View Full Version : Do you star gaze?
For years I have gazed at the stars while I am camped on the trail. I know some of the more common stars and constellations but I find myself looking at a star and wondering what it's name is and what constellation it is in, if any. I recently downloaded Google Sky to my droid and wala.. all I do is point my phone upward and I can identify stars, planets and all sorts of interesting info. I'm wondering if anybody else is using Google Sky and or does any star gazing.
Blissful
11-12-2010, 13:55
Good idea, esp for those out now hiking when it gets dark so early.
I like printing out the free monthly Sky Maps from http://www.skymaps.com/downloads.html then just put them in a plastic page protector to carry outside. I find them easier to read than most planispheres.
If you scroll down to the bottom of the page they also have a podcast that explains what to look for in the night sky each month!
Wise Old Owl
11-12-2010, 14:11
I used to have an app for palm and for 8 years ago it was fair for what I wanted - visible eye astronomy... glad to hear there's a app for that now.
beartripper
11-12-2010, 14:27
Stargazing really makes a person wonder. Sometimes I carry the little book, "Night Sky" with me to help me remember some of the stars in the Contellations. Makes me
realize that our little planet is a dot on a dot on a dot.
Jupiter has been interesting the past few months. When it first appeared rising in the east a couple months ago, I thought it was a plane.
Also I'm used to seeing the sky from a light-poluted area, when camping and I look at the night sky, it's difficult to recognize anything immediately because of the zillions more stars you can see. Can't wait for a winter overnighter. I think there are more interesting objects then.
Fiddleback
11-12-2010, 15:09
Google Sky is fun. There's also an expensive but super iPhone/Touch (Pad?) app at the iTunes store; "SkySafari", previously called "SkyVoyager", which seems to have a couple textbooks worth of info. It'll open up with a picture of what you're looking at once you plug in your location.
FB
greenmtnboy
11-12-2010, 15:20
It is a fun activity, but have only done stargazing when night hiking, years ago.
It helps to have others to reinforce the hobby, such as a local club. I attend this one: http://www.was-ct.org/ It's open to all.
Also "The Winter Star Party" in Marathon, Florida, is fun and reasonably-priced, and camping in available. http://www.scas.org/wsp.html
Stargazing really makes a person wonder. Sometimes I carry the little book, "Night Sky" with me to help me remember some of the stars in the Contellations. Makes me
realize that our little planet is a dot on a dot on a dot.
Yep, one day, we will find out we are just living in locker.
SMSP
I love to stargaze. I usually end up making a nature call in the middle fo the night, and will spend a while once out of my tarp enjoying the night sky.
I also love to get up a short while before sunrise and watch the night sky, and eventually the sunrise. I did this two weeks ago at Gravel Springs Hut in SNP. Great Eastern view. I woke up, walked to the spring and made some hot tea (didn't want to disturb those in the shelter), then parked myself on the picnic table and enjoyed the view for about an hour. Really recharged my batteries.
I'm heading out to SNP for 2 1/2 days the weekend after Thanksgiving, and will spend one night at Gravel Springs Hut. I hope to be able to enjoy the same clear view once more.
Feral Bill
11-13-2010, 01:20
A great time to be out when the Perseids meteor shower happens in August. Excellent show.
Spokes:
I printed the evening skymap from skymaps.com for Sept., Oct., and Nov. It's interesting how the star and planets change position from month to month in the evening sky. I only wish that the site had drawings for early morning viewing. When I'm hiking that's when I do most of my star gazing. I can't sleep past about 4:00 am. I especially like the Sky Calendar. Taurid meteor shower peaked last night.
I love that app on my droid too.
Spokes:
I printed the evening skymap from skymaps.com for Sept., Oct., and Nov. It's interesting how the star and planets change position from month to month in the evening sky. I only wish that the site had drawings for early morning viewing. When I'm hiking that's when I do most of my star gazing. I can't sleep past about 4:00 am. I especially like the Sky Calendar. Taurid meteor shower peaked last night.
Yep, I really like the Sky Calendar. Check out the podcast, it's really cool too.
For all laptop users out there, the best FREE planetarium app I've found is Stellarium (http://www.stellarium.org/). It's a large download but well worth the space. You'll be blown away by all the features.
Be sure to review the wiki for set-up instructions for your particular location.
Enjoy!
For years I have gazed at the stars while I am camped on the trail. I know some of the more common stars and constellations but I find myself looking at a star and wondering what it's name is and what constellation it is in, if any. I recently downloaded Google Sky to my droid and wala.. all I do is point my phone upward and I can identify stars, planets and all sorts of interesting info. I'm wondering if anybody else is using Google Sky and or does any star gazing.
