Getting Started In

GETTING STARTEDASTRONOMY IN AN EASY GUIDE TO EXPLORING THE UNIVERSE

INCLUDES A MOON MAP AND STAR CHARTS

FROM THE EDITORS OF

SkyandTelescope.com Your First Steps Southern Hemisphere Version ® in Astronomy SkyandTelescope.com

Astronomy doesn’t deserve DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU can see a galaxy way around the sky. They also give you a 1 2 ⁄2 million light-years away with your view that’s right side up and straight in unaided eye? Or that you can see craters front of you, making it easy to see where its reputation as a tough, on the Moon with ordinary binoculars? you’re pointing. Binoculars are fairly inex- These and countless other wonders await pensive, widely available, and easy to carry expensive hobby to get your gaze every clear night. The first step and store. They’re also versatile; you can is simply to look up and ask, “What’s switch from terrestrial to celestial viewing into. You just need that?” And when you do, you’ll take the in an instant. And their performance is first step toward a lifetime of cosmic surprisingly respectable. Ordinary 7- to 10- to begin with the right exploration and enjoyment. What’s the power binoculars improve on the unaided best way to get started on this exciting eye about as much as a good amateur tele- advice. adventure? scope improves on binoculars — and at a far lower cost. For astronomy, the larger Read It and Reap the front lenses are, the better. High optical When It’s Time for a Telescope, The joy of astronomy comes from finding quality is important too. But any binocu- Plunge in Deep your way around the starry sky and lars already knocking around the back of Eventually you’ll be ready for your first tele- understanding what you see. A great place your closet are enough to launch your scope. This is no time to skimp on quality. to start is your local library or bookstore. amateur-astronomy career. The telescope you want has two essentials. Browse the astronomy shelf for beginner’s One is high-quality, “diffraction-limited” guides that will teach you about the Use Maps and Guidebooks optics. The other is a solid, steady, smooth- Moon, planets, and constellations. Check Once you’ve learned your way around the ly working mount. You may also want large the magazine rack for Sky & Telescope, the night sky, binoculars can keep you busy aperture (size), but don’t lose sight of port- hobby’s essential monthly magazine. It for years. With good maps and reference ability and convenience. Remember, the offers practical tips for observers as well as books, you can identify dozens of the best telescope for you is the one you’ll actu- articles on many fascinating astronomical Moon’s craters, plains, and mountains. ally use. topics. Binoculars will show you the ever-chang- Many telescopes have built-in comput- Another great resource is the World ing positions of Jupiter’s moons and the ers and motors that will point them to any Wide Web. Start at Sky & Telescope’s site, crescent phases of Venus. They’ll also of thousands of celestial objects at the SkyandTelescope.com, or you can use any reveal most of the 109 “M objects,” the star push of a few buttons. These are a lot of search utility to look up topics such as clusters, galaxies, and nebulae cataloged by fun to use and can help you locate sights “amateur astronomy” or “stargazing.” 18th-century astronomer Charles Messier. you might otherwise overlook. But it’s still Binoculars will let you split scores of col- helpful to know your way around the sky Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes orful double stars and allow you to follow — especially if your batteries run out! Go out on any clear, dark night and famil- the fadings and brightenings of numerous It’s true that telescopes can cost many iarize yourself with the star patterns over- variable stars. All this and more is possible thousands of dollars, but it’s also true that head, using the constellation maps on the — but only if you know where to look and some good ones can be had for only a few following pages. what to look for. Moreover, the skills you’ll hundred dollars. Can’t afford the scope If you live in a brightly lit city or town, develop using maps and guidebooks with you want? Save up until you can. Another find a place where there’s less light pollu- binoculars are exactly the skills you’ll need year of using binoculars while building a tion (or at least a spot free from the glare to put a telescope to good use. savings account will be time you’ll never of nearby lights) so you can see more regret. stars. The ability to look up and say, Seek Out Other Amateurs “There’s Alpha Centauri!” or “That’s There’s nothing like sharing an interest with Relax and Have Fun Saturn!” will provide pleasure — and a others. There are hundreds of astronomy Don’t get upset if you can’t find a particu- sense of your place in the cosmos — for clubs worldwide; Sky & Telescope’s Web site lar object or because the view in your tele- the rest of your life. includes a directory of them. Call a club scope is less than perfect. Learn to take near you to find out when it holds meetings pleasure in whatever your eyes, binoculars, Start with Binoculars or all-night observing sessions called “star or telescope can show you. The more you Binoculars are an ideal “first telescope” parties.” These events offer a wonderful look, the more you’ll see. Set your own for several reasons. They show you a wide opportunity to try out different telescopes, pace, and revel in the beauty and mystery field of view, making it easy to find your learn new skills, and make friends. of our amazing universe!

