when I take out an atlas!)
depends on the nature of my observing project (when I have one).

If I want to find Pluto, I'll print a chart for 'my' telescope using
software. If I want to draw what I see in a telescope's eyepiece,
I'll sometimes want to print an eyepiece view (using software) as an
aid to accurate star placement. Later, at the eyepiece, I can 'X' out
printed stars that aren't seen and add stars that are seen but not
printed. For most other observing purposes one of the commercially
printed atlases is preferred.

Of course, using software you could print out your own, customized,
complete, paper atlas; but I wouldn't recommend it! The commercially
printed ones are easier to handle in the field. The labels tend to be
easier to read. They often have a binding. The paper is often less
susceptible to dew, etc. etc.

As you've probably gathered by now, there's advantages and
disadvantages to computer as well as printed atlases. There's no
immediate need for multiple printed atlases. Like I said, mine were
acquired over many years. If you stick with the hobby for a long time
you *might* also end up with a variety of atlases. For myself, I find
it hard to resist a 'pretty' atlas -- whether I have a need for it or
not!

Willie R. Meghar
Recent Observations at:
http://meghar.blogspot.com/

Date: 27 Sep 2006 10:48:01
From: Davoud
Subject: Re: Star atlas or software

mwnospam@verizon.net wrote:
> Hi all, I'm a beginner and was wondering if I should purchase a star
> atlas or a software program like Starry night...

> Meade ETX90 EC
> 12x50 Binoculars

Both, eventually. But to start with, an atlas and your 12X50's.

It takes time to learn how the sky works, and looking back and forth
from the computer display to the sky is definitely not the way to do
that! A computer has two uses in astronomy, IMO: to plan an observing
program/session and to control various equipment in the observatory. I
don't think you should do that yet.

A dim red flashlight and a sky atlas such as the Sky Atlas 2000.0 from
nightsky.com is the answer for a beginner.

Davoud

--
usenet *at* davidillig *dawt* com

Date: 27 Sep 2006 07:17:35
From: brucegooglegroups
Subject: Re: Star atlas or software

Date: 26 Sep 2006 20:52:35
From: laura halliday
Subject: Re: Star atlas or software

Date: 27 Sep 2006 20:21:39
From: laura halliday
Subject: Re: Star atlas or software

mwnospam@verizon.net wrote:
> Hey thanks everyone for all the advice so far, I'm going to start
> looking around amazon at the various choices. I checked Barnes and
> Noble which didn't have a single atlas for sale. I typically like to
> see before I buy . I'll check Borders this weekend.

Sky atlases are specialized items, and are not likely
to be in a generic book store - they should be able
to order them for you, though.

There are several versions of Sky Atlas 2000. Have
a look at Sky & Telescope's catalogue to see which
is which. They can sell it to you, too...

Laura Halliday VE7LDH "That's a totally illegal,
Grid: CN89mg madcap scheme. I like it!"
ICBM: 49 16.05 N 122 56.92 W - H. Pearce

Date: 28 Sep 2006 19:00:41
From: Kruger Kid
Subject: Re: Star atlas or software

What I use:

Orion Deep Map 600. A great whole sky chart. Highly recommend.
Really nice for use with Binos.

Sky Atlas 2000. Make or purchase circle templates that match your
field of view of your Binos, Finder scope and eyepieces. This makes
star hopping much easier.

Software is great and I use it both at home and in the field. But I
still carry my charts. If I have problems with my laptop and I can not
use it. I always have the charts. They never break...;-)

Of course this kind of thing is all personal preference. Another good
reason for star partys. You get to cruise around and see all the
equipment in use before you buy.

KK

>
>There are several versions of Sky Atlas 2000. Have
>a look at Sky & Telescope's catalogue to see which
>is which. They can sell it to you, too...
>
>Laura Halliday VE7LDH "That's a totally illegal,
>Grid: CN89mg madcap scheme. I like it!"
>ICBM: 49 16.05 N 122 56.92 W - H. Pearce

Date: 28 Sep 2006 15:26:55
From: Willie R. Meghar
Subject: Re: Star atlas or software

Kruger Kid <kkofvirgo@yahoo.com > wrote:

>What I use:
>
>Orion Deep Map 600. A great whole sky chart. Highly recommend.
>Really nice for use with Binos.

I'm curious, how do you (or anyone else) manage to use DeepMap 600 in
the field at night?

I ask because on the one (one was enough!) occasion that I tried using
it at night, at the telescope, I had difficulty recognizing (on the
map) the constellations. Under a dim, red light many of the DSO
symbols looked enough like stars to make constellation recognition
nearly impossible!

I still like DeepMap 600 for indoor use and for the excellent lists of
DSOs and double stars; but it would be nice to be able to use it
outdoors at night as well. Perhaps the trick is to use a white light
or a brighter red light -- I tend to use as little light as I can get
away with (I usually observe under magnitude 6.5 skies).