I don't know if Titusville/Ocala was hit by those hurricanes years ago, but when everyones power was out and there was no light pollution, I've never seen a better night sky anywhere in the country. I wish there was some national holiday when everyone turns their lights out.
Rocket Jones
11-13-2010, 15:14
I don't know if Titusville/Ocala was hit by those hurricanes years ago, but when everyones power was out and there was no light pollution, I've never seen a better night sky anywhere in the country. I wish there was some national holiday when everyone turns their lights out.
National Pellet Gun Day? :D
Different Socks
11-14-2010, 04:02
Ever since I became an amateur astronomer, I enjoy looking at the stars every night I can, as well as pointing out some of things to others. It is astonishing to hear them realize that they were looking at Andromeda every time they saw Cassiopeia and never knew it was there.
One night at Marcy Dam in the ADK's, I pointed out a satellite going by and it lit up like a strobe for several seconds. It took some thinking to realize I'd just witnessed my first tumbling satellite.
thelowend
11-14-2010, 05:24
I can identify the big dipper, little dipper and the satellites circling earth (occasionally a planet or two, but hardly ever their names). I have always craned my neck in order to gaze at the sky, be it star filled or cloudy, ever since I was a young child. The stars (and the moon!) bring me incredible peace and I couldn't care less the names we have given them =)
C Seeker
11-14-2010, 08:54
Right now is the best time to be star gazing. Because it is starting to get cold the sky is more clear. Also I personally see more shooting stars during the fall season. But I love star gazing when i'm out in the woods, you have less light polution and it is quiet. I only know a few constilations, I know how to spot plants and satalights, and have only seen one meteorite falling to earth.
.......... It took some thinking to realize I'd just witnessed my first tumbling satellite.
....... or an iridium flare perhaps?
Fiddleback
11-19-2010, 10:22
I ran across this early today...
"Google Sky Map- now with time travel"
http://googlemobile.blogspot.com/2010/11/google-sky-map-now-with-time-travel.html
I haven't tried it yet but it purports to portray the sky at your choice of date/time, past or future.
FB
I was sitting on the beach in LBI after consuming some "adult beverages"(actually, a lot of adult beverages) one night over this summer, and found that app on my droid also, and it was very cool. I enjoy stargazing in areas that you can actually see stars, and the droid app makes it a lot easier to do.
Tenderheart
11-19-2010, 13:46
I am beginning to see lots of stars and constellations on my early morning runs. I don't know enough to really enjoy them. I don't have an app, a droid, or helmet, or goggles, or nothing. Maybe I should though.
litefoot 2000
beartripper
11-19-2010, 14:10
I agree with Spokes about checking out Stellarium. I downloaded Stellarium about six
months ago and you will be amazed with all the information you get with this. Just click on a star and the inforrmation will pop up on your PC. Click and center and zoom in for picture details, very interesting.
mweinstone
11-19-2010, 21:52
umm ,...dudes? and women for this matter?,....
ya score more when ya learn ta point. she has to get close to see where your pointing. and ya just have ta remember the 4 seasonal skys. and only like 12 constelations or planets should do ya.
fumbling with droids? way unromantic
umm ,...dudes? and women for this matter?,....
ya score more when ya learn ta point. she has to get close to see where your pointing. and ya just have ta remember the 4 seasonal skys. and only like 12 constelations or planets should do ya.
fumbling with droids? way unromantic
......... of course while wrapped in bacon.
Of all the differently themed threads I've read, IT'S ABOUT TIME I READ ONE STARTED ABOUT STAR GAZING! GOD TOPIC!
It always amazes me the percentage of people who never look up.
For the serious star gazers if your into photos, the Orion nebula is the best to photograph in winter, especially if you have a telescope with a clock drive. Just mount the camera on the scope with a 50mm lens, 10 seconds works wonders.
mweinstone
11-21-2010, 02:30
make a fluffy place on the ground to lay prone and set two sticks one long one short in the ground in line with your eye. and watch the movement of the whole stary nite in the span of 15 min. line the tall stick up on a star and in line with the shorter nearer stick and your eye. make a note mentaly or a map with pen and paper how the surrounding stars arange themselves . now watch them all move. line up on a planet and watch two seperate movements of stuff in the sky.
jhensley
11-21-2010, 08:13
Stargazing can sometimes really put things into perspective, at least for me anyway.
johnnybgood
11-21-2010, 10:55
I must drive an hour away from the metropolitan area just to escape the light pollution .
My favorite stargazing spot is a 4 mile hike from the Parkway, usually its dark this time of year before I reach the summit. It's a 90 minute drive to the mountains.