 2003 Sky Publishing Corp. Finding Your Way Southern Hemisphere Version ® Among the Stars SkyandTelescope.com and the LMC is to the right and a little high- Looking Deeper Here’s how to use our bimonthly er — just the way they look in the southern Take the maps out often, and try to learn a and southwestern sky. Nearly overhead, as new constellation each night. You are estab- star charts to identify your you crane your neck up, are the bright stars lishing the landmarks you’ll need for find- evening stars and constellations. Alpha (α) and Beta (β) Centauri, with the ing your way when you start using binocu- little constellation Crux — the Southern lars or a telescope. CAN YOU SPOT THE SOUTHERN CROSS? Orion? Cross — to their right. Once you know at least some constella- The Large Magellanic Cloud? Your explo- tions fairly well, you can start exploring the ration of the universe begins with learning Tips for Success sky a lot more deeply with optical aid. For the stars in your evening sky. But different Find a dark viewing site and bring a dim this you’ll need larger star charts that show constellations are visible at different times of flashlight to read the map by. It’s best to use more close-up detail. year and hours of the night, depending on red light, which helps preserve your night The maps here show stars as faint as your latitude and which way the night side vision. magnitude 4.5. This is about as faint as you of our planet is facing. When you start out, look only for the can see with the naked eye through subur- The accompanying charts will help you brightest stars on the map, those depicted ban light pollution. Also plotted are some get oriented. They’re designed for skywatch- with the biggest dots. Mentally blank out the interesting objects for binoculars or small ers in midsouthern latitudes such as Aus- fainter ones if you are in a city or suburb (or telescopes: star clusters, nebulae, and galax- tralia, southern Africa, and parts of South in bright moonlight); they will be invisible or ies. When hunting for these faint sights America. Each represents the entire sky at nearly so through the “light pollution.” But you’ll have an easier time if you use larger the dates and times printed on it. Find a wherever you are, remember that there is a charts that show stars to at least as faint as chart appropriate for your date, and go out much bigger difference between bright and magnitude 6. (Higher magnitude numbers within an hour or so of the time listed. faint stars in the sky than is suggested on the mean fainter stars.) chart. People who get serious about using a tel- How the Charts Work Remember that the chart is a very escope will want even more detailed sky The round edge of each chart represents your reduced representation of the real sky. To charts — ones that show stars as faint as horizon, with compass directions labeled. see how reduced, hold your hand at arm’s magnitude 8 or so. Sky Atlas 2000.0 by Wil Turn the map around so the edge marked length with your fingers fully spread as Tirion and Roger W. Sinnott is the set most with the direction you’re facing (north, east, wide as you can. One of these “hand spans” widely used. The latest edition shows 81,000 or whatever) is right-side up. The stars above from thumbtip to little fingertip is about stars to magnitude 8.5 and 2,700 galaxies, this horizon on the map will now match the the separation between the LMC and SMC. star clusters, and nebulae. stars you’re facing. Ignore the rest of the map Compare this with the gap between them Clear skies! for now. on the charts. You can work your way The map’s center is overhead (the zen- around by remembering this rule: One Greek Letters on Star Maps tih). So a star that’s plotted halfway from hand span in the sky is slightly less than an The brightest stars in each constellation are the edge to the center can be found about inch on the chart. Pretty tiny! named with lowercase Greek letters. A con- halfway up the sky. That is, it will be The maps are drawn for an observer at 35° stellation’s most brilliant star is often called halfway from horizontal to straight up. south latitude (for example, Sydney, Cape Alpha, the first letter in the Greek alphabet. Dot sizes indicate star brightnesses — Town,Santiago). If you’re far south of there, The letters are used with the Latin genitive the larger the dot, the brighter the star. stars in the southern part of the sky will ap- form of the constellation name, so the Example: Let’s try the May/June chart. Turn pear higher than the map shows, and stars in Alpha star of Centaurus is called “Alpha it so the horizon labeled “Facing SW” the north will be lower. If you’re far north of Centauri.” (southwest) is right-side up. About a third 35° latitude, the reverse will be true. Here is the lowercase Greek alphabet as of the way from there to the center is the The Moon and planets are not plotted used by astronomers: bright star Canopus. Go outside around because they’re always changing position. one of the dates and times listed, face Find the line arcing across each chart α Alpha ι Iota ρ Rho southwest, and look a third of the way from labeled “ECLIPTIC.” This is the line near β Beta κ Kappa σ Sigma horizontal to straight up. There’s Canopus! which the Sun, Moon, and planets always γ Gamma λ Lambda τ Tau To the left of Canopus is the fuzzy Large travel. It’s called the ecliptic because it’s δ Delta µ Mu υ Upsilon Magellanic Cloud (LMC), one of our Milky where eclipses can occur. ε Epsilon ν Nu φ Phi Way’s satellite galaxies. Still farther left, al- If you see a bright “star” near the ecliptic ζ Zeta ξ Xi χ Chi most due south, is the Small Magellanic that’s not on the map, you’ve located a η Eta ο Omicron ψ Psi Cloud (SMC). Turn the chart so the “Facing planet. To figure out which one it is, con- θ Theta π Pi w Omega South” horizon edge is right-side up. When sult the latest issue of Sky & Telescope or you hold the chart correctly, the SMC is di- visit SkyandTelescope.com and use our rectly in front of you and not very high up, Interactive Sky Chart.  2003 Sky Publishing Corp. Evening Stars in

