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Jeff Blair
member
Reged: 05/25/06
Posts: 48
Loc: Aliso Viejo, CA
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I found a cheap stargazers pack by Philip's at the bookstore today. It included a nice wall chart, a guide to the northern constellations and a nice planisphere. $4.99 not bad.
My question is that the planisphere is for 51.5 degree's N. I am located at 33 dgrees in SoCal. Will this planisphere be of any use to me? Is it merely a matter that the chart will show stars to the north that will be below my horizon and not show stars to the south that I could see?
Any feedback on how this works?
Thanks.
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Jeff
Orion XT8
Stellarvue 20x85
Pentax PCF WP II 20x60
Minolta 7x35
William Optic 8x42
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refractory
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 02/05/05
Posts: 994
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I guess the answers to your questions are yes and yes. Though one might adjust the planisphere by overlaying a cutout to add latitude to the horizon and cut more out in equal measure from the other side (one might use the latter as the piece for the former?). Easier to just buy another planisphere for less than $10.
Me I'm designing a celestial helmet (like a planetarium, but you wear it around your head)  .. Ideally lightweight virtual reality goggles would be nice plus a good software package to go with it- maybe someday.
Jess Tauber
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edwincjones
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/10/04
Posts: 4095
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I would agree with Refractory-yes and yes. I my experience, the planispheres help with general orientation to the skies, and to tell me what/when something comes up in the East, and sets in the West. It will be of less use if you have a clear, non light poluted South sky.
edj
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n w arkansas
Binocular, Solar, General Amateur Astronomy
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Jeff Blair
member
Reged: 05/25/06
Posts: 48
Loc: Aliso Viejo, CA
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Thanks for the feedback. Kind of what I thought. Anyone interested in a 51 dergee planisphere cheap - the bookstore had about 20 of them. There's probably 20 of the 32 dergee versions sitting somewhere in a bookstore in Canada. Go figure.
Jess - let me know when you have the prototype ready - I'd like to check it out.
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Jeff
Orion XT8
Stellarvue 20x85
Pentax PCF WP II 20x60
Minolta 7x35
William Optic 8x42
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refractory
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 02/05/05
Posts: 994
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What we really need is a planisphere that can adjust the masking to any latitude- its not brain science, is it? I guess electronic paper will be the solution.
Jess Tauber
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DJB
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 02/23/05
Posts: 1174
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Hi Jess,
Interesting proposal, there. I would think it fairly easy to make a planisphere adjustable for various latitudes.
I envision a chart within an outer shell; this shell could be adjusted +/- for a range of common latitudes.
It would be larger, probably rectangular, and it would be difficult to adjust the E-W "distortions" for everyone, that I think most dedicated planispheres are adjusted SOMEWHAT.
To hold the altitude, a compression slider(s) could be incorporated on a side bar. Just my thoughts, but nice idea.
Best regards,
Dave.
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EdZ
Professor EdZ
Reged: 02/15/02
Posts: 12049
Loc: Cumberland, R I , USA42N71.4W
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Not long ago I bought about a dozen of these Philips Stargazer packs 51.5°.
I live at 42° north. The difference in the planisphere view window with my other 42° Planispheres is almost negligable. The size of the Philips stargazer is larger than my other Philips.
Leave it alone. Use it for what a planisphere does best, gives an idea of what stars are in what direction. OK, so you won't be able to see the faint stars on the horizon below Scorpius. But you'll already have your directions by then, so it will have served its purpose.
I paid 5.95 for my packs and for only about 20-25% of normal cost I got planishere and full sized star and moon wall charts for students. An outstanding value. I'd have bought 5 dozen if they had that many.
edz
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Teach a kid something today. The feeling you'll get is one of life's greatest rewards.
member#21
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Jeff Blair
member
Reged: 05/25/06
Posts: 48
Loc: Aliso Viejo, CA
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Quote:
Leave it alone. Use it for what a planisphere does best, gives an idea of what stars are in what direction. OK, so you won't be able to see the faint stars on the horizon below Scorpius. But you'll already have your directions by then, so it will have served its purpose.
edz
That makes sense - Thank Edz.
In the interest helping out - if you would like me to pick up the remaining stock available (maybe 15-20) @ the $4.99 let me know and I'll send them to you. The shipping would still keep them less than the $5.99 you found.
Let me know - no big deal.
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Jeff
Orion XT8
Stellarvue 20x85
Pentax PCF WP II 20x60
Minolta 7x35
William Optic 8x42
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DJB
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 02/23/05
Posts: 1174
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Ed,
That WAS a good deal. What, if I may ask, did you do with them all? Also, your advice rings home. I was only speculating.
Best regards,
Dave.
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John Flannery
sage
Reged: 12/03/04
Posts: 284
Loc: Dublin, Ireland
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Hi folks,
Great deal Ed getting those Astro-Packs. They retail here for about $30 but CostCo had a bunch in stock about 2 years ago for the equivalent of $7.50. Two of the guys filled their trunk with dozens of boxes of 'em on a trip to the UK (we don't have CostCo in Ireland unfortunately).
Not sure if anyone knew this, but Toshimi Taki has planetarium creation software on his web site (also the mag. 6.5 and mag. 8.5 atlases). The link is http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~zs3t-tk/
I came across some other planetarium creation software before but can't find it at the moment.
atb,
John
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Oscail do Shuile D'iontas na Cruinne/Open Your Eyes to the Wonder of the Universe
Bliann Idirnáisiúnta Réalteolaíochta 2009/International Year of Astronomy 2009
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EdZ
Professor EdZ
Reged: 02/15/02
Posts: 12049
Loc: Cumberland, R I , USA42N71.4W
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Quote:
What, if I may ask, did you do with them all?
I have not used them all yet. In addition to Constellation Guidebooks, like Levy's Skywatching or Ridpath's Stars and Planets, I use planispheres as handouts to the students I teach. I conduct an in-school or after school astronomy program for local schools. For the after school program, I have students, usually 8-12 sign up, for an hour a week for 6 weeks.
As part of the program each student gets a guidebook and a planisphere. These Starfinder packs have allowed me to give planispheres and two full sized wall charts for the price of less than a planisphere. For the in-school programs, where I'm teaching an entire class at once, I give the books and packs to the teacher.
I buy all my stuff cut rate. Prior to this I've been giving a book and an Edmund planisphere. The Edmunds are cheap, but you can by them in bulk lots of 25. On one trip to Border's bookstore, they had two racks of Levy's Skywatching and Burnham/Dyer's Backyard Astronomy real cheap. I cleaned out the rack. I also shop Alibris, Powell's and Amazon Used. I have certain books I watch for that I prefer. Right now I have a full cabinet, enough to supply all my upcoming classes for the fall/winter sessions. I'll think about a bulk buy of those Planisphere's though.
edz
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Teach a kid something today. The feeling you'll get is one of life's greatest rewards.
member#21
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DJB
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 02/23/05
Posts: 1174
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Great Ed,
I knew it! That's what I wanted to hear. I don't teach now, but I have done projects for my teacher friend's classes. It involved microscopy. Not exactly binoculars as we're on the other end of the spectrum.
Good work.
Best regards,
Dave.
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