Identifying stars - what are the chances?

LeafGreen

On of the best ways of identifying stars is by knowing a few of the easily identifiable constellations.

Assuming you are in the northern hemisphere:-

For example, Orion is one of the easiest to spot, although it is not always in the visible sky.  But it includes 2 bright stars Betelgeuse and Rigel as well as the 3 which are close together and form the belt.

The "big dipper" (part of Ursa Major) is perhaps easier to spot as it is close to the north/pole star around which everything else rotates and should be visible on any clear night.  You could learn the names of the 7 brightest stars in the big dipper.

By the way, some of the brightest stars are in fact planets, you are likely to be able to see Mars, Venus and Jupiter frequently.

It may be a bit out of scope but the OU have a free course which I am currently doing and is quite interesting:-
https://www.open.edu/openlearn/science-maths-technology/astronomy/astronomy-online-telescope/content-section-overview?active-tab=description-tab

The OU course introduces you to the Stellarium software which others have suggested.   If you have a PC it can be downloaded there for free.  You can get it to show you what should be visible at your location at any given time.   

matelodave

Flugelhorn said:

I use a planisphere https://www.amazon.co.uk/Philips-Planisphere-Latitude-51-5-North/dp/1849074852/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=planisphere&qid=1706878358&sr=8-1

I use the same

twopenny

Wow thats going to take more than the weekend to look through now!
Thanks Dave, I may look into that but I do know the basic constellations but the explaining of the Stellarnium ? Would probably be good. My brain needs a workout. The net makes you lazy re remembering things.

Dave yes I'm interested in that also because I've been trying to go tech minimal.

If anyone hasn't been to a dark skies area you should. I think any gadget would have a meltdown there is so much up there.
But I want to just step into the garden and see whats there when it's cold    

Emmia

matelodave said:

Flugelhorn said:

I use a planisphere https://www.amazon.co.uk/Philips-Planisphere-Latitude-51-5-North/dp/1849074852/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=planisphere&qid=1706878358&sr=8-1

I use the same

They're not quite so good for a "point and shoot" arrangement to what's that star / constellation / thing in the sky when out and about though (I don't tend to lug stargazing books around generally) - this is what the apps are good for. 

Newcad

twopenny said:
If anyone hasn't been to a dark skies area you should. I think any gadget would have a meltdown there is so much up there.

But I want to just step into the garden and see whats there when it's cold    

LOL, i moved from city to dark skies in Cumbria 24 years ago this week and the difference is amazing - if you care to look up and it's not clouded over

It depends just what you are after of course but I find that for the occasional 'whats that' then Heavens Above does a good job for me and may be all you need for garden star and planet spotting, with bright satellites such as the space station thrown in to amaze your friends by saying look up at such a time to see a bright thing crossing the sky.