® Jan/Feb Southern Hemisphere for latitude 35° S. SkyandTelescope.com Every issue of Sky & Telescope magazine contains a full-color star chart for the current month. When to Use This Chart How to Use This Chart Early Jan. 11 p.m. Go out within an hour or so of the time listed at left. Late Jan. 10 p.m. Turn the chart around so the edge marked with the Early Feb. 9 p.m. direction you’re facing is right-reading. The stars Late Feb. 8 p.m. above this horizon on the map now match the stars in front of you. The map’s center is overhead (the

These are standard times. The chart is also zenith). So a star plotted halfway from the

N g n o i

r c t a h useful in late October at dawn, late F edge to the center can be found in

November at 3 a.m., and late the sky about halfway

December at 1 a.m. α

Capella from horizontal to

LYNX

β straight up.

PERSEUS

AURIGA

Kids

Facing NE Facing

M38

Castor

M36

α M37

Facing NW Facing

Pollux

β GEMINI

M35

CANCER Pleiades

M44

Aldebaran

γ α

E ARIES

M67 C

CANIS MINOR CANIS

LEO L

α I

γ P

TAURUS T

Betelgeuse I

α C

Procyon

α ORION

ε δ

M ζ

N α

PISCES

β O

M42 C

M50

Rigel Rigel S M48 κ

Sirius

CANIS M CANIS

M47

LEPUS α

SEXTANS β

M ira

AJOR M

M41

F δ

M93 t

ERIDANUS

c ε e

HYDRA i n η Zenith W

g PYXIS PUPPIS α g

CETUS

c s COLUMBA ζ

a t CAELUM FORNAX

CRATER F

Canopus γ β

ANTLIA λ α VELA DORADO PICTOR δ 2516 HOROLOGIUM

CORVUS ε β CARINA 30 Dor ι RETICULUM

VOLANS Achernar α Large O

η T Car Magellanic α Cloud LP β PHOENIX U HYDRUS Small SC CHAMAELEON Magellanic Cloud

