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| Hi everyone. Lately, I’ve started to stargaze with my kids. Can you share with me some tips needed for stargazing? Even some apps as suggestions are also welcome. Thank you. |
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The basics: #1 Dark skies #2 Comfortable deck chairs #3 Let your eyes grow accustomed to the dark for a few minutes After that, it might be useful to learn what you're looking at  so a good sky atlas helps. I use the free PC/tablet app Stellarium which is excellent for seeing exactly what's above you right now. I'm sure there are lots of alternatives for phones, tablets and PCs.Some beginners' books on astronomy include fantastic hints for 'star-hopping' from one constellation to another, which really helps you find your way around the sky. Nice article here: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/advice/skills/guides-star-hop-the-night-sky/ Kit-wise, a pair of binoculars (or two if you have more than 1 kid!) is a really great step-up from just eye-balling. Everyone wants to jump straight in with a telescope but actually bins are a much better place to start. Large objects like star clusters and the bigger galaxies (esp. Andromeda) come really out nicely in bins, and the kids won't get bored waiting for you to set the scope up. There are lots of internet lists of suitable and interesting targets. If I was introducing someone to the night sky with bare eyes, I'd point out familiar constellations like the Plough, Orion and Cassiopeia. With binoculars, I'd look to the Pleiades, the Hyades/Aldebaran, a nice cluster like the Beehive or M13, and depending on sky darkness, the Double Cluster, Andromeda Galaxy, and the Orion Nebula. Check your light pollution level in your area using the Bortle scale. If you're in a city, you will be limited in choice of target. If you're in a dark rural site, the sky's the limit. I think with kids, the best approach might be to start simple with the basics; follow up with some internet/book learning, then go back out another night to see what else you can find. You will learn to interpret the data that Stellarium gives you - some targets might seem fantastic, but you will need to look at their size (might be too small to see), their magnitude (brightness for stars etc.) and surface brightness for nebulas, galaxies etc. Some targets are huge, but too faint to see without a big scope. It's very disheartening to spend time searching for a target that you just can't see from your location. |