Willie R. Meghar
Recent Observations at:
http://meghar.blogspot.com/

Date: 29 Sep 2006 22:25:29
From: Kruger Kid
Subject: Re: Star atlas or software

On Thu, 28 Sep 2006 15:26:55 -0600, Willie R. Meghar
<NoMail@thisaddress.net > wrote:

>Kruger Kid <kkofvirgo@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>>What I use:
>>
>>Orion Deep Map 600. A great whole sky chart. Highly recommend.
>>Really nice for use with Binos.
>
>I'm curious, how do you (or anyone else) manage to use DeepMap 600 in
>the field at night?
>
>I ask because on the one (one was enough!) occasion that I tried using
>it at night, at the telescope, I had difficulty recognizing (on the
>map) the constellations. Under a dim, red light many of the DSO
>symbols looked enough like stars to make constellation recognition
>nearly impossible!
>
>I still like DeepMap 600 for indoor use and for the excellent lists of
>DSOs and double stars; but it would be nice to be able to use it
>outdoors at night as well. Perhaps the trick is to use a white light
>or a brighter red light -- I tend to use as little light as I can get
>away with (I usually observe under magnitude 6.5 skies).
>
>Willie R. Meghar
>Recent Observations at:
>http://meghar.blogspot.com/

True enough.

I use Deep Map 600 more with binoculars or for casual observing and
for getting a general idea of what up at the start of the evening. Use
it figure out what I want to look at that night for example or to just
get "Myself Oriented" (so to speak) as to what's up. For a beginner it
is very useful for that.

Once I get going at the Scope I tend to follow an observing list and
either use Software like Skytools2, Skymap Pro or use charts like Sky
Atlas 2000 or The Millennium Star Atlas while using the scope.

Kruger

Date: 28 Sep 2006 19:10:57
From: Eugene Griessel
Subject: Re: Star atlas or software

Kruger Kid <kkofvirgo@yahoo.com > wrote:

>What I use:
>
>Orion Deep Map 600. A great whole sky chart. Highly recommend.
>Really nice for use with Binos.
>
>Sky Atlas 2000. Make or purchase circle templates that match your
>field of view of your Binos, Finder scope and eyepieces. This makes
>star hopping much easier.
>
>Software is great and I use it both at home and in the field. But I
>still carry my charts. If I have problems with my laptop and I can not
>use it. I always have the charts. They never break...;-)
>
>Of course this kind of thing is all personal preference. Another good
>reason for star partys. You get to cruise around and see all the
>equipment in use before you buy.
>

I shall condemn myself to total ignominy by confessing that among all
the programs I have I still use a zillion year old DOS copy of
EZCosmos for simple stargazing. If things hot up I revert to Carte du
Ciel or Starry Night.

Eugene L Griessel

Don't take life too seriously, it's not permanent.

Date: 27 Sep 2006 18:32:36
From:
Subject: Re: Star atlas or software

Hey thanks everyone for all the advice so far, I'm going to start
looking around amazon at the various choices. I checked Barnes and
Noble which didn't have a single atlas for sale. I typically like to
see before I buy . I'll check Borders this weekend.

Thanks
Mike Wagner

Date: 27 Sep 2006 19:00:37
From: nytecam
Subject: Re: Star atlas or software

mwnospam@verizon.net Wrote:
> Hi all, I'm a beginner and was wondering if I should purchase a star
> atlas or a software program like Starry night. I have several beginner
> type astronomy books but none really have detailed star maps. I would
> like to begin to practice star hopping to objects. I figure with the
> software I can just print out maps and customize them to my needs.
> Plus
> all the other features of the software would be helpful to. Is there
> any advantage to having a atlas in book form?
>
> Thanks
> Mike Wagner Meade ETX90 EC 12x50 Binoculars

I use Megastar sw to control my LX200 and freeware Cartes du Ciel
indoors. Paper charts including Sky Atlas 2000.0 and Philips Colour
Star Atlas ISBN0540 012521;to mag 7.

A recent acqusition is Collins Atlas of the Night Sky ISBN 0007172230
whole-sky charts to mag 6.5 + 88 constellation charts to mag 7.5 +
deepsky + variables etc; detailed moon map and planets Mercury to
Neptune charts for next five years - great value for a newcomer!

Nytecam 51N 0.1W

--
nytecam

Date: 27 Sep 2006 14:51:23
From:
Subject: Re: Star atlas or software

You might find this article on starhopping interesting:

http://www.nightskyinfo.com/star-hopping/

I agree with the article and Davoud that the Sky Atlas 2000 is the best
star atlas to learn starhopping. I prefer the SA 2000 Deluxe for it's
compactness and ease of use.If you have a serious problem with dew you
will want to get one of the laminated versions or the field
version(black stars-white background) and chart carrier.