omalhautα γ MU F γ CRU SCA c α 47 Tu X Southern ω β Cross C β en TUCANA OCTANS PISCIS AUSTRINUS Facing SE CEN ε TA APUS U β RU α S TRIANG GRUS Star magnitudes ULUM α AUSTRALE INDUS –1 0 1 2 3 4 Facing SW α PAVO CIRCINUS LUPUS α

VariableOpen star clusterGlobularGalaxy clusterPlanetaryDiffuse nebula nebula Facing South  2003 Sky Publishing Corp. Evening Stars in

® Mar/Apr for latitude 35 S. & Southern Hemisphere ° SkyandTelescope.com Every issue of Sky Telescope magazine contains a full-color star chart for the current month. When to Use This Chart How to Use This Chart Early Mar. 10 p.m. Go out within an hour or so of the time listed at left. Late Mar. 9 p.m. Turn the chart around so the edge marked with the Early Apr. 8 p.m. direction you’re facing is right-reading. The stars Late Apr. 7 p.m. above this horizon on the map now match the stars in front of you. The map’s center is overhead (the

These are standard times. The chart is also zenith). So a star plotted halfway from the

g N

n i o c r

t a h useful in early December at dawn, early F edge to the center can be found in January at 2 a.m., and early the sky about halfway February at midnight. from horizontal to

straight up.

MAJOR

LYNX URSA

Facing N Facing

AURIGA

MINOR M38 α

astor

LE0 C

M36

M Facing NW Facing

ollux P

BERENICES

M35

GEMINI

M44

Sickle COMA

CANCER

LEO

Regulus

α γ β

M67

Aldebaran

MINOR

Hyades

CANIS

α α

α Procyon se

eu S

elg

Be γ SEXTANS CER

O TAURUS

ORION

α Alphard

M50 ζ

M48

HYDRA

M47 M

CRATER

M46 VIRGO R

ι β

α κ

Sirius

AJO

igel

M R

M93 CANIS

F β

Spica t

a δ

s α

CO M

α i

RVU

N PYXIS

LEPUS

TLIA ε

g Zenith β

C S

I n

i ζ

T c

s PUPPIS

t P α

λ F I γ VELA L

C COLUMBA E LIBRA δ δ α CENTAURUS ω Cen ε θ Car ι γ η CARINA Canopus CAELUM γ 2516 CRUX ERIDANUS PICTOR α IC 2602 β Southern

ε 4755 β β η Cross VOLANS or α MUSCA 30 D DORADO Large β FORNAX CHAMAELEON Magellanic α Cloud L RETICULUM U P U CIRCINUS S HOROLOGIUM A PU TRIANGULUM S

AUSTRALE chernar HYDRUS A NORMA all O CTAN S Sm ic ellan α Facing SE α Mag d Clou 47 Tuc ARA Star magnitudes –1 0 1 2 3 4 Facing SW NGC PHOENIX 6397 PAVO TUCANA

VariableOpen star clusterGlobularGalaxy clusterPlanetaryDiffuse nebula nebula Facing South  2003 Sky Publishing Corp. Evening Stars in

® May/Jun for latitude 35 S. Every issue of Sky & Telescope Southern Hemisphere ° SkyandTelescope.com magazine contains a full-color star chart for the current month. When to Use This Chart How to Use This Chart Early May 10 p.m. Go out within an hour or so of the time listed at left. Late May 9 p.m. Turn the chart around so the edge marked with the Early June 8 p.m. direction you’re facing is right-reading. The stars Late June 7 p.m. above this horizon on the map now match the stars in front of you. The map’s center is overhead (the

These are standard times. The chart is also zenith). So a star plotted halfway from the

N g n o i r c t a h useful in early February at dawn, early F edge to the center can be found in March at 2 a.m., and early April at the sky about halfway

midnight. M51 from horizontal to

straight up.