Along the same lines as previous poster , the best introspection of one's thoughts and life in general occurs when looking up at the stars.
http://stardate.org/nightsky
A great time to be out when the Perseids meteor shower happens in August. Excellent show.
Saw a good one this year. It broke up as it went W to E. Oddball direction, and cool. Nature's fireworks.
, and have only seen one meteorite falling to earth.
I have only seen that on TV. Did it flash/boom when it hit?
Lone Wolf
11-21-2010, 11:44
For years I have gazed at the stars while I am camped on the trail. I know some of the more common stars. I'm wondering if anybody else does any star gazing.
usually around trail days the common stars like b. jack, warren doyle and pirate can be viewed in damascus
Feral Bill
11-21-2010, 13:09
Try this: Lay outside with a view of the western horizon with a ridge and some trees. Stare at the sky and stars beyond, making it your fixed frame of reference. You can then actually watch the Earth turn past the stars. It works, really!
mweinstone
11-22-2010, 18:47
philadelphia skys are showing stars and our deleware river has freashwater mussels again i belive for the same reasons. the enviroment is so linked to commerce that in a down period it refurbeshis. hopefully we dont need to die to fix the planet. maby a nice equalibrium where everyone lives but all chickens die.or rats.whatever,not us.
Wise Old Owl
11-22-2010, 19:26
Well I use my "Simple" cell Phone to discover Moon rise, phase and Sunset.
This way I don't get caught in the dark and I have learned two things.
After Equinox the Sun sets are two minutes earlier each day.
The Moon's width in the sky is very close to one degree of arc. Memorise the speed and the size...
When you see the Sun, it travels 10 minutes to one degree of arc, now when you see the sun setting hold your fingers out stretched and each represents 10 minutes to sunset.
C Seeker
11-27-2010, 21:46
I have only seen that on TV. Did it flash/boom when it hit?
I did not see a flash, and was in a car with two people talking so I didn't hear a boom :( But I saw it falling from the sky until it disappeard behind "butt crack hill"
4eyedbuzzard
11-27-2010, 22:41
hopefully we dont need to die to fix the planet. maby a nice equalibrium where everyone lives but all chickens die.or rats.whatever,not us.
I kind of like rats and chickens. How about politicians, telemarketers, and health insurance administrators?
mweinstone
11-28-2010, 00:26
best day to see the son rise: judgement day
best place to see a falling star:looking into the pit of fire as saten is thrown in.
best celestial body: the body of christ
best new proposed heavenly bodys name:the wolfs crack.a string of stars appearing brown due to iron oxide dust in the solar winds.
guidestardan
01-03-2012, 16:10
I was either camping under the trees or fell asleep soon after dark and missed looking at the starry wilderness available to AT hikers.
Or the moon was out...which is no good for naked eye viewing of the fainter stars and milky way.
Two times that really stand out in my memory are
Once in 1993 I bivvy'd on top of Bald Pate in Maine and it was absolutely the best AT stargazing I have ever done
- except for the night on Max Patch Mtn. in April 1985, with the Lyrid meteors flying overhead.
The northern lights should be more numerous over the next few years. Looking forward to that.
coach lou
01-03-2012, 20:49
My camping location is generally aligned to south/ south east so I can watch the stars rise and float on by. When in the West I camp with a Magnetic North View for the chance of getting Northern Lights view.
Wow, makes me real Happy to see a topic dear to my heart, rising up to be a frequent topic. I find it real easy to blend astronomy and hiking. Just the simple act of rising and resting with the cycle of the sun, makes astronomy awareness a natural part of the day. The first thing I check in the morning is whether the sun is to my left or right on NOBO or SOBO hikes. I always check the location of the rising sun and my orientation of my evening tent set-up. Nothing better than having the warmth of the sun on those cold mornings. (especially if wetness is involved) I like to hike for several hours after my evening meal well into the dark. Catching the planets at first light, tracking the moon cycle over several nights, meteor showers, Aurora events. Astronomy just happens.
----StarMan----
I used to stare into the sky and not really know what I was looking at. Now with Goggle Sky I have learned to spot the visible planets and know what time of year they are in what location. I know this can be learned from sky maps but the phone app is easier. It just adds to my hiking experience.
rocketsocks
01-04-2012, 01:56
One of the neatest little guide books I've found is the "Golden Guide"a series of children's books that is just loaded with information for the kid in all of us.Only weighs about as much as a deck of playing cards,and covers many of the earth sciences.
Quadrantids meteor shower tonite.
I saw a nice meteor while testing some sleep combinations last night in preparation for my first winter overnighter this season. It got down to 12 degrees. I was warm and slept well. I probably woke up the neighbors with my snoring :D.