For now you can download the excellent,free Cartes Du Ciel software:

http://www.stargazing.net/astropc/

The software I use now and prefer is Sky Tools 2 and Megastar 5.The
only paper atlases I use now with my large dob are the Harold Bobroff
Astroatlas and Uranometria 2.

Clear Skies,
Paul

Davoud wrote:
> mwnospam@verizon.net wrote:
> > Hi all, I'm a beginner and was wondering if I should purchase a star
> > atlas or a software program like Starry night...
>
>
> > Meade ETX90 EC
> > 12x50 Binoculars
>
> Both, eventually. But to start with, an atlas and your 12X50's.
>
> It takes time to learn how the sky works, and looking back and forth
> from the computer display to the sky is definitely not the way to do
> that! A computer has two uses in astronomy, IMO: to plan an observing
> program/session and to control various equipment in the observatory. I
> don't think you should do that yet.
>
> A dim red flashlight and a sky atlas such as the Sky Atlas 2000.0 from
> nightsky.com is the answer for a beginner.
>
> Davoud
>
> --
> usenet *at* davidillig *dawt* com

Date: 27 Sep 2006 20:39:11
From: Marty
Subject: Re: Star atlas or software

The software vs. printed atlases a sort of personal decision. Both have
their strengths. As for me, I like a printed star atlas I can sit on
the livingroom floor with and plan out a star hop with little acetate
FOV circles. As others have mentioned, the Sky Atlas 2000 is a good
atlas to start with once you've got a pretty good idea of how to find
the constellations. As you gain experience and start looking for dimmer
objects, you'll want a more detailed atlas.
I start out with a planisphere to see what part of the sky will be
in a good position. Then I pick out a few targets and find their
location on the old Scalnate Pleso atlas... (an older atlas, similar to
the Sky Atlas 2000,) then go to the Uranometria 2000 for planning a
detailed star hop. Finally, the Uranometria goes out with me under the
sky. I have a space in my observing box especially built to hold it.
Marty

Date: 27 Sep 2006 19:21:14
From: Paul Neave
Subject: Re: Star atlas or software

Hi Mike,

You can try this online planetarium if you have Flash Player 8:
http://www.neave.com/planetarium/

it's very simple but it's free and allows you to browse the sky and find
the names of stars etc.

Happy stargazing,
Paul.

Date: 28 Sep 2006 17:37:13
From: Dan Krueger
Subject: Re: Star atlas or software

> Hi all, I'm a beginner and was wondering if I should purchase a star
> atlas or a software program like Starry night. I have several beginner
> type astronomy books but none really have detailed star maps. I would
> like to begin to practice star hopping to objects. I figure with the
> software I can just print out maps and customize them to my needs. Plus
> all the other features of the software would be helpful to. Is there

Especially near any planes (parked or moving)!
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
= Bishop Museum Planetarium Happenings Daily Planetarium
schedule: (808) 848-4136 for planetarium schedule. 11:30 a.m.
The Stars Tonight (30 Minutes) 12:45 p.m. Explorers of Mauna
Kea, (30 Minutes) . Observatory is open for the drip pan, below
the gas bars. Make the box so it fits between the legs of the
unit and it would last you a long time ago,people see it every
single day when they get an reply for the correlation between
axial rotation and terrestial rotation through 360 degrees. You
theortical freaks are finished and had their been one person
with sense they would have positive total energies, and would be
interested in knowing if you could not see your way to ship
merchandise in a reasonable time?

Some very small sellers have software order tracking, and
Scopetronix could have had, too. Davoud If the guy who drug the
pooch punt from the half yard line into the end zone for a touch
back. Cook it until it is done.

Date: 30 Sep 2006 05:52:37
From:
Subject: Re: Star atlas or software

Thanks everyone for all the help. I decided to get the Pocket Sky
Atlas. While I was at it, I ordered S& T's field map of the moon. Sky
Atlas 2000 was a little too expensive right now. Maybe someday when I
get a bigger scope I'll spring for a nicer atlas.

Thanks Again
Mike Wagner

Date: 30 Sep 2006 12:51:08
From:
Subject: Re: Star atlas or software

mwnospam@verizon.net wrote:
> Hi all, I'm a beginner and was wondering if I should purchase a star
> atlas or a software program like Starry night.

I recommend a program that lets you print your own charts. I have
SkyMap Pro 5 (I think they're up to version 11 by now!) and use it to
print charts for star hopping and find it extremely useful. For me, I
"need" it because I use a right angle finder and the program lets me
print charts reversed left-to-right so they'll look correct in the
finder. I had used published charts before and reversing everything in
my head was not fun. Also, I only observe sporadically so I don't
keep up with what's visible on a given night and therefore when a good
night comes along the program shows me what's up at that time and I'll
just print a few charts for what I want to find, put them on a
clipboard and go.

Charles Lerner