VENATICI MAJOR

URSA CANES

Facing NE Facing

BOÖTES

BOREALIS

MINOR CORONA Facing NW Facing

LE0

HERCULES

BERENICES

COMA Arcturus

Sickle

CANCER

LEO β

(CAPUT)

SERPENS M44

α Regulus

VIRGO α

α T I C I P M67

C L

M5 E

OPHIUCHUS

M12

INOR Spica

CANIS SEXTANS M CORVUS

(CAUD

SERPENS

Procyon

CRATER

α M

LIBRA

HYDRA

Alphard

e M48

n W

η Zenith

g g

E α M19 M4 θ n

SCORPIUS i

M23 Antares SCUTUM

s M17

a t

M11 ANTLIA F

M20 M46

Cen MONOCEROS η ω γ M62 ε

α CENTAURUS δ M47 M25 M8 M21 M6 LUPUS M93 NORMA

λ CRUX λ M22 γ PYXIS Southern

M β SAGITTARIUS α β Cross κ 7 Car 4755 η Sirius δ σ θ VELA CIRCINUS α α η ε α ζ ζ ARA δ γ TELESCOPIUM PUPPIS TRIANGULUM ι M41 ε IC 2602 A CO α 6397 AUSTRALE MUSCA ε U RO STRALIS β CANIS N MAJOR A α APUS 2516 CARINA CHAMAELEON VOLANS

PAVO α anopus OCTANS PICTOR C 30 Dor α α β COLUMBA Facing SE Large Magellanic Cloud DORADO INDUS Star magnitudes HYDRUS 47 Tuc Facing SW–1 0 1 2 3 4 Small Magellanic RETICULUM TUCANA Cloud

HOROLOGIUM Achernar VariableOpen star clusterGlobularGalaxy clusterPlanetaryDiffuse nebula nebula Facing South  2003 Sky Publishing Corp. Evening Stars in

® Jul/Aug Southern Hemisphere for latitude 35° S. SkyandTelescope.com Every issue of Sky & Telescope magazine contains a full-color star chart for the current month. When to Use This Chart How to Use This Chart Early July 10 p.m. Go out within an hour or so of the time listed at left. Late July 9 p.m. Turn the chart around so the edge marked with the Early Aug. 8 p.m. direction you’re facing is right-reading. The stars Late Aug. 7 p.m. above thisg horizon on the map now match the stars in front of you. The map’s center is overhead (the

These are standard times. The chart is also zenith). So a star plotted halfway from the

N g o n i r c t h a useful in late April at 3 a.m., late May at 1 F edge to the center can be found in a.m., and late June at 11 p.m. the sky about halfway from horizontal to

straight up.

M92

α Vega

Facing NE Facing

13 M

LYRA

CYGNUS

γ BOÖTES BOREALIS M

CORONA

Facing NW Facing

Albireo

HERCULES

α VULPECULA

M27

γ SA

ITTA

α COMA BERENICES COMA

(CAPUT)

Arcturus ELPH

AQUILA SERPENS

IN Altair

α OPHIUCHUS

M15 EQUULEUS

(CAUDA)

SERPENS

M12

ε η

M10

VIRGO PEGASUS

SCUTUM

M11

AQUARIUS η M17

LIBRA

M25 M 23

M22 δ E C

α L I P M8 T I

F Antares C

α Spica

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORNUS

M6 c

M4 t

i τ n SCORPIUS s

g M7 Zenith e CO λ ε

W STRA ε

s N

t LIS θ i A LUPUS M30 TELESCOPIUM θ η c

CORVUS a ι F CRATER α PISCIS AUSTRINUS NORMA NGC 6397 Cen α ARA ω

INDUS ε α CIRCINUSα γ Fomalhaut TRIANGULUM HYDRA α PAVO AUSTRALE β α α CENTAURUS GRUS δ β γ SCULPTOR Southern APUS Crossα β CRUX

