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oldsalt
Astro Philosopher
Reged: 02/12/05
Posts: 7958
Loc: Pa - between starparties
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I've also posted this in the Beginners Forum, as not quite sure where it belongs. I've started work on an amature astronomy primer, and would like some input on what you would want in such a book, and what you think has been missing from other such works.any and all suggestions will be considered. 
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Glassthrower
Vendor - Galactic Stone & Ironworks
Reged: 04/07/05
Posts: 14682
Loc: Hurricane Alley
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One of the things I had problems with at first was
celestial directions and coordinates. It was hard to find
a plain english explanation of how declination and
ascension work. How to read a Star Atlas would be nice.
Admittedly, these are things I have recently grappled
with and I am still hazy on a few of the finer points.
Mike
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Michael Gilmer - Member of the Meteoritical Society & Collector of Falling Stars.
Galactic Stone & Ironworks - Buy/Sell/Trade Meteorites, Moon Rocks, Mars Rocks, & 35 different falls and types!
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oldsalt
Astro Philosopher
Reged: 02/12/05
Posts: 7958
Loc: Pa - between starparties
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I'm working on the coordinates issue right now. I know what you mean, I just have to find the right analogy. My better half is the sounding board for this as geography and earth coordinates are hard enough for her to understand. If I can get her to understand celestial ones I've got it made.
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Glassthrower
Vendor - Galactic Stone & Ironworks
Reged: 04/07/05
Posts: 14682
Loc: Hurricane Alley
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I finally figured out something that should have been
obvious. Perhaps this might be a helpful suggestion to
other newbies :
One of my main problems with reading Star Charts and Atlases
was the fact that I could not properly determine
which way to orient some of the charts. Lacking a bright
and obvious constellation to use for orientation, it can
be tricky to determine which way to rotate the chart to
match the local skies.
Finally, DUH!, I thought of using my planisphere to get
my orientation correct and then compared the planisphere
against the Atlas : bingo, I had it.
Using a planisphere can be slightly less intimidating for
a beginner than trying to decipher a Star Atlas. But once
a person figures out a planisphere, using a Star Atlas is
just a slight jump in comprehension away.
Mike
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Michael Gilmer - Member of the Meteoritical Society & Collector of Falling Stars.
Galactic Stone & Ironworks - Buy/Sell/Trade Meteorites, Moon Rocks, Mars Rocks, & 35 different falls and types!
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Starman1
Vendor - Scope City
Reged: 06/24/03
Posts: 10955
Loc: Los Angeles
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One of the best ways to modify a star atlas to make it easier to use is to draw in the constellation figures. I did this on my Tirion Atlas 2000.0 and it was always easy to identify which chart I needed just by glancing at the figures I'd drawn in.
the Mag.7 star atlas, which is free on this forum, has most of the lines drawn in. I added the lines from my ancient (1968) planisphere (which matches the pre-1980 "redesign" of the constellation figures) to make that atlas even easier to use.
[Some years ago Sky & Tel and Astronomy modified their star charts to include fewer "connect-the-dots" lines in the constellations. The reason, I believe, is that today's amateur observes in a lot more light pollution than the observer of a generation ago, and cannot see many of the stars they drew lines between. Sad.]
Rather than flip back and forth between the planisphere and the charts, you just convert your charts to larger, more detailed, planisphere segments.
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Don Pensack
12.5" Truss Dob, 5" Maksutov
Sustaining Lifetime IDA member, TeleVue junkie
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Ken
sage
Reged: 04/24/03
Posts: 271
Loc: 39 20'N 78 01'W
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I tend to bring this book up frequently. But the best explanation of the celestial coordinate system with easy to understand simple drawings was published in Sam Brown's "All About Telescopes" I still reccomend it as the first introductory text to anyone interested in using or building a telescope. Although predating the computerized Goto and even the SCT "revolution" the book is still an excellent and useful text.
http://scientificsonline.com/product.asp?pn=3009611&sid=froogle&bhcd2=1118804835
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Ken
39N 78W
77 Edmund 6"f6
94 Meade 2045D
02 Edmund Astroscan
02 Questar 3.5
04 Meade ETX-105
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