MUSCA

TUCANA Car OCTANS η IC 2602 ANTLIA 47 Tuc CHAMAELEON α Small PHOENIX β Magellanic ι Facing SE Cloud VELA HYDRUS Large λ Achernar VOLANS δ Star magnitudes Magellanic ε α Cloud –1 0 1 2 3 4 Facing SW 30 Dor 2516 γ

CARINA β RETICULUM DORADO PICTOR VariableOpen star clusterGlobularGalaxy clusterPlanetaryDiffuse nebula nebula Facing South  2003 Sky Publishing Corp. Evening Stars in

® Sep/Oct Southern Hemisphere for latitude 35° S. SkyandTelescope.com Every issue of Sky & Telescope magazine contains a full-color star chart for the current month. When to Use This Chart How to Use This Chart Early Sept. 10 p.m. Go out within an hour or so of the time listed at left. Late Sept. 9 p.m. Turn the chart around so the edge marked with the Early Oct. 8 p.m. direction you’re facing is right-reading. The stars Late Oct. Dusk above this horizon on the map now match the stars in front of you. The map’s center is overhead (the

These are standard times. The chart is also zenith). So a star plotted halfway from the

N g n o i r c t h a useful in early June at 4 a.m., early July at F edge to the center can be found in 2 a.m., and early August at mid- the sky about halfway

night. from horizontal to

Deneb

S CYGNU straight up. α

LACERTA

Facing NE Facing

Vega

α M29

LYRA

χ ANDROMEDA

M57

Facing NW Facing

Albireo

M27

VULPECULA

PEGASUS HERCULES

DELPHINUS

SAGITTA

α M15

ε γ

Altair

EQUULEUS α

PISCES

AQUILA

M2 η

E C L I P T I C

(CAUDA)

SERPENS

AQUARIUS

M11

OPHIUCHUS

SCUTUM M10

M16 CAPRICORNUS M12

M25

CETU

ira t Fomalhaut

a M17

AUSTRINUS M30

M22 (CAPUT)

s η

SERPENS c

PISCIS

β W

g Zenith

SCULPTOR α

g M8 E

i a

c s ε M6 t GRUS a

M7 F α α SAGITTARIUS λ β α INDUS α CORONA ε δ

M4 LIBRA AUSTRALIS SCORPIUS PHOENIX α θ Antares FORNAX

α 6752 TELESCOPIUM

ERID TUCANA ARA A ERIDANUS N PAVO U Achernar NORMA S 47 Tuc Small α Magellanic LUPUS Cloud α

H HYDRUS HYDRA O η RO OCTANS α TRIANGULUM LO AUSTRALE G γ IU APUS CIRCINUS θ M α RETIC ULU M Large β ε Magellanic ι Facing SE DORADO Cloud 30 Dor Cen 4755 ω AELEON CRUX CENTAURUS β CHAM MUSCA β Star magnitudes Southern PICTOR α Cross –1 0 1 2 3 4 VOLANS γ γ Facing SW

β IC 2602 α δ Canopus 2516 η Car CARINA ι ε VariableOpen star clusterGlobularGalaxy clusterPlanetaryDiffuse nebula nebula Fac th  2003 Sky Publishing Corp. ing Sou Evening Stars in

® Nov/Dec Southern Hemisphere for latitude 35° S. SkyandTelescope.com Every issue of Sky & Telescope magazine contains a full-color star chart for the current month. When to Use This Chart How to Use This Chart Early Nov. Midnight Go out within an hour or so of the time listed at left. Late Nov. 11 p.m. Turn the chart around so the edge marked with the Early Dec. 10 p.m. direction you’re facing is right-reading. The stars Late Dec. 9 p.m. above this horizon on the map now match the stars in front of you. The map’s center is overhead (the

These are standard times. The chart is also zenith). So a star plotted halfway from the

g n N i c o a r h F

useful in early August at dawn, early t edge to the center can be found in

September at 4 a.m., and early α the sky about halfway

October at 2 a.m. α from horizontal to PERSEUS

Capella straight up.

γ Algol

Kids

M31

AURIGA

Facing NE Facing

M38

M36

ANDROMEDA

TRIANGULUM M37

Facing NW Facing α

Pleiades β

M35

ARIES

Hyades I Aldebaran

α E C TAURUS L

I P T PEGASUS

I C γ

PISCES

ORION

Betelgeuse CANIS MINOR CANIS

Mira

Circlet

CETUS MONOCEROS

M42

Procyon

ERIDANUS

Rigel

50 α

Sirius LEPUS

CANIS MAJOR CANIS

F α

a s

M47

c e

i FORNAX

M48

n W

M41 Zenith

AQUARIUS

g M f

46 CAELUM i

c δ

s M93 ε COLUMBA

t α

η HOROLOGIUM

SCULPTOR Fomalhaut PUPPIS PISCIS

Canopus Achernar

AUSTRINUS

RETICULUM PHOENIX M30 α α D Achernar OR β ζ AD CARINA PICTOR O β Large α Magellanic CAPRICORNUS PYXIS GRUS γ NGC Cloud HYDRUS 47 Tuc 2516 30 Dor TUCANA Small δ ε Magellanic INDUS λ VOLANS Cloud

VELA ι β CHAMAELEON α OCTANS PAVO

IC 2602 Facing SE η A Car APUS N MUSCA RO Star magnitudes CO STRALIS α AU –1 0 1 2 3 4 Southern Facing SW Cross α CRUX TRIANGULUM AUSTRALE TELESCOPIUM γ 4755 β ARA β CIRCINUS α CENTAURUS VariableOpen star clusterGlobularGalaxy clusterPlanetaryDiffuse nebula nebula Facing South  2003 Sky Publishing Corp. ® Exploring the Moon

SkyandTelescope.com

The Moon is by far the most rewarding ce- waxing (growing) crescent, we see the parts Refractors and Cassegrain reflectors give lestial object for a small telescope. Even a on the right edge of the map. At first-quarter mirror images when used with a star diago- very small instrument will reveal its bleak, phase we see the entire right half, and so on. nal; so does any other instrument contain- blasted landscape of mountain ranges, To use this lunar map, turn the chart ing an odd number of mirrors. If you find plains, hills, valleys, and craters. Even until it matches your view. Note: Some tele- this to be a problem, take out the star diag- binoculars show many features, and there scopes give a mirror image, which will not onal and view “straight through.” A correct are enough interesting sites on the Moon to match this map no matter how you turn it. image is much easier to compare with any keep a telescopic explorer busy forever. map. You’ll notice right away that except Once the map is oriented, it will be when the Moon is full, it is divid- simple to identify the major craters, ed by the terminator, the line mountains, and other features. separating lunar day and MARE In time, the geography of night. Here is where FRIGORIS this alien world will be- detail shows best. Aristoteles come as familiar to Plato When the you as that of Atlas SINUS ALPS Hercules Moon is a SINUS MTS our own. RORIS IRIDUM Pico LACUS SOMNIORUM MARE Piton

CAUCASUSMTS IMBRIUM MARE

Archimedes SERENITATIS MARE Aristarchus PALUS CRISIUM SOMNI

OCEANUS Eratosthenes APENNINE MTS MARE MARE Plinius UNDARUM SINUS VAPORUM MARE AESTUUM MARE TRANQUILLITATIS SPUMANS Copernicus Kepler MARE SINUS MEDII PROCELLARUM FECUNDITATIS Grimaldi Langrenus Theophilus Ptolemaeus Cyrillus MARE Alphonsus NECTARIS Gassendi

MARE Arzachel Fracastorius MARE NUBIUM

HUMORUM

alley

V Rheita Maurolycus Tycho UCO/Lick Observatory

Longomontanus

Clavius

 2003 Sky Publishing Corp.